The fact that the Public and Commercial Services trade union had called a strike on Wednesday gave me the excuse to take an extra day off and accompany Mr C to Newcastle where he was delivering a training course on Thursday. I have fond memories of business trips to Newcastle a number of years ago and I was long overdue another visit. Those of you who read me regularly will know that Northumberland is one of my favourite parts of the world.
I got my bits and pieces ready in the morning and set off for the north just after lunch. By the time we reached Leeming Bar it was time for a refreshing cup of tea at a motorway service station. It was distinctly chilly when I stepped out of the car, but on setting foot inside the service station I realised that it was even more chilly inside!! Then I sat on the wooden chair… Needless to say I didn’t take my coat off and I drank my tea quickly before it went cold.
Once in Newcastle we drove a couple of circuits trying to spot the hotel and then as every good photographer knows to do I looked up. I could just see the neon sign of the Hotel Vermont peeping out from behind another wall and luckily there was one last space on the car park. As I entered the hotel I noticed a Ferrari and a Rolls Royce flanking either side of the entrance door.
The hotel reception is currently being refurbished and a temporary reception was set up at one end of the dining room. Booking in was a little cramped. The reservation had been for up to two people but they never did ask who the second person was and there was none of the usual signing a registration document…
There was just enough time to unpack before going down to dinner. The weather was a little bit iffy so we stayed in the hotel for a meal. For some reason we got free veg and free drinks at the end of the meal although we did have to retreat to the other side of the dining room for the drinks, it had dropped decidedly chilly outside and there was an avalanche of cold air coming off the windows!
As you can see from the photo I dropped lucky and got a ‘room with a view‘ again 
