Through blogging, I have made some pretty awesome mummy blogging friends who live in different areas of the country. Since September, the last time we saw each other, we have been trying to arrange a get-together. But with being working mums it proved to be challenging. Then we were given the opportunity to work together with hotels.com and their serviced apartments Manchester. A day in Manchester it was for us all!
If you’re a Mum you will know how tough it is to be able to find time for yourself, let alone get away for a day away with friends!
It takes 2 hours for me to get to Manchester by rail. Setting off at 7.30am to get into Manchester for 9.30, we met up and went for a full English breakfast and a gin. I mean, come on, we were a group of mums who had been let loose for the day. The usual cold cuppa wasn’t going to cut it at all.
Over breakfast we decided to basically ‘wing it’. Let’s see where a day in Manchester takes us.
Between us we decided we all wanted to hit the shops. Especially, crystal and spiritual shops.
With our trusted mobiles we used Google and discovered Afflecks, which is based on Church Street. It is 3 floors of local independent businesses housing lots of ‘alternative’ stores ranging from piercing stalls, tarot reading, crystals, incense and cosplay.
Being in our element, time flew by.
Feeling peckish, we decided to go in search of something to eat for lunch. Manchester is full of both large chain restaurants and smaller independent eateries. You’re certainly spoilt for choice.
Stumbling upon the Arndale Shopping Centre, we discovered they had a food court with lots of food chains such as Taco Bell and Burger King.
But obviously, being mums on the loose, we got sidetracked on the way to the food court and had to pay a visit to some of our favourite stores. Including Pandora and Lush.
Which, I have to say, the customer service was next to none! Staff in both stores were so helpful. They went above and beyond.
Finally making it to the food court, we chose to go to a Chinese which was similar to a carvary. You could choose what you wanted. I chose to have egg friend rice, chicken curry and sweet and sour chicken. It was delicious.
Once refuelled we left the Arndale centre and hit another two of our favourite stores Primark and Tkmaxx.
Coming from a small town, I noticed everything in cities is on such a bigger scale, including the stores and their contents.
Weighted down with shopping bags from a day in Manchester we decided to find a bar to grab a gin and rest our feet. I’m sure we must’ve hit our 10,000 steps.
I can honestly say, having a day in Manchester with my mummy blogging friends did me the world of good. Being able to be me, with little demands and expectations. Using my time as my own was very refreshing, to say the least. It was the perfect dose of self-care I needed.
Also, knowing that I have friends that don’t live close to each other and don’t see each other as often as we would like. We can pick up where we left off and nothing has changed.
It’s true what they say, ‘Friends are like stars, you don’t always see them, but they’re always there’.
The spending money was gifted by Hotels.com, but all views are my own
