Bye Bye Kristi, Hello IKEA

Kristi and I took a taxi up to the Newcastle airport this morning. Got her all squared away at check-in. Tagged her bag through to Amsterdam. I suggested coffee, just trying to prolong the inevitable. But in the end, we finally had to say bye. That was hard. She was the last bit of home.

Sniff. Sniff.

Shopping therapy to the rescue. Off to IKEA.

I rode the Metro to Gateshead then took two buses to the IKEA store there.

The Metro rocks. For just three pounds, you can go practically anywhere in the city. I had no idea where the IKEA store was, only that I needed to get to Gateshead, which is a town south of the Tyne River (Newcastle is north of the Tyne).

Took a gamble and got off at one of the two Gateshead Metro stops. I asked a lady in a meat pie shop for directions, but her accent was so thick I couldn't understand her. Bought a small minced beef pie for 90 pence. It was so hot and good--but kinda messy.

I walked in the direction she pointed me, and found a bus station. Asked a bus driver which bus went near IKEA and he said his bus went there! Two pounds and 10 minutes later, I was walking in through the oversized blue and yellow door. Brilliant.

The key to self-control at IKEA: Only buy what you can carry home. I did buy a pull-behind shopping cart for 14 pounds so I figured I could assemble that on the spot and roll my purchases home that way. Worked great. And I'm sure I'll get a lot of use out of it after today's trip, too.