Things people ask me now that I'm unemployed Part 3/3

"How are things going in Preston?"

I'm never really sure how to answer this one. I think this is a general all-encompassing question that intends to cover the previous two questions. I think they're asking about the job and living with The Person all in one.

I tend to answer in a much more general way and focus in on the Preston part.

I should know the place like the back of my hand having been unemployed and living here for a month and a half. However, due to yet another incident involving high heels and alcohol which took place less than 24 hours living in the city, I have been pretty immobile up until the last couple of weeks (and yes I have now learned my lesson on that score).


Shopping
In many ways Preston reminds me of a smaller Hull. It's Northern. It's got a standard kind of high street. In some ways it feels really familiar.

I'm still trying to find my way around all the shops - there are a couple of shopping centres - and I might not be able to take you directly to a particular shop (unless you're looking for Krispy Kreme, I can definitely take you straight there) but I can lead you in kind of the right direction.

There are a few little cute independent shops but you need to do some exploring to find them at times. My favourite little tucked away treat is the Mystery Tea House - perfect for if you don't fancy Cafe Nero/Costa/Starbucks etc.

Nightlife
I'd only been out in Preston a couple of times before I moved here but unfortunately the place I went to both times has now closed down. For the Jubilee weekend a couple of friends came to see me and we struck out with nothing more than a starting point and a plan to follow the crowds and see where it took us.

Turns out Preston is awesome. We drank. We danced. And when we decided to call it a night at 1am the pizza place was empty and people were queuing up at the cashpoints, taking more money out. Preston People know how to party.

Local prettiness
There's prettiness abound as well - I live close to the Docks which are beautiful, especially when the sun is shining. Slightly less so when the wind and rain are battering you as you walk round them to get to Morrisons.

Most excitingly they have nature on them. I love a bit of nature sometimes. The Docks currently have some swans nesting*;

And some terns. I was initially excited at how resourceful they'd been, turning an old tyre into a nest, but then I was informed that those have been put there purposely for them to nest in. But I like my version better.

Also close by is the Ribble. I've even been for a run alongside this and was jogging along, admiring its beauty when I realised that I really should be looking where I'm placing my feet and nearly went arse over tit on a bit of loose rubble.

And let's not forget that Preston is only 20 minutes away from Blackpool and about 40 minutes from the Lake District by train.

And here ends my role as Preston Ambassador.


*Since taking this picture I am pleased to report that the swans now have some cygnets - or swucklings as I like to call them. There are 6 of them but I haven't had the chance to take pictures of them yet.