Weekend Reset: My Solo Adventure to Manchester

 

It’s my weekend reset, and this weekend I’m so excited, you guys have no idea.

I’m going to Manchester. It’s not a new city to me, but this time I want to see it through a new lens, as a poet.

☕ The Morning Ride

I caught the 8:44 am. train, coffee in hand, book in my lap, music in my ears. This time, I’m not trying to market myself or hand out business cards. I’m simply being.

The playlist is soft and mellow starting with 🎵 Kelly Clarkson’s Broken and Beautiful 🎵, the coffee is warm, and the world outside the train window feels slow and gentle.

🌼 Northern Quarter Wandering

First stop: Ezra & Gil for breakfast, a cosy spot in the Northern Quarter. I plan to journal a bit, reflect, and just breathe.

Then I’ll wander through the Northern Quarter, visiting Fred Aldous because I can’t resist beautiful journals, and popping into a few vintage shops. There’s such creative energy in that part of Manchester that always makes me feel alive.

I’ll also visit Chapter One Books to buy a new book, sit by the window, and inhale the smell of paper and stories.

🏛 A Little History and Lunch

After that, I’m stopping at John Rylands Library on Deansgate. There’s something sacred about that place, the architecture, the hush, the sense of timelessness. I might take a few quiet photos, but mostly I just want to feel it.

🍷Dinner and A Small Rebellion

Now, this part makes me smile. I’ve booked Australasia for dinner.. It’s calm, and underground. And tonight, it’s my solo dinner.

I might even have a glass of wine, just one, even though I hardly drink. Maybe it’s my small act of rebellion. My way of saying, I’m still here. I’m allowed to try new things.

💭 The Best Part

This weekend isn’t just about travel. It’s also about dreams.

Remember The Way Back to You, the story I’ve been working on? Someone read it and said, “This is publishable.” They even sent me a list of publishers to try.

I sent off the chapters, and now I’m waiting. It’s 20,000 words for now, but I know there’s more to tell.

The thought that this could become an actual book, my first real book, fills me with the most surreal kind of joy.

It might mean I have to pull it off the blog, but that’s okay. It’s a good reason.

💌 Closing Thoughts

So this weekend feels like the beginning of something new.

I took a few days off work just for me in November when the kids are in school, 🤫 don’t tell them 😉. To breathe, explore, and start my Solo Adventures series, a little tradition I want to keep going.

I hope your weekend is as vibrant or as peaceful as you need it to be.

With love,

Ayo 🤍