So, by the time I'd "coaxed" the builders into shape it was Friday
Meanwhile, we'd realised that open return tickets now expire after a month (always used to be 3 months) so there was some required shenanigans with already purchased train tickets. Thursday afternoon was spent at distance trying to work out the logistics of the most cost-effective way to sort journeys out whilst navigating strike days (of which I'm fully supportive). As a result, I made the journey up via Salisbury to take advantage of my Network Rail card.
Fortunately, the little bit of journey-stopping building work was completed by about 9.30am on Friday so I struck out to make my journey. The Salisbury route takes about an hour longer than the London route but it was not at all unpleasant.
I arrived at Temple Meads a little before 4pm, met by the BBB and pretty soon after we were in the Barleymow (of course). It was busy with work Christmas party-goers but pleasant, and we easily found a seat.
It allowed me to start to relax and the Arbor Zero Zero on cask (first time I've ever had it other than in a can) was tremendous. For all the world it felt like we'd been in the BM every week, despite it being a couple of months (they even remember straight glasses).
I read a blog post by a beer blogger who said that he doesn't really like non-pub drinking venues. Me? I like lots of different places to drink my beer - indeed this evening we're odd-on for the Moor brewery tap which I identified very early on as "absolutely not a pub" but the beer, and the people make up for it and a week in Bristol would be far the worse for not going there.
However, I'm pretty determined we're going to try more than the "old favourites" this trip. We've a month in residence (well, actually one month and 2 days hence the train ticket problems) so there's really no excuse, is there?
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