Holiday on a budget

Jamal goes to college about 350 miles from home which might not be far in the US or Oz but in the UK we are talking ends of the earth!  He is just about to start a 13 month sea phase so he suggested we come collect him. Well what tightwad can drive that far with turning iut a holiday so we did this:

Day one - started driving at 3am to arrive in South Shields at 8am. Morning trip to the beach (damn but it gets cold on that North East coast) and went into trendy and rather cool Newcastle. Slept at the flat

Day two - drove up the Northumberland coast to Alnwick, beloved castle of Harry potter fame, back to the flat for dinner and sleeping

Day three - We are only 120 miles from Edinburgh so would be mad not to go. Drove up nice and early, did a whole bunch of touristy things, Grey Friars Bobby bar, Scotch Whisky Tour, Haggis for lunch and drove back to the flat to sleep.

Day four - Metro centre - massive shopping mall. Never gain

Day five - Drive back to York for Breakfast and wander then back to Alton Towers

Day 6 - another day in Alton Towers. We love roller coaster and our other son and his girlfriend joined us too. It was a great day out.

We slept in manky student accommodation, used 2.5 tanks of diesel and secured cut price tickets to the theme park. We ate out a couple of times as reasonably price treats but otherwise picnics and home cooking.

Happy to report that the whole trip was absorbed without touching savings. :)

A happy and affordable time was had by all