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Manchester - Getting around |
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Downtown Manchester is pretty small, so you'll probably spend most of your time walking. There's nothing wrong with some good exercise,
though there is the drawback of seeing more of a rather bland town. You have a few options when it comes to mechanized travel, though you
only really need it if you're carrying your luggage, or perhaps if you don't feel like walking the 1.5 miles to Old Trafford.
There is a light rail system running through the center of town and out to Old Trafford. We never took the time to figure it out, but it's
probably the most convenient way of getting out to the stadium. There's also a city bus system, though it seemed that half the stops were
closed down. The one bus we tried to catch didn't stop when we attempted to flag it down. Then, there's always a cab. This is probably
the most expensive option, so only use it if you're desperate. We did happen to be desperate when we used a cab to get from Piccadilly to
hostel. The ride across downtown cost us 4 pounds, but it took us only about 5 minutes in relatively heavy traffic to get there.
As previously stated, walking is the most desirable option, but even a simple stroll can prove interesting. One quirk about Manchester
(and the U.K. in general) is that there are very few street signs, and usually none when you absolutely need them most. Don't be surprised
to find yourself lost as you navigate the winding streets, forks in the road, and abruptly ending sidewalks. Oh, and each street crossing
is actually composed of about four or five crosswalks, so it may take you a while to get across a street. J-walk if you want... just
remember that traffic's coming from the other direction.
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