Lyra's Travels

Sunday 7th August
Yes, look at the date! I still can't believe it. The temperature outside is 12 C, the barometer is 985mb, and it's tipping it down out there.
We have spent a pleasant few days here in Uppermlil, and on Thursday Cath went to the local surgery to try to get her repeat prescription signed by a doctor. They were less than helpful! Having asked her to fill out the usual temporary resident form they then told her that the earliest appointment would be Friday week, and her best bet was to visit the Walk in Centre in Oldham.
Friday we moved a couple of locks further up to visit the facilities block to carry out the usual tasks. We then came back down again as we didn't think it was worth doing the final climb to the  summit if we couldn't get through the tunnel.
Yesterday we waited out the very heavy morning rain and then grabbed a bus into Oldham to visit the Walk in Centre. It's very handily located right next to the bus station so in we went to a desk signed " NHS walk in centre" to be told we're not really a walk in centre, we're a GP surgery but we do offer an emergency service.  Now, what the difference is we don't know. So we filled in the usual forms and waited to be called. To be fair the wait wasn't too long, and when we got to the doctor he was very helpful and did sign the repeat forms without too much persuasion.
Looking back on the encounter at the local surgery it seems as if the staff have been told to make it difficult for transient people like ourselves. For instance, Cath wasn't told that they always keep appointments open to be made 'on the day', just told come back in 10 days time, when she had already told them her present prescription would run out in 7 days. Ah, the joys of being itinerant.