Our new home was a small study bedroom in a derelict hall of residence at the University of Manchester.

We reached the building by way of the A702. The last part of this road was still under development. It petered out into a dirt track for the last couple of miles.

Amongst the others in the hall was my former colleague JB (very slim). J and GC were also visiting. They paddled with me and TPR in the nearby flooded shopping mall. We were there hunting for porridge oats to make our breakfasts in the coming weeks.

When we returned to our room, we spotted the size of the (only) bed. How could two people possibly even fit in there, let alone attempt sleep?