After two more long days on the water—each about five hours—I finally made it back onto the Oxford Canal. The moment I spotted the sign, a wave of relief hit me. The weight on my shoulders lifted instantly. I was home again.
Back to manual locks now, which felt tougher than I remembered… maybe I’m just out of practice! 🤣 Coming through the first lock, I was greeted by a line of moored boats along a narrow stretch of canal. Time to slow things down and ease back into the gentle pace of canal life.
Not long after, I spotted Gary from the YouTube channel Chugabug. A lovely family living full-time on the cut—definitely worth a watch if you’re into narrowboat life.
I eventually found a mooring about a mile down, though it’s only a two-day max stay. Still, it gives me enough time to hit the chemist and do a bit of shopping. Less than ten minutes on foot and I was in the heart of Jericho. Everything I needed was right there: pubs, restaurants, a Sainsbury’s (though I’m more of a Tesco fan), barbers, pharmacy—you name it.
First stop: the chemist. The bug bites I’ve collected over the past few days are starting to feel a bit nasty—some might even be infected. I stocked up on antiseptic cream and a fresh supply of antihistamines, which should hopefully get me through the next couple of months.
Then it was a quick hop across the road to Sainsbury’s for a small top-up shop. Just the essentials this time… no beer. (I know—shock horror! 😂)
