I had originally planned to join some of my fiends for the Friday night in Leeds but due to a shortage of funds, had to cancel. However, I was able to attend Claire’s birthday celebrations for one year since going fulltime. Combined with this, I planned to join friends attending the Walk along Blackpool prom in aid of diversity and in memory of Sophie Lancaster , a goth girl tragically murdered in Bacup in 2007.

The Saturday dawned brightly, small bag packed and dressed as far as I could for leaving he house at 8am. First snag, the youngest who is never seen before midday usually, was up and sitting reading the paper whilst tucking into her breakfast! So off came the girly jeans and top whilst I waited impatiently for her to leave (it seems she was working at 9am - this usually means 10 minutes before – getting out of pit and dashing to work) but no not this time!

Finally she leaves at 9am and I redress, put my bag in the car and leave only to discover I had left my mobile at home and had to return to pick it up after 6 miles.

On the road now 90 minutes later than planned, I ended up behind the slowest cars, horse boxes, tractors and just about everything else you could find on the way to the A50. Stopping off at my usual layby I put my face on, wig and forms and changed shoes in under 15 minutes and continued on my way.

It was obvious that I was now unable to make the meet for the march and so I made as good a time as possible, stopping off at Sandbach services to use the facilities and to phone my friend Michelle in Blackpool. I must have arrived at the services during a busy period as I ended up having to queue to use the toilets but with no problems/comments despite waiting almost 10 minutes.

I finally got into Blackpool an hour late and leaving the car some distance from the shore, proceeded to walk to join the girls I was meeting. On the way, I had a wardrobe malfunction with my bra strap undoing and I spent 10 minutes trying to stop everything hading south before coming across a pub – The Waterloo. Walking in I felt distinctly uncomfortable as 10 pairs of eyes drilled into me from the guys having a lunchtime drink. Purchasing a half of lager, I sat down and after quenching my thirst, paid a visit to the ladies to sort out my bra. The pub I found out from my friends is renown for being pretty rough, however other thn feeling somewhat under close scrutiny as the only woman in there, I escaped unharmed!

Finally hitting the sea front I turned North and joined the throngs of holiday makers as I headed for the Central Pier and the Tower in the distance. Luckily wearing jeans and t shirt and flats on my feet, I was comfortable as I covered the best part of 3 miles from my car before I finally saw the chance to catch a tram.

Crossing the promenade I burst into a girly run and just made the tram. Taking my seat, the conductor asked me where I was going love? It made my day as I asked for the North Pier where the girls I was going to meet were now enjoying a drink after the walk.

I asked a young girl opposite me to take a photo as Emma had never been on a tram before.

Getting off the tram, I asked for directions to Revolution Bar – over there mate! Did not go down well as I said in no uncertain terms I was not his mate!

On entering, I initially was unable to see my friends and wandered around looking. In so doing I attracted the unwanted attention of a group of young guys who wanted me to join them and made certain gestures of a sexual nature, smiling I kindly declined their kind offer, telling them I wasn’t that kind of girl! and taking one more look around I finally found my friends tucked out of site at the other side of the bar, where I joined them.

We spent an hour chatting and enjoying a drink before two of the girls had to leave and the four of us continued to Ma Kellys for another drink before ending up at The Litton Tree. Finding a table outside we enjoyed another drink or two (I was driving so was drinking Blue Becks) and enjoyed chatting about just everything including making plans for another night out and the offer of staying over sometime including a night in for a makeup, perfume and wine party.

Unfortunately, time ran it’s course and despite the invite to stay the night and go out with the girls, I needed to be back in Manchester at The Trafford Centre for 6-30pm for Claire’s meal. And so bidding Joanna and Vicki a fond farewell, I shared a taxi back with Michelle.

Back in the car, I made good time from Blackpool but ended up running on thin air as I had little fuel in the tank before finally pulling up at The Centre with the fuel gauge showing zero!

Grabbing a change of clothes I quickly made my way to Pestos to join the others who had been waiting for me. With the food ordered I quickly made use of the ladies to swap my jeans and t-shirt for a caramel pencil skirt and brown top and my flats for a pair of high heeled brown pumps, make up refreshed I rejoined the other guests and Claire and her husband John for a very nice selection of Italian food.
After the meal we made our way downstairs and found an establishment selling ice cream and finished off the meal with a coffee before we all made our own way home.

Myself, I stopped for diesel outside the Centre and drove over to the village where I parked up and grabbing a change of clothes,popped into Taurus where after a quick Beck’s changed into my LBD and black heels. Assuming that I would find some friends out and about I wandered down Canal Street to the New Union where I had a coke before visiting Eden’s. After sitting on my own for a short while, a woman came over to me and we got chatting and she invited me to join her friends out on the piss from work. Over a few more Blue Becks, I had a great time with these girls, dancing, educating them and chatting away over all sorts of topics from make up, through clothes, shoes relationships and sex. I showed them some photos of me and they were pretty amazed as in their words “I wore clothes that they would wear!” Again their perception of crossdressers was more “drag queen” i.e. over the top and inappropriate clothing.

We ended up having a laugh with a guy from Bristol and then a couple of guys on a stag do where the stag had fallen over and had gone to bed with a cut head! before I called time and made my way back to the car and the long drive home.

Stopping off at Sandbach services to empty the bladder, I changed from my LBD back to my jeans and a woolly top before enjoying a black coffee and muffin at the Café. I then had a blonde moment, on returning back to my car, it wasn’t there! All sorts of things passed through my mind – all of them not good as I double checked the car park and ran over my route in my mind again. I then returned to the shop and asked the woman if the car park was on CCTV as my car had been stolen – she calmly asked me if I was heading North or South , replying South she pointed out that I was in fact on the North side and the bulb came on in my head – yes! Inadvertently I had taken a wrong turn after leaving the café! Sure enough my car was where I had left it some 40 minutes earlier – phew!

Stopping off at my usual layby at just before 5am I reverted back to guy mode, and got home as the dawn was breaking, after a great day out in the real world!

Looking forward to my next day/night out in Blackpool especially a girls night in!