The party is over, well for July at least, which is just as well as the funds rapidly diminish. The return began well waking early, I shall miss my extra large disability room in
the centre of Croydon. I feel that my trip has been useful as well a enjoyable, despite the disappointment of Sussex losing the Friends Provident Trophy and the three Jazz bands missing the opportunity for a great launch party which the audience could have shared. I did not commence to pack or get myself ready to meet the day until nine and although there was plenty of time I commenced to haul the case up the incline to East Croydon station just after 10pm. I was looking forward to the train trip, the enthusiasm for relaxed coach travel waning for another year as was pulling the large case. The ticket machine was negotiated and I made no effort to go for the St Pancras International train which was at a platform when I looked at the arrivals board but did not leave for another minute or two. I then found that there were trains every 15 minutes in both directions at this time of day, amazing. There was time for a Starbucks coffee.
The train was non stop top London Bridge and then only three or four further stops before the International. There was a family, at least they and the appearance of a family who had been on holiday in the sun, boarding the train at Gatwick and also heading for the International and a main line station- parents in their late forties with three teenage girls, all overweight, with pink cases and one a pink sombrero of the type often worn by a hen party on the razzle dazzle. The parents were left with the cases until requesting help from the girls.
Most passengers with cases headed for the moving staircase so I followed on. At the top I could not release a trolley and a staff member saw I was having difficulties and needed a special key and several attempts before one was released, having advised at his request that I wanted to take the luggage over to Kings Cross. Making way through the International Mall with announcements in French and English there was an end seat vacant in the central area so I parked the trolley and eat the chicken pieces and cherries, bringing the remains home with me, having forgotten they were in the bag until finding a rubbish bin. I had passed the remains of the meal the previous evening to the cleaner at the lodge who checked that I was leaving Lodge completing my visit around 10 am but on the train I was reluctant to add to the burden of one women was small personal bag over her shoulder who spent the journey going backwards and forwards filling several see through sacks with rubbish, piling them up by doorways as the journey progressed. She also cleaned out the toilets before reaching Newcastle. A new system is now in operation by the beleaguered National express railways with three ticket checkers forming a line on the platform after the Leeds train departed and the announcement made that the adjacent train was the 12.30 for Newcastle stopping at Durham, Darlington, York, Northallerton, Doncaster and one other stop after Kings Cross or was it two! No ticket collectors came during the journey although there was at least one staff member available for advice and the refreshment trolley passed by at least twice.
The rain stopped as I approached the crossing of the road between the two stations and the sun came out briefly. I then found a seat close to the departures and arrival’s board waiting for the noon train to Newcastle and Scotland to depart and moving to work out the likely platform just before the 12.10 Leeds train was on its way. My first reaction was the I had been allocated an old carriage as on either side there were compartments with seats of some style however I came to the conclusion that the old fashioned styling was intentional as there was a super loo of the type with a circular door and the need to press two buttons to close and then lock the slow moving door. The arm rests were fixed parts of the seats, but they were comfortable and there was a mobile phone charging unit as well as a computer electricity plug. I was set on reading Sons and Lovers. The seat next to me remained vacant for the whole journey.
I did read a substantial number of pages reaching the point of his interest with the young woman fro the farm, Miriam, based as much of the book on his early experience and accurate depictions of his parents brothers and sisters, death of his older brother and going to work at the surgical appliance and good’s factory, I enjoyed the remaining pain aux raisin with a purchased coffee and then a packet of crisps.
I did pay some attention to the other passengers with pride of place going to the mother of young Freddie. She and another young woman had two push chairs, lots of luggage also pink and five children between them. Freddie was being treated as adult despite his reluctance to get in his push chair. At the departing station she was met by an man much older than herself and she gave him an exceptionally long and passionate matrimonial kiss. He also greeted the children in a manner which also suggested he was not their father and before arriving at the station she called their father asking him to take them so she could begin her holiday. I wanted to know more about this situation.
There was a lot of young people, many with back packs getting off the train at York and also many people getting on the train for the minutes journey to Newcastle. Surely the university was already down? I wanted to know more.
The lift at Newcastle Central Station was out of order and the information assistant on Newcastle station he Metro was nothing to do with them. Someone from the Metro came to my aid hearing clung of the case as I took down the flights of steps one step at a time. The second lift to the platform level was working. Getting on to the train people of all ages rushed to get the available seats regardless of my predicament getting the case over the wide gap and the notices about giving up seats to the elderly, disabled and to mothers.
At some point an older man tackled someone who had put their foot on the seat drawing his attention tot he notice asking for this not to be done. The culprit asked if the man worked for the train company or the police. The other man commented that he bet his house was tip. He was invited to visit the house. Did I detect menace in the voice. I was facing the opposite direction when the incident happened and two men left at Hebburn station leaving a third reaching for his mobile phone.
I have forgotten to mention that the Labour Party had a resounding loss at Norwich with the young conservative woman aged 27 winning and becoming the youngest member of the present Parliament. It emerged that Labour had only investigated five of the number over the expenses scandal and all had been told they would not stand again at the General election. It looks as if Sir Jeremy Beecham was in charge. Selection of the five appears to have been made the Chief Whip and Part secretary but one cannot imagine that the Prime Minister did not have a say so. Local people were supporters of the man to be deselected given his contribution over the past decade. There is some surprise that the Conservatives are doing so well and not the Greens who had hopes or the Liberal democrats.
I watched the Foreign Secretary address an audience in Nato explaining British political strategy in Afghanistan. It is the first time I heard a full speech by him and he came across better than the usual sound bites which usually lack gravitas. Only later when catching up on the last Prime Minister’s Question time before the Summer Parliamentary recess did I appreciate the issues of Britain’s continuing role in Afghanistan and the relationship with Pakistan had been the subject of the exchange between the Labour and Tory political leaders. I thought Mr Miliband’s exposition of the complexity, the interactivity and the need for a prolonged thorough programme of political and social activity was the best heard on the subject and only served to reinforced the questionable value of P.M.Q’s.
Back home it was time to make an account
The cost of the Coach to London was £20,70 (£20.70) return although I chose to take the train back to get home for the quarter final of the 20 20 competition. I was sent two copies of the coach ticket, the cost of the Travel Lodge accommodation at the Royal Scott Kings Cross for three nights was £58.50 (78.50). The two day stay at Croydon Travel Lodge was only £18 (96.50) The Taxi to the Royal Scott plus rip came to £23 (119.50) and the taxi from St Pancras International to London Bridge was £16 (135.50) The train home cost £36.95 for the single journey (172.45) The fare to the 02 and back was £5.60 (178.05), From London Bridge to Croydon on Saturday and return on Monday was 2x £4.40 (186.85) Thus accommodation and travel for five nights, six days. £31 a day
The cost of the ticket for the Friends Provident Final at Lords was £52 (52) plus programme £5 (57) and the O2 Indigo Jazz concert £30.05 (87.05). Cinema Ticket for the Informers £6 (£93.05). 280.90
For food and drinks I did not keep records other than receipts so much is from memory. Service station bottle water £1.20 (1.20);Coffee Tillisi £1.50 ( 2.70), Water Trocadero £.20 (3.90) Three Peroni Beers O2 £7.20 (11.10) Diet Coke Travel Lodge Croydon £1 (12.10) J20 Sunday £2.25 (14.35). Cabernet Sauvignon quarter bottle £2.25 (16.60) Coffee Sat morning £1.80 (18.40) Coffee Lords £1.50 (19.90) Diet Coke Lords £2 (21.90) Cherry Diet Coke London Bridge £1 (22.90) Coffee train home £ 1.80 (24.70) Coffee Starbucks Croydon Station £1.80 (26.50) 307.40
Two MS Chicken Pieces and Olives £5. 4 Pain aux Raisin £1.90 (6.90) Cherries £3.49 (10.39) Breakfast at Travel Lodge £7.50 £17.89. McChicken Meal £3.80 (21.69) Cherries £3.39 (25.08) Spicy Chicken wings £3.65 (28.73.) Crisps £1 (29.73) (sandwich Crisps and Danish £3.80 (33.85) Bacon and Egg Roll £4 (37.85). Pan au chocolat £.85 (38.7) 345,40 plus flannels £3.82 total £349.22) approximately £58 a day.
I returned to find the Television sound behaving erratically and then dying. I had rushed back for the cricket and had to watch with the interne commentary on the computer. Kent won the toss and had an excellent start getting 50 runs of the first five overs. Durham then fought back and when Kent only managed 150 having looked like getting 180, the game appeared to swing in Durham’s favour however the Durham batting collapsed, especially Warner got off the plane from Oz to join in the game only to be out for a zero. What a waste of money. It was a humiliating defeat. On the bright side Sussex beat Warwickshire under the lights, making up for the debacles on Saturday. The crowd were disappointed with the fall of wickets and a score of 150 fearing the worst again, but this time bowlers triumphed and Warwickshire never looked liked getting close to the total required.
I was too tired to go out for milk and food so had soup with crackers, some fish and some pudding rice with some olives left over as a starter. I felt something of a chill and took a good ration of Scotch as a defence. The was a horrible long list of things waiting to be done. The party was over.
the centre of Croydon. I feel that my trip has been useful as well a enjoyable, despite the disappointment of Sussex losing the Friends Provident Trophy and the three Jazz bands missing the opportunity for a great launch party which the audience could have shared. I did not commence to pack or get myself ready to meet the day until nine and although there was plenty of time I commenced to haul the case up the incline to East Croydon station just after 10pm. I was looking forward to the train trip, the enthusiasm for relaxed coach travel waning for another year as was pulling the large case. The ticket machine was negotiated and I made no effort to go for the St Pancras International train which was at a platform when I looked at the arrivals board but did not leave for another minute or two. I then found that there were trains every 15 minutes in both directions at this time of day, amazing. There was time for a Starbucks coffee.
The train was non stop top London Bridge and then only three or four further stops before the International. There was a family, at least they and the appearance of a family who had been on holiday in the sun, boarding the train at Gatwick and also heading for the International and a main line station- parents in their late forties with three teenage girls, all overweight, with pink cases and one a pink sombrero of the type often worn by a hen party on the razzle dazzle. The parents were left with the cases until requesting help from the girls.
Most passengers with cases headed for the moving staircase so I followed on. At the top I could not release a trolley and a staff member saw I was having difficulties and needed a special key and several attempts before one was released, having advised at his request that I wanted to take the luggage over to Kings Cross. Making way through the International Mall with announcements in French and English there was an end seat vacant in the central area so I parked the trolley and eat the chicken pieces and cherries, bringing the remains home with me, having forgotten they were in the bag until finding a rubbish bin. I had passed the remains of the meal the previous evening to the cleaner at the lodge who checked that I was leaving Lodge completing my visit around 10 am but on the train I was reluctant to add to the burden of one women was small personal bag over her shoulder who spent the journey going backwards and forwards filling several see through sacks with rubbish, piling them up by doorways as the journey progressed. She also cleaned out the toilets before reaching Newcastle. A new system is now in operation by the beleaguered National express railways with three ticket checkers forming a line on the platform after the Leeds train departed and the announcement made that the adjacent train was the 12.30 for Newcastle stopping at Durham, Darlington, York, Northallerton, Doncaster and one other stop after Kings Cross or was it two! No ticket collectors came during the journey although there was at least one staff member available for advice and the refreshment trolley passed by at least twice.
The rain stopped as I approached the crossing of the road between the two stations and the sun came out briefly. I then found a seat close to the departures and arrival’s board waiting for the noon train to Newcastle and Scotland to depart and moving to work out the likely platform just before the 12.10 Leeds train was on its way. My first reaction was the I had been allocated an old carriage as on either side there were compartments with seats of some style however I came to the conclusion that the old fashioned styling was intentional as there was a super loo of the type with a circular door and the need to press two buttons to close and then lock the slow moving door. The arm rests were fixed parts of the seats, but they were comfortable and there was a mobile phone charging unit as well as a computer electricity plug. I was set on reading Sons and Lovers. The seat next to me remained vacant for the whole journey.
I did read a substantial number of pages reaching the point of his interest with the young woman fro the farm, Miriam, based as much of the book on his early experience and accurate depictions of his parents brothers and sisters, death of his older brother and going to work at the surgical appliance and good’s factory, I enjoyed the remaining pain aux raisin with a purchased coffee and then a packet of crisps.
I did pay some attention to the other passengers with pride of place going to the mother of young Freddie. She and another young woman had two push chairs, lots of luggage also pink and five children between them. Freddie was being treated as adult despite his reluctance to get in his push chair. At the departing station she was met by an man much older than herself and she gave him an exceptionally long and passionate matrimonial kiss. He also greeted the children in a manner which also suggested he was not their father and before arriving at the station she called their father asking him to take them so she could begin her holiday. I wanted to know more about this situation.
There was a lot of young people, many with back packs getting off the train at York and also many people getting on the train for the minutes journey to Newcastle. Surely the university was already down? I wanted to know more.
The lift at Newcastle Central Station was out of order and the information assistant on Newcastle station he Metro was nothing to do with them. Someone from the Metro came to my aid hearing clung of the case as I took down the flights of steps one step at a time. The second lift to the platform level was working. Getting on to the train people of all ages rushed to get the available seats regardless of my predicament getting the case over the wide gap and the notices about giving up seats to the elderly, disabled and to mothers.
At some point an older man tackled someone who had put their foot on the seat drawing his attention tot he notice asking for this not to be done. The culprit asked if the man worked for the train company or the police. The other man commented that he bet his house was tip. He was invited to visit the house. Did I detect menace in the voice. I was facing the opposite direction when the incident happened and two men left at Hebburn station leaving a third reaching for his mobile phone.
I have forgotten to mention that the Labour Party had a resounding loss at Norwich with the young conservative woman aged 27 winning and becoming the youngest member of the present Parliament. It emerged that Labour had only investigated five of the number over the expenses scandal and all had been told they would not stand again at the General election. It looks as if Sir Jeremy Beecham was in charge. Selection of the five appears to have been made the Chief Whip and Part secretary but one cannot imagine that the Prime Minister did not have a say so. Local people were supporters of the man to be deselected given his contribution over the past decade. There is some surprise that the Conservatives are doing so well and not the Greens who had hopes or the Liberal democrats.
I watched the Foreign Secretary address an audience in Nato explaining British political strategy in Afghanistan. It is the first time I heard a full speech by him and he came across better than the usual sound bites which usually lack gravitas. Only later when catching up on the last Prime Minister’s Question time before the Summer Parliamentary recess did I appreciate the issues of Britain’s continuing role in Afghanistan and the relationship with Pakistan had been the subject of the exchange between the Labour and Tory political leaders. I thought Mr Miliband’s exposition of the complexity, the interactivity and the need for a prolonged thorough programme of political and social activity was the best heard on the subject and only served to reinforced the questionable value of P.M.Q’s.
Back home it was time to make an account
The cost of the Coach to London was £20,70 (£20.70) return although I chose to take the train back to get home for the quarter final of the 20 20 competition. I was sent two copies of the coach ticket, the cost of the Travel Lodge accommodation at the Royal Scott Kings Cross for three nights was £58.50 (78.50). The two day stay at Croydon Travel Lodge was only £18 (96.50) The Taxi to the Royal Scott plus rip came to £23 (119.50) and the taxi from St Pancras International to London Bridge was £16 (135.50) The train home cost £36.95 for the single journey (172.45) The fare to the 02 and back was £5.60 (178.05), From London Bridge to Croydon on Saturday and return on Monday was 2x £4.40 (186.85) Thus accommodation and travel for five nights, six days. £31 a day
The cost of the ticket for the Friends Provident Final at Lords was £52 (52) plus programme £5 (57) and the O2 Indigo Jazz concert £30.05 (87.05). Cinema Ticket for the Informers £6 (£93.05). 280.90
For food and drinks I did not keep records other than receipts so much is from memory. Service station bottle water £1.20 (1.20);Coffee Tillisi £1.50 ( 2.70), Water Trocadero £.20 (3.90) Three Peroni Beers O2 £7.20 (11.10) Diet Coke Travel Lodge Croydon £1 (12.10) J20 Sunday £2.25 (14.35). Cabernet Sauvignon quarter bottle £2.25 (16.60) Coffee Sat morning £1.80 (18.40) Coffee Lords £1.50 (19.90) Diet Coke Lords £2 (21.90) Cherry Diet Coke London Bridge £1 (22.90) Coffee train home £ 1.80 (24.70) Coffee Starbucks Croydon Station £1.80 (26.50) 307.40
Two MS Chicken Pieces and Olives £5. 4 Pain aux Raisin £1.90 (6.90) Cherries £3.49 (10.39) Breakfast at Travel Lodge £7.50 £17.89. McChicken Meal £3.80 (21.69) Cherries £3.39 (25.08) Spicy Chicken wings £3.65 (28.73.) Crisps £1 (29.73) (sandwich Crisps and Danish £3.80 (33.85) Bacon and Egg Roll £4 (37.85). Pan au chocolat £.85 (38.7) 345,40 plus flannels £3.82 total £349.22) approximately £58 a day.
I returned to find the Television sound behaving erratically and then dying. I had rushed back for the cricket and had to watch with the interne commentary on the computer. Kent won the toss and had an excellent start getting 50 runs of the first five overs. Durham then fought back and when Kent only managed 150 having looked like getting 180, the game appeared to swing in Durham’s favour however the Durham batting collapsed, especially Warner got off the plane from Oz to join in the game only to be out for a zero. What a waste of money. It was a humiliating defeat. On the bright side Sussex beat Warwickshire under the lights, making up for the debacles on Saturday. The crowd were disappointed with the fall of wickets and a score of 150 fearing the worst again, but this time bowlers triumphed and Warwickshire never looked liked getting close to the total required.
I was too tired to go out for milk and food so had soup with crackers, some fish and some pudding rice with some olives left over as a starter. I felt something of a chill and took a good ration of Scotch as a defence. The was a horrible long list of things waiting to be done. The party was over.
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