It was time to get ready to go home but first I would treat myself to an unlimited English Breakfast at the Travel Lodge. The Travel Lodge has an oblong dining room and lounge area facing a large screen television with a small bar in the opposite corner alongside the main reception desk where I purchased the breakfast £7.50 (261.62)
Before proceeding one is given a large and small plate, a bowl, a knife, fork and spoon and serviette. Two members of the kitchen staff ensure that all the food and drink is available and were appropriate refreshed so that although the orange and milk were only half empty they were refreshed by refrigerator cold supply. There were several families before my arrival and subsequently and this was great treat for them as they were able to indulge as they wished, trying several of the cereals, having endless drinks or just a little of everything and everything there was.
There was orange juice, grapefruit juice and apple juice as well as cold milk. There was unlimited toast which some were taking away eight pieces from a large toaster. There were croissants where I had one with a butter substitute and second cup of coffee at the end of the meal while watching the News. I commenced with a bowl of grapefruit. I cannot remember what other choice there was, except that there was. I also noticed some chocolates cakes which appealed to some of the children.
I was not tempted by these or the wrack of cereal but on the side table of hot containers with bacon, sausages, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms and scrambled egg. It was to enjoy two helpings. In the first I had two sausages four or five pieces of bacon a large portion of mushrooms and of scrambled egg. I then had a cup of coffee which was hot but required three sugars. I debated saying enough is enough but then again thought a little more of what you fancy so I selected two more sausages and several slices of bacon, after which was the croissant with another cup of coffee.
I returned well fed to my room and commenced the task of packing up, I continued until 10am when I went to Somerfield, the supermarket, and bought four rectangular breads for £1.20, two pecan Danish for £1, some Duck pate £ 1.58 and cold water £.61, a total £4.39 £266.01. I made two pate rolls and transferred the water to the flask. I had two reasons for putting the lap top in he haversack. One does not have control over bags given to the coach for packing in the luggage compartments, where heavy cases can be put over lighter ones. I was also interest to see if I could connect on line at the service station stop. This added weight to wearing the suit jacket and the sleeveless jacket, and I knew the journey with the luggage was going to be uncomfortable.
The single standard ticket to Victoria cost £4.10 and a cheap day return only £5.10. (271.11), Although a twelve carriage train from Brighton I had to struggle to find a seat and needed several sups of water.
Making my way to the coach station I was relieved that it was not raining and had difficulty in finding sweat as the whole area was crowded with more than an hour before expected to board the coach. Although it was a year since making the trip I knew what to do waiting until half an hour before departure time to make my way beyond the glass doors to just outside when the it was cooler and one could ensure a good seat towards the rear of the vehicle where there was more chance of getting and keeping two seats. Fortunately the crowd dispersed with the majority of the coaches, in two row at this part of the station were on their way at noon and 12.30. Until just after 12.30 there was just the coach to Beverley on one side of the two coaches for South Shields and a coach to Nottingham on the other. The coach driver was most insistent that only those going to Thirsk, Middlesbrough and Stockton should board first, the coach at the rear. The journey would be long arriving in South Shields at 8.30 so if the intention was to divide the stopping points between the two coaches this would mean an earlier arrival. It also meant that the majority of passengers were able to have two seats to themselves except where there were two travelling together including a pair of young women, one appeared to have a bad cold and who I was delighted to find took seats at the coach front, near me was a grandmother mother and one of her seven grandsons, and one grand daughter who was bringing him back after a three week holiday visit in time for a dental appointment, She was then staying with her son and his family until the first week of September. We had a good chat towards the end of the trip.
The journey was not as short as it could have been because of road works on the MI which involved a detour off the motorway. We stopped at Sheffield where I bought the last available newspaper, the Guardian which contained the latest Olympic news 80p and enjoyed a mug of tea £1.80. (273.71) I tried the lap top where the wireless connection was provided by Little Chef. I needed to register and I was not sure if the service was free so I decided not to investigate further given the time it had taken for the lap top to load and that the stop was only for 30 minutes. I will investigate furthering due course. Until entering conversation much of the time was used to catch up on sleep although I enjoyed the journey out of London, where we went passed Lords, the Cricket ground, which was to have been the original focus of the visit.
After Hartlepool we made an unscheduled stop at Bellingham, onto Sunderland, after which as has been previous experience there were only three or four others left on the coach to South Shields, where we arrived just before eight o'clock. The cost of the cost was £15.50 for the return journey making a total expenditure for the trip £289.21 or there abouts. There was a police vehicle and four officers at the junction but no indication what was the cause of the trouble. I was not looking forward to the climb up the hill with the luggage but it was not raining and it had been as was the evidence in the patio when I arrived.
I checked the post and there was one good surprise. I watered the plants that had not been in the open when I was away and did a partial unpack. I had some soup and the second prepared bread with the pate. I had eaten the Danish on the coach. I had drank cold water on arrival, then some orange and then some tea, and fell asleep in front of the telly so made my way up to bed and to sleep. And the surprise I won £50 on the premium bonds, first win in six months and where I had intended it write and enquire if the remaining bonds had been taken out of the draw when I had cashed some earlier in the year.
Before proceeding one is given a large and small plate, a bowl, a knife, fork and spoon and serviette. Two members of the kitchen staff ensure that all the food and drink is available and were appropriate refreshed so that although the orange and milk were only half empty they were refreshed by refrigerator cold supply. There were several families before my arrival and subsequently and this was great treat for them as they were able to indulge as they wished, trying several of the cereals, having endless drinks or just a little of everything and everything there was.
There was orange juice, grapefruit juice and apple juice as well as cold milk. There was unlimited toast which some were taking away eight pieces from a large toaster. There were croissants where I had one with a butter substitute and second cup of coffee at the end of the meal while watching the News. I commenced with a bowl of grapefruit. I cannot remember what other choice there was, except that there was. I also noticed some chocolates cakes which appealed to some of the children.
I was not tempted by these or the wrack of cereal but on the side table of hot containers with bacon, sausages, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms and scrambled egg. It was to enjoy two helpings. In the first I had two sausages four or five pieces of bacon a large portion of mushrooms and of scrambled egg. I then had a cup of coffee which was hot but required three sugars. I debated saying enough is enough but then again thought a little more of what you fancy so I selected two more sausages and several slices of bacon, after which was the croissant with another cup of coffee.
I returned well fed to my room and commenced the task of packing up, I continued until 10am when I went to Somerfield, the supermarket, and bought four rectangular breads for £1.20, two pecan Danish for £1, some Duck pate £ 1.58 and cold water £.61, a total £4.39 £266.01. I made two pate rolls and transferred the water to the flask. I had two reasons for putting the lap top in he haversack. One does not have control over bags given to the coach for packing in the luggage compartments, where heavy cases can be put over lighter ones. I was also interest to see if I could connect on line at the service station stop. This added weight to wearing the suit jacket and the sleeveless jacket, and I knew the journey with the luggage was going to be uncomfortable.
The single standard ticket to Victoria cost £4.10 and a cheap day return only £5.10. (271.11), Although a twelve carriage train from Brighton I had to struggle to find a seat and needed several sups of water.
Making my way to the coach station I was relieved that it was not raining and had difficulty in finding sweat as the whole area was crowded with more than an hour before expected to board the coach. Although it was a year since making the trip I knew what to do waiting until half an hour before departure time to make my way beyond the glass doors to just outside when the it was cooler and one could ensure a good seat towards the rear of the vehicle where there was more chance of getting and keeping two seats. Fortunately the crowd dispersed with the majority of the coaches, in two row at this part of the station were on their way at noon and 12.30. Until just after 12.30 there was just the coach to Beverley on one side of the two coaches for South Shields and a coach to Nottingham on the other. The coach driver was most insistent that only those going to Thirsk, Middlesbrough and Stockton should board first, the coach at the rear. The journey would be long arriving in South Shields at 8.30 so if the intention was to divide the stopping points between the two coaches this would mean an earlier arrival. It also meant that the majority of passengers were able to have two seats to themselves except where there were two travelling together including a pair of young women, one appeared to have a bad cold and who I was delighted to find took seats at the coach front, near me was a grandmother mother and one of her seven grandsons, and one grand daughter who was bringing him back after a three week holiday visit in time for a dental appointment, She was then staying with her son and his family until the first week of September. We had a good chat towards the end of the trip.
The journey was not as short as it could have been because of road works on the MI which involved a detour off the motorway. We stopped at Sheffield where I bought the last available newspaper, the Guardian which contained the latest Olympic news 80p and enjoyed a mug of tea £1.80. (273.71) I tried the lap top where the wireless connection was provided by Little Chef. I needed to register and I was not sure if the service was free so I decided not to investigate further given the time it had taken for the lap top to load and that the stop was only for 30 minutes. I will investigate furthering due course. Until entering conversation much of the time was used to catch up on sleep although I enjoyed the journey out of London, where we went passed Lords, the Cricket ground, which was to have been the original focus of the visit.
After Hartlepool we made an unscheduled stop at Bellingham, onto Sunderland, after which as has been previous experience there were only three or four others left on the coach to South Shields, where we arrived just before eight o'clock. The cost of the cost was £15.50 for the return journey making a total expenditure for the trip £289.21 or there abouts. There was a police vehicle and four officers at the junction but no indication what was the cause of the trouble. I was not looking forward to the climb up the hill with the luggage but it was not raining and it had been as was the evidence in the patio when I arrived.
I checked the post and there was one good surprise. I watered the plants that had not been in the open when I was away and did a partial unpack. I had some soup and the second prepared bread with the pate. I had eaten the Danish on the coach. I had drank cold water on arrival, then some orange and then some tea, and fell asleep in front of the telly so made my way up to bed and to sleep. And the surprise I won £50 on the premium bonds, first win in six months and where I had intended it write and enquire if the remaining bonds had been taken out of the draw when I had cashed some earlier in the year.
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