In which we don’t get our rental EV, or our sleeper train journey

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Oh, the joys of a lack of foreshadowing.

So having sat in the lounge carriage on the sleeper (apparently available to those in prole class, if the 1st class passengers aren’t using it) and had a pleasant desert, some nice drinkies, and watched as the highlands rolled past, we slipped to our tired and battered bedroom, and laid down to rest our weary selves.

Of course, sleeping on a train for some is a delight, but for us – well, it turns out neither of us are great train sleepers. Also, the night-light was on. We didn’t realise it was the nightlight and were both deeply confused by the glowing blue light. Now, had we have not been so tired, we might have been willing to switch the lights back on, and then would have noticed the switch marked nightlight. But we didn’t. More fool us.

Mind, it didn’t matter, because at 3am we were awoken and informed that the train had failed. It was an ex-train. It was sat at Edinburgh… and we traipsed, as directed, to the nearby Jury’s Inn where we were treated to coffee, tea, or fruit juice. No breakfast, mind. Nothing at all to eat.

There we sat for nearly 2 hours, before we were herded back to the station to get on a non-sleeper train to London. I can’t say that any of this made us terribly happy. At least the staff were nice and apologetic.

By the time we reached London – hours after when we were meant to arrive – for our one-and-only planned full-day in London on this trip…we were completely exhausted. Thankfully, the hotel let us check in early and we laid on a comfy bed and dozed for an hour. Then we meandered around the area – stopping at Ottolenghi for an insanely good lunch (gods, he is so good). Then we pottered to Spitalfields market, and then on to the Barbican Centre for an excellent AI exhibit.

Sadly, the book of the exhibit failed to include any of the damn women, that they had a whole section on in the exhibit. Which was somewhat annoying because had I have known that in the exhibit I’d’ve taken down a bunch of names. But we only discovered it afterwards. I realised, while there, that I seem to have somewhat imprinted on the Barbican Centre. Having been there so much as a kid the brutalist concrete feels terribly friendly and safe. And it just warms my heart being there. Odd, really.

Anyhow, the next morning was family day part one – and we headed over to see my sister, who took us to see Jerome K Jerome’s grave at Ewelme, along with the fascinating grave of Alice de la Pole. We also went for a potter around the village and saw the somewhat quirky watercress beds that line the middle of the village. It was all in all very pleasant. Then off to see friends in Bristol – where we had a lovely day, and rounded it off with a glass of port and some ridiculous deserts in a nice restaurant.

And then we pottered down to Cornwall to see my mum, where we discovered there’s an enormous number of local walks we’ve not done. We discovered it a bit late, and there were enormous wind storms while we were there, so it didn’t exactly factor into our plans that much, but we did go and potter up to a neolithic tomb, which was amazing. Next time we go we shall have to actually go on some of these walks, rather than our standard loop that we’ve more or less done for the past 9 years.

Yes, I know, we’re insane.

And now we’re back…and that’s a thing.


KateWE

Kate's a human mostly built out of spite and overcoming transphobia-racism-and-other-bullshit. Although increasingly right-wing bigots would say otherwise. So she's either a human or a lizard in disguise sent to destroy all of humanity. Either way, it's all good.