I fell asleep watching the Michael McIntyre show.
Pity I didn't see the artist, but good that I got some sleep.
The TV switched itself off. I knew it would.
Pity I didn't see the artist, but good that I got some sleep.
The TV switched itself off. I knew it would.
After the disagreement last night I was suprised she showed up when I was taking my suitcase downstairs.
I just acted like nothing had happened.
She took the suitcase down the front stairs.
The walk to the station was rough, but I managed it.
Too heavy luggage with the heavy present and the books.
At assistance they wrote everything down, so I thought the computer might not be working.
The woman who was supposed to help me didn't lift a finger.
I took my watch of and put it in the pocket of my cardigan I had to take off.
Went through the scan which must have been turned very low, as it didn't even bleep while the woman was having lots of keys around her neck.
Good I had said to H that she needed to stay at my side and follow me, otherwise she would have stayed put.
The English border guy was very nice, the french seemed to recognise me.
When I was at the waiting area it was exactly the time we were supposed to be there: one minute past 7.
So I was right with leaving early. In fact it might have been 10 minutes earlier.
Then I didn't feel my watch...
It's not special or expensive. But the size is right. The watch itself is not too wide.
H went with the assistant to look for it. Which was nice.
If I need to, I put the trays for the luggage check one by one away. But H piled them, so I thought the watch must have been in one of them.
They didn't find it.
Rather long before boarding a man came to bring us to the train.
He was nice and chatty, and the usual way of very helpful.
We talked and chatted, and he was soooo kind!
He asked if I went to London for a vacation, so I told it it was for my birthday.
He congratulated me.
And after we said goodbye and I thanked him very well, he again wished me happy birthday.
So nice!
During the journey I dozed of quite a few times for just a couple of moments.
We arrived at the station exactly on time. I had to get of the train, my friend needed to go to the last station.
When I left the Eurostar the same nice guy who assisted last time was already waiting.
He took my bags and gave me a hand as there was a wide gap. A real wide gap!
Immediately he asked if I had to go back the same as last time.
He knew the (extra) check-in point and put the bags in the waiting train, helped me in and I had hardly the opportunity to thank him when the doors already closed.
So I gained a lot of time.
I am going to send a thank you card to the team there. They are great!!!!!
On my way north I saw, near Gouda, snow on the trees.
First asked myself if I was not seeing right. But I was.
So beautiful!
At the station in the center of the country someone said it was chaos to one of the people in the train. It was!!
I knew at which platform my next train would depart, but it was not due for a while.
In the small letters underneath it was said the next one was from another platform.
I was again very grateful for the assistance I had before. Even though my leg was hurting, I was still able to get to that train. (Otherwise I would have missed it.)
Sat in it.
Last time I was in the very same train it was cancelled.
So the more minutes passed after it should have left, the more worried I got.
But.... it finally left.
All the time there had been announcements about delays and cancellations, ...and more and more cancellations...
Later we found out I was in the last train south. First the delays were expected to last to 15.00 hours, later they turned out to last to 20.00 hours!!
I had the last train before the serious delays!!!
It felt like a kind of payback for the enormous delays of 16 hours a few months ago.
Even better: I said I would love to see snow on my birthday (the small child in me). Even though I didn't see it on my birthday, I saw it on my birthdaytrip!
It was sooo beautiful! The white on the trees, the white landscape.
My daughter (one of them who lives with me) came to the central station.
It was not worth the effort to take the last train through the city. It might be cancelled anyway. With all the luggage and after it the walk, bus and walk again.
On slippery pavements.
We went to get a dönner for dinner at the railway station, joking with the guys there, and fetched the bus that brought us as near to the house as possible, had a walk and... home!
I was enormously tired, but I think this was the fasted time getting home.
Thanks to the assistance, and loads of luck!!
Thanks to all who made this trip memorable!
---.
(At home a letter from the taxes. I need to put in my paperwork soon, which means that in the past we paid taxes over what we earned, and now I need to pay a yet unknown amount for my old peoples money, call it pension. I hope they will leave me enough to go to the spring camp. I live already very tight to be able to do that.)
.
Some photos through a dirty train window: here
.
I just acted like nothing had happened.
She took the suitcase down the front stairs.
The walk to the station was rough, but I managed it.
Too heavy luggage with the heavy present and the books.
At assistance they wrote everything down, so I thought the computer might not be working.
The woman who was supposed to help me didn't lift a finger.
I took my watch of and put it in the pocket of my cardigan I had to take off.
Went through the scan which must have been turned very low, as it didn't even bleep while the woman was having lots of keys around her neck.
Good I had said to H that she needed to stay at my side and follow me, otherwise she would have stayed put.
The English border guy was very nice, the french seemed to recognise me.
When I was at the waiting area it was exactly the time we were supposed to be there: one minute past 7.
So I was right with leaving early. In fact it might have been 10 minutes earlier.
Then I didn't feel my watch...
It's not special or expensive. But the size is right. The watch itself is not too wide.
H went with the assistant to look for it. Which was nice.
If I need to, I put the trays for the luggage check one by one away. But H piled them, so I thought the watch must have been in one of them.
They didn't find it.
Rather long before boarding a man came to bring us to the train.
He was nice and chatty, and the usual way of very helpful.
We talked and chatted, and he was soooo kind!
He asked if I went to London for a vacation, so I told it it was for my birthday.
He congratulated me.
And after we said goodbye and I thanked him very well, he again wished me happy birthday.
So nice!
During the journey I dozed of quite a few times for just a couple of moments.
We arrived at the station exactly on time. I had to get of the train, my friend needed to go to the last station.
When I left the Eurostar the same nice guy who assisted last time was already waiting.
He took my bags and gave me a hand as there was a wide gap. A real wide gap!
Immediately he asked if I had to go back the same as last time.
He knew the (extra) check-in point and put the bags in the waiting train, helped me in and I had hardly the opportunity to thank him when the doors already closed.
So I gained a lot of time.
I am going to send a thank you card to the team there. They are great!!!!!
On my way north I saw, near Gouda, snow on the trees.
First asked myself if I was not seeing right. But I was.
So beautiful!
At the station in the center of the country someone said it was chaos to one of the people in the train. It was!!
I knew at which platform my next train would depart, but it was not due for a while.
In the small letters underneath it was said the next one was from another platform.
I was again very grateful for the assistance I had before. Even though my leg was hurting, I was still able to get to that train. (Otherwise I would have missed it.)
Sat in it.
Last time I was in the very same train it was cancelled.
So the more minutes passed after it should have left, the more worried I got.
But.... it finally left.
All the time there had been announcements about delays and cancellations, ...and more and more cancellations...
Later we found out I was in the last train south. First the delays were expected to last to 15.00 hours, later they turned out to last to 20.00 hours!!
I had the last train before the serious delays!!!
It felt like a kind of payback for the enormous delays of 16 hours a few months ago.
Even better: I said I would love to see snow on my birthday (the small child in me). Even though I didn't see it on my birthday, I saw it on my birthdaytrip!
It was sooo beautiful! The white on the trees, the white landscape.
My daughter (one of them who lives with me) came to the central station.
It was not worth the effort to take the last train through the city. It might be cancelled anyway. With all the luggage and after it the walk, bus and walk again.
On slippery pavements.
We went to get a dönner for dinner at the railway station, joking with the guys there, and fetched the bus that brought us as near to the house as possible, had a walk and... home!
I was enormously tired, but I think this was the fasted time getting home.
Thanks to the assistance, and loads of luck!!
Thanks to all who made this trip memorable!
---
(At home a letter from the taxes. I need to put in my paperwork soon, which means that in the past we paid taxes over what we earned, and now I need to pay a yet unknown amount for my old peoples money, call it pension. I hope they will leave me enough to go to the spring camp. I live already very tight to be able to do that.)
.
Some photos through a dirty train window: here
.
Whew! I'm so glad all the traveling worked out so well. That was a lot of details to deal with!! I'm sorry about your watch, but what a nice gift to see snow on the trees and the landscape as you traveled! That would make the trip so much more enjoyable! I am glad you are home safe and sound, and I look forward to hearing more about your trip and your birthday celebration!!
ReplyDeleteThank you. Working on it. Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDelete