5/4/08

My journey from Brussels to Preston!

So, early morning on Saturday, showered, finished packing, chatted on msn (as always!), had breakfast, yet I didn't feel as though as I was traveling (I'm such a nervous traveler - so not being nervous was a bad sign)
And of course my mum took ages to get ready and I missed the train to get to Gare du Midi (to get the Eurostar)
So, she had to drive about 25 minutes to Demey metro station, and we had to take the metro to Arts-loi (I think?) and then to Gare du Midi.
So instead of getting there at 10:45, I arrived at 11:15.
Anyway, there were looooads of people there, the queue was huge, but I went through, got my passport checked and whatnot.
Then through the metal detectors and I did NOT beep, which is odd as I always beep and always get checked, so as this was different, it should have been another sign that the journey wouldn't be good.
Got onto the train at 11:45, and just as everyone sat down, there was an old man and his wife (they were Flemish - yes it matters!) and he took out his dentures and handed them to his wife and started eating a sandwich - twas gross!! and there was loads of saliva dangling from it EW.
Then, we left, and about 5minutes into the journey, on the speaker thingy, the guy said "A white plastic carrier bag was found, if you have lost it please come and claim it"
another sign that something was going to go wrong!

Anyway, then arrived in London at 1pm, met up with my aunt and we walked from St Pancras to Euston, sat down and had some food from Burger King. Then at 2:30 pm we checked the timetable because my train to Preston was at 3.03pm and wanted to see if I could already get onto the train, and on the board it said "Departure Delayed" for all trains.
So that wasn't good, then after waiting and checking then it was announced on the speakers that there was a problem with the rails at Rugby Station and so all trains going North which would be going near or to Rugby were cancelled, and to ask at the virgin trains office for information on what to do.
So the queue there was very long, had to wait about 10minutes. Then was told I had to take a train from King's Cross to Sheffield, change there and take a train to Manchester, then change and take a train to Preston.
So, walked to King's Cross, asked there, and they told us to go to St Pancras, so walked to there, and asked, and the guy was really helpful!! I had to wait til 4.25pm to get a train, my aunt walked with me to the train. (as I've never traveled on my own except three times and that was just Preston-London, London-Brussels, so not too hard as I had done that before with others) There were literally hundreds of people getting on the train, I got on the train, had to stand and sort of half sit on my suitcase as I was in the 'hall', the little places between carriages, next to the toilets, and we were about 5 there all stuck as the train was full.
So the train left at 4.30pm, and it arrived at Sheffield at 7.10 pm. The train to Manchester was on the same platform (so that was ok as there were about 10platforms mostly all with a's, b's and c's) at 7.40pm, so I sat down (finally!) and texted and had a drink and just relaxed.

Then arrived the small train to Manchester, and sat down and the train wasn't working! The doors wouldn't shut (talk about a shit day huh) and the driver and a couple of others came along and fiddled with it, and 15minutes later it got working. So at 7.55pm the train left and at 8.55pm arrived in Manchester. So I had to carry my luggage across the station, and there was no train to Preston until over an hour later, which sucked, but I noticed there was a train to Blackpool, but it didn't say which stops were in between, so I had to carry my luggage all the way back to the platform where the Blackpool train was going to be at, and then at 9.10pm it showed up on the board thingy and it said all the stations it was going to stop at, of which Preston! So it arrived at 9.15pm, I got on, had to stand as it was quite full, and at 10.10pm it arrived at Preston, and again, had to carry my luggage across the station. Got to the outside of the station and took a taxi home. So got into my flat by 10.30pm
I should have arrived by 6.30pm! Stupid rail lines not working made me have to travel an extra 4hours! how horrible!

But I managed, and I was so exhausted I slept until 4pm today! :-D
which does mean that I had my last packet of noodles today and so have no more food, so tomorrow must go buy food and various other errands.

TADA
that was my journey back to Preston.
First time I had to travel on my own to somewhere I had never been before.

mood : tired and should be sleeping but need to plan my day tomorrow first
music : listening to Jimmy Carr live 2005