Saturday, March 15, 2014
Today's travel adventure.
Well, the day didn't begin with a train journey.
I was driven to Dorking by somebody I met 23 years ago and have not seen a lot of since.
That must be rectified.
Yesterday evening I had a message from a friend - a friend who lives in the south of France.
She had persuaded Jane that I needed a chauffeur.
I enjoyed our shared drive......lots of water has flowed under our bridges since our first meeting; that had been in the local hospital when her mother was in the bed opposite mine - we were going through bad times.
Now Jane and I can also share the heavy load of having a husband with a serious degenerative disease.
Thanks to Jane, I was first in the shop - all opened up and with customers before the other two arrived.
I am glad they did arrive - it was a busy day, with much bubble wrap used on china that was bought - including a dinner service.
At the end of the day I was given a lift to one of Dorking stations.
Dorking Deepdene is a quiet station with no ticket office or ticket machine.
The train would take me straight through to Gatwick, where I was able to pay for my journey. I decided to use a local bus to get home from there - free with my bus pass of course.
I would have been home quicker if I had not got lost in the airport.
One minute I seemed to be pottering home from Dorking and the next I was flung into the huge concourses of a busy airport.
I saw a sign pointing to local buses - but it seemed to peter out in the arrivals hall. There I saw another sign which just directed people to "Buses and Coaches". When I got there it was most obvious that we were talking about transport to local hotels.
So, back to the arrivals hall and having asked for directions, found myself on a bleak flight of stairs down to ground level and then under a subway to the bus stop.
I shall know better on Monday. Basically better to use the bus stop at north terminal and use the mono rail link to the station.
On Monday I need only get a ticket to Reigate. Nigel will pick me up at Reigate Station in his 2 seater sports car......nervous already about how I will get up out of my seat!
Nigel will be on duty with me on Monday.
So, the lack of MOT certificate is turning into quite a little adventure!
I was driven to Dorking by somebody I met 23 years ago and have not seen a lot of since.
That must be rectified.
Yesterday evening I had a message from a friend - a friend who lives in the south of France.
She had persuaded Jane that I needed a chauffeur.
I enjoyed our shared drive......lots of water has flowed under our bridges since our first meeting; that had been in the local hospital when her mother was in the bed opposite mine - we were going through bad times.
Now Jane and I can also share the heavy load of having a husband with a serious degenerative disease.
Thanks to Jane, I was first in the shop - all opened up and with customers before the other two arrived.
I am glad they did arrive - it was a busy day, with much bubble wrap used on china that was bought - including a dinner service.
At the end of the day I was given a lift to one of Dorking stations.
Dorking Deepdene is a quiet station with no ticket office or ticket machine.
The train would take me straight through to Gatwick, where I was able to pay for my journey. I decided to use a local bus to get home from there - free with my bus pass of course.
I would have been home quicker if I had not got lost in the airport.
One minute I seemed to be pottering home from Dorking and the next I was flung into the huge concourses of a busy airport.
I saw a sign pointing to local buses - but it seemed to peter out in the arrivals hall. There I saw another sign which just directed people to "Buses and Coaches". When I got there it was most obvious that we were talking about transport to local hotels.
So, back to the arrivals hall and having asked for directions, found myself on a bleak flight of stairs down to ground level and then under a subway to the bus stop.
I shall know better on Monday. Basically better to use the bus stop at north terminal and use the mono rail link to the station.
On Monday I need only get a ticket to Reigate. Nigel will pick me up at Reigate Station in his 2 seater sports car......nervous already about how I will get up out of my seat!
Nigel will be on duty with me on Monday.
So, the lack of MOT certificate is turning into quite a little adventure!
