Many thanks Pippa for getting up early for the second time this weekend so that she could help me pack and get ready for my holiday exploring Scotland. Even though we gained an extra hour this morning as the clocks went back an hour, I was only just ready to go at 11:00. Pippa drove me and my big rucksack! down to Watlington station so that i could cat my train(s) up to Glasgow starting with part of my daily commute train to Ely.
Carrying this rucksack for the first time since my round the world trip has definitely brought back some memories, especially those long 10 weeks or so carrying it with a broken rib through Thailand, Laos and Vietnam
. It seemed easier this time, but I guess it's a bit lighter this time around, and I no longer have a broken rib, but I may not be saying that tomorrow after carrying it for 20 miles :-(
My train journey today consisted of:-
Watlington to Ely
Ely to Peterborough
Peterborough to York
York to Glasgow Central (via Edinburgh)
Sitting waiting at Ely station, brrrrr! It's a cold northerly wind, I can't wait to be in the Scottish highlands, honest!
I got on the train at Ely and had the usual trouble of trying to find my seat and then to find someone else sitting in it, what a surprise. The person opposite who had the same trouble offered me her reserved seat, so it went off to find that one only to find it occupied also. so I just sat down in the nearest empty seat (which was also reserved, oh well!).
The next two trains were still quite busy but I managed to get or almost get my reserved seats
. To pass the 7 hour train journey I watched a couple of films on my iPad. The first being "Juan of the Dead" (don't ask!) and then for the York to Glasgow train I watched Prometheus..... Well what can I say. It definitely passed 2 hours of the journey.
Once at Glasgow Central station the walk to the hostel was very quick and I am glad as I'll have to walk it early in the morning to catch the train out to Milngavie for the start of the West Highland Way. I have figured that the 20 mile walk will take around 10 hours max and as it goes dark at around 16:30 up here I'd have to start at around 06:30.... That's never going to happen, so I guess I may be walking the final few miles in the dark tomorrow. Hmmmm!
I got to the hostel easily and checked in, I'm glad that I booked a private room (£29), but not glad that I got one which smelled of sweaty bodies, yuck! I dropped my bag off in the room, phoned Pippa to let her know that I had got here and then opened the windows and quickly departed down to the "Mint & Lime" bar downstairs at the hostel for a chilli and a pint of Strongbow (what else?).
There was live music on in the bar which was pretty good and helped accompany me to writing this blog. His first song was a Jimbo, Dave and Pete classic!!!! See the short 30 sec or so clip video attached.
Early to bed, and early to start,
I am off....
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
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