Bridgend to Cardiff

*Forgot to say that, now I knew how to work the lights system (same as the Jurys), was able to go to bed knowing I wasn't breaking anything! Woke up the following morning, bright and earlyish, packed and got down to breakfast. Really weird way of doing it - never done it like this before! LOL! I'd heard the receptionist tell someone else where breakfast was served and she'd said 'if there is room' at the end of it, so I thought I'd better be early just in case. There was a man and his son in there watching Match of the Day, but that was all. The breakfast was definitely a DIY job - the cereal on a highish shelf which I sort of had to launch myself at -too funny! There was a machine for the coffee - lovely! And then I had to find the bread for my toast - MUST have toast! I looked everywhere, and then decided to be nosy and look in cupboards - nope! I eventually found it in two plastic boxes right in front of my nose - doh!

Anyway, eventually ate breakfast and went back to room to check out and wait for cab. Chose a company with accessible taxis - they came in a normal saloon car! lol!

Got to station in one piece and went on to platform - to find I was on the wrong side of the tracks (normal, I hear you say!), the station person asked me if I'd come with a local taxi firm - yes (where the heck did he think I'd come from?!), he then walked down the correct side, while I struggled with my bags on the OTHER side, and we met in the middle and he pulled me backwards across the railway line - ha!

I then waited for my train - went to see if the coffee shop was open - nope. Went to see if there was an accessible loo - nope. Sooo (and if you're of a squeamish disposition, do not read on!), put my bags down, got my crutches out, walked into the loo, left the door open so I could see my bags - did what I had to do and then got out of there as fast as I could - dumpy toilet!

More people arrived and, despite there being several signs on the station regarding the no smoking policy, these Danish people who'd come to see the fight insisted on lighting up and we, being the polite British people we are, let them get on with it, no staff in sight! Eventually the train came and, as I was only going to be on it for 30 minutes, it turned out to be a HUGE eight carriage inter-city job thing, rather than the four carriage jobby that I'd endured the day before - typical! Train comes to a halt - no help to get me on train, and I wait, and wait, and eventually he saunters up 'did you think I wasn't coming?!' Yes, you idiot! LOL!

Anyway, got on train and the journey passed uneventfully (I should think so in 30 mins!). Got to Cardiff and - waited for help to get off! This poor student thought he was going to have to carry me off - he was trying to be so helpful. I think he had someone with him and THEY went to find someone, but again it was this attitude of 'I'll get there, eventually!' It's not like the train was stopping there, for goodness sake!

I had to make my own way out of the station - luckily I know how to read (I seem to have said this before! LOL!) and got to the taxi rank. I love the way cabbies look at me as I arrive, specially when they have saloon cars - the look of horror of having to help me is too funny! However, as soon as I leap out of the chair, their blood pressure soon drops several points. He was very helpful and quite chatty, knew which Osmond Merrill was (always a Brownie point or two in my book), didn't talk about any other Osmond (nudge, nudge, wink, wink!), and got me to my NEXT hotel in quick fashion, and knocked 50p off the fare! Nice man, very very nice man!

I was a bit worried about this leg of the journey, as I'd rung the Future Inn a couple of days before and asked them if it was OK to book in early. They said no, as rooms would not be ready as they were full the night before (that flipping fight, remember), but I thought I'd give it a go. So, I went in, receptionists were lovely (as all receptionists are, of course!), I explained I had a meeting (!!) at The Point, but they said no, I couldn't book in, but I could leave my bags, so that's what I did, and they'd leave a note to say that I was coming back later to check-in properly (and it WAS later, MUCH later!). I then used the loo and then went back out to reception to book a taxi to The Point - as it was about ten minutes walking time. I actually think I MIGHT have been able to do it as it was well signposted, but if it had been raining - no chance! Also, the hotel had some interesting sculpturework outside it -one in particular!

Went outside to wait for taxi, met up with others who were coming to the GT as well,who had had an interesting journey! Three cabs came alone before mine, and caused huge confusion when they picked up two parties who were going to the same place. The guy I went with had come to take people to the station, he went to check where they were, saw that they'd gone and said 'I'm all yours' - oooo!

Then he asked me where I was going, I told him, 'Where's that then?!' Oh my goodness!

We went on our way and I scrambled in my handbag for my ticket and gave him the location - 'aaaah, thought it might be!' Idiot! He didn't have a Welsh accent, sounded Canadian or American to me, so maybe he'd just arrived, or something, anwway, he needs more lessons in how to inspire confidence that he knows where he's going! LOL!

The route to The Point was nice - past the Millennium Centre, and other interesting buildings and fountains and such stuff. I pointed out a sign that said 'The Point' - thought I'd be helpful, and he smiled (probably thinking 'idiot woman'! hehe!). We eventually turned the corner and there was a car coming in the opposite direction, and also there was this grey-haired bloke standing in the middle of the road.............

Eventually, the car moved back - it was going the wrong way down a one-way street, and we parked and I got out - only to be told that Merrill had JUST gone in. Now, looking back on the grey-haired bloke in the middle of the street with no road sense, and what Merrill was wearing, I'm not TERRIBLY sure they were one and the same, but if I'd had my wits about me, I'd have beeped on the horn (even though it wasn't my place to do it!) and said 'Get off the road, you daft Yank!' However, I just got out of the car and behaved myself - for a bit, anyway!