That intriques you, doesn't it! I seemed to have spent most of the last week or so either in a train or a taxi, so that seemed a most appropriate title! The turkey is slightly misleading, but it begins with T, so fitted more than - chicken!
Anyway, I'd spent most of the previous week washing for the weekend, or so it seemed. Went to mum and dad's for lunch on Friday and we had the most disgusting fish lunch - they cut a piece of small fish even smaller and shared it between mum and me. Complaints were put in and it won't happen again - better not do!
Anyway, Saturday arrived - I'd decided to go down on Saturday as train times would've meant getting down very late and not arriving until after the get together started, and I would've missed lots!
So, went down to station and said hello to customer services again - must get a season ticket soon! Arrived way too early again - this time, my taxi driver was not weird, didn't grip the steering wheel like the devil incarnate possessed and just kept his mouth shut - hallelujah!
So, waited a little bit and they got me on the earlier train, without any problems. The trains are new, peca-something or others (I was thinking of pecadillos, but I don't think that's quite the right word - LOL!). Really roomy, a bit like sitting in the guards van in that you don't really have a table, you're in a space where seats can be if you're not there, if you understand what I mean. Train took about 90 mins to get to Manchester (yes, Manchester), and I had a well-earned cuppa on the way and a packet of crisps! It was lovely in York, rained in Manchester (I'm saying nothing!) and when we arrived in Wales, lovely again - but I'm racing ahead.
Arrived in Manchester, undercover, so didn't get wet. Had to wait for assistance to next platform as I was early - and boy, did they let me know that I was early - wow, 30 minutes, what an inconvenience! Anyway, he came eventually and didn't offer to carry my bags, just LEAD me to the next platform!
Train hadn't arrived, but when it did, I was stunned! It was a tiny little four carriage thing and was going all the way to Milford-flipping Haven! How would we all fit in it?! Loads of people got off, my 'help' wandered off, and I rushed to follow him, with handbag, holdall and crutches all flapping about all over the place - dingbat! Got to the end of the train which, let's face it, wasn't that far away, and got on train. Had a seat space and a table - woohooo (simple things please simple minds, dontchaknow!). Then settled down - as it was going to be a longgggg journey - three hours or so, and we went through some very small places, stopping at every station known to man, woman and child! Have you ever heard of Church Stretton?! Me neither! Went to Crewe and Shrewsbury, Abergavenny, Newport, some tiny little place called Craven Arms (sounds more like a pub). A guy from the RAF stood opposite me - guarded my bag (he didn't know it was mine!), and we had great fun teaching people how to use the loo - not literally, thank you very much, but the door mechanics were a bit complicated for some people (if you know what I mean) so we had to tell people to keep their finger on the button, go in and press another button - talk about acrobatics, it was hilarious! He got off at Shrewsbury, as he was based at RAF Shawbury (I didn't know that at the time, I just looked it up!) and the train went on its way and eventually arrived in Bridgend - my first port of call due to some person called Joe Calzaghe, or however the heck you spell it, fighting some Danish bloke in Cardiff, thereby making all the hotels in Cardiff fully booked. What fun! I have a cousin who lives in Bridgend, but he wasn't around, so that's why I went to a hotel. Pretty easy to get off the train (getting on again would be MUCH more fun - not!), and I made my way to the taxi rank. Had to go to them as they were having a chinwag in the rank. I got a female driver, which I think is a first for me - can't remember having one recently anyway. She was great. Very helpful, chatty without being intrusive, but had a bee in her bonnet about some new rules the local council (or the train company) were bringing in about taxi dress code - not a happy bunny. We've been through this in York, and it seems to be working now. Personally, I think it makes them look very efficient, but can understand some of the practical and safety issues associated with it.
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