Travel Day

 The official start point (or end if you want to walk in the opposite direction), of the Devon Coast to Coast, is at Wembury just south-east of Plymouth. As that is a fair distance from home, I decided to travel down the day before starting the walk. 

Because it’s Glastonbury weekend, I opted to book some train tickets in advance and got such a good deal, I upgraded to First Class (ideas above my station no doubt)! 

I caught a train at Salisbury and found a seat in 1st Class. Seeing a scruffy backpacker seat himself in the posh seats, caused some looks of alarm from some of my fellow toffs! 

I was half expecting to be asked to move to the back of the train, when the guard came to check tickets! However, not only did that not happen, but the guard ( or Train Manager as they are called nowadays) was an ex-colleague of mine, so after checking everyone else’s tickets, he came and sat down with me for a few minutes for a good ole catch-up. 

By the time we reached Exeter, I was desperate for a pee. As my connecting Train wasn’t due for 10 minutes, I climbed the stairs to the opposite platform, where the Gents Loo’s were situated. 

However, when I got back to the correct platform, to my horror, the train just about to depart, was my train. It turned out that this train was 48minutes behind schedule, so they cancelled mine instead. As I approached, the guard sounded his whistle and the doors began to close, so I just jumped onto the first available carriage. It was packed and proved nigh on impossible for me to make my way down the aisles to the 1st Class carriage, because had I attempted to do so, due to the narrow aisle I would have clunked loads of passengers in the head with my backpack! 

It was safer to stand in the doorway, even if I did have move every few minutes to allow access to the toilet. 

I was able to look out the door window and reminisce around Dawlish at the views of the Coast Path, before the line headed inland to Newton Abbot and Totnes. 

I think the train driver put his foot down, because we arrived in Plymouth 5 minutes early than expected. 

I decided to loosen my legs by walking the mile or so, to the Premier Inn that I’m staying in tonight. I found my room and switched the TV on just in time to see Slovakia score!

I then sat through that bore-fest in my room, with nothing more than a cup of tea to numb the pain of such a woeful performance! However, I might have upset my near neighbours, when I involuntarily shouted when England scored in the 94th minute! 

A win’s a win, as they say, but that was a turgid display! 

Hopefully, I’ll be in a remote spot, come the next game and not be able to watch it! 

So after that, a quick meal in the restaurant and an early night is in order, before the real adventure begins tomorrow. 

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