GOOD: Going to London for a day out.
BAD: Having to get up at stupid o’clock (aka 5.30am) to get the first Merseyrail train into town to connect with an early morning Virgin Train at Lime Street.
GOOD: Virgin allow Off-Peak tickets bought with Railcards to be used on any train without time restriction.
BAD: Everyone else gets charged a hugely expensive fare, meaning that my train (the 07.07 to London, supposedly Virgin’s “flagship” Liverpool service) was half-empty.
GOOD: The Science Museum has a great exhibition on the development of British technology in household appliances.
BAD: The Science Museum cafe promised sandwiches “from £1.50”, but I certainly couldn’t find any at that price (nice Danish pastry, though).
GOOD: Meeting up with a friend I haven’t seen for ages and strolling alongside the River Thames with her.
BAD: Seeing things which looked really interesting (Tate Modern, Globe Theatre, HMS Belfast) but not having time to visit them. I need to book a hotel and spend a few days there.
GOOD: Having the foresight to buy an Oyster card online from TfL’s website, meaning I saved money and beat the horrendous queues at Euston Underground station.
BAD: Slipping on the wet surface at Boston Manor tube station and falling down the stairs.
GOOD: Reaching Euston station early enough to catch an earlier train home than the one I had planned.
BAD: Did not have a seat reservation for this service so had to fight my way past the Friday night crowds to the non-reserved coach where I got a seat — just.
GOOD: The train toilets were clean.
BAD: Opening the train toilet door to find a woman in “full flow”, as it were, because she had forgotten to push the “Lock” button.
13th September 2008 at 10:22 pm
I’ve experienced a similar train event before. The way the door slides back slowly always makes me think of the part on a gameshow where they reveal the prizes.
13th September 2008 at 11:48 pm
Without wanting to sound like a wanky-Pepys-U-LIke, London can never be attempted in a day. No matter what your plans.
I’d love to know how you ended up at Boston Manor though?!
14th September 2008 at 12:46 am
I took the Piccadilly Line. It goes right there, y’know. š
Robert, sadly the only prize I won was a woman with her knickers half off. If it were an episode of Family Guy, Glenn Quagmire would have been standing next to me saying, “giggity giggity… all right!”