How nice it is to wake up after a decent night’s sleep, eight hours sleep and the chance to lay in bed without good reason to have to spring up and have to get dressed.
Breakfast was at half seven, and I was dead on time and so able to pack and head down to the station to get on the half eight train to London. Now, I could have stayed in Norwich, and gone to another session of the festival, but I had enough beer and so was happy enough to get out of town, and the plan to head down to Liverpool Street to visit St Botolph’s Without had formed and would not go.
Anyway, the train was being shunted into the platform as went through the ticket barrier, and once on the train greeted with the fine sight of not one reservation ticket, and so I had the choice of any seats. Seems that the train was got ready too late and they did not have time for the reservations to be placed. That would cause some trouble later!
Indeed, by the time we reached Ipswich there were just a few seats left, and after Ipswich no seats were to be had, and with more stops at Colchester, Marks Tay and Chelmsford, people were standing down the whole length of the carriage. And there were many complaints by those who had reservations that they could not sit down. Shit happens.
It was a relief to get off at Liverpool Street and head up to Bishopgate and along to the church. The door was open and so able to go in and get my shots without anyone else being there. I even bought some Christmas cards so I can send some to my colleagues; that’s me being well prepared!
I got the tube to Kings Cross and made my way up to the pub in the rafters of the old Parcel Office. Called The Parcel Office, the beer was good, as it was Fuller’s but pricey at just under four quid for a pint! I took a table overlooking the platforms and spent half an hour watching departures before heading over to St Pancras to catch my train back to Dover where Jools would be waiting to take me and my shattered liver back home. In truth, four and a half beers in over 24 hours wasn’t at all hedonistic, and I am quietly pleased with my restraint……
No comments:
Post a Comment