Friday, June 5--Cancelled Trains, Rain, And Stratford-upon-Avon

Friday, June 5, 2009

Well, it started out rainy today as we headed to Waverley by taxi to catch our 8:20 train. Got there and had a bite to eat then sat and watched the train information board that tells which trains coming to which platforms. Ours was listed at Platform 9, which I thought was cool since Harry Potter’s was 9 ¾, even though not at this station. So we waited a few more minutes until our train info went to the big board and just as it was about to do so….our train was cancelled. Cancelled! No reason, just cancelled.

So off Ray goes to see if we can get on the next train, and yes, we can, but not with seats reserved. So we plod off to Platform 2 and wait until our new train arrives and haul ourselves and luggage onto the train and try to find two seats together that are not reserved. None to be found, so we sat near each other and hoped that one would open up, which it did about 4 hours into the trip. Then we had to change trains and stations in Birmingham—and it began raining just as we got off the train and stopped just as we got on the next one. This was a local train but we arrived in Stratford-upon-Avon fairly quickly and missed getting what was obviously the only taxi in town. The driver told us he would be back in 10 minutes or we could walk, as it was only ¼ mile. So we chose walking, only that ¼ turned into another ¼ mile and another and another. Finally we got to the hotel and got checked in.

Went to Pizza Hut across the street because it was easy and convenient. Hope to get up early and have breakfast and head to Holy Trinity Church then come back, check out, and get on another train, this time to Southampton.

No pictures today, either, as I slept most of the way on the train and it was raining the rest of the time. : )