quick weekend away

 

When I should have still been fast asleep in bed on a Saturday morning, I was actually freezing to death ( slight exaggeration there), on the platform of Darlington station waiting for a train to take me south and back 'home' for a party.

And not just any old party, this was to celebrate the 100th birthday of my friend Harrys mum.

That is some achievement and a reason enough for a celebration.

I tried to make the best of an early start and had provided myself with champers for the journey and a mini charcuterie  breakfast. Well there are standards to keep and I now feel that the law of having champagne at the airport  should now cover any form of transport for travelling , obviously the exception is if you  are the driver of a car, when coffee or peppermint tea needs to be the order of the day.

Not only was the party in my old home town ( Moor Park/ Northwood), but also in my old work place ( Merchant Taylors School).

The party kicked off at 2pm and was scheduled to finish at 9pm, I now feel that this is going to be the template for any future parties for me, it is very civilised

Ellen looked stunning, belying her 100 years

And she was obviously enjoying being surrounded by family and friends.

I was back at my B & B before 8pm, it had been a long day.

I stayed in a lovely house in Kewferry Road in Northwood which was wonderful, the lady in charge of all things was called Jessica and was efficient and very friendly.

With feather pillows and duvet, I slept so well that I felt like staying another night..................and how I wished I had.

Sunday dawned with a red sky, I should have known!

Set off on the Met line to Kings Cross and then it all went wrong, cancelled trains, so many people trying to get on any train, an hour after my original time to leave I finally got a seat on a train and was off.......................only to then end up in Leeds, York and finally nearly 7 hours later arriving in Darlington the home of Steam, which had this weekend been celebrating 200years of train travel.

I felt like I had been on the go for 200years and honestly if I was travelling for 7 hours I really would have wanted to be somewhere other  than Darlo!!!!!

And as for getting a refund from LNER, well there website is experiencing high volumes ( no!!! how on earth!!!) so I doubt I'll every see a penny back.