Day 9 - London - My time

The walk to the train station this morning was lovely, really quite warm and all set for a perfect day with no problems.  That ended as I stood waiting for the train.  The train was delayed as the tannoy lady told me and my fellow passengers that there was a problem with the river bridge and the time ticked from 8.15 when the train should be appearing around the bend up the track to 8.35 when I was starting to think I may miss my connection to London.  Suddenly without warning two lights appeared in the distance and either the river bridge was fixed or the driver had figured how to jump the river Dukes of Hazzard style.  I didn’t care as long as I would be in Doncaster to make the work call I needed to make at 9.15 and still be on my train at 9.32.  We left Goole some 25 minutes late but arrived at Doncaster less than 15 minutes late.  I am thinking the train driver got over the river the unconventional way as he seemed to get his foot down and make up some serious time.

The train from Doncaster to London as good to me as I basically slept from about 10 minutes into the journey right through till train tannoy lady woke me up stating we were arriving into Kings Cross.  A better sleep than I got last night.  So I raised myself and gathered my belongings and headed to the office which unfortunately is only about 100 yards from Kings Cross.  Unfortunately today but damn handy when going home on Thursday.

As for my cigarette break, I managed to get one in today which was good. For people new to this, I don’t smoke but like to get out of the office for a 10 minute walk around St Pancras and Kings Cross.  It clears my head and gives my legs a little stretch.  It is nice to walk through the stations and St Pancras is always buzzing with so many people all getting ready for the Eurostar trains and journeys to far flung worlds.  As for Kings Cross it was shouting out the same trains to Peterborough, Doncaster, Newcastle and Edinburgh.  I do smile if I hear the train for Aberdeen as I think, wow I would love to just settle down in that train for 7 hours and watch most of the country go by the window.  I can imagine seeing some quite interesting sites on that journey, provided it is done in the daylight.

Monday is also check in day at the hotel and the excitement of whether I am going to get an upgraded room or an apology.  I have to admit the apology is so heartfelt and given with such meaning it makes me feel guilty.  I normally find myself saying, “Don’t Worry” or “no problem I don’t mind” and almost wanting to console the poor receptionist as he or she gushes it all out.  It is truly awful.

Well the good news was that I got an executive room and was pleased for two reasons, obviously the guilt I feel for the receptionist and then of course I am in an exec room which I have to admit is smaller than some of the other rooms I have been in, but at least I get some water in the room and a fridge.  I am not assuming it is a complementary fridge and sure that I wont be able to take it home when I leave.

The evening was spent in total relaxation, I had some food, I watched some Netflix as the exec room comes with decent wife and I took a long hot bath, it was one of those times when I spent a few hours just relaxing.  All good you think.  But by the time I wanted to sleep around 11:00 p.m. I was not tired and ended up laying there til nearly 2.00 a.m. before I must have finally drifted off, so when I was awoken by my 6.30 a.m. alarm I am now truly shattered.

I wont say good night as you can tell it is now early morning and just finishing this off before I head off to the office.