Catching up - update and observations on Europe
Okay. As mentioned my plans went a little astray once I went to the UK.
Left Edinburgh by train, hoping to check my emails when I got to Lichfield (its the UK, should be plenty of internet availability, even on a Sunday night - WRONG).
Got to Birmingham to discover trains weren't running to Lichfield City, so had to jump on bus. Get off bus at Lichfield city to find ticket office open, but no toilets or internet anywhere (tree sorted out the first, but for the 2nd I ended up calling Fiona in London (after trying the local police station, hoping to beg access to internet)). No emails from my host, no success with directory assistance. Decided to give it (& Fiona) a couple of hours. Went to local hotel, who sent my host an email with their phone number) and I went and had dinner in their restaurant (expensive but hey, they were helping me out).
End of dinner, still no response so made the decision, on to London tonight. Manage to catch last train (bus connection to train point broke down, so had to catch a taxi). Get to railway station to discover no lifts (when I arrived a lady in wheelchair was being helped down the stairs by four gentlemen). Of course upon checking it was revealed that my platform was the one on the otherside, helpful fellow from the rail company helped me with my bags.
Caught train to London. Got in and went wandering for Hostel. Found the YHA - no rooms, all booked up. Fellow their referred me to other Hostel, all full. Fellow at that place referred me to Bed & Breakfasts up the road. Expensive but found a room (and swapped into a cheaper room the next morning).
Next day (Monday), went out and did the London tour, then went to the Natural History Museum of London (nice dinosaur collection). Stopped by major train station to arrange my ticket to Dover the next day and then off to the Pub to meet with local SCA'rs - none turned up - nasty wet day, problems with tube stations overcrowded and probably just busy.
Next day (Tuesday), caught train to Dover. Originally looking to catch tube to correct station, but was going to have to transfer - all too hard, caught a cab. Absolutely lovely cabbie. Was discussing my travels, problems with costs in UK and current financial difficulties. Got to the station, cost was 11pounds - cabbie told me just pay him ten (that was cool & unexpected).
Dover - met up with trio of American girls (backpackers). They were having timing issues with getting to Paris. Ended up on the same Ferry across to France and then travelled to Lille with them (they couldn't get the earlier train with their Eurail passes that I caught). Told them about the walking tour in Paris the next day and did catch up with them then.
Got to Paris about 10pm. Train station had too much security - made you feel concerned (if they need that much security here, how am I going to be on the streets???). Found luggage lockers (passed through airport like security to get there). Walked around town for about 1.5hrs to find a cheap hotel.
Next day, got up and walked around town for about 1.5hrs to find an internet cafe (I walked past one right near my hotel at 8:50am which wasn't going to open until 10am). I figured I'd find another nearby. I ended up finding one (a long way from where I started) about 10:20am. I needed to look up where the Paris tour was meeting (I didn't know, just knew that the normal start time was 11am so was running out of time). Finally something went my may, the meeting point was only a 10 minute walk from where I was.
Walking tour was good - the American chicks had turned up so it was good to be able to share the tour with some people who I knew (a little bit).
Left the tour at about 2pm, made my way to the train station. Guy at train station told me there was no trains to Luxemberg and no way of getting to Koblenz [today]. I pushed and got him to check in various ways and he found me a seat to Luxemberg (1st class, expensive, but no more than cost of hotel, dinner & breakfast would have been - and I really wanted to get out of France).
2 trains later & I was at Trier train station - in Germany. I found the train I needed, had time to call my host & confirm I'd be in at the expected time on the planned train (which was running despite what the guy in Paris told me (he thought I'd be stuck in Luxemberg overnight). Bought a beer for the trip and got on the final train. Sat back & when I saw the sign [on the train] saying "Koblenz" I cracked the beer and celebrated.
If I return Europe, I think I'll stick with Germany & Scotland - the rest is just not for me (Italy was okay but Germany is much better and friendlier).
Anyhow, now I'm in Koblenz with Axel & Cornelia (Falco & Eyda), and we're off to take in some scenery & history this afternoon.
I'm sorting out my photos and will start posting the visual tours of each city soon (there are so many still to be done; Milan, Venice, Nuremberg, Berlin, Edinburgh, York, London & Paris).
I am really looking forward to Pennsic next week.
Cheers for now
- Trains were more expensive than I expected.
- Didn't have proper contact details for one of my contacts (my fault, should've chased up earlier).
- Trains in France didn't go where I wanted them to.
Left Edinburgh by train, hoping to check my emails when I got to Lichfield (its the UK, should be plenty of internet availability, even on a Sunday night - WRONG).
Got to Birmingham to discover trains weren't running to Lichfield City, so had to jump on bus. Get off bus at Lichfield city to find ticket office open, but no toilets or internet anywhere (tree sorted out the first, but for the 2nd I ended up calling Fiona in London (after trying the local police station, hoping to beg access to internet)). No emails from my host, no success with directory assistance. Decided to give it (& Fiona) a couple of hours. Went to local hotel, who sent my host an email with their phone number) and I went and had dinner in their restaurant (expensive but hey, they were helping me out).
End of dinner, still no response so made the decision, on to London tonight. Manage to catch last train (bus connection to train point broke down, so had to catch a taxi). Get to railway station to discover no lifts (when I arrived a lady in wheelchair was being helped down the stairs by four gentlemen). Of course upon checking it was revealed that my platform was the one on the otherside, helpful fellow from the rail company helped me with my bags.
Caught train to London. Got in and went wandering for Hostel. Found the YHA - no rooms, all booked up. Fellow their referred me to other Hostel, all full. Fellow at that place referred me to Bed & Breakfasts up the road. Expensive but found a room (and swapped into a cheaper room the next morning).
Next day (Monday), went out and did the London tour, then went to the Natural History Museum of London (nice dinosaur collection). Stopped by major train station to arrange my ticket to Dover the next day and then off to the Pub to meet with local SCA'rs - none turned up - nasty wet day, problems with tube stations overcrowded and probably just busy.
Next day (Tuesday), caught train to Dover. Originally looking to catch tube to correct station, but was going to have to transfer - all too hard, caught a cab. Absolutely lovely cabbie. Was discussing my travels, problems with costs in UK and current financial difficulties. Got to the station, cost was 11pounds - cabbie told me just pay him ten (that was cool & unexpected).
Dover - met up with trio of American girls (backpackers). They were having timing issues with getting to Paris. Ended up on the same Ferry across to France and then travelled to Lille with them (they couldn't get the earlier train with their Eurail passes that I caught). Told them about the walking tour in Paris the next day and did catch up with them then.
Got to Paris about 10pm. Train station had too much security - made you feel concerned (if they need that much security here, how am I going to be on the streets???). Found luggage lockers (passed through airport like security to get there). Walked around town for about 1.5hrs to find a cheap hotel.
Next day, got up and walked around town for about 1.5hrs to find an internet cafe (I walked past one right near my hotel at 8:50am which wasn't going to open until 10am). I figured I'd find another nearby. I ended up finding one (a long way from where I started) about 10:20am. I needed to look up where the Paris tour was meeting (I didn't know, just knew that the normal start time was 11am so was running out of time). Finally something went my may, the meeting point was only a 10 minute walk from where I was.
Walking tour was good - the American chicks had turned up so it was good to be able to share the tour with some people who I knew (a little bit).
Left the tour at about 2pm, made my way to the train station. Guy at train station told me there was no trains to Luxemberg and no way of getting to Koblenz [today]. I pushed and got him to check in various ways and he found me a seat to Luxemberg (1st class, expensive, but no more than cost of hotel, dinner & breakfast would have been - and I really wanted to get out of France).
2 trains later & I was at Trier train station - in Germany. I found the train I needed, had time to call my host & confirm I'd be in at the expected time on the planned train (which was running despite what the guy in Paris told me (he thought I'd be stuck in Luxemberg overnight). Bought a beer for the trip and got on the final train. Sat back & when I saw the sign [on the train] saying "Koblenz" I cracked the beer and celebrated.
If I return Europe, I think I'll stick with Germany & Scotland - the rest is just not for me (Italy was okay but Germany is much better and friendlier).
Anyhow, now I'm in Koblenz with Axel & Cornelia (Falco & Eyda), and we're off to take in some scenery & history this afternoon.
I'm sorting out my photos and will start posting the visual tours of each city soon (there are so many still to be done; Milan, Venice, Nuremberg, Berlin, Edinburgh, York, London & Paris).
I am really looking forward to Pennsic next week.
Cheers for now
posted by Hanbal at 7:43 pm
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