After a relatively stress free journey, we made it home. First train out of Harwich was full of cyclists. Sunday trains meant a big wait in Manningtree but I sat in the waiting room, listened to a book and knitted.
Next stop was Peterborough. Again, a big wait but it passed quickly enough. Again, train on time but, it had the most stupid bike storage ever. Which was locked. Once open I found I’d be the only one using the cupboard so sort of bunged the bike in rather than trying to get it on the hook. If you have to hook a bike wheel to the ceiling you really need to be able to stand behind the bike. You can’t do that in those cupboards.
Thanks to the help of 2 blokes who were very annoyed about being on a train full stop (it was busy and they didn’t have seats) I got off the train despite the luggage obstacle course and started the mad dash for my York connection - 10 minutes only. Obviously this was a 2 lift job. First lift fine but, a bit of a queue. Then the second lift was broken. So I started the multiple journeys of carrying bags up the stairs. The conductor came along and offered to bring the bike up for me which was very kind.
Amazingly all of this fuss was completed before the train arrived at the platform. Onto the train (when it arrived, on time) and it’s a hook up device again. But this time there is space to stand behind the bike. And space to store bags so I managed fine. This train also terminates at Edinburgh - that means getting off isn’t as stressful. (Imagine trying to get back on the train to get the rest of your luggage while everyone else is trying to get off. At the same time as trying not to have your other luggage stolen or reported as a security risk. And trying not to get stuck on the departing train or separated from one bag or the other. Then having to remount all your luggage before setting off to make your connection. This is why I always try to get in and off with the bike loaded. And usually have to depend on the help of strangers to make that happen.)
I settled into a seat and relaxed. Crossed the a final border, I passed through my station and soon arrived in Edinburgh. A relaxed (unloaded) disembarkation and onto the last train back to the station I just passed.
Waverley is a very big and complicated station. Further complicated by trains going from different platforms every time you get them. This train went from a platform under the smallest lift in the whole station but, with a lot of shoving I got in.
Edinburgh is in the midst of fringe madness so the platform for my train home was amazingly rammed. I chatted to a nice young man who was surprisingly worried about train travel and when the train came I rolled on. The last journey was short, taken up with talking to two merry travellers on their way home after a pub crawl. We arrived at Longniddry in no time and I disembarked in the sunshine.
I’m very lucky to live in a lovely part of the world. The ride home gave beautiful views over the sea - very similar to those I enjoyed in Denmark. But with more sunshine and less wind.
Welcomed home by a happy Mr H and a surprisingly affectionate cat, I’m glad to be back. I love my holidays and really think at times I could just keep going. But then, I really really love being home.
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