We are mobile again. Thanks to Bobo’s brother Giles we are now the proud owners and drivers of an Alfa Romeo 145. Pictures to come soon, but it goes well and will do us a treat. We are very happy. Unlike Britain, where today has been a bit of a nightmare.
Our own experience of this extreme weather was the journey to Reading to pick up our new motor. It should have taken about an hour and a half, so we left home at 10:00, aiming to be chez Perry before 12:00. Lunch was served at 12:30 and we didn’t want to be late. We managed the first part of our journey (Balham to Clapham Junction) relatively painlessly. Although the train was delayed by twenty minutes that is fairly normal on the line I travel to work on every day. When we got to Clapham Junction, however, things took a turn for the worse. The station announcer informed us that all trains from Waterloo had been suspended. This was a bad thing. Mainly because the Reading train we wanted to get on leaves from Waterloo.
After hanging around for a bit and not getting encouraged we decided to try plan b. The main line express trains to Reading leave from Paddington. So we thought we would have a bash at getting one of those, despite having tickets that were not valid for that route.
We got on another train to Victoria and then the circle line to Paddington. Once we arrived we discovered that our trip had potentially been in vain. All trains from Paddington were suspended.
Gluttons for punishment that we are, we decided to give it a bash anyway and wait out the storm at Paddington. After a particularly unsatisfactory chat with a nice man at the ticket office, who refused to re-issue or refund our existing tickets, we decided on a cup of tea and a sandwich at the cafe. As soon as I was served. of course, the station announcer said that the Reading train was pulling in to platform twelve and would be departing in a matter of minutes. Carefully stuffing the drinks and sandwiches in my bag we legged it. Just managed to get on the train which then took the scenic route but it got us to Reading. We finally got to Perry Mansions at about quarter to two. An hour and a half journey took over three hours. You have to love this country. Because if you didn't, you would go barking mad living here.
Oh, on a technical note, I was planning to move this diary to Movable Type in the next few months, just like my other blog. The recent trouble at Blogger has made me resolve to make the change sooner rather than later. Whilst the transition is taking place we apologise for any inconvenience.