Arrgghhh …. trains!!!!

My train journey home was supposed to be easy. It certainly looked it on paper (or rather on the Internet). Two trains; One at 10.53 from Cheltenham to Bristol Temple Meads which dropped me off at platform 11 then a two yard walk across to platform 10 and onto the next train which drops me off in Upwey at 14.02 where a taxi driver would be waiting to carry my bag across the bridge and drive me home. Simple … you would have thought so.

Train 1: was 15 minutes late but the lovely Jay waited and carried my bag onto the train for me and another angel ( in the guise of a 20ish year old lad who apologised for eaves dropping but said he’d over heard me on the phone to Jake saying i didn’t know how i was going to get the bag off the train) carried my bag off the train. It really made my day and i started to feel better only to find …..

Train 2:  was long gone. And that set the pattern for the day.

Train 3: according to the Guard was from platform 12 which was about 200 yds up from where i was. I explained that i had ME and couldn’t carry my bag and asked if there was there a trolley i could use or something he could do to help. He pointed to a stack of trolleys, told me to leave all my bags (got irritated when i went to pick up my handbag and told me to leave that too) as there was no one around and i slowly made my way to the trolleys. Only to find i needed a £1 coin that (even if i had one) was now 100 yds back down the platform. As I passed the Guard again he asked what the problem was. I repeated that i had ME, that i needed a £1 coin for the trolley, that i was starting to feel really ill and that i knew, coin-wise, i only had a 2p, a 5p and a £2 coin so i wouldn’t be able to get a trolley anyway. I couldn’t believe it when he snapped ” Well, what do you want me to do about it?” and walked off. I got a lump in my throat and crouched by my bags hoping that id find a £1 coin, blowing my nose and trying to gather the strength to stand up again. I heard a kindly voice behind me saying “Come on then, I’ll carry them to the right platform, find you somewhere to sit and come and get you onto the train when it gets here.” Feeling puzzled but much happier i trailed after Hyde (or is Jekyll the nice one) back up the platform, plonked myself on the seat and waited. (Phoned taxi to tell them i would now be in at 3.10.) Knowing that he wouldn’t be back when the train came in ….. 20 minutes late again, I didn’t wait for him and dragged my bag and computer case over the platform and onto the train, immediately found a luggage rack with space on the floor for my bag and a seat 2 steps away – yay!

Train 4: was from Southampton and i had 2 minutes to get across the bridge from platform 1 to 4 because the train was delayed, again!!  I got to the bottom of the stairs in time to see the back of my train slinking silently out of the station! Nooooooooo!!!!!

(Phoned taxi and told them i would now be in at 4.30.)

Train 5: was from the same platform.  After the dash across the station i wouldn’t have been able to move if it wasn’t and was shaking from head to toe which was actually quite frightening.  Whilst waiting (an hour) for my train i observed an elderly lady asking a guard for help then reminding him that he’d helped her last week to get on the Plymouth train and asking if he would mind lifting her bag on the train when it arrived. He smiled at her and, placing a hand very gently on her back, steered her to a bench to wait with her bag. He came back for her when her train came in and again gently steered her whilst carrying her bag to the train. Ah bless! This train was on time but the pleasure was rather spoilt by finding out that i had to change again at Bournemouth if i wanted to go to Upwey OR change at Weymouth and go back up to Upwey.

Train 6: was boycotted.  I was too exhausted to change trains again so decided to stay on train 5 and get a taxi from Weymouth. (Rang Jake and asked him to ring taxi to let them know i would get off at Weymouth and the time was now 4.15 ….  i just couldn’t do it again ….) This probably worked out better in the end as the taxi driver waited at the end of the platform with his car. So rather than me having to drag my bags across the bridge at Upwey (the way the day had gone i couldnt trust that the driver would be there to carry) i just had a short drag along the platform.

So, the lesson for today was that carrying my bag showed me that it was something i couldnt do without feeling really ill and proved to me that if im in a situation where i have to use my muscles for jobs that involve strength im in trouble. Just made a note to talk to Michelle about this on Wednesday.  Have a funny feeling shes not going to turn up but not sure if thats just because im looking forward to seeing her so much.