British Trains on the Skids
I was in Leeds last night, but now I'm at the University of Leeds, just outside the city. The International Medieval Congress hasn't really started yet -- there's dinner tonight, but the papers don't start till tomorrow -- but I am here anyway. Where I get free Internet access. Hello.
Also, the opportunity to buy nifty t-shirts and mugs. I might pick up a t-shirt; I'm trying hard to ignore the mugs. I own a lot of mugs. I don't need any more mugs. Also, mugs are difficult to get home, and I've gotten to the point where I hope that somebody will steal my bag.
Nobody's going to. They'll try, and wrench their arms off.
Yesterday, I needed to get from Northampton to Leeds. To do this, I first took a taxi from the B&B to the railway station. That went very well.
Then things fell apart. Normally, though one can not take a direct line, one can take a train to Birmingham and then one to Leeds. But yesterday there was some sort of engineering problem going on, so that one had to take a train to Rugby and then a train to Birmingham. One took the train to Rugby, all right, but the train to Birmingham was -- problematic.
For starters, it consisted of 6 1st class coaches and 3 regular coaches. So the entire platform of people had to hustle up to the front of the train, and cram themselves onto 3 cars. Remember, here, that one of us is dragging along a Really Big Heavy Suitcase.
So there we were, a bunch of us standing in that little section where the cars are connected, cause there's no place to sit down, and the -- theoretically -- 20 minute train ride starts.
But it's not a 20 minute train ride. The train keeps stopping every few miles or so, for reasons we aren't told for a while. Then, a voice comes on to inform us that there is some sort of axle problem with the train.
Axle problem? I mean, isn't that serious? I spent most of the ride idly wondering which would be the best place in between the cars to be standing when the damn thing derailed.
But we didn't derail, and eventually we got to Birmingham, where they pulled the train out of service -- this annoyed a bunch of people who were waiting for it, but believe me, they were better off NOT being on it -- and I managed to find the train to Leeds, and got to the Comfort Inn -- which used to be the Griffin Inn -- and before that, in the middle ages, is was where the bearbaitings and cockfights were -- and lay down on the bed and didn't get up.
I seemed to have become disconnected somehow. I read one of those magazines that tell you about the new shades of nail polish* (not information of much use to me, really), and I admired the glossy pictures, and I think I watched the TV -- but I don't remember much about last night.
At one point, though, I do remember wondering what was wrong with me. I mean, I was in Leeds. Shouldn't I enjoy Leeds? But I simply was not there. I did remember that it had been a sort of difficult day. I went to sleep at about 8:00.
But now, it's a new day! And I'm in a comfortable place! And they're letting me use computers! And I get to go for a walk! And I don't have to get back on the damn train for DAYS!
Each one of which I intend to fully enjoy.
*****************
*Oh, Americans who haven't seen this yet, let me explain something about English magazines. They don't sell just magazines. All the main magazines come in plastic wrap, because every single one of them has a Free Gift attached, for which I suppose one has paid in one way or another. Before I left Northampton, I went down to the corner store cause I needed some Kleenex, and I got seduced by the magazines. So I bought one, based on the free gift. I could have got a CD -- but I wasn't interested in any of the ones on offer. I could have got plastic flip-flops -- which I didn't need, not even the ones with sequins on them, darling though they were, cause I already have some sequined flip-flops at home, which I may admire in about a week. Or I could have got one of any number of tote bags, but I didn't need one of those either. No, I chose a FREE tank top which may be worn as a halter top. I'm quite happy with this. And! It's black! Just like every other thing I brought on the trip! Therefore, it matches. I'm wearing it at some point. Maybe to give my paper.
Also, the opportunity to buy nifty t-shirts and mugs. I might pick up a t-shirt; I'm trying hard to ignore the mugs. I own a lot of mugs. I don't need any more mugs. Also, mugs are difficult to get home, and I've gotten to the point where I hope that somebody will steal my bag.
Nobody's going to. They'll try, and wrench their arms off.
Yesterday, I needed to get from Northampton to Leeds. To do this, I first took a taxi from the B&B to the railway station. That went very well.
Then things fell apart. Normally, though one can not take a direct line, one can take a train to Birmingham and then one to Leeds. But yesterday there was some sort of engineering problem going on, so that one had to take a train to Rugby and then a train to Birmingham. One took the train to Rugby, all right, but the train to Birmingham was -- problematic.
For starters, it consisted of 6 1st class coaches and 3 regular coaches. So the entire platform of people had to hustle up to the front of the train, and cram themselves onto 3 cars. Remember, here, that one of us is dragging along a Really Big Heavy Suitcase.
So there we were, a bunch of us standing in that little section where the cars are connected, cause there's no place to sit down, and the -- theoretically -- 20 minute train ride starts.
But it's not a 20 minute train ride. The train keeps stopping every few miles or so, for reasons we aren't told for a while. Then, a voice comes on to inform us that there is some sort of axle problem with the train.
Axle problem? I mean, isn't that serious? I spent most of the ride idly wondering which would be the best place in between the cars to be standing when the damn thing derailed.
But we didn't derail, and eventually we got to Birmingham, where they pulled the train out of service -- this annoyed a bunch of people who were waiting for it, but believe me, they were better off NOT being on it -- and I managed to find the train to Leeds, and got to the Comfort Inn -- which used to be the Griffin Inn -- and before that, in the middle ages, is was where the bearbaitings and cockfights were -- and lay down on the bed and didn't get up.
I seemed to have become disconnected somehow. I read one of those magazines that tell you about the new shades of nail polish* (not information of much use to me, really), and I admired the glossy pictures, and I think I watched the TV -- but I don't remember much about last night.
At one point, though, I do remember wondering what was wrong with me. I mean, I was in Leeds. Shouldn't I enjoy Leeds? But I simply was not there. I did remember that it had been a sort of difficult day. I went to sleep at about 8:00.
But now, it's a new day! And I'm in a comfortable place! And they're letting me use computers! And I get to go for a walk! And I don't have to get back on the damn train for DAYS!
Each one of which I intend to fully enjoy.
*****************
*Oh, Americans who haven't seen this yet, let me explain something about English magazines. They don't sell just magazines. All the main magazines come in plastic wrap, because every single one of them has a Free Gift attached, for which I suppose one has paid in one way or another. Before I left Northampton, I went down to the corner store cause I needed some Kleenex, and I got seduced by the magazines. So I bought one, based on the free gift. I could have got a CD -- but I wasn't interested in any of the ones on offer. I could have got plastic flip-flops -- which I didn't need, not even the ones with sequins on them, darling though they were, cause I already have some sequined flip-flops at home, which I may admire in about a week. Or I could have got one of any number of tote bags, but I didn't need one of those either. No, I chose a FREE tank top which may be worn as a halter top. I'm quite happy with this. And! It's black! Just like every other thing I brought on the trip! Therefore, it matches. I'm wearing it at some point. Maybe to give my paper.
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