I wonder if Peter Jackson will make a movie…

…about this journey?

Tuesday night, I had decided not to sleep as I had an early train the next day. So I stayed up and left the house at 5:15 to get my 5:45 train.

I thought that this had left me enough time, despite the amount of ice on the roads and pavements due to the snow over the weekend. I had managed the walk before in those conditions. Sadly though, I completely forgot about the fact that it may take slightly longer due to the additional weight. So, as I was walking as fast as I could to the train station, I saw my train pull away.

I panicked. Went to the bus station to see if there were any buses I could catch that would mean not missing the train from Newcastle to Edinburgh I was booked on. Eventually I calmed down and decided to just catch the later train. This would mean it was tighter than I would have liked getting to the bus station in Edinburgh but I’d cope.

Got to Newcastle no problem. Got on the train to Edinburgh slightly worried that I’d get into bother for not being on the right train. But, as usual, the ticket inspector didn’t even notice.

The train was delayed getting into Edinburgh so that, and some problems finding the bus station, meant that I rocked up half an hour late. I went to the ticket desk and plead for help, stating that the problem was caused solely by a delayed train. It was then that I was told not to worry too much as the 8:35 bus on the service I was supposed to catch had left about ten minutes ago.

I phoned my mum to let her know what was happening and then went to the pub. Returned just in time to hear them announce a bus to Dundee. I did have a change there, but first I was headed to Perth, so I ignored it. Then, a full hour after I got to the bus station, my bus was called. Stashed one of my bags in the hold, got on the bus only to have the driver give me a bit of a bollocking for not getting on the earlier bus to Dundee. He then advised me to wait for the next Dundee bus which would be there in about half an hour.

I did so, taking time to go for a smoke. Then the bus turned up. Just in time for me to discover that I’d lost my ticket. I threw myself at the mercy of the ticket desk again, who were able to print out another one for me. Onto the bus go I, where the driver, after asking why I didn’t get on the earlier Dundee bus made a comment about it not being my day. Not wanting to delay the bus another half an hour, I simply agreed.

Got into Dundee and phoned my mother again to give her an update. Then hung around waiting for my bus which was only 10 minutes late. Got on, sat down, started reading and before I knew it I was in Aberdeen.

Nine and a half hours. I’ll say it again. NINE AND A HALF FUCKING HOURS/ That’s from getting on the train in Boro to getting into the new bus station in Aberdeen. The journey normally only takes 6, 7 hours at the very most. Phoned my mum to tell her I’d landed and then pissed off down the pub for the pint featured two entries back.

Fingers crossed, the journey back down the road will be a lot simpler.

Will

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