Above - taking off from Marseille - the view from the aeroplane.
Above - flying over the south of France.
Above - Flying over France.
Above - welcome to England.
Above - landing in Manchester - look how green it is (and wet!)
Above - Wilmslow train station.
Above - the train to Crewe that I didn't get because it was going to be late.
Above - the train to Plymouth that I did get (but I got off at Crewe)
Above - Crewe train station.
Above - the final train of the day from Crewe to Ludlow (the Hereford train) that was late.Last Saturday evening I volunteered with Les Restos du Coeur feeding les sans abris of Marseille. I didn't get to bed until about 3h. At 7h my alarm clock went off. At 9h Rachel arrived to help me with my suitcases to the métro. I was going to England! We left mine at 9h and walked to Joliette in the glorious sunshine to take the métro two stops to Saint Charles. We just missed one métro so had to wait for the next. When we arrived at Saint Charles the ticket office had moved so we had to find the new one. I then got on the bus to go to the airport. I arrived at the airport and damaged my knuckle whilst getting my cases off the bus. It's still sore now!! Never mind. I checked in and went to the departure lounge to wait. I got on the flight and everything was going fine. I got off at Manchester airport and got my case. Everything was still going well (although I did break a nail somehow... nevermind.) I went to the toilets and when I was washing my hands I took my ring off and put it beside the sink so it wouldn't get soap in it... I then got my two suitcases and left, I took the lift and began walking the long walk to the train station. Even though it is inside the airport it's a long way. After about 5 minutes I realised I didn't have my ring. So back I went. Me and my two cases, back in the lift, back to the terminal, back to the toilets. I was lucky; it was still there. I then started going all the way back to the train station. When I got to the train station there were no trains leaving. They were doing engineering works and had replacement buses instead. I had to wait and get a bus to Wilmslow train station where I'd be able to get a train to Crewe. The driver put my cases on the bus and then I thought to ask where he was going - 'Manchester Piccadilly' he replied. Ok, I said, in that case, can you take my suitcases off please, I want to go to Wilmslow! He took my cases off and I sat and ate my lunch whilst waiting for the bus going to Wilmslow. When it came a boy who could have been no older that 12 put my cases on the bus. What is a child doing working for Network Rail on a Sunday??! How England has changed since the last time I was there! I got on the bus and we drove through green countryside, through the borough of Macclesfield and to Wilmslow train station in the rain. I then went to platform 2 for the train to Crewe. The platforms at Wilmslow are accessed up a ramp so I had to drag my cases up a ramp only then to listen to an announcement saying all passengers wanting to go to Crewe were advised to take the Plymouth train from platform 4 rather than the Crewe train from platform 2 as it was going to be late. So down the ramp I went only to lug my cases up another ramp to platform 4. I then got on a train heading to Plymouth but luckily remembered to get off at Crewe where I got a bit confused by the station. It appeared to be on 3 levels... I eventually found platform 6 for my last train of the day. A train that was running late so I had the best part of an hour to wait at a wet and cold Crewe. When I finally got to Ludlow at 17h55 it was at least sunny although my arms were beginning to ache after all the pushing and pulling of suitcases.
