Returning to London - 5 June 2008
Sally and I had an excellent journey back to London - via Lille again. We’d actually booked separately so thought there’d be no chance of enjoying the journey together. The Eurostar and TGV give everyone specific seats and inspectors come through the trains to make sure you have your ticket and that you’re sitting where you’re supposed to be. But as it happened, both of us had spare seats beside us so we moved and the inspectors were very relaxed about it. Many of the trains are double-deckers and we were upstairs, which provides even better views than one gets at ground level. There were more people on the leg from Lille to St Pancras, however, so we spent the last part of the journey apart – a good opportunity to read our books.
When I got to St Pancras there were buskers waiting to welcome returning travellers and send others on their way with a happy tune. It was very heart warming.
I called in to the Eurostar office to ask about becoming a ‘friend of Eurostar’ so that I could, perhaps choose a seat in future – or something! They told me that once you’ve spent GBP180 booking Eurostars (or TGV’s through Eurostar), you get special treatment – so I’ve got a wee way to go. However, at that point, whether you travel normal or first class, you’re allowed into the lounge at St Pancras, which may be a nice thing to do. Also, they said that although you just book your seat normally, you have the opportunity in the lounge to change your booking to one that you'd like better because there are always some free seats available. This was good to know, especially because I prefer to face the engine.
Back at Kate’s apartment in Maida Vale
it was lovely to be with the family again, and although I was only there for two nights, there was plenty of time for cuddles and stories.
The next day I was not only off to Ealing to have lunch with my cousin (who’d spent Christmas with me in New Zealand with her husband and two children, and who I’d bumped in to on Paddington Station on my first day in London) but I was also allowed to look after Riley for the day. So Riley and I took Tyla to school and then set off together on the underground! Riley and Tyla have the most wonderful scooters. Their front wheels aren‘t fixed so they can change direction at a whim. With one little hand planted firmly in mine she can travel at an amazing speed and doesn’t seem to get too tired – at least nothing like as tired as she would if she was walking! And we walked a very long way, running a few errands at the same time.
After a lovely walk from the South Ealing tube station through the park and past the croquet club, and a delicious lunch with Jules and Clive and their two cats, we set off on our journey home. One tube station later, Riley was fast asleep! Having thought how easy it had been to travel with a child holding one hand, my bag on my back and carrying her scooter up and down stairs where necessary, I now had a dead-weight toddler in my arms as well! Fortunately she’s only a dot but the change from the Piccadilly Line to the Bakerloo line, off the train, up the stairs, along tunnels, down stairs and onto the next train again was quite hard work and I was very glad when she woke up just one stop before Warwick Avenue! By the time we got to the school to pick Tyla up, she was full of energy all over again! Grammy, however, was feeling quite tired!