A day book ended by two Premier Inns
The cycle route was mainly on protected cycle lanes. Some are very new. This makes the ride far more pleasant. But stop start.
Didcot to St Pancras
Tag: St Pancras
Den Haag to Didcot
Breda station is poorly signposted plus two platforms are missing. Very confusing for a visitor.
I had a little time to look around Brussels
In the cellar of the Judgy Vegan.
Kerfuffle at the border control. I was asked if I have a flick knife. Turns out to be a multi tool in the bag.
Due to congestion at the Eurostar terminal we leave late. Eurostar, you have something to work on. The whole process of passing through border control is hectic and disorganised with lots of pinch points.
It’s turned to dusk as the Eurostar sets off. It’s dark by the time the Eurostar has a pause waiting for permission to enter the channel tunnel.
Then it’s down into the tunnel and onto England.
I unfolded the Brompton to make it easier to move with the luggage. A mistake as it turned out. I was directed to the lift which is tiny and therefore has a long queue of people with large amounts of luggage, push chairs and one bike. I am second to last in the queue. Poor design!
I am the last to leave.
When previously passing through Oxfordshire on the train I had spotted that the train line would be closed between Paddington and Reading due to HS2 workday, but it was possible to get to Reading using the Elizabeth Line. So I cycled to Tottenham Court Road to catch the Elizabeth Line. I discover that the Elizabeth Line in the central area of London is not running. I am directed to take the District Line to Ealing Broadway to catch the Elizabeth Line. It is chaos at the tube station.
The District Line has small, noisy and very warm carriages. It is an old line. The tube train is crowded.
The Elizabeth Line has modern rolling stock. Nice and quiet but nowhere to put rubbish.
The journey from St Pancras took far longer than normal so by the time I reach the Premier Inn at Didcot the kitchen is closed. So an emergency Macdonald’s it is.
The room has seen better days. One light out and sink plug jammed. Welcome back to the UK.
Surrey to Wuppertal
Now the international journey begins using the Interrail ticket.
The Interrail app is confused by the Farnham to Waterloo journey, thinking that I have to change at Woking, which I don’t, so I arrive early.
The cycle route was full of commuting cyclist. Some of which were very fast, some not so, and some who didn’t seem to be quite aware of what was going on.
Nice smooth journey across to Brussels Sud.
But things then start going awry. There is simply not enough time to make it from the Eurostar to the connecting train. A combination of being the wrong end of the train, passengers getting in the way and it being too far. Connection missed! Resulting in a two hour wait. Then the Köln train is shown with no platform and a bit of text suggesting that the train was going from another train. A quick check with the information confirms this and I am told to get on a local connecting train ton Brussels north. Not just a change of platform but a change of station.
Next the Köln train leaves late. So I miss another connection.
A 50min wait in Köln. I finally arrived in Wuppertal four hours later than planned.
Paris-London-Edinburgh
Cycled to the Tour d’Eiffel. Paris is really cycle friendly and it turns out that this is a really good way to see Paris. I was surprised by the tunnel with the street art.
No Window seat on the Eurostar means it’s not easy to get pictures from the train.
No seat booking but I am booked on the train. Stood up until we reached York.
Edinburgh Waverley
