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Journey to Aberdeen (2010-02-01)

Category: Diary. Posted: 2010-02-08 00:11:00 GMT. Updated: 2010-02-08 23:51:00 GMT.

I had a terrible night's sleep last night, but at least a lack of sleep last night would hopefully mean a good night's kip on the sleeper. I knew it was going to be snowy and icy in Aberdeen, so I'd decided to leave my bike at Euston. When I got up in the night for a jimmy, it seemed white through the frosted bathroom window and when I opened my bedroom curtains in the morning, I saw a light covering of snow. Before going to bed, I'd squeezed everything I wanted into one pannier, but decided that if it was snowing in Slough, I'd need a bit more warmth, a spare pair of shoes, and a spare pair of trousers in Aberdeen, so filled up my second pannier quite easily.

Not sure being sure what the pavements would be like, I cycled on the roads, which took much longer, because I got caught in traffic. I just don't understand how people travel by car in the rush hour. When I agreed to a meeting on 2nd February, I didn't really think it through. The first working day of the month is always busy, but I had to get everything finished, and leave on time. OK, I could have left late and not seen Sarah, but, rightly so, I would have got a lot of jip if I'd have done that. I was impressed how much more efficient I could be if I really tried. I probably haven't got enough energy to be that efficient every day (a bit like the UK being on bikini alert all the time), but it's a nice thought.

Anyway, I left work at about 17:15, intending to catch the 17:42 (as I'd discovered last Tuesday, there isn't a 17:25 that I can rush to catch). I decided to use the main entrance to platform one, instead of the side entrance to platform five that I normally use. I'd already collected my tickets (on 19th January it took about 5 minutes to print out all of my tickets), so only had to catch the train. I got my ticket out, the ticket bloke laughed, and said "Don't forget your lights". Thinking "why do people always say unfunny things and then expect everybody else to laugh", I smiled, and said "OK". He let me through the barrier, and then asked me to turn my lights off because it annoys the drivers. If he'd said this in the first place, I wouldn't have had to pretend to be amused (and I now know why I was asked to turn my lights off when I went to see Fiona before Christmas 2008).

As I got onto the platform, I saw the late-running 17:15 leave at 17:30. I looked at the display, and saw that the 17:40 was due to leave at ....... delayed. The ticket bloke was of no use at all, so I waited at the bottom of the stairs to find out which train to catch. A much more useful bloke came up and asked me where I was going to. I told him, and he said to run to platform 3 to get the 17:40 which was arriving in about a minute. Running up and down stairs carrying a bike with two panniers was amusing, but I got to the end of the platform just as the train arrived. Unfortunately, the gimmer of a train driver didn't stop far enough forward, so we couldn't get our bikes into the guard's van, so had to put them in the main part of the train. Having being been sitting down all day, and knowing I'd be on a train all night, I walked and stood all the way to Paddington.

Sarah had got a two-for-one voucher for EAT near Warren Street, so had suggested that we meet there. I got as far as Great Portland Street and realised that I was at the Euston Underpass. I didn't use the underpass, and called Sarah. She said that I was about a minute away, so I cycled for another minute and saw Warren Street. She waited while I locked up my bike, and we went to find the ASK 103 near Warren Street (OK, I got confused, it wasn't EAT).

After asking several people, and walking for ages, we eventually stumbled upon it. I had assumed that Sarah would have sorted out directions, but I was obviously wrong! Anyway, as always, she was looking gorgeous. We didn't have long before her evening class started, but it was better than no time at all. The food was pretty good. I liked the risotto (I'd need to check my Scillies trip report to find out the correct spelling), but didn't like the salad. Maybe we shouldn't have shared. I was amused to find a bloke sleeping in the downstairs part of the restaurant when I went the toilet (which, like last week, smelt surprisingly nice) and had a really nice time with Sarah.

I'd hoped that we'd have time for a quick pint at the pub opposite, but that didn't happen. We were going to have coffee before leaving, but Sarah had to get the dessert menu herself, and the waiter never bothered taking our dessert order, so we didn't have a coffee, and he wouldn't have got a tip if it wasn't for Sarah.

Sarah didn't have time to wait for me to gimmer around unlocking my bike, so we said goodbye, and I took ages unlocking my bike. It wasn't far to Euston station, but I was worried when I arrived, because it looked as if the two-storey bike-rack had taken over the station. Fortunately, I found a small standard bike-rack and used that. The Caledonian Sleeper was still "being prepared", so I went to get some cash out of the HSBC cash machine (it's a good job I did, because I only had two quid and that wouldn't have bought much Stella on the journey to Aberdeen). I selected £30, only to be told that it only dispensed £20 notes. SO WHY DID IT OFFER ME £30 IN THE FIRST PLACE?

The train was still "being prepared", so I went for a pint in the pub on the station, and noticed that it also does two for one food, so maybe we should try there next time because there's also a fair selection of bitter. I read The Star while drinking my beer. I don't know why people really buy and read that thing every day, but at least I now know what Jedward look like (it turns out that they're two people, not one person). Once I'd finished my pint (and finished perving at the actress who was sitting next to me), the train had been prepared, so I went to get onto it. I had to go via W H Smiths to buy a pen because I'd forgotten to bring one from the office.

As I was walking along the platform (the 21:16 Caledonian Sleeper is a long train!), I thought that I should have brought my bike, if only to carry the panniers. I got to coach B eventually, and got shown to my cabin. I unpacked a few things, so that I could take a small bag to my meeting and drop the panniers off at left luggage (I'd checked on Network Rail's website and there is one at Aberdeen station). I then went to the buffet car to have a bite to eat (the food at ASK obviously wasn't enough) and a couple of Stellas. I ordered a Stella, and then sat down. As I was taking my jacket off, a short, balding, bloke squeezed past me. I thought I knew him, but then realised that it was Ian Hislop, so I'd just seen him on the TV before.

I had a "Wexford Ploughman's Sandwich" and two cans of Stella while updating my blog. Just in case you're interested, Ian Hislop ordered a cheese burger and a Stella. He then walked back up to the "kitchen", and said "What else have you got?". He then had a cheese plate, washed down with a half bottle of red wine.

[2010/02/01 22:10] I'm going back to my cabin now, Mr Hislop might have more food and wine, because he's still in the buffet car and chatting on his phone. If only it was a mobile free carriage and I could tell him off!

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