The Return of Disaster Travel Day

Another day of unmitigated travel disaster again.

The tale started late last night as my phone decided to crook it, die, it is no more.

So I set off with no phone to the big smoke, London, to a place I've never been before and clearly without an appropriate map app to guide them.  This is going to be fun I thought.

Well the adventure began before I'd even got on the train.  My pre-paid tickets were not available at the station, Transport for Wales systems were not picking them up, they had been down yesterday as well.  So at 5:20am in the morning, thank God there was someone in the ticket office, he wasn't able to help in providing me with tickets, but he did give me a letter to confirm I was legit.

The train to Paddington was uneventful, I was actually quite productive on there catching up with some work.  Get to Paddington and of course I couldn't get through the barrier, so I had to wait in a queue for what seemed ages to eventually get my tickets.  And then as I made my way to the tube, we were prevented on going down to the station as there was congestion on the platform.  Another wait that seemed to take ages, my gap to get to Canary Wharf was closing in on me.

Boarded the tube, the Bakerloo was fine, changed to get on to the Jubilee line and it was jam packed, couldn't get on the first train so I had to wait till the next.  And then, and then, after many stops the next stop was Canary Wharf, but what's this we're slowing down before we get there, is there a red light?  Nope!  The station was closed due to a fire alarm sounding, meaning everyone on the station had to be evacuated, while we sailed through to the next station.

Now where the hell was I?  Somewhere in the docklands so I was, I had to change to the DLR, but so did many, many other people.  One more change on the DLR, and I had finally arrived, but by now I was already late for my meeting, when previously I had a 90 minute window.

Came out of the DLR station, it was not where I was expecting to be, so was lost.  I asked someone, and thankfully he took his earphones out and helped me, luckily he was kind of going to the same place as I.  But as he had come out of the DLR as well, he didn't really know where he was, so we went up and down a few times before he finally got his bearings.

I get to the venue, by now 20 minutes late.  Reception checked their records, nope they weren't expecting me, who was I meet?  But as I had no phone, I had to fire up my laptop to see who it was, found the invite so off reception went again.  Sat down, time marched on, apparently they don't work for the company so do I have another name?  Fire up the laptop again, find another name and off reception go again.

Sit down again, time marches on, at this stage I didn't realise I knew so many swear words.  Time marched on, still no sign, at this point I said enough is enough, as it was I had to leave the meeting early because they'd changed the time and I'd already booked my train and couldn't change it.  So I said, give them my apologies but by the time I get up there I'll have to go.

Get back to Paddington an hour early for my train, but joy of joys my ticket is valid for the earlier train.  I'm on my way home, the end of the nightmare is at the end of the Severn Tunnel.

But there was one final treat to make sure the day continued as it had started, the toilets on the Great Western train were not working.  Guess who has to pee quite a few times after drinking 5/6 litres a day?  I was glad to get home!

And it all started because of the phone.  And I'm still without a phone, I should have a new one from work on Monday when I return home.

Oh and guess where I am next week?  Well I'll tell you, Oxford, Somerset and Doncaster.  Shall we make it 3 from 3 of travel disasters?

I wish I drank alcohol, I need a stiff drink!