Coast to Coast
7th May 2011: The Homecoming
We had set our alarms for the last time and awoke to
another bright but coolish day
Breakfast was very good, as we had hoped, after last night’s
very good dinner. We packed for one last time and had a
final look down towards the sea from the balcony before
heading off to the shop just up the road for a paper and a
couple of things to eat for the journey. We sauntered over
to the bus stop and as we waited we saw Caroline and Peter
arrive to catch their bus on the opposite side of the road.
We waved them off as they disappeared around the corner and
then it was just us, alone, and I did feel alone even with
Rachel standing right next to me.
Emotions are strange things but I just wanted to go now and
get home and to reality, but at the same time I knew what
reality was. We were heading back to all the troubles and
problems that come with everyday life, and of course work.
We had been cocooned in our own little bubble for just over
2 weeks and rarely did these mundane things break in to our
subconscious. But, we had to go, to see our family, our
relations and of course our cat Freddie, who no doubt
couldn’t give a monkeys that we had been away for such a
long time.
We heard the unmistakable drone of the bus diesel engine
before we saw it. We clambered on board and just to get me
in the mood for the Monday commute, we had to stand all the
way to Scarborough. The drive was quite exhilarating, the
speed, even in a bus seemed quite scary as the driver swung
around corners and flew down hills. We were deposited at
Scarborough train station but we had over an hour to kill so
we took the opportunity to go into a nearby Tesco for some
more food and then wandered off to the sea. We hadn’t a clue
where we were going but we ended up next to the Grand Hotel
looking out over the bay.
Scarborough
We didn’t have enough time to go to the beach so we turned
and headed back to the station and our train for the next
leg to York. As it was lunch time we started on our food
supplies during the trip as the train took the strain.
We arrived at York just about on time but we had a short
while before our train to London Kings Cross arrived, so no
need to panic. There were more people about, as you would
expect and as our train turned up there was the normal
scramble of everyone trying to get on all at once. We found
our pre-booked seats which were conveniently situated close
to the luggage rack. Once underway we had a coffee and more
food and as the miles ticked by it didn’t seem too long
before we stopped at Peterborough and then finally London.
Kings Cross was busy as was the underground that took us to
London Bridge. We were packed in like sardines with our
packs not helping, but we weren’t the only travellers with
luggage so didn’t feel too bad. On arriving at London Bridge
it was quite strange as this is the London end for my daily
commute so I knew it quite well! In just one days time I
would be back here again doing the daily grind and after the
freedom of the open countryside I wasn’t looking forward to
it.
We found our train and soon started on our final leg back
home. The very familiar countryside flew by and very soon we
were walking down the steps and out on to the station
forecourt at Haywards Heath. The last 45 minutes of our
trip, on our final train, saw us come full circle. We had
gone up one side of England by public transport, walked
across and then come back down the other side, again all by
public transport – who needs cars. We now had the final mile
or so to get home and I was looking forward to doing it all
on foot – from door to door, but our son Dave had other
ideas. He had decided that he would surprise us and be
waiting for us at the station to give us a lift home. It was
a lovely gesture from him and we readily agreed to hop in,
although if truth be told I was a bit disappointed that we
couldn’t walk victoriously up our road having done
everything under our own steam. We arrived home to a subdued
welcome from the cat, it was as if we had just come back
from the shops.
It was good to be home, and considering what we had seen,
what we had done and what we had been through, it seemed
incredible that it only felt like yesterday that we had last
been in our house.
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