Sunday 28 September 2008

All Change At Victoria!


As you all know, Harry and I have travelled to our daughter's home town by coach, which meant changing for the last lap at Victoria Coach Station.
I was going to take a picture of the inside of the coach station, but thought better of it as I thought I might end up in jail! I read in a paper that someone had got into hot water with the Police recently for taking snaps in a shopping precinct. The reason being that the snapper could be a suspect terrorist or thought to be snapping for terrorist activities. I decided against taking a photo inside the station for that reason.

While waiting for the connecting coach we heard many messages on the loud speakers  warning us of pickpockets and drug dealers and the one we thought was funny, but realized it shouldn't be, was the warning that any luggage that was left unattended would be collected by the Police to be destroyed. In other words, blown up!
There were lots of ladies travelling on their own. Some of them had been visiting grandchildren as we had been and these ladies often got talking and asked us to look after their cases while they went to the toilet, which was down a flight of stairs.

We found ourselves being very vigilant while in that area. Watching our bags and avoiding pick pockets. We thought the coach station was very busy but quite a good way to travel. We also found it was quite cheap as we could go half price, as older folk, provided we didn't travel on Fridays or Saturdays.
However on the way back to Victoria, there was a giant gridlock on the motorway and the whole coach was one hour late and we all missed our connections. Luckily there were several later coaches going to where we live, but some people were not so lucky and didn't know what to do about getting back to their home towns.
Most of the older ladies were like me and didn't want to go on tube trains. Some felt claustrophobic and some couldn't manage escalators as well as their suitcase. In our case, we were afraid we should be hopelessly lost, being completely unfamiliar with the tube trains!
Fortunately for us, we were able to be squashed onto some spare seats on the next coach, but there was no guarantee that this would happen, until it did. Our first trip to our daughter's had gone according to plan with no hiccups. However on the second journey when we missed our connection, we heard of some real horror stories of people left stranded and the fact that the staff were not particularly helpful. One lady had come all the way from the North of England and had missed her connection due to delays and she was told there wouldn't be another one, so she was put back on a return journey to the North where she lived. The next day, she had to try again and was successful that time.
No guarantees with this method of travelling!

Once again, we are about to embark on our third journey from here to Victoria and then on to our daughter's home for the funeral this coming week. We will have one and a half hours after arriving to get our connecting coach. If we miss it that will be that! Only the one coach a day to that particular town.
However, the son of a friend of ours, has given me details of a London bus that goes from Victoria to the correct train station that will go overland to the town near where my daughter lives, avoiding the tube trains altogether. I can put this emergency plan into operation if we miss the connecting coach because of delays on the motorways. Lets hope we don't have to do this, as it is going to be a long day!

Back in one week! Unless we end up stranded in Victoria Coach Station for ever!


29 comments:

Cath said...

Oh no don't get stranded there forever! I remember Victoria Coach Station well - and the train station. I arrived in Victoria the first time I took the coach to London. Such memories.

I don't mind the tube except in rush hour. I am always afraid that I will get pushed (in the squash to get on )onto the tracks. And I don't like that I am squashed like a sardine in the tube and standing!! Any other times and I love it. It is a very efficient way to travel.

Bear Naked said...

I will have you and your daughter and grandchildren in my prayers for this journey and the funeral. God bless you all.

Bear((( )))

Wendy said...

Well, you could always sprout wings and fly like the faeries. LOL!
Sometimes I wish we really could just fly over the traffic tie-ups.
{{Sigh}}
Bless you on this sad journey - I hope you arrive safely into the arms of your daughter and grandchildren.

david mcmahon said...

I remember Victoria Station so well.

My thoughts are with you and the whole family.

Rose said...

At least you have a back-up plan this time! I wish you a safe journey, Maggie May, and peace and comfort to your family.

Jeni said...

Boy, hope you make (or made) your connections without any problems! You sure don't need a hassle like that on top of traveling to a funeral, do you?
Peace.

Anonymous said...

I hope you both make it home safe and sound. How frustrating!

I deleted life of triggers, now posting under my real name, not my middle. Please visit and join me. I would miss you!

Mya said...

I remember being stranded at Victoria Coach Station when I was a lot younger, on my way back home from Paris. I had no money, and a rather lovely young man took pity on me and paid for my ticket home. I repaid him once I'd got home and had tapped my long-suffering parents up for some more cash!

I have been catching up on your posts - I am really very sorry to read about your son-in-law. I do hope that he may finally find peace at last. Courage to you all in these difficult times.

Mya x

Lindsay said...

Hope your impending coach journey goes OK and that you also return OK. I have to travel by train with my crutches (mainly to keep the crowds from knocking me over).

aims said...

At least you don't have the horror stories involved with taking the bus like we do over here.

Two this past summer. Some guy just upped and killed the guy sitting in the seat next to him with a knife. He then cut off the poor man's head and then ate part of him.

Second happened last week. Some ex-con was escorted onto the bus by the police and then he ended up stabbing someone as well.

Thankfully I have a car of my own!

Will be thinking of you at the funeral and your daughter and hers. Everyone has been through so much. Bless.

Salute said...

Please don't get stranded and prayers goes out to you and family. God bless.

Mean Mom said...

I'm not too bad on the tube, as long as it doesn't stop between stations for no apparent reason! Then I start to panic!

I do hope that your journey goes smoothly and that the funeral goes off as well as it possibly can. It is good to read comments from so many people wishing you well.

Suburbia said...

Oh Maggie that all sounds too exhausing!

Did you know that if you have a laptop you can blog on the train??!

Hope you get there (and back)OK.
I will be thinking of you.
Take care of yourselves x

menopausaloldbag (MOB) said...

Victoria station - I picked up my mum and dad there so many times in the ten years I lived in London. I love everything about London - the grime, the culture, the nightlife. Everything, I love it.

A Mother's Place is in the Wrong said...

Caught up at last, only to hear that you are off again for a week! I do hope that your journey was uncomplicated - it sounds as if lots of people are having a horrible time travelling by coach!
Do hope that the funeral goes as well as possible, and that your dear little family are OK. Lots of love and cuddles needed there - it's the only comfort. Take care. M xx

® ♫ The Brit ♪ ® said...

Hi Maggie May,
wow how Victoria station has changed since I lived in London!!

It's been a while since I have been able to Blog and I have just seen your very sad news...
God Bless you and your family at this very sad time... my prayers and thoughts are with you X

Anonymous said...

Public Transport is Hell. A journey from H.B in kent, which usually takes an hour and a half...tookNo.2 daughter 5 hours last Sunday. No apology, no explanation...just Engineering works.

So sorry for your loss.

Thank you for the visit, yes, the drawing were mine.Hug XO

Anonymous said...

Public transport leaves a lot to be desired. And we're expected to use it more often. Give us reason to and we might!

CJ xx

Sandi McBride said...

Oh my, I'll be saying a special Novena for your safe return! Isn't it awful how terrorists have changed our world? No more to freely photograph once free to be me places...sad...
hugs
Sandi

cheshire wife said...

I hope that the journey goes to plan both to your daughter's and the return.

Will be thinking about you. Fingers crossed the weather will at least be dry for the funeral.

Omykiss said...

The man with the plastic bag ... better watch out. I have a friend who warned me to watch out for men with plastic bags ... she has some idea that they are dodgy ... don't know where she got that from. But better safe than sorry ;)

Lavinia said...

Bon VOyage to you. Have a lovely time and keep vigilant against those drug dealers and pickpockets!

Expat mum said...

Oh, that sort of thing would have me worrying for days beforehand. I hope all went well. Condolences to you all.

San said...

Safe journeying to you and Harry. And peace and comfort to you and your family in this time of loss, especially the children.

Irene said...

Hi Maggie, I've got an award for you. Please come and get it.

Rinkly Rimes said...

Some years ago I was preparing to board a coach at Victoria Coach Station, to travel to the Kentish coast, when I realised a trip to the toilet might be a good idea first!!! I was told there was no toilet! I was so stressed by this that I got the coach driver to stop at a public convenience on the way out of London, and I held up the whole coach while I made myself comfortable! Not a bit of shame! (Well, maybe a bit!) IS THERE A TOILET THERE NOW??????

Gone Back South said...

Hope things went okay Maggie. x

Maggie May said...

Thanks to all who commented while I was away. I will get round to personal comments soon.

Suburbia....... I went by coach but would have found the weight of the laptop a bit heavy with all the other stuff. Missed the blogging though! Read books while away!

Maggie May said...

Rinkly Rimes......... YES, MANY TOILETS!!!!!