Train travel

I write this from the Scotsrail train from Galashiels to Edinburgh. It is the second time I have made this journey, this one was a lot less dramatic.

Galashiels is a big town that houses the Great Tapestry of Scotland which I loved, post to come. And it is the closest train station to Eccles, about 40 minutes according to  Red Lollipop satnav but about 45 minutes for my driving. I reconnoitered it one day, the first day I had a car as I drove this way to Newlandrig. Found the car park, asked a local if it got full early in the day etc etc. When I duly arrived to catch the train I went to pay the car parking fee of £6 all day, but it would only take coins. Odd I thought, but I knew there was a bigger one around the corner. Same deal - coins only or 'use the app'. Desperately I tried to download the app, but it would only take my Australian number and then it would not progress. 5 mins till train.

I jogged into the nearby bus interchange where a young man declined to cash in my Scottish pound notes as “they hadn’t used paper money for ages". But I could buy coins with my travel card. Jogged back 150m, entered coins, the third one went bung. A man came up to buy his ticket and I begged 2 pound coin, yes! I looked in my money bag and found a single £2 coin which I gave him. 1 minute to go.

Jogged back through bus station to railway station. I had not yet printed my ticket which you have to do at a machine on the platform. Another man was printing his, so without my glasses on I found the email which gave me the booking number and asked him to ‘action’ it, which he did. Train pulling in, and I am on it.

Suffice to say, today, I gave myself 30 mins leeway, and I had coins from the Bank of Scotland yesterday in Hawick. She even gave me a note with King Charles on it. Luckily for me, as satnav took me a different way and I had to reset it to find the train station. Time to buy coffee, go to loo, print both journey's tickets (one to come home as well). No need to wear mask today as there are so few people in my carriage, but I do when there are any great crowds. The train journey is another 45 minutes but I can type this blog post, or read a book.

My image will have to wait

It is a wrench to look away from scenery, as at least on a train I can snap pictures. So many iconic vistas, quirky farms and very old buildings - everywhere. Trains are very clean, and very polite passengers.

Now I have a table to myself. This is the 7.53am into Edinburgh getting me there before Records Centre opens at 9am. It may seem a lot of hassle but it is great to come ‘home’ to a cooked evening meal, people asking about my day, taking dogs for evening walk, and very comfortable guest suite.

I now know my way around Waverley Station and might do a bit of shopping there later, esp the post office.

On Sunday I catchy the train to Edinburgh again to get on the train to Inverness. I am looking forward to that. In terms of what I have been doing - mostly researching at a computer.