Sunday, September 20 Going to Plymouth

THANK YOU, JANET AND ROB, FOR WELCOMING ME INTO YOUR HOME AND BEING SO KIND AND GENEROUS!!!!!

Took the C2C train from Barking to Fenchurch.  Very very crowded because  the District Line and Hammersmith and City Line were both out of commission as they were doing maintenance work on the lines.  Every weekend lines are out of commission for maintenance, so Londoners check online to see which are not operating.  This information is also given in tube stations.

At Fenchurch I had to walk outside for several minutes to the Tower Hill tube station, took the Circle Line.  Got somewhat confused by the directions the trains were going in....but eventually found my way to Paddington train station.  This station is huge.... with thousands of people going here and there.  Find the platform where your train is departing from.... could be a bit of a walk.  Are various cafes/restaurants, and take out operations where you can by food/drink.  Caught the train to Plymouth at 1:30... after buying a sandwich/pastry/water. Reasonable prices.  First Great Western Rail.

Good comfortable ride to Plymouth, arrived late afternoon.  The trains run every hour or so, stopping at various places.  I think some trains are faster than others, depending on the number of stops. Train looks empty, but this car is full of passengers.

Scenery pictures below were taken through the train window and there was a lot of reflection.  Most of the photos were unusable. 

A small portion of the tracks runs alongside the ocean.

Dozens of boats were anchored offshore.  Do they take a boat to get to their boats?  Only access their boats when the tide is out, I guess.

Very green countryside all the way.  Hay, vegetables, pasture, corn fields, a few sheep, mostly cattle

typical English countryside

My wonderful hosts - Janet and Rob. Met Janet in Lesotho in 1988.  She taught at Paul VI school, and visited me in Mohale's Hoek. Janet got around Lesotho hitchhiking. Today, Janet is very active in politics, running for office in Plymouth, as city councillor.  They have 2 fine children, Sarah, 14, and Stephen, 16, and live in a suburb of Plymouth, Plymton.

Apartments along the ocean, near the coffee shops and restaurants.  Plymouth has many newer buildings as it was heavily bombed during the war.  There's a naval base here.  But there are some older buildings that are very charming.

Walked along waterfront, had coffee in one of the several restaurants, and then went home to have dinner.

Unfortunately, the day before I arrived, the hot water boiler quit, on the weekend, and they hadn't been able to find anyone to repair it, so we were heating water to shower with.  Not a pleasant thing to happen when one has a guest, but we managed just fine. We all just made the best of it.  Janet and Rob were mortified, but, what the heck, these things happen.  What can you do.