Train Tribulations

Next month, we have our training and orientation day where we'll find out more about Durban and the projects we'll be involved in during Soul in the City.

The only problem is...it's in Watford.

We have to be there at 8.45 for 9 a.m. on the Saturday, and don't finish until 9 p.m. This makes for a very long day!

Watford isn't the easiest place to get to from Scotland. We've looked at a few options for how we could do it - bus, train, plane and car. We'd hoped to get the sleeper train on the Friday night which goes direct from Edinburgh to Watford Junction getting us into Watford in plenty time. But after 40 mins in the ticket office at Waverley Station this afternoon being told of the horrific cost; finding out they're doing work on the railways that weekend so we'd have to bus it from Lockerbie to Lancaster; filling out railcard forms...the 'travel consultant' then tells us at the end of all that drama...

"Oh. Actually, the train is fully booked that weekend"

On that note we left the station and stomped our way through town to Starbucks thinking "why could they not have told us that to start with...?" Sigh.

We've now booked a Travellodge room in Watford for the Friday night - we managed to get it fairly cheaply, and we declined the additional 'breakfast cost'. We're on a budget here, and so we plan on sneaking in our own milk, bread and cereal to save some money! However, we're not sure how we're going to get down yet. We've decided against the overnight bus as 10 hours on a coach to London did not sound like fun, and it's not cheap enough to warrant the sacrifice. There are some good flight deals, and was mildly amused that the 'no frills airlines' are no cheaper than British Airways if you want to put a bag in the luggage hold. But we've also got to think of the cost of getting to and from the airport, the Travellodge and Soul Survivor base.

So we're considering taking my car. That's a plan we make with the hope that Cassie the Corsa won't be stuck in 'car hospital' if she fails her MOT which expires on the same weekend. The drive is about 8 hours (if you don't stop and the traffic isn't bad). But it would certainly be a lot cheaper than the bus or plane options.

What is crazy though is that us getting to South Africa and back seems a lot less complicated than going from Edinburgh to Watford and back!