Aberystwyth Update: Monday
Apr. 8th, 2006 02:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pandopAlthough I was (mostly) packed and ready on Sunday night, Monday did not get off to a good start - the bus didn't come, so I had to call a taxi to get me to the station.
Leeds - Manchester Oxford Road
Once I was at the station things went quite well, the train was on time - but I did have to turf someone out of my seat. He and his wife had decided that they were entitled to a double seat each, and were sitting in the aisle seats, with their luggage in the window seats, and instead of moving to sit with his wife, the 'gentleman' in my seat moved over to the window seat, which meant that he and his wife could shout at each other across me (Highlight of that conversation: the man asked his wife when they would be in Huddersfield, would it be in 2 or 3 minutes or so? Fortunately she burst that bubble)
Manchester Oxford Road - Shrewsbury
This was the first time I had changed at Manchester Oxford Row (any ideas why the Wales trains go from here not Piccadilly now?), and I wasn't impressed. The loos are awful (there are none of the nice large '+luggage' stalls that are so useful for the single traveller), and there is only the one cafe - the standard, overpriced Pumpkin.
The train to Shrewsbury left on time, although with no seat reservations (I would have been more bothered about this if I hadn't managed to get a seat), and no on-train announcements (how *very* reassuring ....). I do so like stopping in the middle of nowhere, again with no announcement, especially when I have a connection to get. We also seemed to be at Crewe for ages ... and there was still no sign of anyone else going to Aber.
I discovered that railway staff seem to be amongst the most annoying co-passengers you can have. First there were 3 very loud gentlemen from Virgin Trains, and as soon as they left we got 3 more from Arriva Trains Wales, only this time we had the additional benefit of one of their collegaues popping on to the train to talk to them, and of course the best way for her to do this was to lean on the back of my chair and shout at them (they were in the seats in front of me).
Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth
Shrewsbury has better loos than Oxford Road, but I really dislike the overuse of air freshener in public loos - is it really too much to ask to be able to go to the loo without being asphyxiated?
I did manage to find Joe (who had had travel woes of his own) here though, which was good, as it meant I had company for then rest of the journey. Shrewsbury is another station that seems to specialise in poor/misleading announcements. There was much confusion about which train was arriving - and then when the 'Aberystwyth' train did arrive there were no reservations (again), and we had the added complication that at Machynlleth half the train was leaving us and heading off to Pwehlli (something which we wouldn't have found out until Machynlleth if we hadn't asked if this was the right train for Aberystwyth). The route to Aberystwyth is full of absolutely glorious views though.
We made it to Aber just in time for dinner. The food was excellent - and I don't want to think about how much weight I have put on. Although I do suspect I managed to sweat some of it out in my room - it was so hot in there, and the staff couldn't do anything about it. Otherwise the room was a lot better than last year:
The welcome lecture was quite good, the new Head of Department seems very enthusiastic, and is quite funny as well. In the meeting afterwards a change to the reseach module was mentioned. I had thought that this might be better for me, but now I am not so sure.
I had a quick drink (or two) in the bar - and it was so nice to be back with student prices (especially after the Stevenage heart attack). I tried to start the baby blanket when I got back to my room, but it didn't go well. 163 is a lot of stitches to cast on (I should have taken stitch markers with me, and I really don't like the aluminium needles I took with me (I had forgotten how much I don't like the feel of them in my hands, and I kept shooting my stitches off the end). I have a feeling I shall end up taking it home this weekend, frogging it all, and starting again on my new needles.
Leeds - Manchester Oxford Road
Once I was at the station things went quite well, the train was on time - but I did have to turf someone out of my seat. He and his wife had decided that they were entitled to a double seat each, and were sitting in the aisle seats, with their luggage in the window seats, and instead of moving to sit with his wife, the 'gentleman' in my seat moved over to the window seat, which meant that he and his wife could shout at each other across me (Highlight of that conversation: the man asked his wife when they would be in Huddersfield, would it be in 2 or 3 minutes or so? Fortunately she burst that bubble)
Manchester Oxford Road - Shrewsbury
This was the first time I had changed at Manchester Oxford Row (any ideas why the Wales trains go from here not Piccadilly now?), and I wasn't impressed. The loos are awful (there are none of the nice large '+luggage' stalls that are so useful for the single traveller), and there is only the one cafe - the standard, overpriced Pumpkin.
The train to Shrewsbury left on time, although with no seat reservations (I would have been more bothered about this if I hadn't managed to get a seat), and no on-train announcements (how *very* reassuring ....). I do so like stopping in the middle of nowhere, again with no announcement, especially when I have a connection to get. We also seemed to be at Crewe for ages ... and there was still no sign of anyone else going to Aber.
I discovered that railway staff seem to be amongst the most annoying co-passengers you can have. First there were 3 very loud gentlemen from Virgin Trains, and as soon as they left we got 3 more from Arriva Trains Wales, only this time we had the additional benefit of one of their collegaues popping on to the train to talk to them, and of course the best way for her to do this was to lean on the back of my chair and shout at them (they were in the seats in front of me).
Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth
Shrewsbury has better loos than Oxford Road, but I really dislike the overuse of air freshener in public loos - is it really too much to ask to be able to go to the loo without being asphyxiated?
I did manage to find Joe (who had had travel woes of his own) here though, which was good, as it meant I had company for then rest of the journey. Shrewsbury is another station that seems to specialise in poor/misleading announcements. There was much confusion about which train was arriving - and then when the 'Aberystwyth' train did arrive there were no reservations (again), and we had the added complication that at Machynlleth half the train was leaving us and heading off to Pwehlli (something which we wouldn't have found out until Machynlleth if we hadn't asked if this was the right train for Aberystwyth). The route to Aberystwyth is full of absolutely glorious views though.
We made it to Aber just in time for dinner. The food was excellent - and I don't want to think about how much weight I have put on. Although I do suspect I managed to sweat some of it out in my room - it was so hot in there, and the staff couldn't do anything about it. Otherwise the room was a lot better than last year:
The welcome lecture was quite good, the new Head of Department seems very enthusiastic, and is quite funny as well. In the meeting afterwards a change to the reseach module was mentioned. I had thought that this might be better for me, but now I am not so sure.
I had a quick drink (or two) in the bar - and it was so nice to be back with student prices (especially after the Stevenage heart attack). I tried to start the baby blanket when I got back to my room, but it didn't go well. 163 is a lot of stitches to cast on (I should have taken stitch markers with me, and I really don't like the aluminium needles I took with me (I had forgotten how much I don't like the feel of them in my hands, and I kept shooting my stitches off the end). I have a feeling I shall end up taking it home this weekend, frogging it all, and starting again on my new needles.
