Travelling to London for EMA

What a laugh !

Easyjet Bordeaux to London. No problem !

It was my first time in Billi, the new low-cost "terminal". It was OK really. Flying Easyjet from Bordeaux was never very inspiring anyway. Security was very relaxed - I could easily have smuggled 125ml of shampoo...

However the flight was delayed. Lots. It meant that we arrived in Gatwick at about 11 pm, and friend Maxim who was on general EMA helping duties would be waiting for us. So I texted him to say we were landed and we hopped on the first train to Victoria.

BIG mistake. We SHOULD have hopped on the first train to London Bridge.

So 23:50 found us charging round and round Victoria station trying to find each other. Maxim explained that the tube closes around midnight (WHAT ?) but that it was still worth a try to avoid high taxi fares. So we zoomed up and down tunnels and escalators to the platform and got the last tube to Tower Bridge. Thence DLR to Limehouse and our safe house... At 2am. Friend Rob made us a cup of tea, for which we were gasping, and so to bed, to sleep, perchance to dream.

Coming home I sneaked out of the Piper interview and staggered through the fierce London heat to London Bridge and into the station. Showed the lady at the turnstile my Easytrain ticket. OK. She said. Next train to Gatwick platform 5 at 15:03. It was 14:54. Easy ! Except that there were herds of people moving like wildebeest on the Serengeti plain and when I had ducked, dived and dodged round them I got to platform 5 and saw that the train actually left at 14:56. Bye bye train. The 15:03 was in another part of the station on platform 8. So back I went, through the barrier again, ducking, diving and dodging, this time the buffalo of the American prairies, only to watch that train depart, too.

OK. I don't like this game.

And by now the lady at the barrier knew me pretty well and she was aware that I was becoming frustrated.

"Are you OK?" she said.
"This is doing my head in," quoth I, "Can't I just stay on platform 5?"
"Yes, and the next train is the fast one to Gatwick."

So it was that I arrived with lots of time to spare for my 18:10 flight.

Which was delayed till 20:25. So delayed they gave us a free drink.

Still, I got there and back ! Mission accomplished !

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