Diary – Heading for Home

Friday 17th September 2021

As we all wait for out taxis to take us to Birmingham New Street Station, there is a problem. The taxis are running really late. Rachel is frantically trying to sort everything out so that we get to our trains on time.

Me I am panicking inside as the time passes, 2pm…2.15pm…2.30pm still no taxi and my train is at 3.15pm!

Rachel has introduced me to Michelle who will be boarding the same train. I am relieved as Birmingham train station is massive and so confusing.

Michelle can see I’m panicking and tries her best to distract me. At 2.40pm the taxi arrives. I go into repeat mode…quick…quick…quick as we load suitcases into the taxi, the driver was so lovely and tried everything possible to get us all to the train station on time, unfortunately a road traffic accident near the station so the quick thinking taxi driver took a detour.

He gave us lots of information of nearby attractions, not that I can remember any…oh Pebble Mill…we passed where Pebble Mill used to be filmed.

I keep looking at my watch. 3.10pm the taxi stops and he points us in the direction of the station. No time for good byes with Liz who was sharing our taxi, me and Michelle just ran with our cases following closely behind.

Inside I could see the screens illuminated with all the different destinations and just spotted Blackpool platform 6…how the hell I spotted it I will never know, familiar word perhaps.

We are off again running trying to find the entrance the glass door was locked, a passerby pointed that we need to be on the other side and go down the escalator. We quickly sped off.

Now I am struggling, I’m tired confused and there is an escalator going down! No! I hate them!

Michelle shouts “can any one help I have a lady with dementia that needs assistance “ A young man takes my case down the escalator for me. There at the bottom of the escalator is the train just getting ready to pull away…we jump on the train, not really sure if it’s the right one.

With adrenaline pumping it’s like we are on a high. The carriage door opens and people slowly turn and look at us both, it was a look of disapproval…we where a little hyper and out of breath from running through a maze of people, trying to find away through the glass panels to get to our platform.

Me and Michelle look at one another and suddenly realised the carriage is first class…whoops …I apologise, going into my repetitive state…sorry, sorry, sorry, I am slightly confused and we need carriage F. A lady points us both in the direction we need to go.

We walk through the first class carriage, with me apologising when passing any of the passengers.

Through the automatic doors, we wait near the toilet area while the train stabilises, it’s a little to wobbly for me to move at the moment as the train twists and turns out of the station. Once the train has stabilised we make our way to our seats.

Oh my goodness it is so busy, the carriage is packed like sardines, the noise level is high too. Children crying, screaming, people talking very loud, quite unnerving, I think a little alcohol had been consumed. Michelle was concerned for me, she could see I was a little on edge.

Michelle tells me not to move then she disappears down the carriage.

5 minutes later she returns with a man, can’t remember his title…He was very accommodating and escorted us both into 1st class making sure we where comfortable. Once comfy with cup of tea in hand he collected our suitcases. The rest of our journey was a more relaxing experience, thanks to Michelle for sorting everything out for me.

I arrive at Blackpool Station on time and can’t wait to get home.

I think I was missed, Hubby welcomed me with flowers not one bunch but three.

A smile from Toby and a very waggy Charlie!

Good to be home, feels like I have been away for ages!