Friday 2 December 2014
Evening prior to going to Haywards Heath was exciting... each Christmas, for the past eight years or more in Mum & Dad's village, Stan Robinson's American Kenworth truck drives through the village tooting its very loud horn... while this is happening each house turns on their outdoor Christmas lights. All the villagers then gather by the village hall with the local Vicar, whom prays and says thanks to all and then turns on the main village Christmas tree lights. We all then gather inside for a mulled wine and a Christmas mince pie. Its a great way to get everyone together in the village and it was also a great chance for me to catch up with a few of them that I hadn't seen for years!!
Saturday 3 December 2014
The morning started with a heavy frost! Minus two degrees....brrrr!!! Dad had to de-ice the car before he could take me to the railway station! However it turned out to be a beautiful sunny day which was nice.
I was venturing down to London to visit our friends, Tim, Ian and Emma whom live in
Lindfield, Haywards Heath. Haven't seen them for two years!!
I travelled on the train from Stafford to London Euston at 9.56am on a London Midland service, arriving into London at 11.50am. I managed to get a window seat with a table which was great. The train had several stops to London... Rugely Trent Vale, Litchfield Trent Vale, Tamworth, Atherstone, Nuneaton, Rugby, Milton Keynes Central and London Euston.
I could have taken a virgin train service, which had no stops and only took 1hr 20 minutes, but that was thirty pounds dearer!! I didn't mind the extra 30 minute or more travelling time.
The following are countryside views from the train on the way...
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| canal... narrow boats |
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| Allotments! |
Once at Euston, I then had to find the Underground, along with a few hundred, then some passengers!!!! I queued for over 30 minutes to top up my Oyster card, which Dave and I got two years ago when we were last in London. It was utter chaos!!! Once I managed this I then tubed it to Victoria Station.
I was starting to get quite annoyed and concerned too, as my mobile phone, for some unknown reason wouldn't let me make any calls or send any texts!!! Not a good position to be in when your travelling on your own and need to let friends know where you are and when they need to meet you!!!! Very frustrating. I checked the limit on the phone and said it had run out, it shouldn't have done as I had only topped it up two days prior with unlimited texts and calls etc. in the Vodafone shop.
Once at Victoria Station I had to find out where to buy my next train ticket to Haywards Heath. Again I had to queue for about 20 odd minutes! Once that was sorted I then went straight to the Vodafone shop to sort out my phone. A very helpful assistant sorted it out, well so I thought!! She said a text would come through in 5 minutes to advise that my phone had been activated. I took this as fixed... I was so wrong!
I then had to dash across the concourse to platform 16 to catch the Haywards Heath train, but once there the train was delayed due to track issues!! So needn't have rushed!!!
Fifteen minutes later, still no text to confirm phone was working either from Vodafone. Still couldn't text or phone out, so still not able to let my friends know I was on my way and for them to leave home to meet me at their station!! Starting to feel a bit anxious by now!!! I was thinking about asking someone if I could borrow their phone!!! I was receiving texts from my friend Ian, but I just couldn't reply.... so so frustrating!
Twenty minutes later the train was able to leave, I boarded and was on my way. Still not being able to use my phone.... then suddenly my friend Ian phoned me, and I was so so relieved!!!
Tim and Ian were waiting for me at the station which was lovely, we then drove off to select their Christmas tree at a
Goddenwick local farm. Unfortunately we didn't get to see the reindeer's.
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| Oink Oink |
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| Pigmy Goats |
We then popped in to the local pub
The Witch for a drink, as picking a Christmas tree is thirsty work!! Just so happened to come across one of my favourite dogs, West Highland White... so cute!
Once home Tim and I unwrapped the tree, we let it stand overnight, for the branches to drop before we decorated it.
Sunday morning Tim and I decorated the tree.
We then went for a mooch through Lindfield and popped into the
Red Lion for a drink before dinner.
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| village pond |
This is Old Place, built in 1590 and rescued from use as a poor house by the Victorian stained-glass artist Charles Eames Kempe.
The parish Church, All Saints, stands at the top of the High Street and its history goes back to 1098.
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| fancy chimney |
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| Ian, Tim, Suzie (me!) |
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| when in the London region, one drinks Pimm's! |
Table all set for dinner. Ian cooked us roast beef and pork, very delicious with all the trimmings, accompanied with an amazing bottle of red, which Dave and I bought Tim & Ian two years ago from
Hedonism Wine shop in Mayfair, London. A wine shop to visit if your ever in the area! Its amazing.
relaxing after a big feed with Tim, Emma and Ian x
Thanks for an awesome weekend. Until the next catch up... hopefully in a few weeks time when Dave arrives. If not I wonder how many years it will be next time!!!
Hopefully see you in NZ or OZ :-)) x
