Loughborough to Glasgow

Pictures taken on the 7th of July

6 hours journey up north on 3 trains
i'd almost always travelled alone
but i somehow knew this trip was going to be different

Loughborough to Derby

it was a gloomy day with some intermittent rain
my first train was to derby, a 30 minute journey
but i'd reserved seats just because i wanted to work on my laptop

when i boarded the train, these two little old ladies were sitting at the table
one of them was occupying my seat, next to the window
i approached them and told them hesitantly that it was mine
but the old lady at my seat didn't seem very mobile
and her friend, waved an imperious hand and told me
"You come sit here", gesturing the seat next to her
"It's only to Derby anyway"

i couldn't help the smile that spread across my face
in the end, i took a seat across the aisle, which wasn't reserved

Derby to Crewe

45 minutes later, I was on a platform waiting for a train to Crewe
I waited and waited but the only train that came was a short carriage
it didn't look like it could make the 2 hours journey
just 10 minutes before departure, i inferred from the conversations around me that
it was indeed my train

it was a rustic little train that stopped at tiny villages
soon after, a group of rosy cheeked farmers boarded the train
wearing soil-stained clothes and shy little grins
speaking in a charming lilt and carrying exact change for the fare

one of them sat beside me, careful not to touch my bag..
i moved it towards me so he could sit more comfortably
but he said gently, "'S alright, my love"
and somehow, that gesture , seemingly insignificant, made me miss home
my tears came down as hard as the rain outside the window

the Derby-Crewe train was late coming in..
we were only saved by the fact that the Crewe-Glasgow train was running even later
i'd never heard of Crewe much less thought of it as a hub

Crewe to Glasgow Central

the train that arrived this time was more to my expectations
but much to my dismay, it was jam packed with people and lugguage
and there was just no more space at the luggage racks
plus they'd reserved a backward instead of forward facing seat for me
so for the next 3 hours, i ended up sitting with my bag between my legs
telling myself i wasn't going to get motion sickness
thankfully, i'd not had any chance to have a heavy meal

next to me was a pretty indian girl who struggled with her bag
everytime someone wanted to walk in the aisle

that's me sitting with the luggage between my legs
with my shoulder bag propped on it
Things in my shoulder bag (that mummy made me buy a year ago):
laptop, pack of sour plums, zoom lens, wallet, water bottle, phone cum mp3 player

It was the most uncomfortable ride ever..
and to make matters worse, the gentleman behind us was yapping away

this was the pretty leg of my journey
because we were now going through the famous Lake District
and of course, in Lake District, it always always rains

The views .. they took my mind to the top of the mountains
and made me wish i was living the life of Heidi

.. and ignoring the discomfort of the present situation, i let my mind sail