Please evacuate from the train immediately!

I had thought to go with an earlier train. Spend a couple of hours in London, catch up with EMO and do more cool London stuff, but she was out of town at the time and I thought I don't really want to be carrying my suitcase with me on oxford street... So took the latest train possible.

I had literally just sat down and taken my coat off, put my earplugs in and was prepared for the loooong journey home. I was all set: a book, a tablet with games and a keyboard to write up some blog posts. I glanced at the board and it said there will be replacement buses from Machynlleth due to flooding on the tracks. When I asked the train crew they knew nothing about it :S A couple minutes of confusion and then the announcement came: Please evacuate from the train immediately!

So everyone got off and they said there was a suspicious bag on the train and we now have to wait for police to come and investigate... Great... When police turned up they said it's nothing to worry about but we do have to leave the platform and wait around the corner... even the taxis were not allowed to park at the taxi rank. They said someone had come on in Birmingham and immediately got off but left the bag behind... Curious... We waited for a whole hour while the train left the station for somewhere less crowded than the town I presume. The train came back, everyone boarded and they soon said that there will be buses from Mach to Newtown and since we were so late departing they're going to wait another quarter of an hour for passengers waiting for the next train to board ours instead...

Immediately panic mode came on in me. I had 3 connections to make and although my original plan had left some delay time now this hour and a half + bus instead of train would not get me on the last train departing to the airport! So I set Mr. Special on a mission to see what my options are and I asked the conductors: 1st said that we can't be sure yet if I'll make it or not, keep asking, 2nd said that there are trains from London to the airport all night long so nothing to worry about. What? You sure? I'll take your word but I don't think so.

Next it turns out that the bus will take us all the way to Shrewsbury. Oh god... I can't stand being on a bus on the Welsh roads man. Meanwhile Mr. Special had phoned the National rail and told me to go see the station manager at Shrewsbury to see what happens next. There was mention of a taxi. :) A little before it got that bad for me on the bus we reached Newtown and the driver asked us if we want to get back on the train here. I ran!

As we had some time to wait in Newtown I went to talk to the driver and the conductor (the 2nd). And told them that I need to get to the airport and was supposed to go see the station manager at Shrewsbury but this train is now going to Birmingham. Should I stay or should I go? :D So they rang National rail and said I'll get a freaking taxi from freaking Birmingham!!!!! Yaya! Even the national rail lady in Birmingham station was surprised. But I got a 2 hour taxi ride and even managed to get some sleep during it :) Which was lucky because the airport was packed! There was no room to sit on the floor, unless you wanted to pretty much cuddle with someone else. Luckily again for me the security opened at 2AM and on the other side there were loads of seats where I could lie on and close my eyes. Around 4 an airport employee came round to wake up everyone who laid on seats because there was loads of people coming through and needing the seats and she wasn't wrong. There was literally a little corridor for you to go to your gate through a sea of people standing waiting for their gate to be announced. Manic!

All the flights were delayed -.- We were sat in the plane for an hour I think just waiting in the queue to take off. And then when I finally landed no one was there to greet me as they were stuck in a traffic jam :D LOL but I made it!!!!!!

Ttyl ;)

Jazzz...