Escape from Bath Part II
We’d reserved a cab for 11 am to get a ride to the nearby train station (walkable without luggage) for a noon train. The guy arrived 5 minutes late, then refused to take us because our luggage wouldn’t fit in his boot; he assured us that another, larger car would be by soon. A very long and tedious story short: despite multiple calls, nothing ever arrived. We missed our train. The only reason we were able to get to the station at all (90 minutes after we first stepped out on the pavement) was because of a neighbor’s kind intervention.
NB: The principal taxi company in Bath is not a proper company, but an inefficient kind of Uber, without an app, just a phone center located God knows where, and staffed by the care-less.
At the station, we had to buy new tickets, standards @ £49, which the agent said we could upgrade to first on the train. That proved correct. When the conductor saw our original first class tickets, she didn’t charge us the £40 for the upgrade. So we were “only” out £69 for our original tickets, purchased as advanced first class singles on the “two together” plan way back. Lesson, learned again: never buy train tickets that lock you in to a specific time.
The train ride was pleasant and quick, and we soon pulled in to Paddington, where we speedily got a proper cab to take us to Vancouver Studios, our favorite place to stay in London.
We enjoy the offerings and conveniences of the Bayswater/Queensway neighborhood, which is also close to Notting Hill, and Kensington Gardens is barely a five-minute walk. Though as a Covid precaution, we have relied on taxis rather than the Underground, we’re close to several stations and lines. Restaurants of every description abound. Tonight was Indian.
Sunday, London 15 May
We had looked forward to meeting up with our old friend Denise at our favorite London pub, the Prince Edward, for Sunday lunch, which we last enjoyed with her and her partner (who unfortunately was incapacitated this trip) four years ago. Online reservations were made and confirmed. We arrived early, to be there to greet her, only to learn that their chef had quit and there was no Sunday lunch, no food at all in fact.
Fortunately, there are choices in the neighborhood, which we quickly reviewed and presented to our friend when she arrived, having made the trip from Surrey by train and taxi. Persian it was! We had a really good visit and truly appreciated her making the trip to see us.
