Sleeping as the world goes by
I am very excited. Tomorrow night I am catching the sleeper train to Edinburgh. I have never caught a sleeper train before.
It leaves at 11 o'clock at night and gets in at 7 o'clock in the morning. I have booked myself a whole compartment, which is a luxury indeed. But not really much more expensive than the price of a normal flight from a sensible airport.
Obviously it's a LOT more expensive than a Ryanair 1p special from nowhere near London to nowhere near Glasgow, but just think of the differences:
Sleeper: Catch the train after work on Thursday. I'm already in central London with a travelcard for the tube, so no additional cost or inconvenience. Get blasted on free cocktails at a work event (it's for new graduates - they'll all be respectful, keen and a bit arselicky until they figure out that I am in no way influential) before weaving my way to the station for a quick shower in the posh Virgin lounge.
Ryanair: Catch a distressingly early flight from "London" Stansted on Friday morning. This would have to involve finding somewhere to stay up in that neck of the woods, as I'd never be able to get there early enough by public transport from home. The later flights, are, inevitably, much more expensive. Stand in security queue for many hours. Sigh.
Sleeper: Wheel my suitcase into my cabin. Unpack my jim-jams. Brush my teeth. Curl up with a book.
Ryanair: Try, and fail, to squeeze suit, laptop, running kit and civvies into 10 kilo hand luggage and therefore pay EXTRA MONEY to check a suitcase into the hold. Probably have half the contents of my handbag confiscated at security.
Sleeper: Have a minion bring me free tea and snacks.
Ryanair: Get into a fistfight over who gets the window seat. Pay £2 for a bottle of water after mine is confiscated at security.
Sleeper: Wake refreshed (hmmm.... not so certain about this bit) and in central Edinburgh. Eat the free breakfast pack brought round by aforementioned minion.
Ryanair: Did you know that the website for Glasgow Prestwick airport doesn't even have a location map on it? This is presumably so you don't find out just how damn far from Glasgow it actually is. Either that or to stop terrorists finding it. What's that you say? Oh dear. Those wily terrorists.
It leaves at 11 o'clock at night and gets in at 7 o'clock in the morning. I have booked myself a whole compartment, which is a luxury indeed. But not really much more expensive than the price of a normal flight from a sensible airport.
Obviously it's a LOT more expensive than a Ryanair 1p special from nowhere near London to nowhere near Glasgow, but just think of the differences:
Sleeper: Catch the train after work on Thursday. I'm already in central London with a travelcard for the tube, so no additional cost or inconvenience. Get blasted on free cocktails at a work event (it's for new graduates - they'll all be respectful, keen and a bit arselicky until they figure out that I am in no way influential) before weaving my way to the station for a quick shower in the posh Virgin lounge.
Ryanair: Catch a distressingly early flight from "London" Stansted on Friday morning. This would have to involve finding somewhere to stay up in that neck of the woods, as I'd never be able to get there early enough by public transport from home. The later flights, are, inevitably, much more expensive. Stand in security queue for many hours. Sigh.
Sleeper: Wheel my suitcase into my cabin. Unpack my jim-jams. Brush my teeth. Curl up with a book.
Ryanair: Try, and fail, to squeeze suit, laptop, running kit and civvies into 10 kilo hand luggage and therefore pay EXTRA MONEY to check a suitcase into the hold. Probably have half the contents of my handbag confiscated at security.
Sleeper: Have a minion bring me free tea and snacks.
Ryanair: Get into a fistfight over who gets the window seat. Pay £2 for a bottle of water after mine is confiscated at security.
Sleeper: Wake refreshed (hmmm.... not so certain about this bit) and in central Edinburgh. Eat the free breakfast pack brought round by aforementioned minion.
Ryanair: Did you know that the website for Glasgow Prestwick airport doesn't even have a location map on it? This is presumably so you don't find out just how damn far from Glasgow it actually is. Either that or to stop terrorists finding it. What's that you say? Oh dear. Those wily terrorists.
posted by OboeJane at 5:48 pm
1 Comments:
In fact, you would never have made it to 'London' Stansted this morning as the M11 has been closed since the early hours. 19 miles of tailbacks so far (that must be fun). Apparently due to a 'shed load' - of what, I wonder? Ha ha! All this wit and I haven't even had my morning coffee...
Anyway, I hope you are feeling fresh and relaxed (and, possibly, more than a little smug). Have a great weekend :o)
Elly x x
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