Back On Dry Land

The last couple of days on the ship were pleasant with the usual rounds of eating really good food and being cared for and entertained. We never regained our trivia glory, but met some wonderful folk , and had fun. Returning to real life is a blow, but must be faced.
We woke on Sunday morning to see Southampton harbour and the Forklift Ballet in full swing. The bags come off and the food and drink go on. We had chosen to take advantage of the self disembarkation system. With that, if you can handle your own bags, you can leave the ship about 30 minutes after we dock. We breakfasted at 6 am and were off by 7. Quick taxi ride to the train station where all the fun began. It seems that Sundays are the days used by British Rail to do track repairs. We left Southampton by bus to a small town to catch a train to another small town to catch another train to Victoria Station. Taxi to Paddington Station.
Since it was my birthday, we wanted to catch a Matinee performance of a west end play. Too bad, theatres in London now close on Sundays. Instead we visited the British Museum, Pimlico Trafalgar Square and Oxford Street. Anyone who enjoys the MI5 TV show will recognize the building used as MI5 headquarters in the picture below. It's actually the Masonic Lodge headquarters.
At about 9pm we left London by train and then bus and then train again to arrive after about 17 hours in Stroud and the kind care of our dear friends Malcolm and Delyth Mayhew. If you have to leave the ship, this is a great place to be.

On Wdnesday morning we leave by train to see Dorian. It's been a year about, and we are looking forward to seeing that lad.