9 August - Santa Margherita to London

Big day today - if you have ever played the game Journey through Europe, that was the task for today. Bus, then train then bus then plane then train then bus then walk ( Santa Margherita to Dalson Kingsland in London).

We bused from Santa Margherita (after watching Dockers) for Rapello - an easy exercise. Arrived early so had a coffee downstairs waiting for our 1134 train to Milan from where we are flying out to London that afternoon. Only other train leaving from platform 1 was at 11.13 so headed for platform at 11.25. At 11.34 train arrived and as everyone always says - just jump on and worry about tickets etc after - we did that. For some reason the numbering system did not have our allocated seat number but inspector wasn't concerned and just said sit anywhere. About 30 minutes into trip and after stopping at Genoa announcer welcomed new passengers on board and ran through stops, which of course you cannot understand or hear. Michael however, heard Alexandria mentioned so leant over to confirm with guy across the aisle that train was going to Milan. He said NO, it was going to Turin. Panic set in but luckily train was making another stop in Genoa. We quickly grabbed cases and just managed to exit at second stop, thinking of course we would have to back track and start over again and miss connecting flight. We discovered a train was leaving for Milan from Genoa in 20minutes from the same platform #18 that we had arrived. We thought great but of course we did not have tickets but would just get on anyway. Moments before jumping on we noticed that the trip number was the same as ours. You guessed it the correct train happened to be following us to this station before veering off to Milan. We finished up in the same seats we should have been in 30 minutes earlier. What a fluke!!! Tour organiser chastised today!

After 2,731 sniffs from the guy sitting next to Michael we arrived safely in Milan & found our way to the a/port & a wine & beer!

Easy going from there. Arrived at the apartment to find Steve Woodwood waiting with welcome drinks. 

Waiting in the air conditioning of Milan airport - 38 degrees outside! enjoying a few drinks after the 3rd of 7 legs of our journey to our apartment in London. 

Garden of the apartment top floor in Dalston. 

Renting Steve & Judith's apartment and guess who is staying in the floor below? Beth & Ian (Chiswell) this past week. Welcome drinks till 2300.