July 29

Friday moved into Saturday.  Connections are smooth so far.  Customs was long but without incident.  We found the Express train from Heathrow to Paddington and then the Tube to Euston  Square.  A short walk to the Euston Stationand now we are on the train to Carlisle. We should be at Lulu's mid afternoon, our accommodations for two nights.

Everyone speaks English!!!

Once in Carlisle, we found that our scheduled train to St. Bees was cancelled due to trouble on the tracks.  2 hours to wait for the next train led us to a pub in town.  Fatigued? Yes. Travel weary? Yes.  Self talk: It will only get better.  

The pub was terrific.  Thick accents make it a challenge to understand.  That's a lot of fun. People are so very friendly.  And the tomato soup was delicious!  

Meanwhile back in the USA, Trump continues to do the unthinkable.  But we are far from the madding crowd here and the thought of 2 weeks to eat, sleep, and walk, meeting people, being outside, moving, being together and with Barb and Kevin is such good medicine.

The train arrived and we had a ride through the countryside that we will soon be walking.  Stone walls, sheep and more sheep, a nuclear power plant and that's all I recall since I slept that jet lagged stupor of a sleep the whole way.

St. Bees!  We checked into Lulu's, our abode for 2 nights.  All the restaurants in town (3) were booked and so we ordered pizza.  Yes!  The wine was like cool aid, the pizza like frozen, and by 8 I was asleep!! Today is a day of rest. We walk tomorrow.  There are many walkers, not like the Camino, but it's getting discovered.  Chilly and cloudy.  Fascinating to talk with the people.  More to come.  

Carlisle

View from the train

Arrival!