Today, I’m on the train from Delft to London. I thought it would be cheaper than flying and I’d get to go through the Chunnel. Talk about sticker shock! The ticket was 202 euro one way. And on the train from Rotterdam to Brussels, I didn't even get a real seat, just a boarding pass to sit wherever is available until the ticket taker comes along and gives you a seat.
So the train to Brussels is full and I'm stuck sitting in the entrance way because I can’t seem to push past these two dirty French hippies and their twenty suitcases and their two dogs, who, oddly, are slightly cleaner than them. Crouched over my suitcase I’m asking myself, 'Can these people be real?' The pictures cannot convey the amazing smells coming off this squalid looking group. Bad breath, dog breath, armpit odor, the smell of mangy street dog, and, of course, stale marijuana. It all blends together in such an unpleasant way I can barely stand to breathe. Perhaps more amazing, they are so completely immune to themselves and their smell and the general disarray that they present. I just can’t quite believe that they exist at all.
But then they are so friendly, and so French! When the ticket taker finally does come, they keep him busy talking (in French) for over 20 minutes. Some problem with the dogs I couldn’t completely understand. Try to imagine this hippie girl, with shaved head and unruly braids and all manner of smells, going through immense gesticulations and protests, and then negotiations and finally an agreement with the ticket taker. All the while her boyfriend looking on, like me, unsure how this is gonna end, unsure if they’ll get kicked off, with the two dogs asleep at their feet, completely unaware. It was like watching a classic over-the-top French comedy take place right in front of my eyes. This cannot possibly be happening, can it? In the end, I think they had to buy tickets for the dogs. Or maybe they paid a fine for having the dogs on board.
After that, it was all I could do to get the ticket taker to even look at my ticket. He wanted to move on. He didn’t give me a seat. And when I asked if I would make my connection to the high speed train in Brussels, he failed to respond. Yes, that’s right, this train wasn't even on time. We sat for 25 minutes in the middle of nowhere for who knows what reason, putting me dangerously close to missing my connection in Brussels. I didn't expect that, especially after all the trains in The Netherlands were on time. This day is so not what I thought it would be.
Needless to say, at the Brussels station, I was first off, sitting in the doorway made that easy, and I rushed to find the high speed Chunnel train from Brussels to London. It was a very confusing station and I was in a hurry, but luckily, I saw the Eurostar sign before I rushed past it, so I found the entrance to the train and I made it. What I didn't realize was why my ticket said I should be at the boarding area 30-40 minutes in advance of departure. Turns out, I had to go through passport control and turn in a landing ticket before going through luggage inspection and finally getting on the train. So I was really very, very late! In fact, I think I was the last one to board the train. No sooner did I find my seat, but the train started moving. It left a whole minute early!
This second train, the Eurostar, was much nicer! Quiet. I have my own seat. It's relaxing, and it does seem fast. I thought it was only an hour on this train, but it's actually two with the time difference. So maybe the 202 euros was worth it after all – I have some time to enjoy the long train ride at least. Going through the chunnel, I have to say, was incredibly anti-climactic. The tunnel into Manhattan is more interesting. And when the train emerged in Britain, the train tracks were fenced off so you couldn’t really see much. When the land did come into view, it seemed reasonably English-like, but nothing spectacular. I don’t think I even took a picture.
Perhaps the best part of the whole ride was arriving in London at the central train station. It was all abuzz with after-work traffic and the vibe was so electrifying. I really loved it! I have to say arriving to a new country via a train station is so much more interesting than arriving at an airport. That station was definitely a great first impression for me. And it made it easy to catch the underground to my hostel. All in all, it was nice to take the train this time, but given the price, next time I’ll just fly to London.
