Get me to the pier on time!
Trip Start
Jun 08, 2009
1
4
16
Trip End
Jun 22, 2009
Harwich, England, United Kingdom
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
After breakfast, we got all re-packed and headed down to the lobby to wait for the cab we ordered. We were all proactive in ordering a cab last night because of the Tube strike that was imminent.
The joke was on us.
Bernie went up to the concierge to let them know that we were there and ready whenever the taxi got there. He informed Bernie that due to the strike none of the cabs were showing up. None!
Stupid Tube strike!
Bernie called us over (now in a bit of a panic). Steph and I were busy ogling/spying on the New Zealand cricket team who were getting ready to head out to a game. They were all cute wearing matching suits. Anyway, Bernie told us about the cabs and that the concierge was looking for an alternate route to get to the Liverpool Street Station. The first concierge sighed and rolled his eyes. Then he said that we should walk up to the Swiss Cottage Tube Station and maybe we would be able to flag a cab, but there was no guarantees. Then told she told him that we needed to get to the station to get a train to go on a cruise. He said, "Good luck!" Finally, the second concierge on the case said that best he was coming up with was to take a bus and was looking for the best route with least transfers. Bernie, ever the entrepreneur and Amazing Race fan, asked if he had a car. He said he only had “a two-seater with no boot [trunk].” (In case you were wondering, his wife doesn't like the car.)
Steph decided that she would take a chance and see if she could flag down a cab (because she wanted to get away from Bernie and her panic). A cab pulled up only after a minute or two. Steph saved the day! (“And don’t you forget it!” – Steph)
Our driver told us that he didn’t know how long it would take because of the traffic or how much it would cost. We told him it didn’t matter because we had a train to catch and then a cruise!
So we loaded up and headed out. Our driver stayed mostly to back roads and therefore didn’t hit much traffic. I kept my bearings on a map in case traffic got too bad and we had to walk the rest of the way there.
It all worked out that we didn’t need to walk at all. Our driver took us to the station with little traffic. Bernie and Steph called him “our angel.” I just told him, “You da man!”
Considering a doom and gloom scenario at 9:30 this morning, we left on time on the 12:05 train for the pier.
Just for your information, the port we are leaving from is pronounced “Har-ich”. Not “Harwich”. You need to drop the “w”. Thanks to Tony F. for his help in keeping us from looking stupid, but Bernie and Steph get flustered and say the “w” anyway.
After boarding the ship, we took ourselves on a little tour and stopped for a snack at the buffet. Steph was so impressed with the fruit and veggie carvings that she had now abandoned her aspirations of being a geologist and now wants to be a food artist.
The rest of the day has been fairly easy, considering how the day started. We are getting ourselves ready for a day at sea tomorrow (and for readjusting our internal clocks). We already have our first time change of a “freakin’ hour” (to quote Bernie). We will be 7 hours ahead of the Orlando time zone.
So with that, it is now 10pm and we are going to bed, but the sun is still not set… and it’s only going to be getting worse!
