Day 21 All trains lead to Purley

Our last breakfast in Salzburg before Terri & Greg head off to Belgium and the rest of us back to London. Sharon, Jason, Duncan & I walked Terri & Greg over to their train before leaving at 10.00am it was only a 5min walk from the hotel. On the way back checked to see what time the buses ran to Salzburg Airport and back to the hotel which is only 100m away to get ready to check out. Walked back to the bus station bought our ticket 1.80 euro each and the bus arrived. 20 mins bus ride out to the airport short walk into the terminal a few minutes wait and checked in our luggage. We had a 2 hour wait before we boarded the plane for a 1.5 hour flight back to London. We worked on our blog had coffee and some eats and time to board our plane. Customs check on our passports. Duncan, Sharon & Katie got through and Jason and I were in another queue. Our first problem of the day the customs officer asked where my stamp was in my passport when I left London. I said it should be in there but he could not find it. Asked what day I left and said could not remember. I showed him Jason's passport with his stamp and said I left the same time with 3 other people. He eventually found the faded stamp in the book and let me through. On the bus to take us to the plane and entered through the rear of the plane. Duncan was up the front in club, Jason was on a window seat next to Sharon. Katie and I was behind, Katie on the window seat me in the middle next to some old guy. Katie was starting to get very anxious in a small plane and held my hand very tight as we took off. Not a bad flight but a little bumpy landing and a crushed hand once again from Katie. We arrived on time and set our watches back an hour to 2.20 pm. We needed to get to our apartment in Earls Court by 5.00 pm because there is no one in attendance after this time. Jason had pre-purchased our tickets to get a train from Gatwick airport to Victoria Train station then a tube to Earls Court. A trip that would normally take 45mins plenty of time to get to the apartment.

After a long walk to customs and a 15 min wait to get through we proceeded to pick up our luggage and say good by to Duncan he was heading back to Attleborough. Jason new there was work being done on the line we needed to take so our train was not an express just a normal train that was going to take us longer. We needed to catch the shuttle to the other side of the station so off we went. Jason found out that there had been a landslide so our train to Victoria Station had been cancelled and coaches were going to take us there. Joined a long queue to catch a coach and Sharon was getting concerned we wouldn't make the apartment in time. She rang them up to say we were delayed and they said there will be a porter available to let us in. We finally got on a coach and found out it was not going to Victoria Station but another one called East Grinstead and then catch the train from there. We arrived at the station and there was two platforms and a lot of disorientated people. There was a train at platform 2 heading for Victoria Station. You needed to walk up the stairs and over to the other side. There was an angry announcement over the speaker for everyone to hurry up and get on the train no one could move because the gates were closed. The train left. Another train arrived at platform 1. Another angry announcement to say the next train to Victoria Station is leaving at Platform 2. So as we approached the train staff, one is telling platform 1 is heading to London bridge. Another train staff is saying it is headed to Victoria station so we get on the train at platform 1. All the staff are stressed and no one knows what is going on, the only calm people are the patrons. The train leaves and it is headed for London Bridge not where we want to go. Jason works out if we get off at East Croyden we can catch a train to Victoria Station. The time now is 5.00 2 hours 40mins after landing. We got off at platform 4 the next train was to Victoria Station arriving in 3 minutes. Great from there only one tube to Earls Court instead of 3 from London Bridge because of maintenance. Next thing the board changes to correction no longer a train to Victoria Station. Next train in is to Purley no good. The fat controller went off to see what happened to the train to Victoria. He never came back with an answer and all the staff had disappeared. Another correction next train to Victoria is delayed by 25 mins. Next train in is for Purley all those wanting to go to London Bridge go to platform 2. By now Sharon is getting annoyed Katie is absolutely ropeable Jason & I are just laughing with the total disorganization. He tells us this happens all the time and is the reason he is always late for work. They promise a train is coming next thing it is delayed. Apparently to many private run transport companies not working together. After more corrections on the board and more delays finally a train to Victoria. The train was absolutely packed and we are trying to get on with all our luggage. Finally settle in and then there is an announcement that the train is now going to London Bridge and not Victoria. We should have stayed on the first train to London Bridge we were on instead of waiting 40 mins on East Croyden Station. Katie and Sharon said we should have caught a taxi but a taxi from East Croyden Station would have been about 100 pounds ( 200 aussie dollars ) Jason just told them it is all part of the travelling experience. We were thinking of getting a taxi from London Bridge instead of taking 3 more trains back to Earls Court. When we got to London Bridge total chaos everyone wanting taxis so back onto the trains. My oyster card would not let me through not enough money on it. Looked at the ticket office and ticket machines crowds lined up and snaking around barricades. Knowing about there train system managed to find another machine hidden around a corner no one there put money on my card and off to the Jubilee line to catch a train to Bakerloo line at Waterloo. These stations have plenty of stairs and no escalators so Jason carried Katie's suitcase downstairs. This is why Sharon's suitcase was destroyed last year and we decided to use backpacks instead. They maybe inconvenient taking them off and on but is the best way to move around in cities full of stairs and we have found plenty on this trip. Next change was the Piccadilly Line at Piccadilly Circus to get to Earls Court. Once we were at Earls Court more stairs that Katie had to carry her suitcase up. We headed to the a exit expecting to turn around and head out at Earls Court Road not to be, more work being done and we had to go the long way out to get to the apartment. Total travel time 4.5 hours from Gatwick to travel 40 km.

We signed in, Paul the porter was very helpful and we were shown our room very promptly. It is a different room from last time but far superior no road noise separate Toilet & bathroom and more roomy. The lift is small and can't carry everything at once so Jason and I stayed downstairs and talked to Paul. He said to us it was great to see us laughing about our experience. We told him Sharon & Katie could not see the funny side of it.

We decided to just buy burgers, beer & wine and have it in the apartment and get ready for more adventures to follow.