Back from Kent - alive!

I made it back from Kent in one piece!

Journey went as follows... 18 hour day :|

Up at 5.30 am, breakfast and then out to catch 6.23 train from Macclesfield. Train was on time (for a change), but it was cold :(

Underground from London Euston to Victoria at 8.50am, crammed onto the tube like a sardine, and I'm sure I had a businessman feeling me up!

Victoria to Canterbury West at 9.19am, arriving at 11.07. Taxi to the university, ripped me off! Cost about £7 for a 5 min journey!

Had a very nice day looking around the university - absolutely excellent facilities!

Bus + Walk back to Canterbury East, train to Victoria at 16.02. Victoria to Euston on the tube, crammed in even tighter this time. Had to throw myself out of the tube at Euston, wasn't going to get out otherwise!

Caught an earlier train than expected, 18.35 to Macclesfield, supposed to be arriving at 20.20. Bad idea.

Firstly, couldn't get a seat because the train was that packed. Ended up sat on the jumpseat outside the toilet, although I was well off - most people were sat on the floor! Anyway, I tucked into my Sausage Roll and Apple Pastry, bought from Euston station for £3.95 - what a freaking rip off! They both tasted the same as well, and I think I caught a disease off the Sausage!

Here's where the fun really began... train suddenly stopped, and stayed stopped for about 20 minutes. No word from driver, and none of the "Train Managers" were about, they'd gone into hiding/bailed out. We finally start moving (slowly) when the driver comes on the intercom:

"Errrr, we've been diverted off the West Coast Mainline, due to errrmmm. We'll be about 1 hour late into Stoke-on-trent"

Brilliant, thought I.

Then managed to find a member of staff...

"We've been diverted through Birmingham, but we're last priority now, so we could be here for a while, probably 90 mins late"

Bloody brilliant, thought I.

Anyway, arrived at Stoke late, and then Macclesfield at 21.20, an hour late. No compensation either, not allowed to claim unless I'm more than 2 hours delayed. Its a freaking joke.

Moral of this story:

• Don't go to Kent on the train
• If you must go to Kent on the train - don't go with Virgin

Bed at 10.30 - 18 hour day. I'm still recovering!