SomersTownLisa

London Life
2022-01-09 21:46:41 (UTC)

Eastville

Saturday 08/01/2022
I decided to get up at 04:45 instead of 05:00. I had to leave at 05:15 and reasoned that what ought to be doable in fifteen minutes isn’t practical in real life, especially just after waking up. I’d prepared as much as I could the night before, including the bike back-light which often cause delay when I’m trying to find one that’s charged, or even just putting it on the bike. On getting to Paddington, I found that the 06:07 train I was booked on didn’t exist – not even on the printed timetable. This did mean Caffe Nero was open before I got the 06:30, which I thought arrived in Bristol at the same time as the fictional 06:07 but I was wrong. I got the 08:46 from Temple Meads to Stapleton Road, which just gave me enough time to race up to the ParkRun, lugging my big bag and jacket. I didn’t quite go the right way from the station (I missed an alley alongside the railway, so wrongly turned left up a side street) but muddled my way round to the right road, I had to keep going, no time to check the map.

Just for once I could see from the road the people gathering for the ParkRun, and I got there in time for the pre-amble, which itself didn't start until after nine. Then when I got going, I looked at my watch to re-start it, and saw a strange message asking me whether I wanted to send an emergency message. I clicked “no”, but the race was going off, and the numbers shown on the watch were strange, so I didn’t get to record my run. The course is unusual, a small lap of the lower part of the park, a long lap round the lake and park perimeter, and a final small lap. There was a sign at one point indicating which way to go for laps 1,2 and 3, and it seems to me I passed that point four times. There was a hill towards the end, which we seemed to go up twice (or there were two hills). It drizzled throughout.

At the bus stop, a number 24 turned up which I quickly caught, but soon realised I was going the wrong way and got off. I had a jumper on, but with a wet running shirt underneath making me cold. I realised I did have another shirt, though I had to change at the bus stop. There was a man waiting but he didn’t say anything (I’d got a sport bra on). I decided it was safer to go to VX Café before the match, rather than visit Kino cafe which is much further from the football ground. I knew, because we used it last week, that the 24 goes to VX, though there wasn’t much I wanted there, I got nachos with guacamole which weren’t particularly enjoyable. I had plenty of time to get to the ground, though I initially followed some people to the wrong entrance.

I picked my match ticket up from a couple of blokes at an outside table, rather than a ticket office. The covid-checker said he woudlnt; accept my vaccination cards, but afetr I showed him ID, he let me through, he just wasn't really bothered. Saw Brian as I went in, Dean and his kids near me, and Chris and Davina down the front (also saw Chris and Dave on the big screen). The game was quite boring at first, but there were more chances for both sides as it continued. It was hard to see whether anyone got a touch to Wilson’s cross for the winner. I rushed out to the bus stop after the game, but there were only two fans there before me. It wasn’t too full even when a lot of people got on at the next stop, perhaps because the crowd was much lower than usual. I didn’t know quite where to get off the bus for Stokes Croft, and ended up walking through the less interesting part of the city, the Broadmead paved-over shopping centre, which I later realised is the one next to the castle.

Somehow I found Café Kino which had a disappointing fast-food menu; I think I must have had their breakfast last time. I got a bean burger and while I was waiting, I tried to charge my phone in their plug, but it didn’t work. Since earlier in the day I’d been unable to charge it with my power pack either, and I was getting a bit short of data. I needed it to last until I had to show my train ticket, so I kept it switched off and tried to find my way to the station. I knew there was a quick way from Stokes Croft, as we went that way (in the other direction) on our Glastonbury holiday, but I didn’t know what to do at the main road so walked down to the roundabout. It was hard to work out which bus would go to the station. I did put my phone on briefly to try and use the map to get through the back ways, and thought I’d found the way we went last week, but I ended up back at the Centre. Eventually I followed two women to the station, which is hardly signposted anywhere for either pedestrians or car drivers.

I was gagging for a coffee but neither of the Upper Crusts, or the coffee-serving WH Smiths did oat or soya milk, but after looking in vain outside for a Pret, I just got a smoothie. Due to my lack of data, I just shut my eyes on the journey back – I was tired anyway from getting up so early. At home, I watched the EFL and some of the FA Cup highlights. My phone wouldn’t charge on the train or by the bed. I think it’s broken, just like its predecessor.




Ad: