Originally after the cruise, I had planned to rent a car and spend the next 5 days wandering around the countryside. But with the high cost of the car, coupled with the prospect of driving on the left hand side, getting petrol gas, and trying to find parking in the places we were going, I figured it was better to take the train. We prepurchased our tickets and we were all set.
We left our hotel in Winchester at 10: 45 AM., walked to the station with plenty of time to spare, and our train should have brought us to Salisbury by 12:40pm. Our first train was slightly delayed, but that was no problem since we had a connection in Southampton. In Southampton, we had about half an hour before our next train was set to arrive and depart. So we just chilled out and relaxed and read a little bit.
However we noticed the platform teeming with many, many passengers. And then we found out that our incoming train was only two coaches long. There were people with strollers, huge luggage bags, and bicycles. There was no way we were gonna get on this train. To make matters worse, it was delayed by 20 plus minutes, which just meant more people coming to try to get on the train. Just prior to the train’s arrival, I asked a train attendant if all of these people were going to fit on the two coach train. He said it No, and asked where we were going. When I told him that we were going to Salisbury, he said there is a train the next platform over that was leaving immediately direct to Salisbury and that we should get on that one.
So all of a sudden, Lisa and I are frantically running up the steps with our bags in tow, trying to make the 12: 27 PM train that was already in the station waiting the leave to Salisbury. However, it was on platform 2B, and unfortunately I got on the train at 3B. Realizing our mistake once we were on that train (because a helpful chap let us know), we got out of the train and headed over to what I thought was the right platform. So we ran out with her bags across the Bridgeway, down to the other side of the tracks. And then realised that that was the wrong platform as well. The train we really wanted was still sitting at platform 2B. One last time, we went up the stairs, we ran across the bridge where, we ran down the stairs… And watched it pull away.
We never made it on the train. We never made it on our 12:10 original train, that ended up leaving Southampton at 12:32, 22 minutes behind schedule.
So here we are, waiting for the 1:10 train, which is also delayed and is jeopardizing our day in Salzburg, because most of the attractions close up at 5 pm. We also have quite a distance to get to our accommodations for the night.
Had we rented the car, leaving at 10: 45 we would have arrived into Salisbury by 11:30am at the latest. As it stands now, we hope to get to Salisbury by 2:15 pm. With a walk to our hotel, and check in, it is looking like we will not be able to start our day in Salsbury until 3 pm. Ah, the possible woes and delays of public travel. Sheesh!
