A really good start

Well the holiday started with a really good day. We had packed and were ready to go, so at 9.30 we set off to walk to the station. It was a lovely walk, though rain was forecast it was sunny as the photo shows

Haydn and Luggage on his way to the station

We got to Cardiff an hour early for the train and bumped into a work colleague Lesley Long who was travelling up to London for the Olympics. Indeed Lesley and her husband sat in the seats behind us on the journey.

I was reflecting on the journey that one of the things that had made this holiday possible was my Kindle - in previous years my luggage has been fuller with books than with clothes, but having 200 odd books on the Kindle means I just need to carry it, and not the huge number I'd need to be carrying otherwise. Hence I can get away with a small case and a shoulder bag, impossible in the past.

The train left Cardiff on time and stayed on time

until it reached Paddington when there was a small delay while a platform was free for us to go in but we were still within 5 minutes of the arrival time.  

The train drew in to Platform 10 - a first for me in Paddington, but convenient as it was on the Hammersmith and City side of the station, so a short walk had us on the tube platform and 30 second later a tube train arrived.

Unlike the fears I had when writing this morning's post the Tube was quiet, indeed quieter than I have ever experienced it.
 

We arrived at St Pancras with 90 minutes to spare so we had a spot of lunch at a cafe at the station. Drew opted for a Salt Beef and Mustard Sandwich while I had a Roast Beef and Stilton Panini 

We then get on the Eurostar

Drew pulling faces on the Eurostar

 and started our journey. The Eurostart seats were very comfortable and being able to book two seats facing each other, with a table in-between, was very convenient. (I know this is cue for a family member saying perhaps it would be nicer not to be able to see each other :-) I await the comment below!!)

Soon it was time for our second lunch 
This one courtesy of the Standard Premier Class on Eurostar. As well as drinks and bread it had a Feta Cheese Salad, very fresh and tasty, curry flavoured prawns served with rice, also with a curry flavour including sultanas and a Coconut Panna Cotta. Drew, feeling generous, let me have his prawns and rice in exchange for my Panna Cotta. 

The meal was served as the train went under the English Channel. The experience of the Eurostar is much quieter and more comfortable than that of the First Great Western that got us to London. It certainly is whole degrees more comfortable than a flight, so we may consider this kind of trip again.

We arrived in Paris at exactly the time on the ticket (18:17) and found our way to the RDR and over to Gare De Lyon. Our hotel is within site of the Gare De Lyon and it took us 10 minutes to make our way from the RDR to the hotel. Check in was super efficient and we were in Room 202 within five minutes of entering the building. 

 

Time to plan for dinner. More on that tomorrow.