Phil&Jill

The Miguel storm played havoc with the 225 UK veterans returning home from Normandy beaches to Portsmouth where a heroes welcome was waiting. Instead they had to go by Dover. The same storm affected our arrival in Caen. The trip started pleasantly in nice weather in Paris but we hadn't travelled far when rain starting falling. Not too hard to start with but the wind was getting up. Our train then stopped and the announcement came over the speaker that the train couldn't connect to the electrical point. It cranked away and finally it turned over and we seemed to take off in a mad rush. The countryside was lush with many fields being recently cut for hay. We passed through many little hamlets some with very old mud brick stables and outhouses.

It all seemed very like the French countryside I love. However the drama wasn't over as we stopped another time on the tracks. This time many commuters took to their mobile phones to call home to say they would be late!! Then at Evereux an earlier train had come to a stop and we joined them. The announcement talked of a train terminating but my French was not able to grasp which traon they meant. Not the information you want when you have been travelling for close on 30+ hours. I was able tp speak with the conductor who informed me we would be going on to Caen that evening but he couldn't say 'when'. Philip slept all through this drama and was so surprised to find out it was nearly 9pm when henwoke. The trip had taken 3 and a half hours, an hour more than scheduled.

We were very pleased when we alighted at Caen station but then we were hit by very strong winds and driving rain. Phil got out his mud map and off we walked to our appartment about 1km from the station. The tram was not working as they are putting in a complete new tramway system throughtout the city. We arrived at our accommodation somewhat drenched. It was no small task to find where the key safe was to get into the appartment. But then once inside the appartment harmony was restored and we had a salad for dinner which fortunately I had thought to purchase at St Lazarre station. We made it.....Melbourne to Caen. I will tell you what we find in Caen in my next post...until then.