A disappointing day

Today has been the most frustrating day I have had in a while. I was up early, sorted the kitchen and did a load of Adam's washing (he arrived home very late last night), tidied up and then walked to the station in the fresh and chilly air to get the 8.58am train to London. I was very much looking forward to my day in London with my photography group, we had coffee at a special cafe planned followed by visits to two exhibitions and then finally a late lunch. Photographs to be taken along the way.

However, my train was delayed. I waited on the platform for 5 minutes, then 10, then 15 minutes. The electronic notice board was being continuously updated saying the train was delayed for another 5 minutes, then another 10....eventually I got so cold standing on the platform I went inside to see what was going on. It seems there had been a fatality further up the line at 8.47am that morning, so mine was the first train to be delayed. After waiting for an hour and fifteen minutes for the delayed train we were told that all trains had been cancelled. It seems someone had been hit by a train (not an accident) and so the lines were closed for the day. I walked home feeling disappointed and frustrated, until I thought about the person who had died and how their family would be feeling.

At home I had a hot coffee to warm me up and then Luke suggested driving me to a station that was not on the same line, at Leatherhead. We checked online, and the trains from that station seemed to be running on time. I got on the train and set off at the correct time but instead of the usual 46 minute journey to London, it took an hour and a half. I finally got to Waterloo station at 1.45pm. I had missed the coffee, both exhibitions but would just about make lunch. No photographs taken at all other than this rather terrible shot of Leatherhead Station that I had taken this morning as a 'safety' shot in case I got nothing else. I got nothing else, so this is it.....

The weather was beautifully sunny today, it would have been perfect for some photography around London. And the lunch and company were very good. I was worried about getting home again but as I got to the station a very delayed train back to Leatherhead was about to depart, I jumped on it as I could not risk hoping a train would be going to my station, and Luke kindly fetched me from there.