Tony Mortlock

Left Bedwyn this evening and took the train to London. Also getting on at Bedwyn was this gentleman, who was having trouble with the electronic ticket machine. All the way to Paddington he regaled me with his tales of living 30 years on a 26m barge in France - currently in the Loire - working as a furniture maker.

It's up for sale, because he's getting a bit old to handle it on his own (wife having died) and he's thinking of moving to Catalonia.

Anyway, he was off to Victoria to get a half price, overnight bus to Paris for the princely sum of... £20. "The backpack looks big, but all it's got in it is a pillow. The bus seats aren't very comfortable."