Right now, retirement is an absolute pleasure, a rare period, free from any obligation other than to make good use of the undetermined length of time now available to me. Health issues last year had prevented me from “hitting the ground running” immediately after leaving Arriva Trains North at the end of July 2017. However, even recovering in ” fits and starts” from open heart surgery in the spring of that year, I did manage two trips to Bournemouth in the summer, and seventeen weeks ambling to and from New Zealand by sea. Pretty good use of my first year methinks. And there’s a ton of global travel to look forward to in 2019 and 2020.
Last week, I contemplated the present opportunities to travel to places much closer to home. I had walked along the converted track bed of what was once part of the main railway line from Manchester Central to London St. Pancras, once with former work colleagues, and on a second occasion with a friend. Nor far from where I live, there is a number of disused railways converted to cycle and walkways.
On a whim, I booked tickets to travel on the Welsh Highland and Ffestiniog Railways, driving to Caernarfon on Thursday, returning home late Saturday evening. Good use of a few days then. The last time I was in these parts, Caernarfon, was when Caernarfon was spelled with a “V” and one could catch the train to Afon Wen. We had family holidays at a lovely self catering farm at Groeslon around three miles south of Caernarfon. We would stay for three long weeks, having brought our bikes on the train. Some sixty years later, I am back, and reminded of just how lovely the countryside and seaside is around here. What a great pity the weather couldn’t be worse. Storm Ali was followed by continual torrential rain with mist obscuring the once familiar scenery of carefree childhood holidays. Caernarfon Castle didn’t seem quite as big as I remember. Tomorrow, my train from Caernarfon to Portmadoc leaves at 10.00hrs; I picked up my tickets today at the Station. Hopefully, there will be some brightness in the sky, and I will have made very good use of what might well be a wet weekend in Wales!
Thanks for reading; illustrated accounts to follow Friday and Saturday.
David's Cruise 