LEJOG Pre-journey journey...

So, here we go. Or at least here I go (Jez). On a train to Westbury and then on to Plymouth – and not forgetting the replacement coach service on to St Austell. Michael is already there with his ‘departure party’… well, his wife and his friends who are being so kind as to put us up this evening (should that read ‘put up with us’). Naturally I will be on my best behaviour! After all, I don’t want to burn Michael out too early.

My pre-LEJOG journey has only been a little hampered thus far by my pulling the handle clean off my suitcase. No much wheeling going to go on with that then! LEJOG has already been rescheduled to take in a local Argos for a replacement (Michael really is good you know – within 5 minutes of the break he had located an Argos 50 yards from the stop in Penzance; a dedicated bus scheduler!

Cariad (my daughter) suggested this morning that she would like to come with us too on this journey. “Would you like to ride on the buses Ca?” – “No, we can have great sleepovers Daddy!” OK, perhaps she doesn’t quite get the travelling on buses bit of this event! I am also not sure that I could carry all the equipment she would need – let alone get it all on a bus! I am also not so sure that Michael is ready to spent 8 days with two Howat’s… Cariad is far more cheeky than me!

I had suggested to a few people that I would blog the itinerary for each day before it arrived. Having spent all of yesterday selling cider at a pumpkin festival, forgive me that I haven’t done so until now.

Day one of LEJOG will take us from Lands End as far as Bridport. Lucky for me, there are cider pubs in Bridport. The day should go a bit like this:

09:00 – Arrive at Lands End for photo’s to prove that we have been there

09:30 – Depart Lands End on Western Greyhound (501)

10:25 – Arrive at Penzance Bus Station

10:28 – Arrive at Argos for new case.

10:35 - Transfer neatly ironed/folded clothes into new macho rucksack

11:20 – Depart Penzance on First Bus (18)

13:01 – Arrive in Truro

13:11 – Search for Wadebridge Argos to return macho rucksack and replace it with equally macho wheelie case

13:40 – Throw neatly folded/ironed clothes into case and hope no-one notices!

13:45 – Depart Truro on Western Greyhound (594)

14:55 – Arrive at Wadebridge Bus Station

16:00 – Depart Wadebridge on Western Greyhound (510)

18:35 – Arrive at Exeter Bus Station

19:00 – Depart Exeter on First Bus (X53)

20:55 – Arrive at Bridport Coach Station

20:57 – Arrive at the Stable Pub for pizza and cider (OK – I added that bit in)

And there you go. I will let you know how we do with that.

One thing I would say is that in my (non schedulers) version, I had us nearer to Bristol. But then i. we weren’t going via Ipswich and ii. I had built in some rather interesting connections (would have been good to see Michael run though!!)