So it begins. The bags are packed we're ready to go, as the song says. Goodbye Wilbraham Court and our lovely neighbours for 9 weeks of exotic travels. Beryl our wonderful friend drives us to the station as by the wonders of Brunels famous railway we are on our way from Newton Abbot, Devon to pastures new. Gosh we're excited. The joys of 1st class rail means for maybe the last time for some days we can sit back relax and be waited on, albeit with coffee and biscuits. 

The journey to Reading is totally uneventful, not like our journey home on the same tracks earlier this year when due to the wettest winter in many a long year, we were surrounded by water, more like lakes all across the Somerset levels for mile after mile. Five miles across and more like 30 miles wide, the land was under water like never before. So with the railway almost mended at Dawlish and the fields more like they should be on a sunny December day, its Reading next stop.

We are late arriving at Reading so its grab our many bags and dash to platform 5 for the 3.20 to Gatwick. But this so called 1st class carriage consists of 16 seats filled to the brim with cases, travellers, screaming children, prams and Great Western staff going home! The rest of the train is 2 carriages crammed to the hilt with home goers, it reminds me of something from the hill stations of India, only lacking passengers on the roof! Not ideal! Its a slow train stopping at every conceivable place but eventually we are at the Virgin desk, booked in, cases gone and at the restaurant of the Premier Inn wine in hand! This is more like it, the holiday has definitely started now.
 

Pictures will follow but knowing the wifi situationin Cuba and central America, you will have to wait!!!!!I