£32.00 train fare Bristol Temple Meads to Penzance
£17.00 bed in dormitory in Penzance YHA Hostel
Whilst the prospect of arriving in Penzance at 9pm didn't fill me with glee, the late afternoon train departure from Bristol did buy me almost a full day in Bristol. This meant I could do all the little last minute things that I'd run out of time for at home.
Vaughan (my brother) and Liz (his partner) had welcomed me as their first staying guest at their home in Bristol by taking me to their local pub. We'd planned to go out for a meal together, but I arrived too late for this following a combination of tasks I'd invented before leaving home and getting caught in the M25 Friday afternoon rush hour.
The Orchard, just around the corner from Vaughan and Liz's, specialises in cider. We sampled six different brews between us before heading home at chucking out time. It's a lively place with colourful characters and I can see why Vaughan and Liz like it so much. On the night I was there, several women started up an impromptu disco by getting up and dancing to the music on the pub sound system; before long half the pub was up and shaking their booty.
It was just as well I had a whole day to sort myself out after our evening out, as all three of us woke with hangovers. It took me four hours to feel anywhere near human after waking up. A slow and gentle walk around Bristol in search of maps, bungee cords, and camera shop was just about all I could manage as my headache receded and stomach settled.
In the end, I nearly missed my train due to our leisurely shopping trip come city tour. I left myself with 15 minutes to get ready once we got back to the house, with Vaughan offering to drive me to the train station in the campervan (a good opportunity to have a go at driving it whilst I was still around). We had trouble with a valve whilst checking my tyre pressures, and for a minute I thought I'd have to put the bike on the train with a flat front tyre.
The train journey to Penzance was fairly uneventful, except that there was no food after Newton Abbot. Luckily Liz had sneaked a banana, couple of yogurts, and can of beer into a bag ... So that was my supper! Not exactly the best meal before the start of a long distance cycle ride, but better than nothing.
It was dark by the time I hauled my bike and panniers off the train at Penzance at 9pm. I'd memorised the Youth Hostel's directions, so hoped I'd be able to find it fairly easily ... But ended up cycling up a long hill before phoning the hostel to find I was the wrong side of Penzance. Upon hitting the A30, I found the flapping of the map case on my handlebar bag totally obscured my front light, leaving me in pitch darkness and scared out of my wits. Quick removal of map case later, I had just about enough light to find my way to the hostel.
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