Mr Bean's holiday adventure

There are events we experience that seem almost scripted by someone else for their amusement. I almost felt I was living through a Mr Bean holiday mishap ... So here's the story. I decided to travel Canberra to Newcastle by train as this would be my launching place after staying for a week with dear friends, The logistics of getting the bike, four panniers, the handlebar bag and three carry on bags was challenging enough. The folk at the Canberra train station were very helpful and provided a box for the bike and great advice on baggage arrangements. I was rather pleased with myself because I decided to do this the day before departure and cause little angst for myself and the station staff.

The journey began without a hitch as my friend kept me punctual for the 6:43am departure. This would be a straight forward trip to Newcastle ... Or so I thought. Five hours later we hear "...those alighting at Broadmeadow prepare to ...." etc. Well ..... I've travelled on country trains before and always had enough time to gather my things and step off the train .... but not in two minutes. The train starts moving and naturally I panic while grabbing my bags and watching my bike and bags waiting on the platform diss appearing in the distance. I quickly snapped into survival mode and dashed for the nearest train attendant to explain the situation in total embarrassment.

My phone was almost flat so I borrowed the attendant's  to ring my friend and tell her I'm now on the way to Maitland. "Ok I'll pick you up there..." and then the phone was needed to ring the attendent's on the train coming the other way that I was coming and hopefully if their train was late I could grab if at Maitland. Twenty minutes later I reached Maitland and yes you guessed it .... I was very very prepared this time and thanked the helpful 'survival operation' staff. Off I got and within two minutes the train travelling from Grafton arrived ...I'd just sat down. A voice on the the public address system announced "..train arriving for "Broadmeadow ......". I thought you've got to be kidding me, quickly grabbed my bags and made the call to my friend coming to pick me up 40 or so km away that I was coming back to Broadmeadow and then trying to explain my situation to a new group of train attendants.  I collapsed on the nearest seat and collected my thoughts as we travelled at considerable speed now in the Southern direction. The lovely and amused train attendant appeared and said there was no need to show my ticket as she knew the whole story. Whew!