Last Wednesday, I had to travel to Solihull, which is less than two hours from Cambridge by car but more than four hours by public transport. I was smart, though. I bought my train and bus tickets a week early so that it only cost me £22.

Here is what happened that day.

11.04	Train from Cambridge to Birmingham. Productive two hours, working on my laptop for my dissertation.
13.45	Arrived in Birmingham New Street station. Walked to Birmingham Moor Street Station
14.20	Train from Birmingham to Solihull
14.45	Bus from Solihull to meeting location (I was so lucky! The bus only comes every hour and the trip is half an hour so I arrived in time for the 15.30 start time.
15.50	Meeting starts late.
17.45	Meeting runs an hour over time. As I leap on the bus back to Solihull station, I realise that I’m not going to make it in time for my 18.25 train from Birmingham back to Cambridge.
16.15	The helpful man at the Solihull ticket office tells me that I will have to buy a new train ticket to Cambridge for £38.50 (A$96). I realise I can go to Oxford for half that price. With five minutes before the Oxford train departs, I try to buy the ticket. The card machine will not accept my bank card. I am forced to use my Australian credit card — foreign transaction fees 🙁
18.25	I get on the train in time.
19.40	I arrive in Oxford. I walk slowly to Damjan’s place. A day of walking in heels is painful. I make in time for Damjan’s birthday — hooray!

It turned out to be an expensive adventure. I wasted a train ticket from Solihull to Birmingham and Birmingham to Cambridge. I had to buy a bus ticket from Oxford back to Cambridge. I needed a new toothbrush, clothes, and a pair of shoes (the heels were not a long-term walking proposition). But I had a nice unscheduled holiday. Damjan had Melbourne friends over, we went punting and also had a birthday celebration.

Now I am very far behind my dissertation schedule. If I don’t post as frequently, this is a good sign for my research.