I met a couple of lovely memorable young women on the train from Exeter the other day; mind you, we sat in silence most of the journey, until one of them spilt her glass of wine and then there was no stopping us!
The girl with the wine was having the day off work and heading to a friend’s place for the weekend, the other was just heading home. The wine girl was telling us how she sat near a woman on an earlier part of her journey who was drinking gin (mixed with something), and how to look at her you might think she was just a bit of an alcho, but that she was lovely and had a really interesting life. Anyhow, on the strength of this chance meeting, she decided to buy a small bottle of wine and get into the swing of things herself. She was hilarious, dropping things and waving her plastic glass around telling us about the gin lady. When they found out what I was doing she was full of questions about where I was going and suggestions for me. She had backpacked for six months in her late teens and travels every chance she gets now.
The other girl had the brightest red hair you’ve ever seen, I mean fire engine red, but we didn’t get acquainted well enough to find out the story behind that one. She works and has young children, moved to a little village from London and just loves it – and was really knowledgable about Cornwall so she was adding things to my list of must see and do also.
I was a bit worried about wine girl when it was her stop, she fluffed around putting her bottle and glass tidily back in its little brown paper bag (with handles, so much more upmarket than the ones you have to twist tie), then placing it on the floor somewhere it wouldn’t fall over, then collecting her scarf, coat, handbag and duffle – all the while still talking to me and exhorting me to have the most wonderful time ever. Meanwhile everyone else who was getting off was halfway down the platform, but she just toddled off with a cheery wave and the biggest smile, and the train pulled out about two seconds after she got out the door!
So, visitor information, good company and free entertainment along with the train journey.
MidLife Traveller 