Well, life has been, unusually for us, full of event. It all started some months ago, when we were thinking how much Big Grandson, who's transport-mad (particularly about trains/trams/buses) would enjoy being in Hamburg and going round the enormous model train exhibition where Mr L went for his 70th birthday. I mean, I went too. But Mr L is a train enthusiast. I just wandered around.
So we decided that Mr L would offer to take him. And then Mr L realised that Big G would really like to go on the Eurostar, under the English Channel, rather than flying. This meant a train to London, a stay overnight beside St Pancras Station, the Eurostar and then various changes of train on the way to Hamburg. And back again. Somewhat to Mr L's relief, Big G's dad said he would like to go too, and crucially, as well as being a nice chap, Son-in-Law 1 has a first-class honours degree in German with distinction in spoken German. Big Grandson has been learning German on Duolingo for some months in preparation but is not yet at his father's level.
Doing it this way was much more of a palaver, as well as being considerably more expensive, than flying. However, it did provide the train-mad nearly-12-year-old with lots of interesting trains to ride on. And, as it turned out, buses and undergrounds on the free days in Hamburg.
buying books at a nice bookshop, having lunch out and so on, for the rest of the week. The male side of things got back to London yesterday after a very stressful day of cancelled and delayed trains (but in the end they caught their Eurostar - just - whew) and are now at Daughter 2's. Mr L and SIL 1 have had a quiet day, while Daughter 2 has nobly been taking glutton-for-punishment Big Grandson for
a London train/tube/bus day. This culminated in his being invited into the cab of the final train (which was stationary at the time!) and allowed to play with the buttons - seeing the camera's-eye view of the carriages, blowing the horn etc. I imagine this made his day!
After all that you needed friends turning up to give you a break!!
ReplyDeleteYou have been busy! Mr L and SIL #1 had an adventurous and ambitious trip. I got a little tired (and stressed) even reading about it--but how special to have the time and experiences together. I'm not big on theme parks either; in fact, I've never been to DisneyWorld. (FL)
ReplyDeleteOh My ... you have had a busy, (exhausting!) time. Sitting with friends having a coffee is a much better idea than changing the sheets! They can wait. And the look on Grandson's face, sitting at the wheel of that train tells the story, doesn't it. I wonder where that love of transport will take him - only time will tell.
ReplyDeleteWhat a busy time - and maybe exhausting, as well. Very exciting for your grandson.
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