Will I Look Like This If I Eat Beautiful?
I took this picture at the Angel in Islington.
Eat Beautiful
So if when the restaurant opens and I eat there, will I get to look like one of these lovelies?
Checking the web site of the company, itsu, it would appear they are being honest about allergies.
Reading the menu though, I doubt it will increase my 30 inch waist much. It’s been that ever since I left University and the doctor in Hong Kong, thought that my core strength helped me survive the stroke. I’m beginning to doubt that, as I think the stroke wasn’t as bad as it was painted at the time and they gave me the super-duper clot-busting drip in time.
Starbucks Stop Gluten-Free Sandwiches I Like
Starbucks are my reserve, if I get hungry. They had a very acceptable chicken sandwich.
But they’ve now replaced it with one of cheese and coleslaw.
I hate coleslaw, so when I was offered it, it went down badly with me and I left the shop hungry.
I also like meat and fish and the number of cheese sandwiches I’ve eaten in sixty-four years is probably less than half a dozen.
The Non-Availability of M&S Sandwiches
Travelling if you are a coeliac has always been difficult and now, if you are leaving London it is a lot easier, as you can get very good sandwiches at the M&S Simply Food stores in the capital.
But despite what it says on the M & S website, sandwiches are not available in any station outside the South East. The only station, where I’ve found them is Cambridge, but as the city doesn’t feature on my itinerary, that isn’t much help, especially, as I know the city well and can get proper meals in several places there.
I also got the impression from a couple of stores, like Swansea and Exeter, that there isn’t much demand for the sandwiches outside London. Incidentally, I’ve only found sandwiches at three stores outside London and the South East. Manchester and Liverpool had two and Meadowhall had one.
I only ask one thing of M&S. Let’s have the web site in-line with the stores. For instance, I was told in one place, by the manager of a station store, which was a franchise, that he would not be stocking the sandwiches. But the website says otherwise.
Cough Sweets
AS a child, I used to have the occasional bag of cough candy twists? Are the still available? And are they still made with proper sugar? It just seems that since the takeover of Cadbury by Kraft, a lot of their brands seem to be disappearing. I haven’t seen any mint imperials in months for a start. Or Halls menthlyptus either!
Let’s face it, Kraft’s most famous product, Cheese Slices, is something, that no-one with any sense of quality about food would ever eat.
On the subject of sweets though, I don’t even eat much chocolate these days. Things like small Green and Blacks bars don’t seem to be around anymore!
92 Clubs – Day 37 – Swansea
This was one that I thought would be simple. Just a return on a Sunday to one of the furthest clubs from London; Swansea.
But I knew there would be problems because of engineering works on both the Underground and the trains to South Wales. So I decided to start early and just took a Super Off Peak Return to Swansea, having booked a seat on the 08:00 from Paddington. I had elected to take my chances about getting a seat on the return journey. But I thought I’d have a reasonable chance, as the train started its return journey in Swansea and I knew there was an unreserved coach.
So it should have worked out well and mostly it did.
Because there was no Underground trains to Paddington, I had to take a couple of buses. Which wasn’t too much of a hardship, but the journey wasn’t as easy as it would have been on say a Monday.
When I got to Paddington, Marks and Spencer wasn’t yet open, so I couldn’t buy any sandwiches for the trip. As they are the only place to buy any gluten-free food in stations and there is nothing on the trains, I would have to wait until Swansea.
The journey was uneventful except that it took just over four hours instead of just under three. This was because it had to go via Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway, rather than straight through, because of the engineering works.
On arriving in Swansea, I walked straight to the Liberty stadium in about half-an-hour. There were no signposts for either walkers or drivers until you could see the stadium.
Swansea share the ground with the rugby club; The Ospreys, as you can see from the picture.
The Liberty Stadium, Swansea
I think I caught the remains of a car boot sale, so I thought I’d get back to the city centre and try and locate some food.
I did get a bus, but of course I had to pay for it, as English bus passes are not valid in Wales. Are we a United Kingdom or not? I don’t mind paying incidentally and feel that a UK wide scheme with perhaps a small charge outside your home are, would be the fairest way to do it.
But I couldn’t find any food. Marks & Spencer told me, that they had no gluten-free sandwiches, although they do stock them. but they are not the best of sellers! In the end I get some EatNakd bars from Holland and Barrett. They may be nice, but coffee and chocolate bars isn’t the best diet, even if it is gluten-free!
So I got back to the station and took the 14:00 train home. Paddington was in chaos because of the Underground engineering works, so it was buses to Oxford Street and then the Central line and another bus to Islington for supper in Carluccio’s.
All I say is roll on CrossRail, as this will make getting to Paddington so much easier; engineering works or not!
As an aside, I took this picture of the stadium from the train from London.
The Liberty Stadium from the London Train
It strikes me that this is a ground that could benefit from its own station.
It was a day though that showed me the problems of travelling as a coeliac unless you plan ahead and take your lunch with you!
92 Clubs – Day 25 – A Day Off
This was an enforced day off for two reasons.
I needed to have by three-monthly B12 injection for my coeliac disease. I also took the advantage of a free flu jab. I don’t want a dose of that to add to my problems do I?
My trusty Nokia 6310i also seemed to have packed up and I needed to get a replacement. However on looking at the new phones, I decided that they had no features I needed. And they cost a fortune!
So I took a train to the depths of Enfield Lock to see Tonik, the company behind the web site, nokia6310i.co.uk. All went well except for the fact that some wag had turned the signed round to the Innova Science Park, where they are based, and I ended up at a locked school instead.
A Mispointing Signpost in Enfield Lock
The Innova Science Park is actually in the direction of Brimsdown and the school is where the sign says the Science Park is.
I then left my wallet in their offices, which meant a return trip to retrieve it.
92 Clubs – Day 19 – Leeds, Leicester, Leyton Orient
I took the early 5:50 train out of Kings Cross an got to Leeds on time. But that was the start of my problems, as i couldn’t find anybody to ask about a buss to the Leeds ground at Elland Road and then when I found out how, I couldn’t use my free bus pass until 9:30. So that is what Welcome to Yorkshire means.
So I had breakfast in Carluccio’s and finally got to the stadium at Leeds about eleven.
Outside Elland Road, Leeds
It was another bus back to the centre and then on my way to Leicester.
Leicester had little information at the station, but I as it was a nice afternoon, I was able to walk to the ground on a signposted route, that seemed to rather go missing after the Rugby stadium. But I did find it.
Leicester City's Stadium
Despite there being a match later, it was all surprisingly deserted, as the picture shows. I had hoped to get a bus back to the station, but the stop I found had virtually no route information, so I used the most reliable transport I had to hand; my legs.
I arrived at St. Pancras and after coming home it was on to Leyton Orient.
Brisbane Road Stadium
Leyton Orient must be one of the more unusual grounds, in that it has blocks of flats at the four corners of the ground.
It is not a bad place to watch football either. Friendly too!
The Travelling Chef on First Great Western
Some First Great Western services out of and into Paddington now have a travelling chef, who prepares meals to order.
I didn’t try it on my journey to Exeter, but next time I come across one, I’ll find out if they can do anything gluten-free. From the menu it appears they might.
92 Clubs – Day 14 – Gillingham, Hartlepool
It was quite an early start to get a bus to London Bridge for a train to Gillingham. I t was almost still dark, when I arrived and I followed the signs at the station to the Priestfield Stadium. It is only a short walk.
Gillingham's Priestfield Stadium
As you can see it is rather tucked away in the houses and the away supporters have to brave the weather.
I then took one of the Class 395 or Javelin trains back to St. Pancras.
A Javelin Arrives at Gillingham
I then had a couple of hours before I took the 11:23 Grand Central service direct to Hartlepool. I used the time productively to have breakfast in Carluccio’s, buy myself some sandwiches for the journey and investigate a walking route between Euston and Kings Cross/St. Pancras.
I arrived at Hartlepool on time in a station, that was totally unexpected.
Artwork at Hartlepool Station
I know the area well from my time at ICI and visits later and have actually travelled to London from the previous station on the line, Eaglescliffe, in the 1970s. Everybody, should note how with a little artistic creativity, some common sense and not vast amounts of money a dingy station like Hartlpool, can be made totally acceptable to anyone who wants or needs to travel by train. I think too much, we concentrate on the trains, when for many journeys we spent quite a bit of time in or around the stations.
It was just another well-posted short walk to the ground.
Inside Hartlepool United's Ground
I then explored the town, of which I will post more later, before I ended up in this micropub on the station.
Rat Race Ale House, Harlepool Station
The Rat Race Ale House was well worth a visit and say if you are a supporter, who travels to the ground by rail, it is a place to at lest try for a pre-match drink. But don’t go if you drink chemical lager!
Every station should have one!
It had been a day of contrasts, a southern town and ground, that needed to be lifted up and a northern one, that had suffered a lot of unemploymemt in the 1970s and 1980s, that had pulled itself off the floor in style.
Just as I said with Exeter, I hope Ipswich draw Hartlepool, one day in a cup. The town is well worth a visit. I know it’s a long way from the south and if you don’t book early it could be expensive on the train, but give it a try!
92 Clubs – Day 10 – Cheltenham, Chesterfield, Colchester
This was a day with three stadia well away from the train stations.
I took the 7:48 out of Paddington and didn’t mess about and got a taxi to the Cheltenham‘s ground.
Outside Cheltenham's Abbey Business Stadium
Getting back was a little more difficult, as I got to drop me near the town centre and got lost. There wasn’t many signs either. When will these towns learn, that not all visitors come by car?
Chesterfield was next after a rather tedious but thankfully short direct train from Cheltenham. Cross-country trains seem to always be crowded and thery definitely need some larger trains.
By the Pitch at Chesterfield
As you can see from the picture, I got a warm welcome at Chesterfield, after a taxi ride from the ground. On match-days, it’s easier as they have a shuttle bus. The stadium was the most impressive this week so far.
But I did get a bus to the station and had plenty of time before my London train.
I then had time for a meal at Carluccio’s in St. Pancras, before going home to dump some rubbish and then take the evening train for Colchester.
Outside a Well-Lit Colchester Stadium
This was the best picture we could get.
But then I was quickly on the train and back to London, where I was reasonably early to bed. At least I was able to pick up the gluten-free sandwiches for at Marks and Spencer in the station.
The Anonymous Widower 