A day of lovely people, we expect. Starting with Ted who at 11 still gets up early – he must have been as our departure time was 06.45. Taxi arrived at 06.30. Ted satisfies the maxim of my friend Fran who stated: children get up very early whilst they’re too young to be useful, then not so much. Ted is on the cusp – a helpful early riser.
All preparations against being detained by the London Marathon were so successful we reached st Pancras by 7.15 for a 9.30 train – beautiful station enhanced by the music played by this young man on the concourse piano.
A Real Treat.
Eurostar London- Paris, cross Paris transfer and Paris – Lyon all excellent. Happy travellers!
But how weird to find the TGV from Paris to Lyon is a quadruple train – two trains nose to nose, both of them double deckers! Now THAT takes some cars off the road.
The station at Lyon was in disarray with building works, packed to the gunwhales with an incredible array of people 
yet still sold delicious fresh reasonably priced food with posters bearing the healthy equivalent of a cigarette warning, directing people to the internet site: ‘mangerbouger’ …… does what it says on the can!
And the train? To die for. Eat your heart out, Arriva.
Lyon/st etienne chateaucreux was efficient. Here we knew we were in France (on a rainy grey Sunday).
BUT the trip st etienne chateaucreux/le puy en Velay was incredibly beautiful running as it does along the Loire, complete with fairy tale chateaux.
No pics – too fast.
And finally – we arrive. 30 hours since leaving Gobowen ….. 
sleepy, steep, entrancing town.
Items ‘lost’: 1
Tantrums: no actual tantrums
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Helen Willows 
Glad that so far is so good. Pity about the long wait in the cold at Gobowen…and I almost panicked when I saw you leaving the station to post a letter. Looking forward to travelling with you on this latest adventure.
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