Travels in London - Days 9-12: Still not in London

Our stay in Caernarfon started on slightly tenuous grounds when we couldn't find the bus. We eventually decided to take a taxi from Bangor (where the train got in) to Caernarfon, which set us back about 20 pounds, but had the major advantage of being a form of transport that was actually running.

We then ran into some further difficulty when the bus driver could not find the hostel. After driving us around the entire town twice (it's a small town), we eventually decided to get out and have a look ourselves, rather than tying up the taxi driver (and, indeed, his fare meter). After the help of a map and some locals, we tracked down the hostel on the other side of town.

Our difficulties were then somewhat magnified further when the owner of the Hostel couldn't find our booking, as it turned out he didn't get internet bookings for about 48 hours and we had only booked the day before. But it all worked out ok and he very kindly rearranged some visiting family so we could get a room on the 3rd floor. This would turn out to be the best place to stay yet. It was basically a very, very large house that the owners had converted into a hostel, and was run by Bob and his wife who were a charmingly friendly and eccentric couple.

Caernarfon was a wonderful place to stay, a seaside town that was quiet and had the added bonus of having a sodding great castle in it. We spent the first day taking it easy and taking various walks around town to try and find cafes that would do us an afternoon tea after the monstrously late hour of 3:00pm. We also took the opportunity to replenish some of our diminishing supplies.

The day after we went to visit the castle, which was simply magnificient. Built in the 1300s to crush those rebellious Welsh chaps, it was steeped in history and fallen masonry. Apparently Prince Charles was invested as the Prince of Wales in that very castle. Makes you think, dunnit.

The castle, combined with the small town feel, combined with the fact that people were conversing in Welsh in the streets made Caernarfon feel greatly different to London and Birmingham, but also very relaxing and peaceful.

The train from Caernarfon to Inverness, or should I say the five trains from Caernarfon to Inverness were the complete opposite of relaxing and peaceful, and proved to be the first time in the whole holiday that I was to feel stressed and frustrated.

Train 1 was fine.

Train 2 was also fine.

Train 3 was 45 minutes late, had no spare seats or luggage space, and stopped for 45 minutes about 10 minutes from our destination.

Train 4 was a 15 minute walk from one station to the next, and was 30 minutes late.

Train 5 was full of spare seats and luggage space, comfortable and clean, quiet and speedy, and more importantly WAS WAITING FOR OUR LATE ARRIVAL. Scot Rail is amazing that way.

We finally trooped into Inverness Youth Hostel (through 3 inch snow, yay!) at 10:00pm, when they'd just about given up hope of us turning up at all.

After a (long) sleep, we were off into Inverness, merrily wading through the thick snow down to the shopping complex to eat breakfast and do some shopping, including most importantly a small grown your own crystal christmas tree (it being Christmas Eve) which we set up back at the hostel.

We visited a Christingle (Carols and oranges, yes I know it's as strange as it sounds) service at Inverness Catherdral, but heavy snowfall talked us out of visiting the midnight mass, as we weren't entirely convinced we would be able to get home again.

That brings us to now. I would like to wish everyone reading a Merry Christmas, I hope your day is wonderful. I will update again in a few days, the next could of days are going to be quiet so not much to report, though we should hopefully be going on a cruise of Loch Ness on boxing day.

Until then.