Hotel Out In Countryside

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Day 19. Monday. August 4.

4.54 Miles. 10,927 Steps.

Crown and Cushion, Eton to Holiday Inn, Shepperton.

Breakfast at Crown and Cushion was rather dismal. But it was food.

Learned the explanation for the name - Crown and Cushion. Think of a crown for the King/Queen being carried on a - cushion.

Tried walking a bit to get a last view of the Castle and see how the leg is working. The main issue is with the Right leg, and it isn’t working. Still took a short walk around a public park land with areas for sports.

A couple approached and the conversation I heard was the female speaking as she looked up at the skyline silhouette of Windsor. She said “is that all one thing?” Where has she been that there was no knowledge of what “all that one thing” was. And, she had a British accent.

The Thames Path had to make a wide detour around the Castle and its extensive grounds which the Thames flows through. After all King Charles doesn’t want smelly hikers wandering about his lands.

Reminder on cigarette package abandoned by the side of road.

Train Station today’s journeys began from.

Travel Itinerary

Three trains to get to Shepperton where tonight’s pillow is.

On arrival at Shepperton set off to locate hotel. Walked up the High Street from end to end. Returned to where the search began and finally asked a local man. He seemed very surprised at the request.

Apparently the Holiday Inn is NOT in, but quite a way out in the countryside. Too far for these legs to walk, plus the road didn’t have suitable sidewalks. No buses went in that direction.

Needed a taxi which I was directed to. The office was closed. Took a photo of the phone number. Went into the tiny shop next door and asked the man in a colorful turban to phone for me. Shortly a taxi van pulled up that seated 6 in luxury. Ride to countryside in style.

On reading the directions on the material from my walking company better/hindsight, realized the Holiday Inn was fairly close to the Thames Path, but not the village which I had arrived at by wheels not feet. Lesson learned.

Also, I have pre-looked at tomorrow’s route and know better than to return to that village of Shepperton, but take an alternative route near by to a different village that will have bus routes.

Next problem to tackle was the hotel had no registration for me, and I had no reference number. Panic! Took a moment to breathe, locate the toilets, wash sticky hands, send email message to Contours explaining the situation.

Almost instantly a reply came. With that number I could check in. The registration was not under my name but the person who had made all the bookings.

Next issue the room wouldn’t be ready for a while. Solution. Eat lunch at the restaurant while waiting.

Another day to tell self To Be Flexible And Have A Sense Of Humor.

Now if these legs would begin to stop hurting my sense of humor would be greatly improved.

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