The Train! The Train!

Flashback: Saturday, July 31, 2004

It's an early, early start to a long crazy day. (Tactical travel error #3: Sunblock and hat are mandatory for modern-day travel - always check that you've packed them in your bag before leaving the hotel room.)

There are still some people about, this early on a Saturday morning, but it feels oddly quiet for the London that I've seen in my days here.

Palace of Westminster, at 5:35 am

Waterloo International station is quite nice, and a far sight better looking than most of the buildings around it. However, it was obviously designed for a different, less security conscious time, which has made certain areas a bit impractical. [This all becomes a moot point in 2007, when St. Pancras International becomes the new London terminal for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.]

(Tactical travel error #4: Having collected a handful of Euros from family, and then leaving them all at home, there's no avoiding the rules and fees of the sole currency exchange bureau in the station.)

The fares may be higher, but until the new high speed track is complete, Eurostar is dragged back down to the level of British Rail. It's a bit of a letdown from the time we trudge out of London, and eventually limp into Ashford station. However, the ride certainly has an international feel. Travellers from around the world mingle with English and French (and the mostly-Francophone bilingual staff), as Europe encroaches on British shores.

The Channel Tunnel is a wonder of the modern world, as seen on the Discovery Channel. In reality, you can't see it coming from on board the train - the only indication is when the watertight doors close. Then it's just 20 minutes of train tunnel, until returning to daylight on the Continent.

The Eurostar train is an engineering marvel in itself, capable of running on three different track standards and power supplies, in three different countries. Commuter rail in Canada tops out at 160 km/h, but it's still rather fun to slowly overtake the automobile traffic where the rails parallel the motorway. Blasting through the French countryside at 300 km/h on the other hand, is truly impressive.

On board Eurostar