Eight Days In London

Day Seven: Medway, Chatham

As promised Ronny called to let me know that he and Isabell made it back home safely.  I told Ronny that Abbey wouldn’t make it to Chatham with me due to a death in her family and that I would call Isabell tomorrow morning before I leave to Medway, Chatham.  I could feel the end coming to my adventure in London knowing that this was my last full day in the United Kingdom. 

I felt bad that Abbey couldn’t spend it with me, but I kept my thoughts close with her hoping that she will be alright during the funeral.  I got up at ten in the morning as I got ready for my adventure to Chatham saying to myself what underground train to take along with what rail system to take.  I was all set, ready, excited, and going to make the best of my last day. I called Isabell from my apartment just like I promised. 

“Hello?” she answers.  “Hey Isabell, it’s Keith I’m on my way to the underground.” I replied.  “Alright, and you remember what route to take to get there?” she asks me.  “Yes, I take the tube to Victoria Station, get off at Victoria Station then follow the signs to find the Southeastern train.” 

“Yes, and remember when you purchase your ticket at Gloucester Road Station make sure you let the ticket booth man know you’re going to Chatham Station also make sure when you get your ticket it’s a day return ticket.”  “I got it I’ll see you in an hour or so.”  “Okay Keithy see you soon!”

We disconnect the call as I put on both of my leather jackets leaving my apartment.  I head to Gloucester Road Station seeing the same colored man that I saw when I purchased my ticket to Tower Hill.  I told him where I was headed as I paid twenty-four pounds along with sixty pence. He hands me the ticket as I saw Chatham on the ticket. 

I took the green line to Victoria Station getting off following the signs to the railway trains. I soon see a sign that said Southeastern lines as I began to see a list of places I recognized that was nearby Chatham. I went into the station sort of confused on which train to take. I find a lady in an orange yellow outfit standing by the gate. 

“Excuse me, but what train do I take to get to Chatham Station?” I ask her.  The lady looks at my ticket “Ah you can enter through and take platform five. The train is going to departure any minute!”  She takes my card letting me through the gate then hands back my travel ticket. “Thank you” I said to her quickly pacing myself to platform five. I saw platform five above on the screen seeing the train as I went through the train doors. 

I sit on the right side of the train cab with the doors soon closing afterward; I had just made it.  As the train moved along I kept hearing the automatic voice message saying the stations in order that you’d stop at as the train would automatically disconnect with the other cabs so I had to make sure I was in the correct train cab to reach Chatham Station.  I kept my eye on the screen that was above the door that leads to the other cab connected to the cab I was in. 

As the trains made its stops I was very unsure of myself if I was in the correct train cab until the ticket inspector comes into the cabin.  “Tickets please!” he shouted with his ticket scanner machine strapped around him. “Your ticket sir?” he asks me. I gave him my ticket as he looks at “ah Chatham ok” he said handing back my ticket. “This is the correct train cab to Chatham Station correct?” I asked him before he moved on.  “Yes sir that is correct” he replied moving on. “Tickets please!” he shouted again. 

I felt at ease now knowing I was in the correct train cabin.  The train ride seemed like it took forever until I hear the automatic voice message say above “Next station is Chatham Station please mind the gap between the train and the platform…”  In a few minutes I arrived to Chatham Station seeing a black sign with white letterings that read “Chatham.”