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Personal Stuff: If you don't know me - GO AWAY!!!!
Me: 41 years 243 days , Amanda: 36 years 306 days , Esme 6 years 80 days and Bradley 4 years 36 days . Telford UK, 213 miles NW of London. See more who and where.
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05 December 2004   

 

Day trip to Birmingham

One of our big days out. A trip to Birmingham. As ever, the travelling itself is as exciting as the destination. We take the car to Telford Train station, and wait on the platform. The advertising notices attract Esme's attention and need my explanation as to why they have big pictures. The train to Shrewsbury, going the other way, brings a thousand questions, coming too fast for me to answer, while Bradley stands on my shoes, as he wraps himself around my legs, monkey style.

My neighbour, Tony, accompanies us. He's off to a model train exhibition in Birmingham.

Soon out train comes from under the bridge, and everybody on the platform jostles for the best place. I think people are more tolerant, more respectful of others than down South, especially London, and we wait patiently while everyone alights, and find three seats for the four of us. The gent we invade smiles at Brad all through the journey—Brad's excitement and obvious inexperience of trains is infectious. Esme sits on my lap and asks question after question. As is usual I have to help her read all the warning signs on the train.
Map of Telford, Wolverhampton and Birmingham.

Soon we're in Wolverhampton. We could have gone straight through to Birmingham, but decide to break up the journey by travelling on the tram. I too an a tram newbie, though Tony's used them before. It's a fairly long walk to the tram from the train station, through the bus station too, more than ¼ mile. Why do town planners do this?

From the tram in Snow Hill in Birmingham, we walk to Brindley Place, though the European market in Paradise Square, through the Convention Centre. We must have passed a million people. It's been so long since I lived here in the big City. I still scan everyone, just in case I spy someone I know. I never do.

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On the tram. So much here too, to explain. I'm surprised that the tram takes the route of the train in some places. We also move to the front and peer over the drivers shoulder to watch trains and stations approaching.
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The smell of the market and it's weird foods get to Bradley's belly, and soon too, to Esme's. I decide that we should eat in Brindley Place. In one of the bars. Some don't allow kids. We end up having a beefburger and chips. Huge plates for kids. I eat as much as I can, but there's no way they could have eaten near clearing their plates, so I know they'll be hungry later.

I rarely go to such cosmopolitan bars, and am struck by the people in there. Groups of 30 something male friends, perhaps off to a football match, looking very dapper, in city causal shoes; young baby carrying families meeting and 'lunching' with other baby carrying families; mixed groups of boyfriends and girlfriends; all very well and fashionably dressed. All squinting in a low winter afternnon sunlight. So different from the village life I lead now. I miss it.

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Outside the Convention Centre. Behind me is Brindley Place, across the canal.
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Inside our destination: Sea Life World. My flash is knackered, so most of the pix I take inside are too blurred. Here, they pose for the inhouse photographer. I doubt if he gets many sales, he's surly.
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Huge spider crabs! I thought the ones downstairs were big, but these... These are a wide as Esme can spread her arms. Her eyes are as wide as saucers as she squeals for Bradley and me to come over.
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Birmingham's Wheel: 200 feet high and once in Paris. We passed this on the way, and I promised we'd go on. I'm a bit nervous of heights. Especially as once we're on, and in the usual fashion, Esme asks, "what does this sign say?" Referring to the sticker on the door of the gondola. A silhouetted figure is falling backwards, seemingly next to the doors, and with a red box with a strike throughline, I read out aloud, "do not lean against doors," this makes me doubly worried as we near the top of the ride, and looking down to the tiny figures below, as the gondalla rocks gently back and forth. "Eek!" Says my brain, "I'm scared of heights, get me out of here."
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So such luck. We go around 3 times, and Bradley's not worried at all, as he squeals and squeaks and stands up and sits down and turns around and... While Esme and I sit very still.
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Of all the things, places, we visit today. This gets top billing when we met Mummy next day, and when Brad tells teachers. A slide. Not a very big one either. But they're on it for 20 minutes. Not the usual five rides and off.
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After fighting our way through the middle of the European outside market, and trying to find a pub that'll let kids in, we settle in a coffee house to met Tony.

Pity it's so empty. No cosmopolitan feelings here.

Finally, we're on the tram to Wolverhapton, and on it Esme and Bradley entertain by trying to kiss each other. With Bradley's tightly puckered lips, and Esme's laughs and "gerroff, Brad", we have good fun. Though, our train is delayed in Wolverhampton, and they get bored, and once on the train there's only standing room for our 20 minute trip. Wonderful, long day.
 


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Other title(s) for this story: Day trip to Birmingham