Train Trips

Last weekend saw Anna taking her first ever trip by train. I was very excited!

We had decided to go to Liverpool. Being Capital of Culture, they have spent millions on transforming the city and we were curious to see how it had changed. It actually works out much cheaper for us to get the train and, as they leave Chester very 15 minutes, it would be just as quick too (we only live a 15 minute walk away from Chester station) .

I have a fondness for trains (Not as much as a train spotter, I hasten to add) as it is trains that I have to thank for my relationship with James. Every Saturday, after my shift at the local supermarket (I was at University at the time), I would travel 2 and a half hours to spend the weekend with him.

Most of the time, I actually found train travel really relaxing. It gave me 2 and a half hours where I could do very little except lose myself in a good book. However, that is no longer the case as I was hardly going to have time to read a timetable, let alone a few pages of a book, with Anna accompanying me on a train!!

Anna was oblivious to the fact that we were on a train until we had actually sat down and it had started to move. I think Anna immediately thought trains were much more preferable than cars. For a start, there were lots more people to talk to and watch and it was even better when they all started cooing and 'oohing' at her. Anna was also taken with the 'Clickity Clack' sound of the train as it sped along. She then started to point to all of the other trains out of the window and say 'Choo Choo' every 5 seconds. She had a beaming smile form ear to ear. She also thought it was hysterically funny every time that the announcer (automated voice) announced the next station stop. I have never heard anyone laugh quite so loudly at the name 'Birkenhead Central'.

I was a little worried about the tunnels as, when she was younger, she would always get a little upset when we drove through the Mersey tunnel (on the way to Grandad Flob and Grandma Lynn's house) but, on the train, the tunnels didn't faze her in the slightest and Anna thought it was all part of the adventure. Anna was very disappointed when it was time to get off.

After a long but great day in Liverpool, it was time to head back to the train. Unfortunately, Anna was so tired after seeing so many new sights and sounds, she fell asleep and completely missed the return leg of the journey. She even stayed asleep when the train pulled into the underground station with the train driver being a little too late in pulling on the brakes and making the train literally screech to a halt.

Despite missing the return journey, I think that Anna was rather taken with train travel. In previous playgroup sessions, she has completely ignored the 'Thomas the Tank engine' train set. This week, she took one look at it, smiled and said 'Choo Choo' before laughing and jumping up and down with excitement.