Rhys Benjamin: Round Four Write-Up
As the envelopes opened, we had to shout to one another! It would have been better for Tangy to give one each to us. We were thinking of getting out at Clapham North, taking the overground to Kensington (Olympia) and doing that first, but we saw Oval on the list and thought we'd better do that one as well as Bermondsey. Kevin and Peter became a rolling road block at London Bridge meaning RJ could get there a long time before me. We went on to Bermondsey, where I think Myles and Andrew bailed out. Andi, Tangy, and us went on to Canada Water and took the overground (and yes, RJ was ecstatic!) We got out at Whitechapel and then the disadvantage of the "sexy change" hit us. We could only travel one stop on this District line train, meaning we did not have enough time to get to the correct door position, leading to us getting lost on the Aldgate East - Aldgate run, although we were greeted by a friendly station member of staff when RJ expressed his displeasure at "3 MINUTES?!"
On to Moorgate, meeting Andi (who looked like he'd just stepped out of a sauna) and Tangy at Liverpool Street. At Moorgate we had to all do a swap to the Northern line.
Three... Two... One... GO!
"Away they go, and RB is in the lead as they go down the stairs! Now Andi is coming up alongside as they go into the right-hander, and Andi is in the lead! Andi first, RB second, and Tangy is up to third position ahead of RJ, and challenging RB as they go down the straight, into the right-hander. Tangy is up to second! RJ now trying down the straight before the escalator to get past RB, and... HE CAN! Andi leads going down the escalator, Tangy is second, RJ is third, and RB is fourth. As they go past the bemused pan, leading into the right-hander, Andi's through, Tangy just brushes against the wall, RJ's through, and RB's through as well. Onto the platform, over the line, and ANDI WINS! Tangy is second, RJ is third, and RB is fourth!"
On to a packed Northern line where we all bailed out at King's Cross (where the race wasn't as exciting) onto the Piccadilly line. We all bailed out at Finsbury (which Andi won, RJ second, RB third, Tangy fourth) even though we all clattered into a crowd, and I had to weasel our way out of it. Politician skills coming in handy.
Team Rhys then bailed out at Highbury & Islington, as we thought we could "cut corners" onto Chalk Farm. However, we had to wait seven minutes at Highbury and Islington, costing us dearly. We got out at Camden Road, ran to Camden Town, had a sexy double-back at Chalk Farm, and we got out and ran at Euston to Euston Square, where we had just missed a train (and I'm still convinced it's my fault!), which enabled me to go into the Virgin Media WiFi and check to see whether the efforts of anyone else would be curtailed. No, they weren't: aside from the engineering works, a good service.
We ran from Great Portland Street to Regent's Park. We went down the stairs and had to wait for six minutes for a train to Kensal Green. We double-backed to Edgware Road (Bak), ran to the other Edgware Road (Cir/Dis/H&C), took the District (with lovely new C Stock floor) to Notting Hill Gate, took the Central to White City, ran to Wood Lane, took the Hammersmith and City line sexily to Hammersmith, ran to the other Hammersmith and just missed a train. We consulted the timetables on the tablet, and we realised that we would have to run like hell to catch the 1544 from Earl's Court to Kensington (Olympia). We missed it.
We consulted what to do next. The options were: wait 20 minutes at Earl's Court; go to West Kensington, run to Kensington (Olympia), come back down; run to Kensington (Olympia) from Earl's Court; go to West Brompton, get the overground to Kensington (Olympia) and depart from Kensington (Olympia) on the District. Not surprisingly, we chose option D.
At Kensington (Olympia) I clattered into a lady (sorry!) but we made the train. We stepped out at Earl's Court to give us the time of 3 hours, 28 minutes, and 15 seconds, which, interestingly, is the same length as the Eurovision Song Contest 2011.
Written by Rhys Benjamin
On to Moorgate, meeting Andi (who looked like he'd just stepped out of a sauna) and Tangy at Liverpool Street. At Moorgate we had to all do a swap to the Northern line.
Three... Two... One... GO!
"Away they go, and RB is in the lead as they go down the stairs! Now Andi is coming up alongside as they go into the right-hander, and Andi is in the lead! Andi first, RB second, and Tangy is up to third position ahead of RJ, and challenging RB as they go down the straight, into the right-hander. Tangy is up to second! RJ now trying down the straight before the escalator to get past RB, and... HE CAN! Andi leads going down the escalator, Tangy is second, RJ is third, and RB is fourth. As they go past the bemused pan, leading into the right-hander, Andi's through, Tangy just brushes against the wall, RJ's through, and RB's through as well. Onto the platform, over the line, and ANDI WINS! Tangy is second, RJ is third, and RB is fourth!"
On to a packed Northern line where we all bailed out at King's Cross (where the race wasn't as exciting) onto the Piccadilly line. We all bailed out at Finsbury (which Andi won, RJ second, RB third, Tangy fourth) even though we all clattered into a crowd, and I had to weasel our way out of it. Politician skills coming in handy.
Team Rhys then bailed out at Highbury & Islington, as we thought we could "cut corners" onto Chalk Farm. However, we had to wait seven minutes at Highbury and Islington, costing us dearly. We got out at Camden Road, ran to Camden Town, had a sexy double-back at Chalk Farm, and we got out and ran at Euston to Euston Square, where we had just missed a train (and I'm still convinced it's my fault!), which enabled me to go into the Virgin Media WiFi and check to see whether the efforts of anyone else would be curtailed. No, they weren't: aside from the engineering works, a good service.
We ran from Great Portland Street to Regent's Park. We went down the stairs and had to wait for six minutes for a train to Kensal Green. We double-backed to Edgware Road (Bak), ran to the other Edgware Road (Cir/Dis/H&C), took the District (with lovely new C Stock floor) to Notting Hill Gate, took the Central to White City, ran to Wood Lane, took the Hammersmith and City line sexily to Hammersmith, ran to the other Hammersmith and just missed a train. We consulted the timetables on the tablet, and we realised that we would have to run like hell to catch the 1544 from Earl's Court to Kensington (Olympia). We missed it.
We consulted what to do next. The options were: wait 20 minutes at Earl's Court; go to West Kensington, run to Kensington (Olympia), come back down; run to Kensington (Olympia) from Earl's Court; go to West Brompton, get the overground to Kensington (Olympia) and depart from Kensington (Olympia) on the District. Not surprisingly, we chose option D.
At Kensington (Olympia) I clattered into a lady (sorry!) but we made the train. We stepped out at Earl's Court to give us the time of 3 hours, 28 minutes, and 15 seconds, which, interestingly, is the same length as the Eurovision Song Contest 2011.
Written by Rhys Benjamin