London Day Seven - Leaving London by Train to Stoke-On-Trent

I was just so nervous about this whole train thing. I don't know why, but I had this whole fear of missing the train. Well...it turned out much simpler than I though. You don't need to arrive early, you have no x-ray security.....which is a little scarey really.....all you have to do is just show up before your train leaves.

So here's the inside of London Euston Station. Notice all the boards with all the locations of each train.

The 8:10 to Manchester is what I was taking...... You have to listen carefully because they call out a track and you better be ready to board because the train will leave without you......So no showing up 7 minutes late or you'll be left standing on the dock!

This was the train opposite mine, but looks the same. I was on Virgin Trains, quite nice and very quiet, well except for the group of college guys at the back of the train.
Two and a half hours later and you are in Stoke On Trent. Stoke is very famous for it's pottery making. If you own any Johnson Brothers stoneware, it's most likely come from Stoke and Gills Mum has most likely been the one who checked it for quality. She worked at the factory for years. The country side here is far different from London. Very beautiful rolling hills and picturesque. It's quite lovely really.

Gill and John (her husband) were there waiting for me just as I got off the train. Then Gill wisked me away to take me to breakfast. So here we have driven up to a window to buy some Oat cakes for breakfast. It literally is a hole in the wall with the people selling oatcakes out their window. They say that the recipe is a very guarded secret recipe that has been handed down for generation......

I do recommend you visit the website and order. They do sell internationally. I dont know just how to describe the oat cakes except that they are like a pan cake but made from different types of oats. Mine had bacon and cheese inside and it was quite delicious.
A dozen oat cakes will set you back around 1.50 pounds. So around $3 from the states plus shipping. People come here and buy them by the dozens. I doubt that many of them make it home since they are so tasty you tend to eat them in the car.

Since leaving London, I have not seen a cab - just so you know.

We then went back to Gills house to set my things down.

About thirty miles away in a village of Walgherton is a place called Dagfields which is known for its quaint little antique shops full of English china and craft shops. I bought quite a lot of china tea cups.....(ssshhhhh don't tell Dana)

After that it was back home for a party of all of Gill and John's family. It was a very nice time and it's always great to meet new people. Tomorrow it's a tour of a Castle in Bolsover.