Travel day

Time to travel up to Birmingham. Meant an early start, with a taxi down to the Coach Station (if that is what you can call the unsuitable set up in Sophia Gardens).  The reason is that at present there is no central Bus and Coach Station - a new one adjacent to Cardiff Central Railway Station is scheduled to open in 2023.  The choice of coach was due to there being another rail strike (this time by drivers).

The only benefit of travelling by coach is not having to lug your bags on and off when changing trains.  Plus most people are quiet on a coach - there is not the incessant babble that pervades train coaches (unless one is in the Quiet coach).  In fact today most people fell asleep.  With only one stop in Newport, it took 2 and half hours to reach Birmingham Coach Station (a proper one with waiting area, ticket office, facilities and some shops).

The Coach Station in Brum is a short walk from New Street Railway station - but today there are no West Midlands Trains. Fortunately the express bus goes from a stop approx 2 mins walk away (would be a closer one, but the whole area is being dug up for the Metro Tram extension).  The X1 bus runs every 20 mins, with less stops, going via the Airport and Birmingham International Train station.  Fortunately the bus stops outside the hotel.  With my accreditation, I get free travel on buses, trains and tram throughout the West Midlands.

The hotel is a bit faded, but clean.  Rooms are large, but with the typical dark wood trimmings one came to expect of mid 1990s builds.  Could definitely do with a refurb but will be OK for the next 8 nights.  The real benefit is that it is a 5 min walk to Birmingham International station, from where there is direct access to the NEC.  For the Games this route is restricted to workforce only - with its own security screening area.

On the plus side, the hotel has extended breakfast opening times (usually 0630hrs) for the Games and it now starts at 0500hrs - so given I have a few early shifts should mean breakfast will be available.

Tomorrow will be an early start as we will be setting things up and familiarizing ourselves with the layout  etc - plus the lead manager wants to get away early as he has tickets for the Women’s Euro 2022 final England v Germany at Wembley Stadium (KO 1700hrs)…




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