Northern route

Frogbus made a timetable change which was not compatible with our next flight out of Gerona. Both of us were flying from there to Birmingham International with Ryanair. Our good friend François very kindly drove us all the way to the airport in his taxi without charge! After two days of almost non-stop rain in the south of France, the weather cleared before we left home, giving us fantastic weather for flying. The views over the Pyrenees, and then later over the Atlantic coast, were superb. We got to Birmingham International with time to lunch before getting our train to London Euston. Unfortunately we got on the wrong London train (a Virgin train, which was scheduled 9 minutes before our booked Midland train) and had to get off at Coventry and wait for the train we'd actually booked on to arrive. Oh, for the days of British Rail – when there was only one company it was impossible to be on the “wrong” train going to the same destination. The platform announcer at Coventry has the most irritating voice imaginable – think of the rise-and-fall associated with the reading of football results, then magnify it! - so it was a great relief when the train arrived and we could escape her!

Transport: taxi, Ryanair flight, Midland train, 168 bus

Door-to-door: 8 hours

Cost: £66.12