I think we can safely file this one under ‘if it can go wrong it will’ !
I won’t go into the farce surrounding the game as it is pretty obvious what went wrong there. Anyway after that, we went back to the station from the stadium, obviously all very disappointed but we still managed to take it downhill from there.
Boarding the train back to the town centre poor old Afternoon Delight disappeared down the gap between the train and the platform after slipping on the wet step. In terms most recently associated with Wayne Rooney he received a ‘nasty gash’ to his leg with blood pouring out of it all over the floor, but in all honesty he was lucky not to break his leg the way he fell. X-rayed (ok) and all patched up, the two that went to the hospital caught up with us a few hours later and we all carried on our way.
Work commitments meant only one of our travelling companions could stay for the rearranged game, and so for the journey home. We had booked an express train back to Krakow for our flight for about half five in the morning, and had decided to drink through and sleep on there. This may have affected our judgement somewhat as about 10 am we woke and realised that we had got on the six and a half hour slow train instead and eventually got to Krakow one hour after our plane had gone !
We managed to get our thoughts together, quickly got a flight back to Bristol and a cab home from there. We didn’t even get to see the game on tv as we were stuck in the cab so had to listen on the radio. Sounds like that may have been our only bit of luck ;-)
Fair play to you for staying Stewart - made the most of your first trip and definitely did the right thing! I had a look at buying another flight when we were still stood in the ground but paying £200+ for new flight, another night's lodging food and booze and another airport transfer (as well as trying to get another day off when I have only got 2 days left this year) meant I just couldn't face it.
Great story Swerve hope your mate is alright.
Reflections on the trip, great 5 days on the (good) beer, Krakow was class I thought - could be a boozy weekend or one with the other half depending on what you want to get out of it, thought Warsaw was a bit of a hole and everything was a marathon walk from everything else - not conducive to monsoon conditions! And as for Katowice, my word don't ever go there unless you are using the airport or train station to flee it within the hour.
The one thing I will take back with me forever though (besides my still wet trainers, jeans, coat and jumper) was Auschwitz-Berkenau. Spent maybe 4 hours wandering around the camps on Sunday morning/lunchtime in stunned awe. If any place on this earth is closer to hell it will take me some time to be convinced. The most humbling things for me were the possessions - you can see numbers and statistics all day but it isn't until you see room after room full floor to ceiling of suitcases, shoes (including baby shoes), toothbrushes, nailbrushes and so on and then a 40 foot long cabinet of human hair that the scale in any way sinks in. It might have been a trip for the football and the alcohol but Sunday 14 October 2012 will certainly stick in my mind forever.
We stayed in Krakow which was a great City. Briliant all day and night session on Sunday, Concentration camp Monday. Great night in Krakow again Monday night - the bus to and from Warsaw was a longer slog than expected, esp hungover.
Got in a pub in the Old Town in Warsaw and didn't leave, till we had to go up to the ground to get the coach back to Krakow. We were sure it was off, so stayed in the pub watching it unfold on telly, rather than head to the ground, with loads of other england fans, most without tickets.
Coach back to Krakow got in about 5am, got up at 8am - two of us booked a flight for today and the other three went home then. Us two got the train back up to Warsaw - could not believe how un-hostile it was, but they made a racket in the ground.
Reckon there must have been about 600-800 England in there - some non-members who had acquired members tickets, apparently were turned away by the FA on the turnstyle, which seemed harsh and ott, considering the one-off nature. Although when we arrived about 15mins before kick-off there was no FA reps anywhere.
Game - crap!! England support strange. Quietest I have ever known it, with loads sitting down. Think it was because most were shattered and probably annoyed at shelling out all that extra £, plus the poor performance.
Had another great night in Krakow last night - soooo cheap, women amazing, good drink, good weather, great bars. Will return again for sure
Comments
Hope you're enjoying the game and have a safe trip back, will get you a beer or two on Saturday.
I won’t go into the farce surrounding the game as it is pretty obvious what went wrong there. Anyway after that, we went back to the station from the stadium, obviously all very disappointed but we still managed to take it downhill from there.
Boarding the train back to the town centre poor old Afternoon Delight disappeared down the gap between the train and the platform after slipping on the wet step. In terms most recently associated with Wayne Rooney he received a ‘nasty gash’ to his leg with blood pouring out of it all over the floor, but in all honesty he was lucky not to break his leg the way he fell. X-rayed (ok) and all patched up, the two that went to the hospital caught up with us a few hours later and we all carried on our way.
Work commitments meant only one of our travelling companions could stay for the rearranged game, and so for the journey home. We had booked an express train back to Krakow for our flight for about half five in the morning, and had decided to drink through and sleep on there. This may have affected our judgement somewhat as about 10 am we woke and realised that we had got on the six and a half hour slow train instead and eventually got to Krakow one hour after our plane had gone !
We managed to get our thoughts together, quickly got a flight back to Bristol and a cab home from there. We didn’t even get to see the game on tv as we were stuck in the cab so had to listen on the radio. Sounds like that may have been our only bit of luck ;-)
If here is anything to go by, seems like there were a fair few Addicks out there.
Great story Swerve hope your mate is alright.
Reflections on the trip, great 5 days on the (good) beer, Krakow was class I thought - could be a boozy weekend or one with the other half depending on what you want to get out of it, thought Warsaw was a bit of a hole and everything was a marathon walk from everything else - not conducive to monsoon conditions! And as for Katowice, my word don't ever go there unless you are using the airport or train station to flee it within the hour.
The one thing I will take back with me forever though (besides my still wet trainers, jeans, coat and jumper) was Auschwitz-Berkenau. Spent maybe 4 hours wandering around the camps on Sunday morning/lunchtime in stunned awe. If any place on this earth is closer to hell it will take me some time to be convinced. The most humbling things for me were the possessions - you can see numbers and statistics all day but it isn't until you see room after room full floor to ceiling of suitcases, shoes (including baby shoes), toothbrushes, nailbrushes and so on and then a 40 foot long cabinet of human hair that the scale in any way sinks in. It might have been a trip for the football and the alcohol but Sunday 14 October 2012 will certainly stick in my mind forever.
We stayed in Krakow which was a great City. Briliant all day and night session on Sunday, Concentration camp Monday. Great night in Krakow again Monday night - the bus to and from Warsaw was a longer slog than expected, esp hungover.
Got in a pub in the Old Town in Warsaw and didn't leave, till we had to go up to the ground to get the coach back to Krakow. We were sure it was off, so stayed in the pub watching it unfold on telly, rather than head to the ground, with loads of other england fans, most without tickets.
Coach back to Krakow got in about 5am, got up at 8am - two of us booked a flight for today and the other three went home then. Us two got the train back up to Warsaw - could not believe how un-hostile it was, but they made a racket in the ground.
Reckon there must have been about 600-800 England in there - some non-members who had acquired members tickets, apparently were turned away by the FA on the turnstyle, which seemed harsh and ott, considering the one-off nature. Although when we arrived about 15mins before kick-off there was no FA reps anywhere.
Game - crap!! England support strange. Quietest I have ever known it, with loads sitting down. Think it was because most were shattered and probably annoyed at shelling out all that extra £, plus the poor performance.
Had another great night in Krakow last night - soooo cheap, women amazing, good drink, good weather, great bars. Will return again for sure