Promised my cousin Sharon I would arrive there early in the morning...before 9 AM. We had to be ready to go visit her brother, Blusie, who is in Birmingham hospital seriously ill; and, the car journey should take, at least, 4 hours long.
Woke up 'late' at around 7:30 AM (wanting to go back to sleep)...did an online search to find out when the next train leaves from West Norwood going to Kingswood.
https://www.thetrainline.com
Left home to take the 7:58 AM train from West Norwood to Norwood Junction; waited at Norwood Junction for the 8:32 AM train to arrive to take me to Purley; when I arrived at Purley...the next train was already there...I simply crossed over the platform...and, took the back of the train going to Tattenham Corner. Before the end stop...I got off at Kingswood. I walked up to Sharon's house...only to discover nobody was in when I, repeatedly, knocked on the door/rang the bell. The time was now 9:15 AM; and, I was supposed to arrive there before 9 AM; thus, I was sure everybody had already left.
Anyway, I waited around for 1/2 an hour...before deciding to walk back to Kingswood railway station. The London Bridge train was due to arrive in around 25 minutes or so...; after waiting on the platform with 16 minutes left for the train back home to arrive...I saw Sharon's car...and, she told me to get it. Luckily, I had left a note...inside the margins of the newspaper stating that I did visit; and, when she saw the note...after having returned home...she came to the railway station to get me.
At Sharon's home I had something to eat(roll with 3 sausages)/drink(tea); then, all three of us, piled together into the car...Sharon/Geoff/Me...going off to Birmingham...with Geoff driving. The drive was really long...going through motorway lanes...and, also, really fast...60 m.p.h. I think, the full journey there was 125 miles...and, during the last 25 miles the car broke down(clutch problmes)...we came to rest at a stop along the motorway. Geoff phoned for the Nat West travel insurance people to come and fix it. We also went and had some refreshments: Starbucks/KFC/-etc.
Eventually, he decided to make a phone call to another cousin...Krish, Anne's husband...to come and collect us...who was already at the hospital. After waiting around 1 hour long...the cousin arrived; and, we all went in his car back to the hospital.
At the hospital we saw the two other sisters, June/Anne; as well as, Neville, Krish. We went upstairs to the ward where we saw Blusie...he was on a Dialysis machine...he did not look well at all...with one leg around amputated/and, also, amputated toes/-etc. However, he did manage to loose a lot of weight...not that this made him small...bearing in mind he is a really big build man to begin with.
The fact is, I didn't grow up with Blusie...therefore, I don't feel totally close to him at all; so, frankly, I found talking to him to be really difficult...almost like talking to a stranger. I don't think that either of us did totally enjoy having whatever short conversation we did have. Will I go see him, again; yes, I'd like to...maybe, if I see him more; then, we can connect more; also, I feel he is family...so, I really must try harder/and, not just simply walk away.
If it was certainly an adventure going there...with the car breaking down; and, needing to be rescued. Then, returning from Birmingham back to Kingswood was even far worse. Basically, we encountered a Pakistani cab driver...who was supposed to take us back to where the car was...on the M40 motorway...in between junctions 12 to 13. Well, the guy seemed to miss the M40 altogether...and, took us down the M42...; then, he returned back...onto the M40...then, missed the junction turning.../and, in fact, did the same thing twice. He tried to get directions his Taxi headquarters...reporting to them that his car is 319; but, somehow, that didn't seem to help. In the end, Geoff had to direct him as to what to do. Considering we are on the motorway...which allows cars to speed up really fast...60/70/80 m.p.h...it was a really scary drive, especially, during late winter evening, and, at night.
When we arrived at the Motorway junction stopover. Geoff phoned the rescue people to come; they said they would be along in, maybe, an hour. So we went and got some refreshments to eat...; assuming the rescue people would phone us when they came. Eventually, the rescue truck did turn up; and, they towed the car onto the back of their truck; whilst we all crammed inside of the lorry front. We then had a long motorway drive to Beaconsfield; where, again, we stopped to have some further refreshments...and, then, got into another lorry...experiencing another long motorway drive...this time to Kingwoods doorstep. The last two drivers were really professional...who, most definitely, knew exactly what they were doing...and, where they were going to...so, there was nothing to feel 'scared' about at all; they were also really friendly drivers, too.
I can't actually remember the exact time we arrived back at Kingswood; but, let's just say the journey from Kingswood started at 10 AM...and, finished back at Kingswood...at around 10 PM; so, in all we had a very lengthy day!
I stayed overnight at Kingswood; with the intention of returning back home to West Norwood tomorrow, Sunday.
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