So this is, the final weekend before Christmas and with = the final Sunday off to do things, it will be the chance to get to finding what I need. I’m overdue for and vlog and Elsevier and also to sort out the Christmas present and with some time on my hand it was time to finally sort out a bit of travelling. Hopefully, the vlog will be sorted before Christmas itself.
The Plan
So this was an idea to get last-minute bits in exchange for Christmas since I find a lot more bargains there compared to having it in Plymouth, Plus with Ikea, there would be a wonderful way of little Nini bits but even with the weather. Since it was predicted another windy storm was on the way, I had to follow through to get this in. But it was then to pan out how we do this and it was another Sunday to make sure I was ready, I’ve not shaved and properly went out for a day in months. Well Not since November and that was Plymouth.
The night before was just a regular visit to a customer to sort out which was a nice more intriguing affair of what to type up, But that work is what we have to deal with in the new year. But when I got back to the shop it was more boxes to get and with a cover missing it was going to be a wet ride for sure to happen. But I got home at about 8:45 pm in the soaking rain. With a nice chicken curry to boot.
The chicken tikka masala with ricer, crunchy nut and alloli plus chilli jam too
Then after transferring from my phone to my laptop since that was getting full-on storage, it crashed about 1 which is earlier compared to others but it was good from a new person I’ve been talking to the past few weeks is nice and has a supersized goal. There is a bond and it has not been expensive since like an old crush and person I was having something online with back in the start of 2022 which even when I check FB, turns out she's engaged but she's not said much since which is maybe a good sign. Like ok, it's not like this girl from another site that gained 400lbs since 2020 to the point she got a stroke but also then again some that side it's hard to find the truth out.
But I then set an alarm up for 8:30 to make sure I was ready and going.
The Morning Rush
So I woke up and climaxed like usual, and I got up at about 9:20. Then it was time to get the kettle boiled before the shave and teeth since not sharing for a couple of weeks does make my self-esteem feel a bit shattered. But that was then done once it came to it. I managed to get it done minus it was a bit misty to see. In the end, it was coming to the point that I was then to get changed and it was a fun moment which I left at just before 10 am.
The selfie before the vlog starts
As I left it was the first part to get breakfast the fridge near Asda had some cinnamon buns and also a bag of cookies, so I took both of them and that was going to be the breakfast to have on the train, that sort of thing works out well for this and makes t easier in case I do get cravings, this week weight will be higher for the obvious reasons but sometimes it’s a nice breakfast.
The cinn amon bun and the Cookies for breakfast
I then ran to the station and got on the train to find one table seat free, this was going to be nice, though Sunday IS not always a packed day anyway. But I then started some admin work for most of that trip which was overdue for a long time, especially from black Friday sales pieces.
The station under the sunrise
The Journey
So this was about 1 minute early and then it was off, which was the £9.35 spending to get to Newcourt. Well planned to from what was soon to happen, but I got off and then it was time to focus on the spreadsheets, plus a couple of emails to sort out. But time passed and it was eventually the way to wit for it to get to Plymouth, there was no stopping it from finding a station before to then get the train since the timing apps were showing delays which things might get taught I explained to myself. I did devour the bag of the 4 cookies which were tempting too.
The muddy window view of calstock
Then it was to get to Plymouth which a few were getting off opposite me with luggage or bag at the top. But for me, it was then waiting for the train, which was not as bad of a wait as I was expecting but the timings were going to be a bit of a plan-changing thing for sure. I got off and then managed to get to the toilet for the 20-minute break before the next train, which itself was fine.
The sky over the station
I was also then passing into WHSmith and checking drinks since I forgot to bring some with me, but the chap said the reduced Pepsi Electric is like lemon water which is ok but does taste like proper Switch seems like a good side, I was meh and skipped it since I’m not a fan of coke and Pepsi at all. So I walked back under the subway to get to Platform 5 or 7 for the train to London was its proper destination, which for me was Exeter. Eventually, it arrived and I got on, it was not intense busy but still is amazingly enough. I managed to grab a table seat on the right which meant a Sea view for later on. That was an impressive feat.
By 11:14 it was off and I was on my way, when getting past preemption, the surface had a blonde moment and I locked myself out of it, like not seeing my face and not accepting the pin, but good I turned off the Windows Hello ONLY feature since I'm not repeating that mistake happening on my laptop due to the keyboard playing up, which even that got fixed last week from a china aliexpress import with Everi. The Rest continued and it was nice to finally get this stuff sorted which I forgot to do up the road but it was then passing the skies and the bottom of the moors and the sky was turning blue when I was texting Mum. Eventually, it passed Totnes and the sky was feeling like an autumn on the 2nd day of winter. Especially when getting to Dawlish Warren.
Newton Abbott
The views of the sea
The feel of a winter sun over Dawlish Warren
The signal near the marsh
When it came to it, it was soon passing straight through to Exeter which was the goal, I was checking the app and hoping there was a delay to the Exmouth train. Which was looking tight since getting there at 12:18 was 2 minutes late so the plan to ikea was going to be that delay. Without checking the bus times first, I rushed my way to the bus stop I remember seeing the I and J bus which goes to ikea. It is 20 minutes to the city centre but for me, that was 9 minutes just about, like it took me over 5 minutes to run from St Davids to Central.
The Darker pic on the way up
The globe as I got to Exeter Central
Killing Time,
So getting to the bus stop, it was every hour it goes from the centre to Ikea, which is a half-hour route compared to 5 minutes from central to Newcourt. But the lights were pretty so it wass time to explore. I made my way to Princesshay on the opposite side and then looked at some of the stalls to carry on past, even passing some of the crevices with the back pathways, even with wargames and yo sushi very nearby. They eventually led to the Cathedral and it was empty, like ruined grass, windy and felt like an abandoned party of the city, the Christmas markets were gone and some left to move further up.
The Bus stop
The view of the main street from the bus stop
The little pods in princesshay
The empty part of the Cathedral
The more of the empty part
Seagulls looking blank
Then I checked apps and realised the next train was supposed to be 1 pm, but myself for not tapping that train would be the downfall since it was soon to turn out to NOT go where I wanted to. But that’s hindsight and I walked/ran my way to Central. That was passing the Guildhall which glowed up lovely.
The food stalls in the guildhall
But then I got to Exeter Central and was in the waiting room typing some of this out, it was realised that the train was NOT going to stop at Newcourt, which instead Topsham was the first top like that will be a pain in the next since then I would have to double back on itself, With realising it was soon to be too late to go to the Bus stop, even though I made it there in case it was late since the Stagecoach app did not see it. I must have missed it.
The view from the footbridge
So for me, it was exploring the City to get the presents.
Present shopping
So this chapter was to be about how I can finally get some overdue presents and things, the wind was quite strong but the first stop was John Lewis and for the first time, I went to the higher floors more than G and LG. Sure some Asus vivobook Goes and also £69 for Google TV streamers is NOT bad at all even for damaged packaging parts. On it, I was told about Candles and Homeware so it was to get up and go to the 3rd floor which had Home Décor, which for thay were hardly very many candles and scents. But I noticed 3, Love and Sage and Something else, which the Love one smelt like dog poo, I will not lie, or those plants I still remember when on my travels up to Akeley for the Silverstone Expo with a Supplier 5 years ago.
But in the end, I saw a £10 DIFFUSER which was quite smelly nice so went for that one. Then I made my way down each floor, looking at cookware and the Shark Ninja influence plus this cute girl was singing, with curly hair and a nice shape to her too. But it was not a point to flirt, especially as shes just performing in there. I made my way to the G floor which had more diffusers and scents but were double in price. But then I made my exit and it was time to walk out further.
The view from the floor in john lewis
As I walked up further, I saw a homeless couple and gave them the benefit of the 2 cinnamon buns since I was still semi-full from the cookies that 3 hours ago. So it was not really for me to go for, which was right. But then carried on and I turned right at the next crossroads which headed to the new Bus station which was a nice view, like the winter sort of sun and also was not too far away from the centre than I thought since in that area was only me passing with say going to London on the coach which I saw a coach turn left to stop instead of going to the station.
The Bus station
Then I wondered my way back, passing a chap parked illegally and being booked then realising a present idea which in itself was no point since Tavi had the same store when I realised but it was nice to go on Google Maps to suggest the directions to get to leftfield. Even with passing reindeer.
The wreaths #throughglass
A Closer look at them
The back ways of Princesshay
The Reindeer and the offices
So then it was walking back to princess-hay and then choosing my options,s especially as I wondered back to the Cathedral a second time, it was then time to go to the quay to see if the gift shops there had things and I was going to be on the luck. So I made my way there. Running in backroads and passing the behind the cathedral, to then the little subway near the curved block of flats to then get the steps down to the quay.
The trees in princesshay
The cathedral
The entrance to the quay
Then I got there, Which I was slowly growing, the cloud was just about to hold out and since some of them get gussy, no glass out for this part. I wondered in the gift shop and bowered and then saw a cute pug mug for £14 for my sister, so that was going to be added in, which the lady also commented when I was looking at the hand puppets since mum wants to use more of them with her grandson. But that was purchased and then it was able to carry on to the next step of shops.
The View of the quay
The £13 for the pug in a mug
Then it was another shop but this dog was staring at a door and turns out he/she was very much a rat hunter and the quay would be full of them, it was like frozen and staring at the door since they could sniff a rat, but I walked on by into the next shop which had some small buts but nothing of a nice note. Eventually, it was getting to check out some nice candles which I looked at, this was nice since it was something with a nice bit of strong smells and festive vibes. I decided to get two of them, and which one was I going to purchase was the plan. One ended up being pumpkin spice and the other was the part of something else, As I was about to leave I was getting to find a puppet for a hand sock puppet, which was adorable to look at, But I said to myself I would have bot idea on which one to get so it didn’t bother. That was £10 for both candles.
The Candles for £10
The views from the quay
The quay looks a bit more golden
You can see the clouds above the key
Then it started to rain a bit more and time to run back a different way to get back to the city. Instead of the streets, I went back, io turned left instead and followed the road to then turn to another road to then pass a street. Which then led back up another and it was near the cathedral but it was also the point where I passed a nice little area which went in an alleyway tucked into this vintage place and posh café called Sacred Ground.
The entrance to the alleyway
Looking back in the alleyway
As I explored here, I noticed this Hawaiian shirt which l; looked nice and had a bit of an island look with the ocean blue, the mini plum tree and the golden sun, it was a '90s vintage classic and it was £18 so maybe a bit steep I passed for now but knowing I would come back and get this when I have money to spare is an idea for 2025.
Then it was the walk back to the main street which was pretty much going straight across and then it was my final step of first to a place called Bargain Buys which turned out to be Poundstretcher. This had some amazing sauces for like £0.99 when looking as well as a nice Umbro gift set for like £1.99 which means a couple of sauces and a first set than the last thing I picked out was a demystifier pad for Dad’s car which helps clean it when the weather gets cold and misty which that part has technically passed and now into the frozen morning weather in the coming weeks knowing my luck. But then it was time to walk me around one more time for ideas,
£10 for the bundle from £0,.99 each for sauces, £1.99 for umboro gift set and £5
Then it was to go to Poundland for any other ideas since Costa was out of gift cards of all things. There was the same homeless couple I gave the cinnamon buns to from earlier and they wished me a good Christmas. But I got in there and some ideas to see what to get for a train snack home. But I didn’t see anything that was not too just right, more just to tide me over until I got home. While looking, I saw an anieva set for £6.50 so I grabbed one. Then I was on my way to pay and looked at the juice burst which was nice for £0. 75, that was added and then it was time to get to the part about going home. But that was not bad for £7.25 total. That was easy when checking out too.
The Till
The £7.25 bundle
Then it was the case of getting to the oriental shop underneath the car park since that was one of the best bargains and it was the final hour or so. There were some good bargains in there but it was in the end the nice choice to finally get some more seaweed snacks. Especially at £0.35 each. So 2 of those were grabbed before my walk back to the cathedral to then decide to get the train back and plan out the way home.
The narrow path
The seaweed for £0.35 each
The Train home
So it was getting to the stage of nearly 4pm and I checked the train app and to be fair it was getting to the point of a scary rush, since the issue was the main train back was apparently delayed and that was the panic, But it turns out the train at 4:19 or so was from Paddington which turned up to be coming in about 4:30 which might push the time delayed to longer to get back or even more to push back on. But i decided to pelt it back to then get to st davids to rush the train back for the 4pm train which cross-country was running around that that time. So My run begins.
The street as the lights come in
The selfie
More of the lights in princesshay
The decor on the guildhall
Which then it was actually very quick to run from the city to St Davids, around the corn and the down the hill which I was there like literally when the Cross country train left the platform. So that was a miss, then it was like ******* i'll have to wait here for half an hour.
The globe #throughglass
But then it was noticing the timetable of another train coming to go to plymouth around the same time, turns out if it was a train from cardiff, which it was finally time to wait those times and also getting on at the furthest platform to get a topile,t which i got a whatsapp to reply and also chasing a seagull. Which the toilets were not too ad but much better than going on the train.
The platforms at St Davids
But then it was nearing the time of 16:17 and the train was starting arrive in, the IET was closing in and the platform was getting busy to prepare to board. Then again the journey was not going to be as hectic as i expected it to be feel;inmg later on. But by 16:21, i was on the train and safely on my way back to the ocean city. The journey was calm, albeit stopping at mostly all of the stops minmus the tiny ones like mareh barton and starcross but it was getting empty on that coach by the time we got to newton Abbott. Then i changed seats from the airline seat to the table, then it was smooth sailing of typing to deal with until getting close to plymouth. So it was time to prepare as i taken the time to get off and then have that quite respite before changing trains to get home. Which a few got off at plym to be fair.
The train windows #throughglass
AS i got off it was semi chaos as even the train from Paddington arrived in very shortly after which means both trains met its match and had to choose which one as to go with first, which it certainly was not the train home, though there was a chance that was going to get held up from this as well. But I got off and it was weird being in the station at this dark.
Plymouth station in the dark
Then it was the case of a short wait which it was then 5:35 and i got on the train since it was like 10 minutes left to go until it was supposed to leave, but with the other 2 trains, it didn't and so it was then waiting for both to leave before we did. By that time it was actually 17:50 we left instead of the 17:44 normal departure time. Which then it was a quite way home with no ticket checking and the pitch black night before us. Eventually it was passed 6:30 and i was off the train and with the rain soaked it was the usual, but i got my way up the hill and check the fridge which starts right where the vlog just about begin and there we are.
The salad
The salad and the noodles
The selfie at the end of the day
I got back and then it was time to enjoy, a nice roast whichg as that coriander seasoning too.,
The leftover roast with crisps, sausages as well as peri peri sauce
Then it was a dominoes to get for someone from the past, which learns how it goes of the future of where things might go which even that changes from this. But it might be the same on the new year.
The dominoes deal
Hope you enjoy christmas with it and then see how the end of the year plays out
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