Leaving Gant - A terrible, horrible, no good, very bad morning.

Last Night in Belgium

Beth said to Rob many times that she was anxious about going finally getting to the UK. "I don't know why... Maybe it's just that I've been waiting twelve years for this... I'm not sure what it is, but something doesn't feel right."

On the morning they were to leave everything started well. They were up early before the alarm and out the door right on time. The cold night froze the snowy slush so pulling luggage to the tram was easier than anticipated, and there were few people on tram (compared to the packed chaos the day before with student traffic). Things were going so smoothly they arrived more than an hour before their 9:45 departure.

"There's plenty of time so let's walk across the street for a coffee."

"Oh no! We forgot the Rijsttaart at the apartment!" (Note: Rijsttaart is a delicious Belgium delicacy. Beth describes it as 'rice pudding pie' and is one of her favourites. They have only ever found in Belgium and bought some the night before as a treat for the train.) "Oh well. If that's the worst that happens to us today, that's OK."

At 9:15 when their coffee was finished they looked at their tickets to check the boarding gate as the cafe had a TV monitor posting up-to-date train information for waiting passengers.

Coffee WAS relaxing...

"I can't figure out the ticket. I can only find the time the Eurostar leaves Brussels not when this train leaves Gant."

"Its OK. She wrote down the information." Rob murmured as he studied the ticket and accompanying printed material. "Shit. Our train's at 9:24." he called out as he ran towards the bar to pay the bill as Beth scrambled to grab their belongings they had spread out on the table.

"Did you pay for the coffee?" she asked as they headed for the door.

"I threw 10 € at them. " he called out as they ran across the cobbled street clutching at their belongings 

and up the stairs to track 9.

"No problem. We still have four minutes." Rob jested while wiping the sweat off his brow.

As they examined the tickets to determine which car to board Beth wondered out loud, "Why are there only two tickets?" They examined the ticket but could still only see the Eurostar segment from Brussels to London, not the part for Gant to Brussels.

Training in Belgium

"She only gave us tickets for the second part of the journey." they recognized too late as they glanced at the approaching train and in vain frantically began to look around for a ticket machine.

"Can we buy tickets on board?" Beth asked a passenger as they walked with the crowd toward the open train doors.

"Yes. But it may cost more. Let the conductor know as soon as you board."

"23 Euros. Not bad." said Rob as he settled down in the seat beside Beth with the newly purchased tickets.

"Well, this is the first time I ever got an ocular migraine brought on so directly by stress." Beth replied as blind spots formed in her vision. "I hope the rest of the trip is smoother."

At the Brussels station, where they were to catch the transfer, they turned into the Eurostar area to board the train that would take them through the Chunnel to London.

"It looks more like an airport." Beth observed as she looked around at the notices, security lineups and custom's booths.

They pulled out of the lineup to search in their luggage for their money belts continuing their passports. "Odd." thought Beth noting this is the first time they were in transit without both of them wearing their money belts.

They went through separate custom's lines and after Beth breezed through as the officer only gave her passport a cursory glance before stamping it, she waited on the other side for Rob. After several minutes she walked back to him.

"Is something wrong?"

"He's checking my stamps and dates. Evidently we are only allowed in Europe for three months." Rob said somewhat tersely.

Beth suddenly was overcome with a wave of anxiety and that, in addition to the man's heavy Belgium

 accent, muddled her ability to correctly piece together what the officer was telling Rob. Over the next few minutes she caught a few statements that only increased her level of stress.

"Only are only allowed to stay three months in a six month period..."

"If the customs officer is doing her job (tilting his head toward the UK customs stand) she will not let you in and you will send you immediately back to Canada."

" You will not be able to come back for five years..."

He continued to let Rob know how displeased he was at Rob's fragrant ignorance of the law as he typed information into the computer while consulting Rob's passport.

In shock, Beth looked anxiously across at the officer who waved her through wondering if he was going to realize his oversight and pull Beth aside as well. His response to her unspoken plea was to slightly shrug his shoulders and give, what she interpreted, as an apologetic smile for his colleague.

After about ten minutes from when Rob entered Belgium customs, the agent handed back Rob's passport and waved him through with a grunt. They moved slowly to the next counter to fill in an entry card before going to UK customs.

London Calling..

As they filled in the forms they spoke in hushed whispers about what had just transpired and wondered what was ahead of them. They left the part blank that asked for their U.K. contact address as they would be moving around for the next six weeks. However, they were able to complete the information on their flight home as they had just made arrangements two nights prior.

"Thank God we have our flight arranged. After what that customs agent said how would we explain why we had no exit plan?" 

As they moved toward the UK customs agent with trepidation, they were not sure what communication, if any, had been made between the two agents.

As she questioned where they were going because of their nervousness Rob and Beth made fools of themselves stumbling over the geography of the area.

"We are making a counterclockwise circle touring through the countries."

"...starting in London."

Looking both ways 

"...then going to Ireland...."

"...onto Scotland, York..."

She glanced down at their forms where it read that their occupation was educators. "You don't teach geography do you?" she asked with a smile.

Her pleasant attitude relaxed Rob and Beth and they were able to more or less intelligently answer the rest of her questions. She stamped their passports and bid them welcome to her country.

King's Cross Station

As they settled in the Eurostar for their trip through the Chunnel, Beth whispered to Rob "Don't say anything yet... I can't talk about it 'til we are safely on UK soil. There still may be another customs check when we get to the other side."

It wasn't until they passed by the agents who only requested to see passenger's train tickets did she begin to relax.

"Hey. This is King's Crossing station, Rob... Platform 9 3/4 is here."

Now it was time to once again focus on travel.