2024 POSTCARD FROM THE ISLE OF WIGHT Wednesday 29 May – Sunday 2 June

I took a train from Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour on Wednesday morning and then joined some of my fellow travellers with Rail Discoveries in Wightlink to wait for our ferry to Ryde. We eventually got on a ferry at 3.15 and travelled over to the Isle – once in Ryde we transferred to a train that took us to Sandown, and then a bus to our hotel. At least this time I had a room bigger than a cupboard and I had a sea view! Had a good dinner first night and then early to bed with a large glass of wine. On Thursday morning we left the hotel at 9.15 and went to visit the little church of St Mildred’s – very close to Osborne House. A really fascinating church. From there we were driven on to Osborne House. I visited the House, then the beach and then the Swiss House before being caught in an horrendous rain storm. Sadly there were a lot of children around [for what appeared to be a half-term event in the Gardens] which rather spoilt the visit to the House. The rain storm finished me off! We were given five hours there, but I was exhausted and wet after three hours so went back to the bus very early to dry off and recover myself. Dinner that evening was OK but had two tricky people at my table who I found quite difficult to converse with. On Friday our first stop was the Needles, so we were taken to a rather poor Visitors Centre to get a photo of the Needles. The Centre was full of kids thanks to Half Term. At least the sun was shining so got some good photos but it was all rather unimpressive! From there we moved on to Yarmouth for a walk around – not a lot to see there. And then on to Carisbrooke Castle which I last visited in 1953. Spent about an hour walking around the Castle and its Walls but again there were too many screaming kids, so I soon returned to the bus to get away from the noise. Our last stop was Godshill – thankfully no kids but not an easy place to walk around with fast cars whizzing through. Managed to get up God’s hill to visit the church which was well worth the visit. Saturday morning was not the best – trying to get on and off steam trains and local trains, and nothing much to see wherever you went. Thankfully the sun was out so could spend the afternoon taking a wander around Sandown. Sunday was on to an early coach to Shanklin Station and from there to Ryde for a catamaran across to Portsmouth Harbour. My train to London was cancelled but by luck I managed to hop on to a connecting train to Fratton where I transferred on to a train to Waterloo which got me to London fairly promptly. Took a 211 bus across London to get me home soon after 2pm. Glad to be back home again!