Get on a train in Worcester and get off in Paris.
The prospect of fulfilling my teenage pledge was positively electrifying. In fact, it seemed the most exciting idea anyone had ever had in the history of the world.
I hadn’t really had a proper holiday for some time. I had been completely caught up with my divorce and house purchase, Ben’s relationship troubles and then his move into my spare room. Did I now have the energy to do something like this?
Well, absolutely, I realised. I jolly well did, and more than that I was going to say yes for a change, yes to things that addressed my preferences and needs, not anyone else’s. Wow.
‘And then we can go to Venice. I went there for a weekend years ago but Rupert didn’t like all the walking and he sulked all the time. I’ve always wanted to go back,’ Anna said.
Harriet gasped. ‘Venice? That’s amazing. My godmother emailed me the other day. Next year she is going on a cruise from Venice down the Dalmatian coast with a friend. She wondered if I would like to join them. She is always travelling; she’s been everywhere. We could tie our trip in with meeting them and do that afterwards as a treat to ourselves after a week of roughing it.’
I was feeling more enthusiastic by the minute. After having been speechless for a few moments I finally found my voice again.
‘Golly, yes! That sounds exciting. I’ve never been on a cruise and I’ve always wanted to, but Fred refused. He used to get giddy on an escalator never mind a ship. Who knows what he would have been like on the high seas? But only as long as we do get the train from London to Paris. And then go on to somewhere else, and then to Venice. What do we all think?’
The more I accepted the idea, the more I liked it. I knew I had been just managing my life for a long time, watching the weeks and months go past without making any significant changes. During our marriage, Fred had gradually tightened the reins, making even simple choices which should have been joint decisions feel impossible. When we needed to replace the fence at the end of the garden, what car I could have, where to go on holiday, could we do something different at Christmas, or would we always be obliged to host his perpetually dissatisfied mother for an occasion which she seemed to intensely dislike?
I could not go on like that; I wanted some excitement back into my life, and this was the perfect opportunity to start.
For the rest of our time there we would discuss everything at some length, investigating the cost and the logistics, and Anna persuaded Harriet that it would be fun and this time nothing bad would happen. Eventually, we all agreed this was a great plan.
‘There’s just one thing,’ I said, my voice shaking.
‘What?’ Harriet said.
‘You won’t leave me behind this time?’
Anna threw her arms around me and laughed.
‘Of course not! You daft thing.’
We had a bit of a group hug then and I spilled my wine over my shorts, but it didn’t matter because I was so excited. All of us were laughing and crying at the same time. This time it would be different.
4
We decided to travel in late September when the school holidays had ended, the weather would still be good and the ticket prices came down. At the end of the week, we would meet up with Harriet’s godmother who was very enthusiastic about us coming and by then had taken an executive decision and reserved three cabins on the ship for us.
We would get the train from Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington, and then from St Pancras to Paris, clutching our Global Interrail passes in our hands. Yes, the price had gone up considerably since Anna and Harriet had gone all those years ago, but at least we did get a seniors’ discount. There had to be some advantages to being over sixty, even if using them did make us feel even more ancient.
‘I’m beginning to wonder about the backpack,’ Anna said a few days beforehand. ‘How on earth did we manage back then? I could fill mine with just knickers and my makeup these days to be honest.’
‘Of course, we can take cases but not huge ones, because we’ll be the ones dragging them around,’ Harriet warned.
‘Perhaps we should compromise and take backpacks for everyday use, but take small wheelie cases as well,’ Anna decided. ‘We’re not barbarians. Perhaps your knickers are bigger now than the ones you had back then.’
‘Well, no, not really,’ Harriet bristled.
‘Only joking, silly,’ Anna said, giving her a friendly punch on the arm.
‘And how can we take enough clothes for two weeks if we don’t?’ I added.
‘Last time we found a launderette or we bought something new when we needed to,’ Harriet said, always the practical one. ‘I remember throwing away a wrap skirt in Paris because I tore it on a fence. I was fond of it too. It had a pattern of elephants round it.’
Anna raised her eyebrows. ‘I remember that skirt. I don’t know why you bought it. Elephants round one’s bottom would never be a good look. Anyway, I haven’t thrown any of my clothes out for years. I’ve probably still got the cheesecloth shirt I wore in 1979 somewhere. I mean, I wouldn’t fit into it because of the boob job?—’
‘I knew it!’ I said. ‘I keep meaning to ask. You always did say you were going to have cosmetic surgery.’
Anna gave a pleased smile and patted the front of her T-shirt. ‘Best money I ever spent. That and the nose job.’
