MORE Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Traveling here in the Highlands of Scotland can be interesting. And it can be complicated. 

There is basically one main road to drive between here and Inverness, which is 100 plus a few miles south. That would be the A9.  It is mostly 2 lane (1 lane each direction) and the first hour down is mostly a windy road along the coast, with some steep parts and some hairpin curves. 

It's a beautiful drive, for sure.  But if there happens to be an accident on the road, or if part of it should be closed due to weather conditions, then you could be stuck for several hours.

Our first drive to Thurso in June took us 3 hours, but we have it down to about 2 hours and 15 minutes now. :)

There are, technically, other roads you could take. You could plunge down the A897 - to Forsinard - and then head over to Helmsdale and meet up with the A9 again to continue on to Inverness. But most of the A897 is a single lane, windy road. That makes for an interesting trip. (We drove it once earlier this fall, just because)

There is also a bus that runs several times a day between Thurso and Inverness. That trip is about 3 1/2 hours. 

Then there is the train. It typically has 2 cars and runs several times a day as well. The trip is just about 4 hours.  And, while the train has been very dependable for me so far, it has been known not to run on occasion. In fact, in November, it stopped running for a few days due to a land slip at the tracks further south (due to all the rain we were getting). 

So, you can see why I might be concerned about weather and road conditions if and when there are plane trips involved. 

You may recall that I flew to Amsterdam with Kathryn in December to be with her during her 17 hour layover there. And I am so glad I did!  It was a fun, fast trip that oriented me to the city, which I would be in again a week later with Mike and Bryan. And I enjoyed doing that with Kathryn. 

But I just squeeeezed that in while also getting ready to leave for Brussels. 

Kathryn and I flew to Amsterdam on Wed, Dec 20 and we both left for our homes the next morning. 

The plan for me was to land in Inverness at 12:30, take a taxi to the train station and be on the 2:00 train, for which I had a ticket already. Then the next day -Friday - I would pack for Brussels, because Mike and I would drive to Inverness early Sat morning to catch the noon flight to Brussels. 
What a completely ridiculous schedule!
But doable. 
As long as everything ran on time. Right? 

Well, I sat in the airport and watched Kathryn get on her plane, which ended up sitting there for some time, due to foggy conditions. 

Then - surprise! - my plane had a 45 minute boarding delay, which ended up being an hour late taking off. 
Remember that 1 1/2 hours I had to get from the airport to the train? Gone. 
I was only going to have a mere 30 minutes. Not possible!

If I missed the 2:00 train, I would have to wait in Inverness for another 4 ½ hours to catch the next one AND pay for a new ticket. At full price. 

I was not panicking, but just ask me how much I was praying. (A LOT)

I started formulating a plan. I waited until the airline attendants picked up the trash from the sandwiches they had served, which would indicate we were getting close to landing, and I approached one of them with my dilemma. 
I said, “I need to catch the 2:00 train. Is there any way I can get off the plane faster?" (I was seated smack in the middle of the small plane) She looked around and found an empty seat 4 rows closer. I moved my stuff. 

But I could see that was not going to be good enough. There were still a lot of people ahead of me. 

The thought crossed my mind to tell my problem to the people in the first 2 rows and ask if one would switch seats with me. And yet, I just couldn’t make myself do it. It seemed pushy. And impossible. 

But I couldn't see any way around it. It was my only chance. If I couldn't get off the plane immediately, there would be NO chance of getting there. Right that minute, it was very very slim chance. 
MAYBE possible. 
Not really likely, though. 

Of course I had been talking to God about this all along. 
And  I know my God. He often does provide just what I need, but quite often there is a part I have to play in it. Often, there is something I must do so that He can then do what He wants to do for me.  

Finally, about 10 minutes before landing, I said to myself, "Jodi, if you don't ask, the answer IS no."  So I got up and walked to the first row and nervously told the people in the first 2 rows my dilemma. 
 And would you believe the woman in the front seat said she would trade with me!?!  

My hand-carry suitcase did not fit under the seat because she had left her suitcase under there, so I just put mine in front of my knees and put my wool coat over the top of it, hoping the airline people would not notice. 
And I prayed some more.

I said, “Lord, I need to be on that train. But in order to get the train, I need 2 more things to happen. I need to be the first one at the passport check and I need a taxi to be waiting.”  
Impossible. 
It was 1:30 when we landed.

no, I did not stop on this trip to take a picture -LOL! - this was from June 1 - the day we arrived

The Inverness Airport is a small airport – smaller than the Tri Cities. And everyone walks onto the tarmac to load and unload. Then, once you get off the plane, you go inside and wait in a line to show them your passport. 
EU passports in one line and other passports in another. 
They have to check the passport, ask why you are entering, how long you have been gone, and because I am living there, they also check my biometrics card, which says I am living there until Dec 14, 2018. And scan my thumbprint. 

After the 8 first-class passengers, I was the first one off the plane and I took off running! I tried to pass the airline person who was leading the procession, but she didn’t want me to pass her. So breathlessly, I told her I was trying to catch the 2:00 train. She paused briefly and then let me go ahead of her!

 I raced inside to find I was the first one in my passport line!!!  Of course, I told that security person as well that I was trying to catch the 2:00 train (now it’s 1:40). I was so anxious that I kept stepping to the side of the desk and she had to keep telling me to step back behind the counter.

With cards in hand, I ran out past the people in the reception area who were waiting for their loved ones to enter…. Ran outside….past the 5 taxis waiting….to the very first one….and jumped in. Breathlessly, I told her that I needed to be on that 2:00 train… and she took off!  This woman made it her mission to get me there!
It was now 1:45. 
It takes 15 minutes to get to the train station. 
At least 15 minutes. 

I won't tell you the details of the drive there. Let me just say there was traffic on the 2 lane road and there was a back up at the round about. But this woman was going to do her best to get me there - and I wasn't going to miss my train because she was being a 'nice' driver.  :)

And she did! By a hair!  Literally!

She took me to the back gate, which was probably several minutes faster than dropping me off at the front entrance on the busy main street. I already knew what the fare was and had cash to pay her (plus a healthy tip), so I practically threw the money at her and jumped out. She pointed me to the open gate and I ran through. 

Just as I ran into the station, the train blew its whistle and I hollered, “Hold the train!  I need to be on that train!”  
Now, there is a small gate you have to go through inside the station. When you insert your ticket, the little gate opens and lets you through. 
There happened to be an employee standing there - and instead of waiting for me to swipe my ticket, he simply opened the gate for me and let me run through!!

The two train attendants were standing in the doorway of the train, with a foot on the deck and and foot on the train. When I hollered, "Hold that train!"Tthey looked at me and paused. 
I ran to the train and onto it. 
They closed the door and the train started to move. 

I could NOT believe I had made it!!
It had been seemingly impossible!

Then, as I was hauling through the aisle, I happened to look out the window and saw another train 2 tracks over, and I was filled instantly with panic. I had to ask the first guy I saw, “Is this train going to Thurso???”   Yes.  Yes, he confirmed that it was. But it took a while for me to really believe it. I plopped myself down into a seat with a table and another young man and had to ask him to confirm that as well. 
'Cuz if I was on the wrong train, well, .......

Now, I know that God is not a genie. And I do not think I treat Him as one. But what I do know is that God cares about the things I care about. He tells me to bring EVERYTHING to Him. He is the God of the universe. The Creator. All things have been made by Him and through Him and for Him.  
  

And God, who is my Father, like all good fathers, wants to give good things to His children. He delights in giving us good things. The Bible says, if your child asks for a fish, do you give him a snake? No, of course not. We, as parents, give our kids not only the things they need – like clothes and food and love – but we delight in giving our kids the things they want – like roller blades and scooters and gaming devices. We delight in their surprise when they ask for something they don’t need (like a cookie or a candy from the display) and we say yes.
God, even more so.

Now, even as I prayed for these travel things – for God to miraculously get me on the train that I should very well have missed (yes, I prayed to get ON the train, not just TO the train), I knew that if I missed the train, He would provide another way home. I could wait for the next train leaving at 6:30. Yes, it meant I would not get home until 10:30 that night and it would cost more money. And I would be very tired. 
Or I could figure out where the buses were and try to get one home before that. 
I was thankful that I had options. And I was aware of those options even as I sat on the plane. 
I might not have gotten home in the way I wanted, but He would provide a way. 

Then as I sat there on the train, watching the firth and the fields and the houses and sheep go by, and noting that the sun was setting and it would soon be dark, I was marveling at His kindness.

There definitely was a part for me to play in getting to the train. I feel sure that God prompted me to be bold - to ask. Because if I had not gotten to the front of the plane, it would have been impossible to make the train. I had to make that part happen so that He could do the next, impossible parts. 

I am thankful for the opportunity to experience these kinds of challenges – even though they are uncomfortable – so that I can see how tangibly He provides for me. 

I was so thankful to be going home. 

Afterward:
I actually wrote this on the train on the way home. 
Mike met me at the station at 6:00 and we had a lovely dinner at home. I had a great night of sleep, packed the next morning, and Mike and drove back to Inverness that evening and flew to Brussels the next day. 
Crazy, huh? 

Now I want to share this picture with you. It's the sign outside the Thurso Train Station.
Take note of the opening and closing times. LOL!