Club Brugge away

So here we go again! 

This morning was manic, I had to pack, get ready, go to the vets and the pet shop oh and do some baking! Some lovely cheese scones for my trip! 

Eventually I made it on my way with my brother and dad in the car, we were off to Birmingham international! We made it in good time and I managed to go toilet before they left, as a wheelchair user train toilets are an absolute nightmare! I was really pissed off for the second ti,e today, first because my prescription hadn't come in so no meds, secondly because I'd paid for a first class ticket and the lady told me I had Togo to the platform with 40 minutes to spare! Anyway I wasn't happy but went anyway, bye bye warm first class lounge! I had a nice chat to the guy who turned out to be a Birmingham City fan! 

The train arrived and as I'm writing this I'm on my way to Coventry! Will have to ring my friend at Watford to find out his location before I know it I'll be on my way to Kent ready for my second journey early tomorrow on the euro tunnel ... Here I come Brugge! 

Well the London leg as per usual took longer than it really should have! After getting off the train eventually! The man decides he couldn't push me and Carry my bags .. I only had 4 and 1 was on my lap and another on my handles!! So had to call for someone else to help!! Then a man came in a golf buggy with my friend!! Then the fun started first having to walk across to kings cross, what is with Euston sort it out your a main line station! Then onto the tube, Victoria line to green park making sure you get on the right bit of platform or you won't get out! Then onto a packed green park and then locating lifts to get on the jubilee line! Then a really packed train to Greenwich! That journey took over an hour .. We got to Kent quicker lol!!

I was excited and nervous going to sleep Tuesday night, my first European away as a wheelchair user and not knowing what to expect or how the rheumatoid would cope .. Lots of unknown!

So I set my alarm for 4:45am which meant I was getting about 5 hours sleep!! I woke up feeling a bit apprehensive and my body not liking this early morning start!

So on we go to Folkestone to catch the euro tunnel another new experience for me. I got really annoyed as was booked on the 9:20 and wasn't allowed on it because they had low capacity even though it had been paid for! So ended up on the 9:50 train to France. The tunnel was quicker than I expected and didn't take long so that was nice!

Next to stop getting off and remembering we was on the other side of the road always throws me!! The drive to Brugge was a lot quicker than I expected it took about 1 and half hours going through France and Belgium! Getting lost once it seemed they had put a roundabout in and it threw the sat nav! Eventually making it to Brugge we then spent a while driving around trying to find the stadium after going through a wood and encounting two police barriers we made it to the stadium yay!

At the stadium we was told that we had to go into the centre of Brugge, so off out in my wheelchair, we decided to go on the concrete instead of loose stones and the police man shouted at us think he though we were going in the stadium! It took I don't know 30 min to walk into brugge at a steady rate!

Brugge is a beautiful place, the market centres, the waterways, the buildings and the shops! I brought myself a magnet and a postcard! Then I got dad some Belgium chocolates, I'm sure he will enjoy them! Had a drink at a bar with United fans every where! Spirits where high, singing loud, best experience I've ever had, I have to admit!

We walked back to the stadium ahead of the police March with the united fans as advised to. Then it started raining so I sat in the car! We were aloud Togo into the stadium early as it was raining!

Well point one, the toilet was leaking rain water so careful if u want a pee u may be rained on lol! We went to see the disabled area and we just laughed it was a big wall in front of us lucky we had gate!

Now I'll tell you first about the torrential rain and we feared we wouldn't even see the game as it was that bad and the wheelchair section isn't under cover, so the club kindly supplied us with blue pac a macs (yup I laughed too!!) then when the rain had eventually gone it seemed we would make it through the game!!

So the wheelchair section .. Well we couldn't get food or drink or even a program so that was a bit disappointing. But then the big yellow door that kept is in didn't seem that safe and the ramp access shall we say wasn't that stable!! However the wall in front of us was the worse, lucky there was a gate so me and others sat there too see the match! 

Was lovely to meet Andy, Scott and Zoe. Also great to catch up with the lady I meet in Southampton last season who I don't remember her name and Alex Jon and his brother. There was I think 7 of us altogether was a fab atmosphere in our little section we even got a match tactical sheet!

The game it's self was fantastic we won 4-0 and our captain Wayne Rooney scored a hatrick yay! Oh and my friend up in the away section was whistling me to get my attention I waved hehe!! 

After the match I needed the toilet which ended up with us being locked in the toilet cage hehe!! Then it was back to the car and waiting for the United fans Togo past us, they seemed happy haha!! Then it was back onto the road we got a bit lost in France near the port lol!! We then got a much earlier train so got back earlier, I was in bed and asleep by 3am!!

Fantastic away match, so greatful to experience these matches

Xx