Caledonian Sleeper -Euston to Inverness

So the journey begins........Quite why we are at Euston Station for 2:30 pm when our train doesn't depart until 9pm is something of a mystery to me? I will go on record as saying it wasn't my choice. For someone who hates 'hanging around' this was likely to be my my challenging part of the whole trip! There was no alternative but to adjourn the 'All Bar One' for a spot of lunch and a few pints to while away the hours. I had a romantic image of the train journey , hurtling through the countryside in a comfortable leather chair sipping a nice malt whisky before slowly retiring to my bed. Then laying in my bunk watching the world go by, maybe spotting a stag, a fox or badger going about their nocturnal duties. I pictured a scenario something between the 'Orient and Polar Express'. Of waking up in a magical mystical land of mountains, waterfalls and pine forests. The reality was somewhat different.

  

Our cabin was compact and bijou, by the time two adults with two suitcases had embarked the proverbial cat would not have been swinging. I immediately bagged the bottom bunk , should I need an emergency exit life would be so much easier. In fact it was virtually impossible for both of us to stand up at the same time.
We pulled out of Euston in complete darkness .. The small cabin window was semi obscured by the bunk bed ladder that I was forbidden to remove. The bed itself in fairness was reasonably comfortable an I was able to stretch out , just. It had been a long day, many pints of beer consumed and aided by the rolling noise of the tracks  I quickly drifted into a light sleep.
 

 

When I awoke the train had stopped and it was eerily quiet? I ventured into the corridor and peered through the door window . We had arrived in 'Crewe'.... I did what I needed to do and retired to my bunk. This time sleep proved more elusive as I tossed and turned and the sheets no longer wished to be acquainted with the mattress. The same situation repeated itself sometime later , this time we were in Edinburgh.   At least we were in Scotland ! 
Long overdue daylight put in an appearance and I was able to witness station stops at; Pitlochry, Blair Atholl, Dalwhinnie, Newtonmore, Kingussie, Aviemore, Carrbridge and finally Inverness our journeys end.