I set the alarm for 8am, thinking I would get up, shower, eat breakfast, and get a start on the day. I'd be able to hit nearby St. David's Centre (shopping) to get a charm from Pandora, straighten out the local phone, go to the Doctor Who Experience, and still have time to do something else, like visit Cardiff Castle.
I didn't get up at 8. For those who know me, I'm sure you're shocked. 8-)
It was pouring rain all morning, which isn't very compatible with traveling on foot when you don't have a slicker, or an umbrella, so I kept hitting the snooze on my iPhone alarm, apparently for three hours. What can I say? Dinner and the shower last night gave me a second wind, and by the time I was tired enough to sleep, it was 4am!
I looked at the map to see how to get to St. David's Centre, but I couldn't quite figure out which way to go when leaving the hotel. I inquired at the front desk, and the man told me to go to a restaurant across the street and turn left. No version of turning left would have put me going in the proper direction as far as I could tell from the map, so I turned right instead. Good thing I didn't listen to the dolt when he insisted I turn left, even when I asked twice, as it was just down the short street, after I turned RIGHT. It pays to look at maps.
I went there in search of the Pandora store, which I found right away. St. David's Centre is a HUGE shopping mall, so finding a store without consulting the mall map, or wandering the mall looking for it, is pretty impressive. I bought a daffodil, which the girl assured me was the national flower of Wales. A later Google search says she was correct, and not having a laugh at my expense.
On my way into Pandora I spotted Carphone Warehouse, which sells all kinds of phones and SIM chips. I bought the SIM for my iPad at a Carphone Warehouse last year, so why not repeat the process?
Well, they weren't able to help me because they did't work with the same company as last year, and the man sent me off to the 3 store farther down the mall.
As I made my way through the mall, I passed Vodafone, where I had bought my cheap local phone last year, and since I needed to get a new chip for that as well, I went in. I came out with a new chip for my phone, and for my iPad. They are both pay-as-you-go, which is all I need for a couple of weeks usage. They will both take up to 24 hours to become active.
I asked the nice man, Matt, at Vodafone where I could catch a bus to Cardiff Bay, and he suggested I take the train from Cardiff Queen's Street, as the train goes straight there. Nice! I got a bit lost on my way out of the mall, and managed to get within half a block of the train station before I caved and asked a man carrying a comic-book print messenger bag where it was. It was under construction, and the sign was missing, or I would have seen it! It was across the street and down half the block from where I was standing. Oh, well.
The train was nice. The walk from the train station to the Doctor Who Experience was much longer than I expected, but I finally found it! I had no idea which way to go coming out of the train station, but I remembered that it was near Mermaid Quay, so I followed those signs until it was all in view.
There is a festival in progress in Cardiff Bay, and the giant metal column is adorned with photos of children riding strawberries.
I managed to arrive at the Doctor Who Experience only 15 minutes before the next tour group was admitted, so I grabbed some water and waited in line with the others who held tickets for the same time.
The first part of the tour is a staged show, complete with Daleks, Weeping Angels, a TARDIS Console, and of course, the Doctor himself (Matt Smith via video). No photography allowed.
After that there were two floors of costumes and props, including three different TARDISes, three different TARDIS consoles, and lots of Daleks, where we could take all the photos we wanted. I'll post more of the Doctor Who photos later, for those who want to view the Doctor Who Experience via the internet. 8-) Here are a couple to whet your appetite.
Much like anywhere with a gift shop, the exit lead you there. I bought stuff. 8-) I have no idea why my debit card was declined, because I used it earlier at Pandora, but at least I had enough cash to pay, so crisis averted.
When I exited the gift shop it was pouring down rain. The on-again-off-again rain reminds me of Florida. It has the same "wait 5 minutes" aspect as well. I ordered a cappuccino from the cafe, and the rain stopped before I had finished my drink, the skies returning to fluffy white clouds against a bright blue background. 8-)
I walked back to the train station, enjoying the sights.
5:22pm Cardiff Bay, Wales
I'm waiting on the train back to Queen Street Station, and it has started raining again. The rain has at least been cooperative and not done it while I've been outside walking my feet off. I should easily make 8,000 steps by the end of today!
5:35pm, Cardiff, Wales
Off the train. It's that short a train ride, but beats the heck out of walking that far, especially with all the walking I've already done today. The rain stopped, and it is sunny again!
I found the free wifi, and consulted my bank's app. Nothing nefarious, other than a pending charge for the train ticket from London to Cardiff - the one the machine swore didn't go through. Hmm. That'll be fun to get sorted out.
I stopped at an ATM, and my debit card let me have money. Still no idea why it got declined earlier. I'll phone my bank tomorrow and ask.
I wandered into the Capital Shopping Centre, to see what was there, and found a Pound Shop! It's like the Dollar Tree, only the food selection seems to be of higher quality. I only bought a few things, like the shower soap I discovered I didn't refill before leaving home, and nail polish remover.
Since I hadn't stopped long enough to eat more than a granola bar all day (I know, I shouldn't go so long without food), I walked back to the mall and settled on a restaurant called Yo! Sushi. I've never eaten at a restaurant with a conveyer belt on which the food moved around the restaurant! It was £2.50 Monday, specializing in various dishes that were, you guessed it, £2.50 each. You could just grab something as it went by, or order off the menu. I got a couple of chicken dishes, and a fruit bowl, miso soup (off the menu), and another dish that turned out to be not what I expected, but I liked it. Inari pockets, I think.
Each spot around the big bar had its own spigots for still and sparkling water. They charged you for a glass, then you could have all the refills you wanted. It was a unique experience, and I enjoyed it (and the food).
Since it was after 8pm when I finished dinner, the mall was closed, so I headed back to my hotel. It started raining again when I was a block from the hotel, so I hid under some trees with several others doing the same, until the rain let up a bit, and the walk light turned green. Then I dashed across two cross-walks and back to my hotel to pack since I will be headed back to London on Tuesday morning.
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