Darlington to Cologne 8/05/2026

It was no ordinary Azuma train from Darlington this morning. Normally I take trains from Darlington for work basis, sometimes for fun days out. But not this morning. Not on 8th May 2026 at just before 9am this morning.

Oh no.

This was a much anticipated booked 3 months ago train that had a very different purpose. This now was going to expand my worldview. This was was going to take me to places so I could tick off bucket list items that had been laying dormant for a long while. This was a train taking me to dreams.

I woke at 3am. Unable to get back to sleep. I have barely slept all week tbh, extremely excited, with lists of things to back, lists of things going around my head of things to remember to do before I leave, then there was the things to do on the last day, like buy milk and leave a pizza in the freezer for my day back. (Emergency Pizza, always) , and for most of this week ive been a giggly mess. Like the kid about to have an adventure or go on holiday and be just too excited, oh well thats been me. And to be honest. aside from the lack of sleep, ive loved every minute of it. Being excited for a week , being in full positive energy. Just loving it all.

I grew up with liking trains. A lot.

Trains have more recently been therapeutic, and spending a lot of time on trains has reconnected me with that little boy. The one that smiles and enjoys any train ride.

I grew up hearing stories from my uncle of European, asian and Australian train ride holidays – in fact I still have the boomerang he bought back with him once. Trainspotting was a thing for me too, intercity 125s as they arrived on the scene to replace the diesel class 47’s that shuddered up the midland mainline from Leicester to London back in the 1980’s. James and Trains.

Eur-rail ticket bought in January. Passport renewed just before.

Until today though, I had never been on a train in Europe.

Until today, I had never done Eurostar.

Until today I had never been on a solo travel adventure.

Until today I had never been to Belgium or Germany.

Thats the level on new happening here for me today.

Yet.

Im here because I want to be here. I dont think im trying to ‘find’ myself, trying to prove anything, trying to write some kind of ‘self reflective’ thing, or even, to run away or to escape. This is about me, and about having dreams, and about making them happen. Because I can.

Let’s do some details.

Todays.

My flat to Darlington rail station on the number 2 bus. Then…

Darlington – Kings Cross

St Pancras International- Brussels midi

Brussels midi – Cologne (Koln).

Start time 7am, Add one hour for European time. Landing at Cologne 6.19pm. Journey time is nearly 12 hours.  Total Distance 879km.

Time on trains 7 hours 4 mins.

Thats the train bit.

Food. Oh yes. Well sadly not great for quality. Avocado flat bread and boots meal deal for late lunch, then nothing until about 2 hours ago. Pizza and a fruit spritzer on the cobbled streets next to the river in cologne.

Thank you to CW and SC who generously bought me coffees today, ive had 2. You can do so by clicking this link https://ko-fi.com/jamesballantyne – thank you .

Costa first thing and then a cold ice coffee in London. Definitely needed. Thank you for the gifts and love.

I have spent a lot of the day noticing. Not so much on the LNER to London, because that was almost ‘normal’ but noticing in the places ive not been to before. The Eurostar terminal was fascinating. Like an airport waiting area, but cramped and less windows and sunlight, yet light filled from above as if there was a sense that when the waiting was over you’d be transported into the light. It invited. Yet, the thick fog of hundreds of people cramped in a ver large room waiting. Waiting but not being there. Waiting and filling the time with anything on a screen. Avoiding being in the room. As if waiting was hard to be present in. As if… the designation was more important than the journey. The journey was an endurance. Yet, I wondered, what did the same people do when they got to their destinations? It was fascinating. Yet also rubbish to see EU border checks within the same room. Thanks Brexit, I hate you.

Brussels was the fraught time. I didnt think a 20 min change would be too bad. but I was at the back of the Eurostar train and it was almost a mile walk to the front, then navigating Brussels midi station trying to find platform 7, then I couldnt find my reservation, because I wasnt on mobile signal. It was fine. Just one of those moments. Didnt help that it was all getting warmer, as it was pretty cold when I started. I was over dressed and getting sweaty. Thankfully the last train wasnt busy, and it was air conditioned too, thank you Deutshe Bahn.

Aside from keeping an eye on some of today’s sport, I generally journaled all the way. It felt like I was writing out what I was feeling, what I was noticing, words that came to mind, so much so that I was forgetting to look out of the window. It was very obvious when under the channel , as it was dark for quite a while, and I was writing with a reflection. That was an interesting metaphor.

I needed up writing about reflective writing, and writing at 120mph, and what happens when we dont even see or want to see our own reflection. Yet, mine was there for 20 mins or more. I found it interesting to feel like I was the only person not on a phone, or screen, and thats all absolutely ok, because I was dipping in and out of being on mine too, but not many books or notepads around. It’s like consuming has taken over from creating, the easy thing to do. Not judging, but it was fascinating, knowing that I was, and can definitely still be the same.

What did I love today? I loved the new places.

This place caught my eye. Liege station, looks an amazing place.

I loved how easy everything actually was. Tickets scanned all fine, security, passport patrol, everyone all very friendly, very considerate. I loved a few conversations with strangers, one at the bus stop very early this morning, then with a seasoned Belgium traveller in the Eurostar lounge. I love hearing life stories.

First night in cologne, tomorrow im heading further into Germany. I have lovely hotel on the water, just in the main restaurant area, it’s bustling, colourful and fun. Lots going on, mens groups, families, and loads of people sitting by the water. It’s like south bank in London mixed with somewhere like Yorks cobbled streets. And it has a blackened cathedral. Im here until 1pm tomorrow so I’ll have a better look around. But the colours and the water have been amazing. I looked forward to walking around cities in the evening, and this evening has just been wonderful. Oh and fairly decent pizza too, 10% discount buying in the restaurant next to the hotel. Ironically I ate food just below my own bedroom window.

I think thats it for day one. It’s 10pm as I write this, 9pm uk time, and ive been awake since 3am. Im hoping for some good sleep. Then tomorrow, a leisurely morning, find some breakfast and just a 4 hour train. Then I can slow down for a few days.

Probably not a very reflective start, but maybe thats the point. Maybe thats what’s going to happen the rest of the week. Thank you for reading, part 1 of Eat, Train, Love. As I publish this, fireworks are going off, wonder if I will actually sleep…..

James