As the best journeys seem to, the adventure began with the overnight sleeper- this time from Paddington:
Night Riviera
The service was very friendly and in most regards the setup was the same as the Scotrail one, although there seemed to be more confusion in the booking- even though I had a solo berth, both beds were set up meaning a bit less room and no access to the special TV service. But, if truth be told, having the top bunk down meant it felt cosier underneath, so I can't complain.
A few hours later, and after 3 seconds of sheer panic when I thought I'd locked myself in the train toilet on approach to the station, I disembarked at St Austell. I had a 90-minute wait until the first bus to the Eden Project, and there's not a whole lot to do there at that time of the morning. After naming two seagulls (Susan and Steve), reading the Guardian and watching the commuters come and go, I found myself on Bus 101. I was the first member of the public to arrive at Eden, by which time the day was in full swing and my first glimpse of the place was stunning:
At this point the place was still basically deserted and none of the food outlets seemed open at that point. So I tentatively entered the Mediterranean Biome, hoping that the cafes would spring into life soon, before I sprang out of it through hunger. I was immediately impressed:
Spanish garden
Some plants from the Med
Before long, though, the need for refreshment had me hunting a cafe once more, and I headed for the Core. On the way, I snapped the impressive model of a man made out of electrical waste- the detail was amazing (his teeth are computer mice). It reminded me of the Iron Giant somehow- great art.
The Core offered Jo's Cafe, more cosy and intimate than the huge places back at The Link at that point, and I set myself up with a great little breakfast in what felt like a remote hotel balcony of some sort:
It should have come as no surprise that the birds are more tame around there, and sure enough this blackbird was caught in the act of hopping off the chair to pick up some scone crumbs...
And before long the robin wanted in on the act, too:
Daylight robinry
Back to the Biomes, starting with a more comprehensive look at the Mediterranean before heading to the Rainforest.
Clementines
"Aloe aloe aloe."
The Rainforest Biome seems to be the main focus of Eden, not least because of the realism of the environment. The biomes let UV in, and the place is vast, with aspects of the cultures of its countries thrown in for effect, too. A highlight was the Malaysian area and the recreated hut:
The heat and crowds were just enough to turn me away from the 40 minute queue to the top of the biome, so a lunch break followed, then off for a last look around the Outdoor Biome- highlights included the sculpture in the 'field'...
And the sparkling view as the sun beat down.
Eden was completed with a last visit to Jo's cafe and then off back to St Austell. After some fun and games finding the ticket machine, I caught possibly the cheapest-looking train to Penzance. Where, it turns out, there are very few ways to spend two and a half hours in the evening. The nicer bits of the seafront were inaccessible anywhere near the station and lots of places were closed. So, equipped with refreshments and my iPod, I steeled myself for the wait, and watched the sun go down over Penzance until the sleeper arrived and was ready for boarding
And so ended my Cornish adventure.
Eden is a fantastic place and with the annual entry pass you get automatically, I intend to be back within the year.
And now: back to the grindstone!
