Jaded Journeyer

My Nan made me laugh: She said I ought to get the earlier train, because I don't really want to be doing the Tube in the dark. It occured to me a short while later that, hang on, the Underground is, well... underground. It's going to be dark anyway! (Flikr "Tiedye" - The colours I see in the dark.)

So here I am, on the train home to Somerset, having a laugh at scaring the conductor silly. I got a headsup that my train would be coming in on Platform 7, so I swiped my ticket through a codebarrier and hopped on down. The train pulled in, the people got off, and I got on.

Interesting fact for you - if a train is going to be waiting at station for a few minutes, the cleaner will lock the doors when he or she gets off. And thus the conductor found me comfortably ensconsed in my forward facing, sunside, airconditioning ported with good view of all services table seat LONG before anyone was even allowed on!

People are finding the remaining Ninja'd BookCrossings, a young blonde girl has picked up the Bergdorf Blondes - sadly I can't see the other hidden books from here. From the noises, it sounds like people have discovered them. Hurrah! I'll take a trip along the carriage and see where they've wound up when we set off; I'm not risking my cushy position!

It always tickles me that folks are determined to get their "reserved seats" - even if the train is already full. Poor saps haven't learned like the wiser, jaded riders like myself - there's no such thing as "reserved". It's purely first come first served, very few travellers will actually give seats back to the ticketholders. (Pixdaus: HWMcDaniel "The Green Jade Vine")

Train drivers don't get stuck on last trains - the trains either return to terminal or bank close by - our particular driver will be doing the last train on this line and lives just a few miles from his final destination.

The other books have vanished and a lady is curled up with "The Other Woman" against her partner - lucky him!