Thursday 2 February 2012

The pros and cons of train travel (or why I'm enduring cattle transport)

So this week not only am I battling the post holiday blues, a touch of jet confusion (not quite jet lag just a general tired confusion over what day/time it is) but as Mr P's trusty steed (the tardis corsa) is having a meltdown I'm also travelling to work each day via train! Eeesh!!

Now I live about 35 miles from my place of work and it takes around an hour to drive it - on the train it still takes an hour but there's the 20 mins to get there & purchase ticket of a morning and then a half hour trot into the office at the other end - and of course a repeat on the way home - thus making my daily commute even blooming longer!

Of course this is all fine as being public transport it must be cheaper than driving surely? Is it heck! The princely sum of £14.10 is what it is costing me PER DAY to get to work this week! Far more than the petrol costs! No wonder people don't use the trains!!!

Surely though for this extortionate amount of money it's a luxurious and stress free journey? Fat chance! It appears this morning train is favoured by the local college as its full of loud, noisy teenagers (yes I'm getting old but it's early and they are very loud!!) However should anyone wish to know about the sex lives of 16 year olds in Dorset and all the mating rituals that must be observed I'm now an expert!

Of course as I've mentioned before I am hoping to purchase a new car soon. Of course I've been wanting to do that for a long while - but I'm awaiting Mr P's full evaluation of all options to be completed on the most fuel efficient/suitably sized/practical to be completed.

I think so far we've dismissed pretty much every car on the road - too common/not efficient enough/not large enough/too large/tendency to breakdown/risk of coil snappage....

I blame the recovery mechanic last year as until he came and pulled a face when we mentioned the A3 due to its tendency to breakdown regularly we were sorted. Of course now we know a couple people who've bought one (and both of them have had issues since) so I guess that was a lucky escape!

Anyway if we don't get something sorted soon I'm going to end up with a season ticket to the damn train. The only saving grace is that Mr P has to get up to drop me off at the station and as he's not an early morning person this won't be happening for long before he gets annoyed enough to sort it out.

Of course I could always sort a car myself - however not sure how happy Mr P will be about being chauffeured around in a bubble gum pink mini!! But then as you know me dear readers I'd probably spend far more time researching a new handbag than I would a new car - I mean after all I have to carry that bag around all day and the car is just for getting from A to B!

Lx



3 comments:

  1. This is what my commute is like. Fortunately I have a railcard as i am a full time student but the cost of trains is ridiculous! Add to that the irregular, patchy service, delays and cancellations and it becomes completely intolerable.

    Hope you get your car soon!

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  2. Thankfully I am with wheels again - I was delayed last night in the cold nothing worse than a cold train station platform and -1 temperatures brrrr Lx

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  3. Sounds hideous hun!!! Glad you have wheels again now xxx

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