Commuting

Last week I found the commute to and from work to be more "interesting" then normal so I thought that I would share some of the highs and lows.

First the low... Since buying Wilma I had driven to work every day rather then taking the train. Generally this has been a nice change although it has really dealt a blow to my fitness level. And for some strange reason traffic gets worse by the week . Last monday this went to a new level when I ended up sitting in the pictured spot (which is the point that always makes or breaks my commute) for more then two hours. All because of a broken down lorry at the top of the off-ramp. The journey from home to work ended up taking 3 hours and 20 minutes. Very frustrating and expensive since I am paid by the hour.

Oh what I would have given to at least been driving this Bentley with my name on it, or the Aston Martin that belongs to the CFO here at O2. Since I don't have these options I decided to take a break from driving and try the train again. This turned out to be a pleasant change of pace, particularly now that we have moved to daylight savings time. The walk from Wolfson to the bus stop, the bus ride to the train and then most of the actual train ride had always been in the dark before. Last Tuesday I found myself stepping out of Wolfson into beautiful sunlight which made the entire trip completely different. I hadn't even realized that the Thames river runs along the train tracks most of the way to Slough. The green fields combined with bright morning light shimmering off of the water were really something to take in.

After finishing my day of work I walked out and was amazed to find it still light and sunny outside. Long ago I had quit using the very busy Slough train station and instead get on and off the train at a smaller station in an area called Burnham. This station is a 20 minute walk from O2. Needless to say the walk was a lot more fun when you are not in the dark and trying to avoid falling on icy patches. The station itself was different too as the light chased away all the yobs that were usually gathered there. Instead of hiding my cell phone out of concern for being mugged I was actually able to pull it out and take a picture of the empty station.

I continued to ride the train the rest of the week and am definitely going to use it more and more throughout the spring and summer. The only downside is that it does take a lot longer (usually) but I figure an hour of this time is actually spent walking. If I chalk up the walking time as excercise, the actual commute time is about equal to driving and I end up feeling a lot better. Still a battle to avoid all the sickies on public transportation though. The train and bus are a real test of your immune system.

The last noteworthy item of this week is also the real high point. During the winter I had often watched a blind man and his seeing eye dog on the ultra busy commuter train from Reading to London. This week I was able to snap a photo of the two. It is hard to imagine riding these trains blind but let me tell you this guy is in good hands, or I should say paws. This pooch is absolutely amazing and remains calmer then I am ever able to amongst all the noise of the trains and pushy people. He expertly guides the man onto the train and through the people to whatever empty seat is nearest the door. The really amazing thing is that the dog knows which train to take and which stops to get off at. On the morning of this picture we stood here as two trains came and went within minutes. I was scrambling to read boards to figure out what was going on and decide if it was the right train or not. Meanwhile the dog just lay there looking like he might go to sleep. A few minutes later he hopped up and began nosing the man. Without any other announcement our train arrived a few moments later. Even more impressive is his ability to pick the right stop once on the train. Again the pooch will lay down as if he is oblivious to the world despite multiple stops at busy stations. There aren't any announcements and it is so crowded you can barely see out the window so I had no idea where in the journey we were. Next thing I know the dog pops up and starts nosing his man. After a good session of attaboys and petting, which is all very cute and a little heartbreaking, they get up and off the train smooth as can be. It really is incredible to witness.

This week I am back to driving as the schools are out for a two week easter break. I don't know how it makes such a difference, but traffic goes completely calm during these breaks. Once things get back to normal I am going to be sure to get back on the train again, I clearly need the forced walks. I am also really looking forward to the bloom of all the trees and flowers, it should be a good time to be out and about.