Sunday, March 23, 2008

Grrr - problems

Firstly, the "e" on my keyboard has gone - which means I'm having to cut and paste every damn e in this post. If I miss any - I pray for your forgiveness.

Secondly, railways.

So I missed the 7.30 from Colchster to Cambridge last night and got on the 8.30 (change at Ipswich). Got to Ipswich - no Cambridge train. I asked a guard "No mate, there are no more trains that way - you can't get to Cambridg tonight." This is before 9 pm! Argh!

Then I say - "Well what about via Norwich?" he replies, all smiles "Oh yeah - if you go to Norwich you could get the last train from there. But you'll need to get the train at the platform now or you'll miss the connection."

At the time I was very grateful but afterwards I thought - "What if I hadn't asked?" Was the most "helpful" he was prepared to be genuinly just telling me I couldn't get there when I still could... cheers mate.

So I get to Norwich, which is full to the brim or drunken mobs and violence (this is in the station) and, according to the board, the last Cambridge train is cancelled. Just a littl red word saying "canclled" that's it. Naturally I go ask, when I can find someone "Ummm, urrr, I'm going to Cambridge - you've canclled my connection - what now?"

Oh, there's a replacement bus which goes in five minuts. I think tut, that's going to be unplasant, but at last they haven't left me in the lurch. An hour later we're still waiting in the absolutely freezing station having witnessed beatings, blazing rows, some guy fall unconscious due to excess of alcohol, and not a single helpful announcment of when the bus will show up - throughout which the security personel take two strategies. Be very, very nice and calm to people who are far from nice and calm to them - or they hide when things go too far. I've no complaints about either strategy - they've got thier hands full frankly.

Anyway eventually the bus arrives (I'd begun to have my doubts). It then procds to get LOST on the way and takes ovr three hours to get to Cambridge - a journy that should have taken a third that time. In all it all it took me an hour and a half to get to Colchstr from Cambridg and more than six hours to get home again. Grrr.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lol, I careful now! The lack of Es in your final paragraph is suggestive of frustration and anger. I wouldn't want you to relinquish your reputation as Britain's most mild mannered leftist on such trifles!

Jim Jepps said...

Out of all the letters to lose e seems to be the best as typing remains understandable with added comic effect.

"Britain's most mild mannered leftist" thanks... although I'm embarking on a discussion on Zionism (above) so I fingers crossed and recrossed that we can get through this without too much argie bargy

JS.Ray said...

I feel your pain. Imagine the trauma I feel getting from Manchester back home to Stowmarket...

Ipswich station isn't that bad these days, surely?

Jim Jepps said...

It's not so nice that I wanted to spend all night there!