The tube

I get the tube everyday to and from work...and it's awful!! Just when you think that cramming into a train carriage, jammed up against unfriendly Londoners can't get any worse, the temperature starts to rise outside, and the conditions underground reach tropical conditions!

The regular morning 25 minute tube ride, before the overland, does my head in. Unfortunately I am not one of those people who feel justified in pushing other people aside to get a seat, so I only manage a seat for the tube portion of the journey maybe one in every 5 mornings. It's bareable if I can read, and pretend I am anywhere else. Not when I am hanging on for dear life as the train hurtles through it's black tunnels.

Tonight I embarked on my trek home, which usually involves a normal overland train, and then the tube with two changes: should be an hour an a half. I got to Victoria station to jump on the Victoria line tube, only to be routed through the tunnels to a side entrance with 15,000 other people, sweltering. Ditching this plan as the London Underground customer service officers continued to tell the already jammed commuters to keep moving or they will have to close the station, I decided perhaps the District line would be a better bet. Took that down to Earls Court, and thought I would then change to Paddington. Upon disembarking, I am met with the loud, loud speaker announcement saying that there was a fire at the Notting Hill tube station, so most lines have been shut down.

Jumping back onto a city centre bound Piccadilly line train, I have now ducked in and out of London, with another carriage full of sweaty people. Ewwwwwwww! Change at Piccadilly Circus, till I am finally on the usually reliable (touch wood!!) Bakerloo line home. An extra hour for these diversions, and when I emerge onto street level I discover that the sunshine that had been shining over the city when I started my journey home had turned into rain!!! What??!!

Today has been the first real summer day, and it felt like Outback temperatures down there. I am dreading the commute during real summer - I guess the one and only blessing is that there is only about 5 days of it over here in the UK!!! And I must remember, a recent study has supposedly found that the average commute in London can justify twice my current weekly Maccas consumption....gotta cling on to those good points!! Hee hee.