London Calling

Written to: Mock the Week

So my work experience started today and I am to be a London commuter for the next three days, then for a week after Christmas.

The walk to the station was ridiculous. I slipped the whole way. The fact it is a huge hill doesn't help, so I had to walk on the side closest to the road, which was covered in snow. Only problem there was that I was so close to the road side that if I had slipped, I'd have been a goner!

Once I got to the station I was ok until I got to Liverpool St. I had to let a sardine squashed train go past and wait for the next. After being cramped for a minute there was an announcement that there was a 'trespasser' on the tracks and delays on the Central line. Fan-bloody-tastic. Just what I needed.

So I trotted around to the Circle line instead, where there were minor delays, which isn't usually a big deal. But then I forgot that you now have to wait 5 minutes for a tube train nowadays. What's that about?! There were staff shortages today so I had to Metropolitan it to Baker Street.

Due to my lack of travel into London recently I did not know that the Circle line is now not a circle but in fact some odd spiral shape. This means that once you get to Edgware Road, you cannot continue round and have to change. So I get off at Baker Street Metro line to run around to Circle line, which I go onto for one stop, then run around to the other Circle line at Edgware Road (not heading to Hammersmith) to do the three or four stops to High Street Kensington. I arrived with ten minutes to spare. Thank God. I hate being late.

On the way home I went along the bottom of the Circle line, ran to catch my train at Liverpool St and was back and hour and fifteen minutes later. Smashing.

If you're interested in reading it, this Evening Standard article sums up the Edgware Road situation rather well
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23787172-edgware-road-the-interchange-from-hell.do