Day 7 - Walking home

7th January 2013

I love being able to walk to and from work. Love it.

Where I grew up was about 3 miles from school, up and down hills all over the place, so I always got a lift in with Mum or got the bus. Seeing the number 184 still gives me a sense of excited relief, because it was the bus the cut out the pointless part of the journey. 176 will give a sense of relief, cause it meant the bus was there, but euw, gross, loooooong.

When I first got to uni I was living in halls that required me to get a bus in and out of uni. I walked it once, but not out of choice. Well...kind of. I had walked from uni to Asda, bought stuff, then walked to wait for the bus. Rounded the corner and saw it drive off, so I thought I'd just walk to the next stop. As I'm sure you've guessed, the bus passed me, so I continued, and the bus passed me, so I continued, and eventually just as I was about to turn the corner into Langstone it passed me a final time. It was raining. I was carrying milk. It was a sad day.

I came back from uni the first time, and got a job that required a bus and train commute within Medway. Bleurgh.

Back to Portsmouth again, and this time we lived in a wonderful house which was ten minutes from town. Finally, I could walk everywhere! Into uni, into work, to the beach, to the pub. Some paths were more well trodden than others. Just saying.

After uni, as you know, I was in Medway and commuting to West London until I moved into my darling flat. After that I got the tube, it was about 30 minutes door to door, which ain't too shabby. Then, I went back the other way again and gave myself a long commute, on occasion.

I started a job based in Old Street, and travelled there three times a week. Ergh. It was always rammed with angry people, and was my first real taste of London rush hour as before I was rarely going into work at 9. Once a week I worked from home, which I have to say has been my favourite journey by far. Up, into comfy clothes, cup of tea, into front room, done. No metro or nothing. Bliss. The other day I would have to drive over to Newbury, near Reading. I preferred that to the tube, you can sing really loudly in the car and trust me, I do.

Now I can walk. I love it. Yes, there are times when it's pouring or freezing or I'm just knackered. But there are plenty more times when it's just pleasant and, as I walk past a girls secondary school, highly amusing. If I oversleep I can drive in, it takes five minutes. The times when I have to unexpectedly drive in are my favourites in some ways, because at the end of the day I remember and it's beautiful wonderful moment.

I'm looking forward to the inevitable snowy pictures to come, there's another part of my route home that looks beautiful in the snow.

Tomorrow Nichola arrives. This makes me happy. I foresee a lot of tea in my future.

Stephie
xxx