UK rail

Today we had to go to London to pick up our visas from the Swiss embassy. Being late we missed the train at Mortimer so we so we drove the 25 minute trip to Reading to catch the train into Paddington. On platform 5 we waited with many people it was peak hour, we stood there amongst hundreds. Suddenly some short stocky railway worker bellowed out that a train for Paddington was leaving in three minutes from platform 9. So the mass exodus started, we tramped like a herd of cattle under platform 7 and 8 and up onto platform 9. There before us was a train but all its doors were shut, and no one was allowed into its empty carriages. We all waited like idiots to get on. Next their is an announcement over the intercom saying the fast train to Paddington that is 45 minutes late is now at platform 5……….no I am not joking so again we all made the mass exodus shuffling squeezing and bumping our way back. All the time I was thinking that this was so much like a comedy sketch.
Standing room only on this train and I got a spot just inside the doorway in front of a smelly bin, my shoes sticking to the disgustingly filthy carpet directly underneath. I smiled and giggled to myself making my fellow sardine travellers a little concerned, because I thought how funny it all was, was it a ploy to keep us all occupied or is British rail really that incompetent?.

Bad timing

Today I had to print out some documents for tax purposes. My printer is basic and large and in another room to where I use my lap top. So I opened up the documents that my accountant sent, 15 pages to be printed then signed and sent back. So I went into the library to the corner where my printer sits and plugged my computer in. The first document printed but the ink sign came on. An hour later after trying to put the new cartridge in and looking for the intructions, I gave up and hoped I would have enough ink to finish the job. Filled it with paper and tried again. Dam it ! I then got a paper jam getting quite frustrated now I rectified that problem and continued. 3 more pages and the ink runs out, finally I worked it out how to put in the new cartridge. The phone rings I race to get it in the next room, I trip over the cord connecting the computer and printer. My concern was not to have the lap top fall, I saved it hurting my foot and hobbled to answer the phone. Some male with an Indian accent asked for a Franco, I said no Franco lives here. This man wanted to argue....hello I live here! I would bloody well know who is here, you must have the wrong number. I lost it and flew into this man and hung up on him....gee I was angry. I am sorry....... but why would you argue with some one when they say you have the wrong number

Frustrations

All quiet on the home front for a few weeks now. John has been travelling back and forth from Switzerland, France and America. Just as well I do not mind my own company. We move to our apartment in Switzerland on the 3rd of November, two companies have given us quotes for the move the prices are absurd but John’s company pays for it. They come in and pack it all up for us then ship it over to our new house and unpack it again. I get to supervise. The apartment does not have built in wardrobes. So we will have to purchase some wardrobes and a chest of drawers.

Immediately on arriving in Switzerland I plan to enrol in some French classes, but we will be going back to Australia for two weeks soon after our move, so I will delay my class until I return. Funny I feel anxious and excited about the move. My only worry is the language problems I will have to overcome, and lack of proper communication skills.

This past week has been filled with problems, I took a suit of Johns to the dry cleaners in Tadley. I picked it up only to find a note attached to it when unwrapping at home. The note said “sorry but we have tried several times to get the stain out of the coat, and are unable to get it out with out damaging the garment”. John said there was no stain, but sure enough there was a mess on the bottom. I was furious and was going to ring them. Maybe it was time to get banned from a Uk dry cleaners. John said it would serve no purpose it would be our word against theirs, so very begrudgingly I let it slide and promised myself in future to check all garments in front of the sales person.

Now I had to find another dry cleaner, so I took the train to Reading. It was a cold day and I stopped many people and asked if they knew where a dry cleaners was, the first lady sent me to one that had closed down way out of the main shopping drag and I was on foot. Lots of other pedestrians had no idea, so by the 5th person I was directed to the other end of town and it was tucked down a very narrow ally, I almost walked past it. So here I was asking the lady to check the garment for stains. She said “there does not appear to be any!” Good I said keep it that way and left.

Time for a little shopping, many sales seem to be on. I purchased some stocking socks three for 3 pounds and decided to get two packs. Getting back to the station the train to Mortimer was cancelled some sort of signalling problem. The later train should be available so I hung around the station, ate some lunch and got a coffee. Slowly I wandered back to my platform to see people getting on the train, run run run coffee in hand. Just in the nick of time the doors were closing my coffee hand was in. The doors shut and jammed my hand I had visions of being dragged along a railway track, oh sugar I don’t want to die……. but then the door re opened and let me in, my coffee still upright and un spilled. Whilst sitting on the seat I swear I thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest. I tried to relax and drank my coffee.

At home I unpacked my stocking socks only do discover I did not get three for a pound I got 2 for a pound, by now I am getting really annoyed it has been one annoyance after another, not to mention a whole long saga at the doctors surgery. Yes just ask me about a doctor Rock (ignorant so and so). Well I guess we all have to have these weeks every now and then, just so we can appreciate an uneventful week.