Wednesday 21 March 2012

No reason


Here I am sitting in my usual train. My seat has been ‘stolen’ by a non-frequent commuter of my daily train. Seats are silently chosen and respected by fellow commuters by the unwritten law of miserability. 

There is something comforting about the fact that you end up seating every morning on the same seat rain or not rain. It is just a seat, it is just a carriage, and the journey will take the same time. But after all this time, that actually for me hasn’t been so long, it becomes somehow as your secondary house for a long half an hour.


Actually, last night I saw an episode of my beloved tube-related TV, highly patronising in favour of the underground staff, where a gentleman decided to put all his geeky-ness to work and started registering the optimum position on the tube carriage to arrive at the correct door to shorten commuting time at each and every single station from the underground network. Obviously, such a big effort idea needed to be put to good use, and decided to create an iPhone app for the whole London to embrace his OCDs. In my opinion, a brilliant idea, although I would never go that far.



For a number of reasons, extensive commuting time is not something that I had experience before living in this city. Very lucky probably, but I would say, an correct me if I am wrong, it is quite particular for this city, probably due to the enormous number of inhabitants and extension, that workers spend vast amounts of time commuting to work.I put myself as an example. I happened to be hired in a job that I really enjoy, with a wonderful team that takes a lot of care of me. Downside, it is almost 70 kms away from my current residency. For where I come from, covering this distance daily is considered quite rare, and most people would think I am absolutely bonkers. The solution for this two-hours commuting time each way would be easily be shortened by moving close to work, reducing expenses greatly, giving me a lot more time to sleep, the air would be ten times cleaner and my house, not just my room, would be ten times bigger.



But I keep telling to every person that I meet for the first time. I have a non-rational love for London. I cannot really explain what has provided me with this obsession, and most probably is my so-called adaptability to ‘hostile’ situations, but I need to stay here.That’s why I keep commuting for two hours each way.

That’s why I need my beloved seat.Although not today. Today I decided to seat in a table seat.

It’s actually more comfortable.You have to be more adventurous every now and then. Don’t you?

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