My point (and I do have one)

In which I babble uncontrollably about yet another... something or other...

I may not have previously mentioned this, but there is a class system here, perhaps due to our British roots. Where I grew up it was somewhat more egalitarian and the concept that was knocked into our little kidlet brains was, "to whom much is given, much is expected." It seems the local privileged group are more likely to believe that, "to whom much is given, much more should be given - and we don't need any freakin' manners, either, peasants. If I have not already met you, you cannot be anyone of any significance. Stand aside."

But I digress. As annoying as I find the local class system, my point is that public transport is looked down upon here as a lower class activity in a way it is not in many other places where it is seen as simply a convenient method to get about without the hassle of finding a parking spot. Even the environmental card does nothing here to encourage people to use the buses and as a result the bus system is largely crap due to lack of use, which of course leads to lack of use.. because it's crap. The filthy rich everywhere eschew public transport, I’m sure, but I know for a fact that in many places the average middle classes travel by bus/tram/subway/train with no sense of shame whatever.

Be that as it may, and me being the cranky, wrathful CFA* that I am, I refuse to avoid buses, and now that my feet are more or less healed, have recently been walking/busing a lot in my brilliant new 4-point transportation plan. The points being:

1. save wear and tear on the car
2. save on gas
3. get exercise
4. lose weight.

It is brilliant. I have purchased a pedometer and am working up to the recommended 10,000 steps per day. It’s almost 2,000 steps from home to work, so walking to work, if I also return home for lunch, has me up to a whopping 8,000 steps right there. After the past year and a half of dicky feet, the ability to walk long distances is positively intoxicating.

But that’s not all! I have a second point! Yes. Yes, I do.

Yesterday while travelling by foot & bus I met a lovely, friendly person that I would never have met had I been driving my car. Would never even have noticed her. A marine biologist who originates all the way from the other side of the country, who came here not long before I did and with the same short-term stay in mind. We had a nice chat at the bus stop and then continued it while travelling on the bus. It was like finding a little gem in an unexpected place. Thank you, nice marine biologist lady for brightening my day!

It appears my 4-point plan needs to be expanded to include a 5th point:

5. meet lovely, lovely people.


*CFA = come from away