Public Transport

Today was a day of transport woes. Started with a morning bus ride. Nice to start the day gently, reading, as the bus negotiates the empty bus lanes. Sadly we were stalled behind a jack knifed lorry next to Hatton Gardens. The only way to rescue the commute and arrive at the meeting on time was to jump in a cab for £8.

On the way home, I waited for a bus to take me to ceramics class for 45 minutes. By which point I had 15 minutes to get there. Had to beg the bus drive to let us on when he finally arrived - he thought he was full, actually it was the fact that people hadn't moved down inside. So being late by the time I arrived at Elephant and Castle I rushed down onto the tube and found that the next train was due in 8 minutes. 8 minutes! No way I was getting to class on time.

Towards the end of the class we became aware of something going off outside on Blackstock Road. Two early leavers came back saying it was a riot. On finding a first floor window to look down from it turned out to be Algerian football fans celebrating with fireworks (hand held, spinning off in the street), chanting, singing. The road got cut off. The college evacuated the building and we slipped out the back door.