Well that was an experience and proof positive that trying to be a good citizen and keep my carbon footprint low by using public transport is a waste of time. I was going to take the train to London on Sunday only to find that my train had been cancelled and I would have a 2 hour wait for the next train, I am sorry but I wasn't going to sit around in Exeter St David's station for 2 hours when in 2 hours by car I would have been the other side of Bristol, so I am ashamed to say that I drove! Not too bad a journey until Reading and then the M4 stopped, I suppose it had been a nice weekend and so folks were coming home after a weekend away or a day out. The M25 was worse and at one point had to turn the engine off. At least there was nice cool glass of water (!) at my destination. The return yesterday was much better but it is a dreadfully long way and today I am shattered.
Something that caught my attention on my crawl round the biggest car park in the country was that the John Lewis Partnership seem to be taking over the world. They have recently opened a Waitrose in our nearest town which isn't exactly a posh place but it does seem to be very busy and at least they have a nice fish counter, but I am afraid it won't be my weekly shopping venue as rather costly. Anyway, as I crept round the motorway I noticed that the services at the A1/M25 junction is now a Waitrose! I have seen M&S ones but never a Waitrose one before, they must be doing something right if they can afford to open up all these new branches and good luck to them. Beware you may find a Waitrose opening near you but at least it is better than Tescos as at least Waitrose do seem to try to source local produce and do seem to try to always source British were possible.
It is strange going back somewhere where you have lived for 20 years, I do still get a lump in my throat (and did drive past our house which probably wasn't a good plan). I do miss our friends but it is so busy up there and so many cars. We used to go to Scotland a lot for holidays (we originally wanted to move to Scotland as mentioned in one of my early posts) and I always breathed a sigh of relief when we crossed the border, there was something about just being in Scotland that made me feel better. I now feel this coming back here, as soon as I crossed the Devon border I breathed that big sigh too; mind you, I still had one and a half hours still to go before getting home; it is such a big county. But the thing that really brings a smile to my face and makes me shout 'YES' is seeing Dartmoor, it feels like a friend now, I suppose because it means I am nearly home and it is our familiar view.
So good to be home if a little shattered, next time I will try to fly up from Plymouth as there is now a twice daily service to City Airport (and that is not an airport for the faint hearted to fly into or out of). Back to work again and hopefully some more pictures to take to post on here for my next one.
Something that caught my attention on my crawl round the biggest car park in the country was that the John Lewis Partnership seem to be taking over the world. They have recently opened a Waitrose in our nearest town which isn't exactly a posh place but it does seem to be very busy and at least they have a nice fish counter, but I am afraid it won't be my weekly shopping venue as rather costly. Anyway, as I crept round the motorway I noticed that the services at the A1/M25 junction is now a Waitrose! I have seen M&S ones but never a Waitrose one before, they must be doing something right if they can afford to open up all these new branches and good luck to them. Beware you may find a Waitrose opening near you but at least it is better than Tescos as at least Waitrose do seem to try to source local produce and do seem to try to always source British were possible.
It is strange going back somewhere where you have lived for 20 years, I do still get a lump in my throat (and did drive past our house which probably wasn't a good plan). I do miss our friends but it is so busy up there and so many cars. We used to go to Scotland a lot for holidays (we originally wanted to move to Scotland as mentioned in one of my early posts) and I always breathed a sigh of relief when we crossed the border, there was something about just being in Scotland that made me feel better. I now feel this coming back here, as soon as I crossed the Devon border I breathed that big sigh too; mind you, I still had one and a half hours still to go before getting home; it is such a big county. But the thing that really brings a smile to my face and makes me shout 'YES' is seeing Dartmoor, it feels like a friend now, I suppose because it means I am nearly home and it is our familiar view.
So good to be home if a little shattered, next time I will try to fly up from Plymouth as there is now a twice daily service to City Airport (and that is not an airport for the faint hearted to fly into or out of). Back to work again and hopefully some more pictures to take to post on here for my next one.
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