Wednesday 31 August 2011

Off to Oxfordshire

Paddington Station
Time for my bi-weekly trip to Oxfordshire for the on site pre-project design team meeting. I have a routine now; arrive station over an hour before my train leaves; buy ticket for travel after half nine from window (machines won't sell them that early); rise to the top of The Lawn for black coffee and occasional toffee waffle at Eat; go to disabled toilet facilities (don't fancy my chances in a train toilet); catch train. 

The meeting starts at half ten (I'm usually five minutes late) and sit in meeting for minimum of four hours (sometimes more). 

This is often followed by some sort of site walk around or visit. A taxi journey takes me back to Didcot where I may or may not have time to buy a (very) late lunch and then it's at train back to London. 

Here come's a problem - if I arrive back in London before half four then I can go back to the office. After half four it isn't worth it as it takes me over an hour to navigate the underground and get back. However, as I don't know until I get on the train when I'll be back in London I can't tell my lift what time to pick me up... which usually means I have to wait for them. Further part of my Paddington Station routine - back up to the top of The Lawn, this time for a half of Guinness in the Mad Bear and Bishop.

Day over - until the week after next when we do it all over again!