Ash Wednesday tests
Yesterday I went to the High Court with S in the morning, and then was reading case papers and writing pro formas for a family case for one of my two new pupil supervisors. OK, technically I have only one new pupil supervisor, R, but she's training her roommate, J, to be a pupil supervisor, so they're sharing me. Haven't been out with R yet and as she was on a heavy case in Nottingham today and thus likely won't be in tomorrow, will have to wait until next week for that!
Anyway, I got a breather mid-day so I used it to follow up on a letter I received way back in December from the GP, "inviting" me for a routine health check-up. I rang them up and asked if there was any possibility of a weekend appointment. No, but they could give me the number of somewhere that could set one up -- or they had evening appointments. Evening would be good -- as late as possible. They had a slot that night -- 18.45. I thought, I'm in luck, I can get it out of the way.
So I left chambers at 18.00 as usual and headed for Chancery Lane station, right outside. It was locked up. Some people were standing at the top of the stairs. I couldn't think how there was any way I could get to my GP by 18.45 without the tube, even if I got a bus to Liverpool Street and the train from there, but I figured I had to try. Still, I rang the GP to tell them what had happened and was told that if I was more than ten minutes late I wouldn't be seen.
The 242 and the 8 are the only buses that run to Liverpool Street from Chancery Lane. The bus stop was absolutely packed and one of each of them whizzed by, packed to the gills, without stopping. A 521 to Waterloo came and let people on, then another 242 refused to let people. I got on the next 521, thinking I'd get off at St Paul's and see if a) the tube had opened yet or b) there were any other buses running from there to Liverpool Street.
So I got off at St Paul's and both of my hopes proved groundless. St Paul's tube station was also gated and locked shut and the only buses going to Liverpool Street were the 8 and the 242. So I shouldered my way onto a 242 by brute force. It was a cattle car. I was late, tired, grumpy, and very, very hungry. It was 18.35. I tried to call the GP but no one answered.
The bus was slow, traffic was bad, and I didn't get home until after 19.30. However, on the whole, I escaped lightly. Before the tube was closed, it was stuck underground for 45 minutes. Glad I wasn't on it!
And the British press are taking the mick out of Vancouver's transport during the Winter Games. How very dare they!
Anyway, I got a breather mid-day so I used it to follow up on a letter I received way back in December from the GP, "inviting" me for a routine health check-up. I rang them up and asked if there was any possibility of a weekend appointment. No, but they could give me the number of somewhere that could set one up -- or they had evening appointments. Evening would be good -- as late as possible. They had a slot that night -- 18.45. I thought, I'm in luck, I can get it out of the way.
So I left chambers at 18.00 as usual and headed for Chancery Lane station, right outside. It was locked up. Some people were standing at the top of the stairs. I couldn't think how there was any way I could get to my GP by 18.45 without the tube, even if I got a bus to Liverpool Street and the train from there, but I figured I had to try. Still, I rang the GP to tell them what had happened and was told that if I was more than ten minutes late I wouldn't be seen.
The 242 and the 8 are the only buses that run to Liverpool Street from Chancery Lane. The bus stop was absolutely packed and one of each of them whizzed by, packed to the gills, without stopping. A 521 to Waterloo came and let people on, then another 242 refused to let people. I got on the next 521, thinking I'd get off at St Paul's and see if a) the tube had opened yet or b) there were any other buses running from there to Liverpool Street.
So I got off at St Paul's and both of my hopes proved groundless. St Paul's tube station was also gated and locked shut and the only buses going to Liverpool Street were the 8 and the 242. So I shouldered my way onto a 242 by brute force. It was a cattle car. I was late, tired, grumpy, and very, very hungry. It was 18.35. I tried to call the GP but no one answered.
The bus was slow, traffic was bad, and I didn't get home until after 19.30. However, on the whole, I escaped lightly. Before the tube was closed, it was stuck underground for 45 minutes. Glad I wasn't on it!
And the British press are taking the mick out of Vancouver's transport during the Winter Games. How very dare they!