Off to see Dad

[Gordon57]

After last weeks aborted trip, having got about half-way, I'm just about to set off again.

A nice sunny, but breezy, day outside. I've wrapped up a bit warmer because of that, but it's not normally a problem.

Nice and steady, I don't need to rush about. I leave plenty of time in-between connections so I can get to the bus stop well before the bus comes.

I think last week was a combination of a change in the weather and picking up a cold, I'd point fingers at snifflers on the bus but I didn't think a cold could get settled in that quickly.

[Lynne1955]

Better luck this time Gordon.

Lynne x

[amagran]

have a lovely time. xx

[MrsShimmy]

take your time this week x have a good visit..p.s. nice bus!!

[lavender1]

None of your carry on this week Gordon and worrying everybody that you'd be out of commission for a while. Seriously hope you have a carefree journey and your dad will be very glad to see you. Let us know if he welcomes you with open arms or gives you a row for not turning up last week. Good luck!

[Hidden]

Good luck with your journey Gordon. x

[Bronch1noGO]

Nice to hear you're setting off again Gordon, have a lovely day with your Dad, take care.

Karen

XX

[zube-UK]

This is exciting !.. even more than Ranulph Fiennes trip to Antarctica. All of us here know the difficulties getting about with breathing problems so it is exciting for us.. go Gordon, go.. we are all with you !

[Gordon57 in reply to zube-UK]

Need a bigger bus !

[pollyjj]

Take it easy, hope it goes well for you.

polly

[jackie50]

hope you have a wonderful trip and enjoy your dads company

let us know how it goes

[nellie15]

enjoy your trip ---take care and take your time!

[Gordon57]

Made it, and got back too.

I'd spoken to him last week about not going to get there, he was OK about it - mainly 'cos he wouldn't want me to turn up and give him a cold or anything as he catches anything going, except buses.

Not sure if I achieved anything though. Normally he'll go for a walk round the block if I'm there. It was a nice sunny day and he knew I'd need a few minutes to get my breath after walking on from the bus stop.

But, first question was to ask about the football. I know nothing about football, I don't watch it. Last nights game, he said - I was working on my radio show last night, didn't have the TV on. No idea what match he was on about.

He had the telly on when I got there, 2 minutes later an announcement came on to say the football was going to be shown at 3.30. Oh great, no chance of that walk then. Dad loves bis football, don't know why, he never bothered with it when we were kids and I don't remember him watching it much until he got the big TV...

So, Gordon was sat there, slowly nodding off, boring old football on. It came to time to go, still 20 minutes to play and 1-1 by then, but at least he came to lock the door behind me.

I was at the bus stop in plenty of time, in fact I was sat there for 40 minutes. Mine didn't come at all, I ended up on a different service altogether, but knew there was a chance, just a small one, that I could get off that one and jump on another - which just happened to be the one I would have caught next anyway.

Now I've confused myself, hang on - I normally get bus 1, then change to bus 2 in another town on the way. This time I got bus 3, but it was still bus 2 that I caught further down the road, so I still got to my train at the usual time.

The problem is that bus 3 is usually late and the connection with bus 2 is very doubtful, otherwise I'd use that option instead of bus 1 and have an extra 30 minutes at Dad's.

I really hate the lousy bus service from Dad's as bus 1 often misses, and the bus company cannot explain why. The majority of buses have GPS trackers, there are screens in the bus shelters to say when your bus is coming. But not my bus. I often call the helpline and ask what time it's coming, and they just say it's not being tracked. And, to add insult to injury, the screen in that particular shelter has not worked since it was installed last April !

Looking ahead, when the weather gets bad, and it's cold and wet, I do not want to be stuck there for 40 minutes waiting for buses that don't turn up. I've been onto the transport executive a couple of times already, but they don't want to know. They took away a perfectly good bus shelter and replaced it with one only half the width, no good at all when it rains.

And we're being told to use public transport more...?