Sampling different transport

I used 4 (got it wrong on FB earlier) different bits of transport today ...

Had a day off work to get the car in to the garage to get its wonky engine fixed. It's been making a whizzy-slap/bang noise since last Tuesday, stuff like that needs checking out before you try moving the car again. First chance was today :

10am - Transport type 1 : start the car up again. It's been a bit reluctant to start since the problem started but I "persuaded" it quickly. Then there's a nervy trip across to Newport, trying hard to keep the discipline for a 50mph limit. Car drove fine :-) Brakes were ok and steering was unaffected. Just a loud bangy noise coming from under the hood.

The verdict on the car (so far!) is a faulty inlet manifold, which makes a lot of sense. It accounts for the bad starting, which was looking like a fuel/air mix that was badly off what it should be. It's not the kind of thing that gets fixed immediately, unless the parts happen to be on hand.

What I thought would happen next is that I'd borrow a courtesy car for a few days ... Oh well ! Best laid plans never survive contact with the enemy :-)

Next step - Transport type 2 : I walk from the garage to the train station. Only 2 and a bit miles. I'm badly out of shape fitness wise but everything still seems to work. Left calf was screaming at me within a few hundred yards but I applied "Ignore it and it'll give up complaining" theory :-)

This gets me to Newport centre (not really sure if Newport is city or town). And a trap ...

"Books for £1" says the sign in the window.

Doh ! I only bought one, Polar City Nightmare by Katherine Kerr. I enjoyed reading Polar City Blues quite a few years ago, so reading this pair should be good.

From Newport centre it's the train back to Bristol, making transport type 3. It's only a 20 minute trip but I still get a Jobsworth Fat Controller saying I needed to move out of the first class section and into the second class. Bit silly really, in another 10 minutes I'd have been off the train anyway. Sure, I was in the wrong part of the train but sometimes a little common sense is called for. Especially when first class is packed ... with empty seats.

Irritating. Customer service is king, going the Jobsworth line tends to push people towards other forms of transport. So while I've been looking into bus as a valid alternate transport to work, I'll be continuing to ignore the train option. Even though it's convenient for getting to a couple of places I go to with work. So be it.

Transport type 4 is the bus again. I'd have walked home (couple of miles again) but I thought it was a shame to waste the coincidence of the right bus turning up just as I left the station :-).

I'm back home again now, a late lunch is all done and it's now time to counteract the effect of calories burned by the walking. Yep - first Easter Egg of the year is about to get eaten :-)

Addendum - just had the call to find out what the damage will be ... £330 not covered by the paid for warranty. Grr. That'll be the last paid warranty I buy !