Staines

And so, to test the new route to work. Nothing online suggests that Staines is a contactless pay-as-you-go station so I was buying a paper ticket just after 0930. I didn’t quite get up in time to test the rush hour trains and so decided to save myself a few quid and go on the off-peak service.

Notes I made about the journey:
• :58 and :28 are the fastest trains
• Interchange at Clapham is 2m20s (normal speed)
• It’s not even the advertised 10 minutes walk to the building
• Staines town centre seems to have everything you would need

It took me about an hour to get there which is about what I expected. The office isn’t that far from the station so I don’t think my office day commute would be any longer than my last job (albeit with a lot less walking).

I had a good look around Staines: there’s a pedestrianised central shopping area with a traditional indoor shopping centre to one side and a retail park (Two Rivers) to the other. I ended up buying a pair of shoes and some swimming trunks for my upcoming holiday. I granted a coffee in a nice little coffee shop with an outdoor table and then headed home for lunch.

With the rest of my day I did a deep clean of the bathroom and cancelled a credit card that I never use. Another day I have put off starting the decorating that I want to do. I am determined to paint the room I use as my office before I start my new job but I’ve already lost two days. Maybe tomorow.

In the evening we started the second season of Bridgeton. It seems as well made as he first and just as entertaining but, I think, knowing more about Lady Whistledown maybe removes a bit of the magic. Still, as long as it’ still fun we will keep watching.