Stress

I get pretty stressed about train travel. It is meant to be relaxing but I find a drive along the motorway with Radio on incredibly relaxing.

Today, having gone through the rigmarole of booking online and collecting tickets from the station in order to pop over to Paddington to have lunch with my boys, I found that my train was nine minutes late 'Due to the sheer number of passengers.' A Friday in December off-peak. Who could have predicted?

Then I found that two of us had been reserved the same seat, and as the other person had got on at Exeter I lost. I told the guard whose reaction,'It's computerised, that shouldn't happen' didn't even come close to an apology.

Fifteen minutes late for a short enough time with family as it was and then the Circle Line train I needed was cancelled without explanation.

This relaxing privilege cost £80. My car would have cost about £25 plus tube or four hours Central London parking and congestion charge.

On the way back the train was punctual and packed.

No-one checked my outward ticket at all. I needed the return to get through the barrier at Paddington but it was not checked on the train or on alighting.

Lunch and Tate Britain with my sons was good however.