09.05, Thursday 22 Mar 2001

Every day I barge my way on to the tube in the morning, eat mouthfuls of other people's hair (not voluntarily) for fifteen minutes, push and shove through the station, and listen to sarcastic tube drivers ("Stand clear of the doors. If you don't get out the way, it's your journey you're delaying.") the whole way to work. But this morning... This morning the tube was empty. I mean, there were seats. At Liverpool Street the driver announced that we were running a little ahead of schedule (who ever heard of schedules when there's a train every minute?), that if we were moving on to remember to take all personal belongings with us. On the platform it was announced - to the no people standing there - that there was another train behind this one, and please stand clear of the doors. I'm not accidentally up an hour early. I haven't heard of it being National Stay At Home Thursday or anything similar.

I think I've stumbled into that mythical parallel London where the public transport system is good. I like it here.