T-63 - Around and around the citi
Aug. 14th, 2007 09:25 pmYou know it's been a busy day when you run out of space for journey details in your diary... and there were eleven of them, and a lot of walking! The thing is, I only crossed the Cambridge city boundary twice - once in, once out. Yes, it was busy alright.
I called the JCP (see yesterdays entry), and I'd to ask for an appointment to come in. They said to come in anytime, except during their lunch hour, so I left for the 1026 26 from Royston Tesco (didn't trust the roadworks - and it was a little late anwyay!)
To say I got back in nine hours later on the last bus of the night (1840 from Cambridge) is no understatement!
Got into the city centre, bus up to the JCP. As I am about to walk downstairs (it's an ALX400 Trident on the citi1), I stand up, and manage to empty the contents of my handbag over the upstairs offside floor under the seat. Oops. Managed to scramble everything into every space (including a carrier bag) and get off. This explains why I found my hand cream in my carrier bag on the way home.
As I arrived, seen quickly, OK come back at 1500ish, and they should be able to replace the cheque.
So, in the meantime - I had a couple of things to do, and uniquely they followed in a sort-of line. From there, it was further up Chesterton Road (short walk to the one-way system) where I intended to do something I've meant to do for ages - and now I'm going to have the time to actually do it, so why not? So, I knew where this dentist was - sort of. I remember seeing it off a 9/X9 bus (via Milton Road to/from Littleport/Chatteris), but exactly where was it? OK, found it - right between the sex shop and outdoor sports gear stores. That's an interesting one to describe the way to the Cambridge Dental Centre! Anyway, dually registered, going back a week tomorrow.
From there, not too far to go to Milton Road Library. I had two books that I had asked for (one on Scottish buses, and another on Routemasters!), and at the same time, I was able to leave a package of Scottish bus timetables that I uplifted last week during my trip, to add to the Cambridge city collection (see previous posts).
OK, so came out the library, down through a footpath, and across onto Chesterton Road, and there is a citi2 bus coming, so I get that into town, before changing to a citi7 so I can have an hour out to visit![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
auntysarah once more. After tea on the TrannySofaTM, we discussed a number of things - including how one 'sir' can affect your entire day! After relaxing for an hour, I had to dash (just after 1430, so I could make it back for 1500). I came out, and looked out onto Station Road. No ALX400's to be seen, apart from the one heading for Cherry Hinton (the other way), so I walk around to the stop at the station turning circle. As I do so, I can see some new cantilever style bus shelters being installed through the recent road digging. These are on the opposite side to the existing ones.
OK, so ideally I wanted a citi1 bus, but the citi3 looked so inviting as the weather got a bit choppy, so jumped on the citi3... only to see a citi1 behind us shortly after, so I jumped over in Regent Street. Interestingly, the post office in St Andrews Street was closed with a power cut...
... So, made it back to JCP. They were aware of the post office being closed, so had authorised us to cash cheques at Regent Street or Trinity Street. I took the bus back to Regent Street, only to find most of Regent Street was also without power - and yes, that post office was closed too! Message fromauntysarah re the powercut said that this happened yesterday, too...
... Right, so one left... and map outed trying to find Trinity Street post office. Turns out I'd passed it before some time ago. I stopped briefly at the market, after a recommendation of the tea/coffee seller in residence. He was about to close for the day, so I had to make some quick choices. The flavoured China tea which sounded most intriguing was Artic Fire, especially as the flavouring is added in Germany*... Took home a bag of Earl Grey and Jasmine... which improved the smell of carrier bag plastic... shortly before the carrier bag handle went... of course, just one handle...
Trinity Street post office is a tourist trap, sitting between the river and the colleges. To ensure the maximum number of staff to sell union jack tatt to the visitors, there was only one person on the post office counter (and another on the business counter)! Given that they were the only post office in central Cambridge, this seemed rather harsh! Anyway, duly got the rest of the money, and got out just around 1610!
Had to stop for a bite to eat, sent a text to Caroline, warning I'd be home late! I went for the 16 towards Fulbourn at 1640 (around the time the power came back - too little too late - some shops reopened, some had gone home), but I got off at Sainsbury's Coldham Lane. I wanted to buy a take-away (similar to what I got in Haverhill a couple of weeks ago), as well as one or two other little surprises! I wanted to get one of these last night, but as Sainsbury's Letchworth is getting refurbished, this was not to be. After grabbing the foods, got back out for the same bus, driver and route back to town, and then got off at Cambridge Retail Park just before 1800. My second problem in a matter of days with the photo maker in Boots - firstly, it ran out of reciept paper, so the code had to be scanned by hand. Secondly, the kiosk printed all but one of the images, and then wanted a new ribbon. By the time the photo guy came from the back (again), he realised they didn't have a spare! So, after offering to print the missing one on the other machine, I opted not to wait (as I had less than 25 minutes to get back to town, and on the bus home). He duly gave me a refund of the 39p, and put up the 'out of order' message on the machine!
Came out of the retail park, onto Newmarket Road - and a citi3 approaches almost immediatly. See a pattern here?
Anyway, got to the bus station in plenty time for the bus home, and got back to Caroline for 1930, very drained and tired. I can see why some people would be upset or give up after a day like that!
*of course, Mannenheim (Germany) is the location of the Mercedes plant where the articulated Citaro's were built (i.e. these), amongst others - those artics included the fire-breathing ones from 2003-4, when the whole London fleet were off-roaded after three fires. The cause of the fires were later attributed to the overheating of a component near the fuel pipe.
I called the JCP (see yesterdays entry), and I'd to ask for an appointment to come in. They said to come in anytime, except during their lunch hour, so I left for the 1026 26 from Royston Tesco (didn't trust the roadworks - and it was a little late anwyay!)
To say I got back in nine hours later on the last bus of the night (1840 from Cambridge) is no understatement!
Got into the city centre, bus up to the JCP. As I am about to walk downstairs (it's an ALX400 Trident on the citi1), I stand up, and manage to empty the contents of my handbag over the upstairs offside floor under the seat. Oops. Managed to scramble everything into every space (including a carrier bag) and get off. This explains why I found my hand cream in my carrier bag on the way home.
As I arrived, seen quickly, OK come back at 1500ish, and they should be able to replace the cheque.
So, in the meantime - I had a couple of things to do, and uniquely they followed in a sort-of line. From there, it was further up Chesterton Road (short walk to the one-way system) where I intended to do something I've meant to do for ages - and now I'm going to have the time to actually do it, so why not? So, I knew where this dentist was - sort of. I remember seeing it off a 9/X9 bus (via Milton Road to/from Littleport/Chatteris), but exactly where was it? OK, found it - right between the sex shop and outdoor sports gear stores. That's an interesting one to describe the way to the Cambridge Dental Centre! Anyway, dually registered, going back a week tomorrow.
From there, not too far to go to Milton Road Library. I had two books that I had asked for (one on Scottish buses, and another on Routemasters!), and at the same time, I was able to leave a package of Scottish bus timetables that I uplifted last week during my trip, to add to the Cambridge city collection (see previous posts).
OK, so came out the library, down through a footpath, and across onto Chesterton Road, and there is a citi2 bus coming, so I get that into town, before changing to a citi7 so I can have an hour out to visit
auntysarah once more. After tea on the TrannySofaTM, we discussed a number of things - including how one 'sir' can affect your entire day! After relaxing for an hour, I had to dash (just after 1430, so I could make it back for 1500). I came out, and looked out onto Station Road. No ALX400's to be seen, apart from the one heading for Cherry Hinton (the other way), so I walk around to the stop at the station turning circle. As I do so, I can see some new cantilever style bus shelters being installed through the recent road digging. These are on the opposite side to the existing ones.OK, so ideally I wanted a citi1 bus, but the citi3 looked so inviting as the weather got a bit choppy, so jumped on the citi3... only to see a citi1 behind us shortly after, so I jumped over in Regent Street. Interestingly, the post office in St Andrews Street was closed with a power cut...
... So, made it back to JCP. They were aware of the post office being closed, so had authorised us to cash cheques at Regent Street or Trinity Street. I took the bus back to Regent Street, only to find most of Regent Street was also without power - and yes, that post office was closed too! Message from
auntysarah re the powercut said that this happened yesterday, too...... Right, so one left... and map outed trying to find Trinity Street post office. Turns out I'd passed it before some time ago. I stopped briefly at the market, after a recommendation of the tea/coffee seller in residence. He was about to close for the day, so I had to make some quick choices. The flavoured China tea which sounded most intriguing was Artic Fire, especially as the flavouring is added in Germany*... Took home a bag of Earl Grey and Jasmine... which improved the smell of carrier bag plastic... shortly before the carrier bag handle went... of course, just one handle...
Trinity Street post office is a tourist trap, sitting between the river and the colleges. To ensure the maximum number of staff to sell union jack tatt to the visitors, there was only one person on the post office counter (and another on the business counter)! Given that they were the only post office in central Cambridge, this seemed rather harsh! Anyway, duly got the rest of the money, and got out just around 1610!
Had to stop for a bite to eat, sent a text to Caroline, warning I'd be home late! I went for the 16 towards Fulbourn at 1640 (around the time the power came back - too little too late - some shops reopened, some had gone home), but I got off at Sainsbury's Coldham Lane. I wanted to buy a take-away (similar to what I got in Haverhill a couple of weeks ago), as well as one or two other little surprises! I wanted to get one of these last night, but as Sainsbury's Letchworth is getting refurbished, this was not to be. After grabbing the foods, got back out for the same bus, driver and route back to town, and then got off at Cambridge Retail Park just before 1800. My second problem in a matter of days with the photo maker in Boots - firstly, it ran out of reciept paper, so the code had to be scanned by hand. Secondly, the kiosk printed all but one of the images, and then wanted a new ribbon. By the time the photo guy came from the back (again), he realised they didn't have a spare! So, after offering to print the missing one on the other machine, I opted not to wait (as I had less than 25 minutes to get back to town, and on the bus home). He duly gave me a refund of the 39p, and put up the 'out of order' message on the machine!
Came out of the retail park, onto Newmarket Road - and a citi3 approaches almost immediatly. See a pattern here?
Anyway, got to the bus station in plenty time for the bus home, and got back to Caroline for 1930, very drained and tired. I can see why some people would be upset or give up after a day like that!
*of course, Mannenheim (Germany) is the location of the Mercedes plant where the articulated Citaro's were built (i.e. these), amongst others - those artics included the fire-breathing ones from 2003-4, when the whole London fleet were off-roaded after three fires. The cause of the fires were later attributed to the overheating of a component near the fuel pipe.
