My First day BACK to work!

Yesterday was an exciting, yet somewhat of a VERY challenging day.

Up at 05.00 to ensure I was on the train and crossing on time to head down to the MyCRM and Mapsimise.com office, which some of you know is in Newport on the wonderful ISLE OF WIGHT.

Exciting? Yes totally exciting as it was my 1st day back in the office after almost 3 years away, so I was keen to arrive on time and not to keep CEO Alistair Dickinson waiting.

All started well as I got to Didcot Parkway station on time and then a quick 12 minutes to Reading Central, arriving bang on schedule.

Waited for the train to get to Basingstoke, again bang on time. Then onwards on SWR finest (actually dirty) to Southampton Central, departing bang on time.

So I was feeling very happy that I’d arrive in time to get on the bus that would take me to the terminal building to jump on my favourite form of transport Red Funnel Ferries fast REDJET service which is brilliant.

I should have known better because just like it used to, the train from Basingstoke arrived late at Southampton. For some reason it always seems to slow up coming into and departing Eastleigh. I mean slow, I think I could run faster ??♂???♂???♂?

I’m not sure why SWR cannot run a train on time EVER, but the 07.57 arrival time promised never happens. I could rant on and on about trains but you all know they suck – I won’t even mention rail strikes!!

Now late in, I miss the 08.00 bus to get me to the dock. So I now have to face being at least 30 minutes late as the next bus arrives at 08.30. ?OK I thought, I’ll grab a cab but there are no Taxi’s anywhere to be seen.

I’ve never not seen taxi’s at Southampton railway station, perhaps they are on strike as well I thought.?So I waited for the 08.30 bus. It arrived early and people got off it. I went to get on it and was abruptly told it was out of service due to a technical fault.?“when is the replacement bus coming” I asked.?Only to be told that there isn’t one.

Suddenly a taxi does emerge, so I literally ran for my life to get in before dozens of others claim it. I did have to share it with a very kind gentlemen who offered and even paid the fare. He was also heading to the island – what a totally nice bloke.

Apart from being labelled as over 60 years of age by one of Redjet’s personnel (not really her fault) the journey on Redjet 6 was great, on time and super-fast. Views poor as it was awful weather ?????? and I even managed to film a little of it but it too wet so won't be posting.

So I was late on my first day after a near 4 hour commute?? but Alistair was waiting patiently and was very understanding. He's good like that.

We had a great day, conducting two LIVE shows online, one for #crm and one for #Mapsimise. Our creative minds whirled through ideas for informative and amusing content that we’ll be putting on social channels in the coming weeks. It really was a great 1st day in the office.

Now the return home commute. Off to Cowes to get on the 17.20 Redjet back. I check the schedule on my app and it said on schedule, so great, all seemed good.?

NOPE, it wasn’t as just as I arrived they inform everyone that due to high winds the crossing is cancelled.?You can imagine my thoughts at this point.?(Grrrrrrr!) GOOD NEWS though as the 17.55 sailing ?? is happening and it did, albeit fractions late.

A choppy sailing back but that’s what I like about the Redjet, it just powers its way through rough seas. Actually it’s like a free Roller Coaster ride.

Got back, get on the bus, get to Southampton station and yes, you guessed it a 45 minute wait for a train to get me back to Reading.?Lovely I thought, I’ll just sit here in Southampton sampling the new improved waiting room (photo below) - oh, the joys of the monotony of endless announcements that only railway station know how to do.?

Why can’t train stations make waiting interesting by telling jokes or playing extracts from an audio book or something. Surely, they could licence The Railway Children or something else?

Now the train back to Didcot, which like always runs bang on time and just the super quick 12 minutes of it. Off home in the car ?? and home at 21.00.

I’m not sure why I remained so happy all day despite the delays and challenges. Actually, that’s not true as I know exactly why I stayed so happy and positive - I was back at work and bloody glad to be so after my 2022.

Remember if your day doesn’t go according to plan, there is always someone, somewhere, who’s having a far worse day that any of us can ever imagine.

NOW GET BACK TO WORK and be HAPPY and GLAD that you are.?????