What’s better than bussing about London?
A month on crutches taught me the wonder of the London bus system — and I haven’t looked back
After tumbling down the stairs in our ground floor flat and convincing myself a run on the pavements was a good idea, I was left with two fractured metatarsals and the joys of crutches for four weeks. London is not be the easiest place for commuting when one has crutches. Let yourself imagine this…
It’s getting colder, windier and rainier, and those socks with flip flops are not very attractive. Your palms hurt from the crutch handles, but you manage to tape woolly socks around them for comfort. That beautiful Michael Kors handbag has been traded in for a boyish backpack for easy carriage. Tubes and train stations appear more and more daunting with their escalators and stairs. Hot, sweaty, uncomfortable and not looking very stylish — I decided to bus it.
Taking the opportunity to appreciate the sights and history of the city, I quickly realised that when one has crutches, they are guaranteed first class seating every time! Knowing this was not permanent, I simply told myself to remember to always be patient on the buses, take in the surroundings, accept the traffic and get stuck into a book.
Now that I am off the crutches, I found myself still using the bus in the mornings. I realised I craved the people-watching journey from the top floor of the 87 bus. What’s more, my hair remains the same from leaving home to arriving at work; it’s miraculous. The time spent blow drying my hair is no longer defeated and frizzed up by the sweaty sardine packing of the tubes.
I have also now noticed and tracked something fundamental about the buses. No matter how full they are, Londoners do not seem to open the windows! Why? I cannot figure it out. Despite every seat being filled and ample opportunities to open a window, we all sit staring out of foggy windows. What is stopping our fellow commuters?
As a result, I now make a point every day to open my window at the first opportunity I get. I then look around, open and close it again as if to suggest to others they should so the same. Highly amused with myself, I am convinced that we all want a clear window and limited stuffiness. Don’t we all want to arrive fresh, four book chapters down and with beauty salon hair?
This bizarre London bus trait makes me laugh. If only we can open at least a couple windows as soon as the bus is full, you will notice the beauty that is outside everyday rather than what level of candy crush you are on.
