I have a meeting on Tuesday and so have to put travels to one side. I travel from Ely to Cambridge with my sister and it's interesting to see how different the mood is compared to travelling in from Clapham Junction to Waterloo. The trains are nice and new and although busy it is a civilised way to travel. People know one another and gather and chat about the day before and the day ahead.
When I first started to travel in commuting time from the Junction I was struck by the levels of what I thought was 'passive aggression'. But within a few days I realised it wasn't passive aggression at all - it was very active aggression, just silent. Elbows are used, feet are left to trip the unsuspecting, bags are used as means of leverage, possession of a space is all. And all the time, no eye contact, earphones in to keep sound at bay - sensory deprivation as a cover for ignoring other people.
But here there is chatting and no aggression; together with the added advantage of relatively civilised passenger density. Many of the trains into London have densities that would not be allowed for transporting livestock. And there we all are, paying a premium. It reinforces my view that London is an odd place, with different rules to the rest of the country.
It is also interesting to be back in an affluent area - not that everyone is rich. I am sure that there are plenty of people struggling to make ends meet. But the economic centre of gravity is comfortable. In some of the places I've visited, the 'keep calm and carry on' advice seems patronising. There are plenty of places where economic survival seems like an act of belief.
It is also interesting to step back into the world of work for a day and realise how easy it is to allow it to take over life. Particularly if you like what you do, work offers a structure and a focus that is very beguiling (to say nothing of income, benefits, sociability and purpose).
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