Commuting Blog # 2 – The Skytrain experience

I must admit that I am not a public transportation kind of girl but the experience of driving home from my new work location has driven me to give it a try. And, well here is what I have experienced so far…..

I cant say that I spend a lot of time looking at train schedules or really have been big on reading signs so its likely that is what caused a slight issue, on my very first attempt I got on the wrong car, which is next to impossible I am told. There are two trains going in the direction I wanted to and I innocently thought they would both end in the same place! Sizing up the situation, and the people around me, I found a rather timid looking gentleman that seemed lonely but harmless and asked where the trained ended up, sure enough……not where I wanted to be! Luckily I was able to get off a switch without much drama.

My observations thus far have led me to believe that you should always wear head phones with some sort of relaxing music, your eyes should wander out of the window but not during the stops at the stations, reading a book or newspaper is not the lost art I thought is was, and finally…people should bath more.

I really wished these guys had of gotten a grant for this! 

I wish this “smell-o-vision” technology was around so I could share some mornings with you all. At first I thought I was over sensitive and that I would acclimatize…then I realized it also has something to do with the train itself. You see there are new one’s and older ones….and yes you definitely want to be on the newer one! 

The older trains carry a au de toilet J scent, literally, and the new ones are rather dependent on who you have in the train with you. I have had a few suggestions on how to deal with this particular issue, carry a can of air deodorizer – not sure that would keep me on the train, let myself get just as smelly as everyone else…yeah not going to happen! And finally the “you will get used to it”, believe it or not I kind of am, I cant say that I am used to it, but its becoming tolerable.

The visual stimulus is rather interesting as well, looking out the window often affords nice views…. particularly on a nice sunny day the mountains and downtown are a wonderful sight. As we move through the bowls of the suburbs I can say that it’s distracting for the right reasons.. 

So why put myself through all of this? Well in a nutshell its faster, usually, the hour and a half drive home was really starting to push the barriers of my patience and the train allows me to not only make my ride home a predictable time it allows me to do stuff, yep…even write a blog! 

I should be honest and tell you that I still drive occasionally.....and I am really, really, did I say really, looking forward to moving our office downtown!

Till next time - happy chatting!