A very enjoyable few days 'down south' catching up with family... amazing how the lure of cupcakes brings people together! Lots of things that made me pause and consider what actually mattered, or was important, or whatever.
I stayed a Travelodge I've used periodically since it opened three years ago. The staff there are friendly, but I have never has a visit where something didn't go awry. This time, in the course of two days I actually complained twice... and I never complain because, well it's just niggles, afterall. Hopefully they can rectify these things before my next visit (yes, I will return, it is incredibly convenient for rail and rellies).
Anyone who has travelled with me knows I check tickets with a level of paranoia that is second to none. Except today I didn't. For the first time ever. And I had lost my ticket. For the first time ever. So a very expensive trip by the time I'd bought a replacement ticket. In future I will return to over-checking... it clearly pays off. I did not find the ticket when I got home, so I'm kind of relieved about that anyway!!
At Birmingham a young couple with a toddler were waiting for the train, with an assistance person. It transpired they were both blind. The young man got them and the push chair onto the train, then left them to fend for themselves (they had no reserved seats). Well, I was unimpressed! I went off in search of seats and managed to find some 'reserved from....' which they could sit in at least to start with. I found one further along I could use (for some reason even on my original full price advance ticket I had been unable to reserve a seat). As we neared the next station I went back to try to persuade the person who had one of the seats booked to sit in one further along - and she graciously did. And the same again a station further along, where someone else gave up his seat to the person who had reserved the other seat... and I walked back to discover mine had been taken by someone half my age who had been ousted from the booked seat they were in.... I wouldn't have minded but for the refusal to make eye-contact!! So I gathered my bags and moved to the end of the carriage where I stood for the next hour or so. Eventually we reached their destination and myself and another passenger ensured they got off safely (no assistance person so greet them) - they were incredibly grateful. Finally I got a seat for the second half of the journey! Of course, I have my reward in full, because in true hypocrite fashion, I've told you I did it. But I was struck, quite forcibly, by the fact that it was people of my generation giving up seats and helping others, does no one nowadays teach their children to give up their seat for an older person? It would appear not!
So, niggles in a hotel, unplanned expenditure on a journey, people who were helpful and people who were selfish. But what really mattered? I'd like to hope that my polite comments were taken seriously, and that minor issues don't develop into major ones. I'd like to think, too, that a little bit of thoughtfulness was helpful for the young couple and their son. Above all, I hope that I got my priorities right - in the end a lost ticket just costs money that I am lucky enough to have, an unwashed cup and a delayed breakfast-box delivery are just niggles, but if that's all I have to worry about, then really I am very lucky.