Being the socially responsible Landie owner that I am, for my little jaunt down to East Anglia this weekend I took the bus.
Having reminded myself of what it was like going long distances before I owned a vehicle, I've got a few observations:
Cost: Disco TDi is a very similar cost to taking the coach. Train? You could do it in a V8 for less.
Time: Seeing as you decide when and where to stop, that's down to you. Took me twelve hours on a bus, reckon I could have done it in five or six in the Disco.
Connections: There are none. You certainly can't do what I did, and have to spend an extra £30 on a train because your coach pulled in two hours late, causing you to miss the connecting service.
Noise: Plenty in the Disco, but at least they're noises that I'm used to. The noises in there don't include other peoples' kids, mobile phone conversations and people eating loudly.
I did, however, experience the following conversation at Milton Keynes earlier on today, which almost made up for some of the other inconveniences:
Driver: The limit's two bags.
Passenger: But I'm going to Sunderland!
Drive: I don't care where you're going. You can't have more than two pieces of baggage.
I think it was rather nice of the driver to wait until the chap had loaded eight of his bags, and was just about to shove his microwave and TV on the bus before telling him he'd have to take them all off.
