Have just tried to buy a ticket for a forthcoming trip in Scotland. Impossible to do. The FirstScotrail website -- their slogan is 'transforming travel' -- claims that you can book and buy tickets from outside the U.K. But you have to become a 'member' to buy a ticket. However, their signup interface does not allow for non-UK addresses, so there's no way you can become a member unless you live in the U.K.
I hate this sort of thing, which happens all the time. It's such a waste of time. For example, for my previous visit to Scotland (about five weeks ago), I wanted to prebook a bus ticket from Glasgow to the west coast. Again, impossible to do from abroad, even though the bus company (TransportDirect) claimed it was possible. By the time I was on site, the price had tripled! I suppose there must be some Scottish blood in my veins, or I wouldn't feel so peeved at this kind of thing.
They have these fancy names but pre-travel service could be better. Mind you, I will say that the bus journey from Lochgilphead to Glasgow was comfortable and quick. It was also quite interesting to be sitting in front of two teenagers discussing and sharing their favourite music with each other. They were off on a holiday to France, and the mum of one of them hopped on to the bus to say a quick farewell. Her girl was dead embarrassed, really, but then, waving to her mother as the bus was taking off, she said to her friend, 'My Mum loves me,' and sounded really satisfied. Well done, Mum! (She was about ten years younger than I, and her daughter beautiful and funny. Yes, I was envious!)
Otherwise, everything is hunky dory. The gorgeous weather, however, has broken -- today was a dreich kind of day, but at least it wasn't too cold. And an orange balloon had got caught in a tree outside, looking like a lumped-together bunch of leaves.
The leaves are still spectacular but coming off the trees fast now. The sycamores are still decked with huge bunches of seeds, but the other morning, after a stormy night, my balcony was littered with them.
At 6:30PM the other day, Thursday, this was the view from my office window. Perhaps this time, you can see the cross in the Jungfrau's main face:
More anon. Must go. Ciao!
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