Snow, snow all around

Lots of snow and cold weather in the past week, which initially seemed to catch everyone off guard with its relative severity. Getting about was hard, most people in my office stayed home on Monday, snow was thick all around.

Romeo, our Australian Silky Terrier, took a while to get used to the snow and over the week can now walk ok on it slowly - not so well compared to the dogs out today who were running about without any problem. The most noticeable human induced problems were with the trains. Forget arguing over snowplows. What really mattered to people (once classic English patience ran out) was information, given the disruption, so they could determine what best to do for themselves.

With information displays on platforms out, station staff mostly clueless, stations closed without notice, websites unable to deliver information promptly with inaccurate information - it was clear that train companies like South West were disorganised, unprepared and inadequate. There were a lot of frustrated yet reasonable people who were very vocal about this on the platforms, me included. Lots of Trains missing and delayed, entire train lines shut, fast trains almost empty and not stopping at even main line stations - makes you wonder why they never learnt anything from countries with cold places who run their trains just fine.