Straight on until Dawn

 To travel in hope

AI image of "last man in"

Today I am taking a journey that I have taken many times. I am heading back to the south coast to see family. But I have spoken of Robert Louis Stevenson so many times (the man who figured the journey itself was the reason for travel not the destination), that I am going to put the quote to the test and see how I feel about it afterwards, when the dust has settled, so to speak.

Going to the coast from where I live is relatively simple: train to Kings Cross, tube to Waterloo station, train to the south coast. Seems simple? So, when I was booking my ticket this time around, I spotted a relatively cheap option. To leave later and arrive at the same time. How was this possible I hear you asking? Just me again? Well the only difference is a small detail. Don't go to Waterloo. Use London Transport connections and step onto the usual train, but at Clapham Junction. It just means staying on the tube a bit longer, getting a train from Vauxhall station, alight at Clapham Junction, and Bob's your living uncle. No biggy?

I will let you know. In my head, numerous things could happen. Of which I will not tell you now, as most of them exist only in my mind as opposed to actual possibilities. The change in detail was in itself interesting. I have not stepped on or off a train at Vauxhall since 1981

It was to mark the end of an incredible Ashes series. Known forever as Botham's Ashes. My father and I decided we would try to catch the first day of the sixth Test at the Oval. My dad said we should just show up and we would get in, as used to happen when my Father was the age I was at the time (15). Unfortunatley the first three days had completely sold out,t and there was no room at the inn.

We had arrived at the Oval from Barnes, near where my old Nan used to live, and alighted at Vauxhall station, which was the nearest mainline station. Having found the ground unenterable, we hunted around for a plan B. Which turned out to be a trip to Lord's. a little bit further North but in central London. It was Middlesex vs Yorkshire. Not a very enticing offering as Botteams's star players were all involved with England at the Oval. However, a trip to HQ is always worth the effort. The last time I went to Lords was for a Gillette Cup one-dayer in 1977, Middlesex vs my beloved Hampshire. The ground that day was also packed to the gunwales. Today,y there were three of us.

The game was settling into a typical English first-class game. Tepid. Yorkshire had posted 264. Middlesex were a little shy of that 244 when their last batsman walked to the crease. A West Indian gentleman who was a bowler and not considered a batsman. So much so that the diesel heavy Roller started up even before he took guard, so convinced were the groundsman that it would not be long before their services were required between innings

What we were actually treated to was Wayne Daniel crashing the Yorkshire bowling to all parts, including a stupendous six that he hooked, and I can still see the dust cloud that arose as the ball struck the stand some thirty feet up and well beyond the boundary. 

Needless to say,y the Heavy roller fell silent after 20 minutes. 

And only watched by 3 people! 

Ah memories. The destination can be important, I guess. I don't remember any of the journeys I undertook on this day. I will let you know how this one goes.

The Electorate Have Spoken!

 Reform? Whats in a name?

Broken councils?

We in the UK have just "enjoyed" a bunch of elections to see who runs our local councils. The people that (don't) fix our potholes, run our education, fire service, police and not to mention pay for all our social care. 

Labour have taken a pounding, closely followed by the Conservatives (but who cares about them?). This has sent Labour into a spin. I am of mixed opinion on this subject though. I think from a national point of view it should be sending shivers down the spines of the Labour party. Reform have advertised themselves as the party of change. They will sweep out the old and bring in a breath of fresh air and solve ALL our problems. 

There are plenty of good websites out there that will explain in better detail just how this view is not true but will also point out it is almost but not quite deviously untrue. The issue is the same as the Brexit party. Nigel Farage does all the talking - and he is quite good at it, but scratch a little deeper and you start to find an unsavoury element lives within.

The major problem for me is that Reform is a right wing organisation. Funded by seriously rich right wingers. So right wing that Maggie Thatch might even wince. I am not sure that all the people who voted for it are aware of its true colours. How many people voted for Reform as a kind of protest vote? I am hoping that most of the previous Labour supporters did this. 

As I said earlier I have mixed feelings. I am not a Reform supporter but I do like the fact that councillors who previously took us all for granted are now seeking new employment. I have lived under several councils, red and blue who have thought they were untouchable. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. It is good to see the electorate giving 2 fingers to the incumbent rulers.

In my opinion though the electorate will suffer the consequences. By and large Reform have not had a great time in charge of anything. Kent county council appears to be a case in point. Most other Reform run councils have had to cut services and raise council tax. the electorate may just have shot itself in the foot. 

What this does point to though is that we have just had 15 years of bad luck/management economically. From Credit crunch, Brexit and Covid.  It has been a long haul for the low to middle incomes. 2 steps forward and one step back for the last 15 years. One thing the Labour government should be concentrating on is a small short term hit for consumers. A short VAT holiday worked quite well for Labour in 2009. Raising the tax allowance would also gift people some more of their hard earned cash. Thanks to Trump - not just in Iran  - with just about everything he touches, inflation is going up. Giving it back to people will stimulate the economy. We don't earn enough to hoard it. We want more holiday, beer and food and cars. In no particular order.