The trains this weekend seemed full of warmth (not literally), friendliness, and people actually taking the time to chat to the person sitting next to them. I feel qualified to make this rather sweeping statement because in the last 3 days I have been on several trains (though only two journeys - to Cardiff and back).

This loquacity made for ample ear-wigging: my favourite conversation was between a female undergraduate Psychology student and a middle-aged male ex-pat. He seemed keen to strike up a conversation with her about the on-train reading she had in front of her, and admirably continued to ask questions even though he was obviously rather uncomfortable with her thesis topic: self-esteem in domestic violence victims in gay relationships (it did sound fascinating, but it's not the easiest thing to chat about with a stranger!)

On the way back today (a journey which took me on 3 trains and one rail replacement bus) I had the (dis)pleasure to be in a carriage with a group of ladies I think had missed out on a place in first class. I've always been uncomfortable with that fact trains even have a first class area (there's no real logic behind this, just a feeling that it's wrong, especially when pregnant women are standing up in the vestibule despite plenty of free seats in the first class carriages), but having to listen to these ladies' conversation made me understand that maybe segregating in this way is for the benefit of those in standard. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I don't think many etiquette guides would approve of loudly discussing your several foreign holidays, experience of business class plane travel and the incovenience of school uniform costs on top of school fees in a time of national recession. It's just not the done thing!

That aside, I actually enjoyed spending two days of my weekend (I took Friday off work) sitting on a train by myself: when else do I get seven hours of reading time? I ploughed through Persuasion, which I greatly enjoyed (somewhat helped by the recent costume drama's casting of Rupert Penry-Jones) and hope it has kick-started a period of reading, which has been sadly lacking in my life due to a cursed professional diploma I've taken on.

I also hope to blog more (as I always say and rarely do), so I shall be back tpying in this box shortly.