昨晚睡得很好，今天很早起床，我買了9時去Bath的車票，打算去玩一天。先跟Bruno吃過早餐，8:30出發到Victoria Coach Station。由於地鐵要換綫所以選擇坐巴士，應該比較方便，但忘記了出門時間是上班繁忙時間，路面有點擠塞，在過橋前迴旋處就停了十分鐘才能駛過，眼見只淨下10分鐘時間，但才剛過橋，我開始有點心急，怕會趕不到巴士。向車上乘客查詢還有多久，他們說如果不擠塞很快便到達，可惜前路茫茫，我看不到車龍的盡頭，所以我決定下車跑到車站，希望可以趕到巴士。許多上班族從反方向走，我就像一條三文魚努力逆流而上，希望盡快到達我的目的地。到達車站時我已經上氣不接下氣，時間是9:02分，車己經開出，就是說我沒趕上巴士。
I had a good sleep last night. I woke up early in the morning because I will have a day trip to Bath and the bus leaves at 9am. I had breakfast with Bruno, it was 8:30am when I left. Because it needed to switch lines for the Tube, I chose to take the bus. It would be more direct, but I forgot it was rush hour in the morning. It happened there is serious traffic and the bus stuck at the roundabout for 10 mins before going through the bridge. There are 10 mins before the bus left. I started to feel tense and anxious and worrying if I would not catch the bus. I asked the passengers how much longer to Victoria Coach station. They said "soon if no traffic." However, I didn't see any sign the bus will be there soon as a lots of cars were ahead. I decided to get off and ran as fast as I could, hopefully I will be able to catch the bus at the last minute. Since many commuters were walking from the opposit direction, I was like a salmon swimming hard against the water flow to reach my destination. When I finally arrived at the bus station, I was almost breathless. Time was 9:02am, I was late and bus had left.
售票處表示£9補票可坐下一班車，我預計只是£3-4。我用£13買了來回票，補票價錢居然是單程票的一倍，真的下不了手。我嘗試跟他說我向車站職員查詢巴士月台時，他們指示我到錯誤的月台所以才會趕不上。我以為我們香港人一直提倡的＂今時今日咁既服務態度係唔得嫁啦＂和＂顧客永遠是對的＂能夠應用在倫敦，結果售票員的回答令我無言。她說：那你直接去跟那職員說他令你趕不到吧！還有，你也不是最後一秒才到車站吧，你沒有看大堂的顯示版核對嗎？我最後沒有補票，也沒有感到很傷心，也許有更有趣的事會在倫敦發生，所以才讓最後一天也花在倫敦。
The ticket office told me I could pay extra £9 to get the supplemental ticket the next bus. I was expecting only £3-4. I paid £13 to purchase the round ticket to Bath and the extra charge is double of a single ticket which is too much for me. I tried to explain to the staff I was late as the other staff showed me to the wrong platform. I thought the Hong Kong sayings "such a customer service attitude isn't worked nowadays" and "customers are always right" could apply in London too. However, I was speechless after the response from the ticket office staff. She said "you should go to the one told you the wrong platform. Also, you should not be at the station the last second, should you? Didn't you check the platform at the lobby displayboard? I didn't purchase the supplemental ticket, nor feeling sad about that. I believe something interesting is going to happen in London, that's why I have to stay here to explore the day before I left London.
有一次，一位乘客也沒趕上巴士的情景令我有深刻印象，當時巴士已經開出駛到出口，突然有一位女士帶著一個大行李箱跑到巴士前攔車，原來她應該登上這班車，但某些原因未能趕上。她焦急地請求司機讓她登車，更一而再道歉，但司機沒有讓她登車的意慾。車站職員勸她補票乘下一班，不要阻礙其他乘客。但她一再要求希望可以登上眼前這班車，只是一門之隔，司機只需要打開門事情就解決了。事情擾攘了數分鐘，那女乘客差點兒就跪求在地上，最後司機決定讓她登車，那女乘客已經哭得滿臉淚水，連番向司機道歉及道謝，由於司機沒有打開行李架讓她放下行李，她便要自己把行李抬到車箱。真是可憐！
I remember a passenger also didn't make it for the bus, what had happened was memorable. The bus had left the platform and heading to the exit. A lady towing her large suitcase ran toward the bus and blocked at the front. She was supposed to take this bus but somehow she missed it. She begged the driver to let her in and apologized for being late, but the driver seemed not going to open the door. The other staff also involved and asked her to get a supplemental ticket, not to bother the other passengers. She kept on asking the driver to be on board. The bus was just right in front of her, problem can be solved if the driver open the door. All is up to the driver at that moment. The tension lasted for a few minutes and she barely kneed down to further beg the driver. Driver finally let her in and at that moment, she already cried and tear over her face. She sincerely appreciated what had happened and kept saying Thank you and Sorry to the driver. The driver didn't open up the luggage storage space though. She had to grab her large suitcase on the bus herself. What a pity!
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| Bruno & I |
跟Bruno說我沒有到Bath，他覺得我趕不上巴士很不可思義，誇張得說間直是難以至信。由於他今天下午沒有課，他就留在家休息，其實他每次上課都用很多體力，因為他不是純粹教授瑜珈，而是用瑜珈幫客人按摩，他身型細小，跟我差不多，需要經常拉起比他還要健碩魁梧的客人，多數也是高大的男士。因為一節課真的對客人有很大幫助，身體會感到鬆弛，痛症都會消除，所以他有一班熟客，他收費也不便宜，一分鐘一英鎊。
I told Bruno about missing my bus. He thought it was unbelievable and even used the word "ridiculous". He was taking a rest at home in the afternoon due to no session. Each session consumed him lots of energy because he is not simply doing yogo, but using yoga for massage. He is almost as tiny as me, but to do the massage, he has to lift up people twice bigger than him and most of them are strong and tall men. Since the session really helped them to release pain and feel relax, they are his loyal clients. He charged the session £1 per minute, it is not cheap though.
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| 他就在走廊盡頭的房間上課 He was conducting the session in the room end of the hallway |
明天就要走了，正式開始長途旅程。記得初到倫敦的幾天很不習慣，巴不得立刻離開，但晚上坐在窗台望著倫敦眼，回想起過去十幾天的日子，我居然有點依依不捨。可能是因為我內心有點對前路不肯定，充滿未知數感到迷茫，倫敦能讓我安於現狀，比較熟悉，不用離開我的安全區。
I will leave London tomorrow and start my adventure. I still remember I was not used to London for the first few days and wanna leave asap. When I sit next at the window and looked at London eye, I missed London and my mind was full of the pictures and memories of the last several days. It could be because I was scared and worried what will be happen next and the uncertainty made me anxious, while London could let me stay with certainty and I am getting familiar with that. I feel comforatble at my comfort zone.
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