I’m not quite sure what I’ve done, but it really, really hurts when I lift my left leg. Curiously, I have discovered that while walking, the weight of your leg swinging forwards avoids having to use the muscles that lift it. Climbing steps is the killer… or stepping over anything.
I’m guessing it is the result of carrying a messenger bag across London and back yesterday - hanging from one shoulder. Normally it doesn’t cause a problem, but then again, I don’t normally walk more than 10 miles in a work day. Today I have resorted to a small rucksack, and am only carrying my waterproof and a sweater in it.
Just to cap things off yesterday the main-line train out of London to my home town was full to bursting point too - meaning I spent a further hour and a half on my feet. I worked it out - I left the house at 7am yesterday morning, arrived in the office at 10am, left at 5pm, and arrived home at 8pm. 6 hours spent commuting. By the time I had eaten and had a wash, the evening had gone.
This morning I caught up on the news via my mobile phone while sat on the train headed towards Paddington, and discovered that the strike had been called off - so was hopeful that there might be some sort of service at least.
I was wrong.
None of the underground lines that could have taken me across London were operating. The board at Paddington said the metropolitan line was running a “good service”, so I set off on foot for Baker Street. When I got there, guess what - no metropolitan line.
I carried on, and checked each station as I reached it - all of them closed apart from Kings Cross, which had queues so long I didn’t even bother stopping.
After walking for another twenty minutes or so I spotted a bus going to Liverpool Street - my destination. Bear in mind I was overtaking it at the time - I had caught it up on foot. I thought about getting on it, but then noticed that the hundred or so people on board were obviously expert sardines competitors. I carried on walking, and saw it several more times along the route, eventually leaving it behind completely.
Throughout my working day (it’s lunchtime at the time of writing), I have been watching the Transport for London website. There are still very few lines running. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.