The Joys of Rail Travel

[f4f3]

I am such a sucker for gimmickry - I just had to try the wifi internet that GNER is touting on its trains, and in return for 8 quid I've had the pleasure of taking one hour to get on to livejournal.

Still, at least this is my first post from Berwick on Tweed...

Comments

[pshtaku.livejournal.com]

The new Virgin trains are quite nice, but the cabins are a bit claustrophobic, and it has a funny smell.

The GNER trains I've been on to Leeds I think were old Eurostar trains!

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

I usually enjoy the view on the East Coast line out over the sea, but it was foggy tonight. These are the new carriages with power points to charge your phone/laptop, and the broadband seems to be working now.

[blonde222.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean: that's New Train Smell.

[pshtaku.livejournal.com]

Yup - it's disgusting. It's the only time I get travelsick when I'm on a brand new train!

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

It's been a while since i've been travel sick - last time was on a ferry I think.

[itchyfidget.livejournal.com]

I used to get this all the time, though it was on older trains. I finally worked out what it was when someone with me was able to identify the smell as upholstery cleaner. Dreadful, dreadful smell.

In spite of this, I commute to work by train now and I love it. I was loving it less, but then I bought an iPod and a pair of huge circumnaural (sp?) headphones, and now I'm happy as Larry :)

[pshtaku.livejournal.com]

To me the smell is like burning brakes or rubber or metallic...

[itchyfidget.livejournal.com]

To me it was coffee and ham sandwiches, but not in a good way.

It may be that we are talking about completely different smells! God bless olfactory subjectivity ;)

[widgetfox.livejournal.com]

Burning brakes, rubber, metallic, coffee and ham sandwiches -

- must be a malt whisky.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

LOL But which number?

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Someone on tonight's train was wearing a pair of them - I had my tiny in ear things, and I thought we were a fine example of divergent evolution.

[itchyfidget.livejournal.com]

*g*

There are two reasons I went for my big headphones. First, I don't want to bother everyone with the noise (which in-ear ones do, particularly if the train is loud and you have to turn it up). Second, I don't want to damage my hearing (big headphones keep sound out as well as in, so I can have the volume lower).

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

I eventually went for the ones you plug into your ear - after the gigs I've been to my hearing is probably already well screwed up anyway :-)

[itchyfidget.livejournal.com]

We have some of those for the gym - Sonys, I think? - and they're not bad, actually.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Sony's at the moment, although I want the new Senheissers.

[itchyfidget.livejournal.com]

Sennheiser do an in-ear model? :-D

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Announced last month - you can get it from the States (or eBay) although I haven't seen them here yet.

[itchyfidget.livejournal.com]

Oooh :)