Here In My Car

Friday afternoons are never a joy on the M25 so I made sure I left early yesterday (3.40pm) for my journey from Swindon to home (East London).

Finally got home at 10.30pm.

As you've probably guessed, there was an accident on the M25 and junctions 17 to 20 were closed. Unfortunately I was trapped on the stretch between 16 and 17 and it took about 4 hours to creep along the 3.1 miles to leave the motorway.

To start with the sun was shining and people were relatively good humoured, with men doing that mir cat thing they always do, leaving their cars and wandering around looking puzzled. Then people started cruising along the hard shoulder to try to get out of the jam - very bad. Plus a lot of cars started over heating, with owners attempting to pour in the contents of little bottles of water.

I was tempted to get a book out of the boot but instead listened to the radio. Simon Mayo was OK but after 7pm on Radio 2 you go into a hiatus. Desmond Carrington or Lee Mead from Joseph or some such nonsense. The Archers was entertaining although I never listen to it normally so had no clue really about the story lines. Then there was a play which was very bad about an Australian detective. I gave up on that.

Finally got to junction 17 and the sat nav was telling me to go back on the M25 anti clockwise. I ignored it to start with but then thought about it and agreed that she was right, it was probably the best way to go. Plus I was too exasperated with the nose-to-tail traffic. So I turned round and managed to get home in an hour. Treated myself to the programme about the rescue of Woolworth's in Dorchester ("Wellworths") which was very enjoyable. Memo to self: try to avoid the office on Fridays.