Surviving Public Transport

For the Mysophobes Among Us

I keep a pair of white cotton gloves with me, the ones from the supermarket. In a pinch I'll put one or two on if I have to stand for a long time on a bus or train and hold on to something disgusting. I know it sounds excessive but if you try it once you will enjoy the benefit. You might get some looks but does it really matter?

Armrest Handkerchiefs

I try to carry an extra handkerchief in hot weather. I often wear short sleeved shirts in hot weather and end up with my arms on a sticky armrest. I lay down the handkerchiefs on the armrest and travel in comfort.

Use Taxis Freely

I rely on public transport but I freely use taxis. They are a little pricey but why suffer. If you are not driving, you are saving money and looking after the environment. It seems fair to reward yourself whenever you like with a taxi. A taxi charge card is useful too.

The Elusive Small Backpack

When you ride public transport you need a backpack. Backpack manufacturers and bag retailers don't get it. It is nearly impossible to find a small, high-quality backpack. Its easy to find a huge backpack. Sure, you occasionally need a big backpack but usually the smaller the better. the small ones you can find are usually pink with a pcture of barbie and have cheap, thin straps. I walk into every bag shop I pass and look for a small, high-quality with good padded straps. On the rare occasion that I find one, I buy it without much thought knowing that it will be a year before I find another one.