Just Swanning Around

A couple of months ago someone passed comment that all I did was spend all day swanning around on buses. It was how I got my Twitter name of the Swanorak. The thing is that's actually the last thing I'm normally doing as there is usually a pretty good reason for being on every bus I get on. It's either getting to or from a pick up point for Suffolk Links so I can get to the destination of the day, or I am on a vehicle for a particular reason, ie review, or sampling a new route. The huge majority of the time I am thinking about posts, what to write about that evening, is the bus rattling, what's the passenger load, am I going to make my connection etc. Yes, I do plan to get on buses of people I know when I can, but that's only if I can accomplish the aims of the day too. Very seldom do I just go out on a bus for pleasure these days.

So today I did just that. I had some provisions for the weekend to get and I included a couple of bus journeys that were for my pleasure only, doing what I used to do as a kid. I did a big post on BorderBus on Tuesday (see here) , so I knew riding around on the 146 wasn't going to generate a huge post, but it was what I wanted to do so I did it. I also wanted to confirm that BB09 BUS is probably the best E200 in the country. It is. I went from Wangford to Beccles on it and it's just the best. I also noted bigger, stronger rivets in BB07 BUS to combat the rattling. Impressive. I got back to Pakefeld, did my shopping then had arranged my minibus home to pick me up from Wangford so I could spend time with Malcolm,, just nattering and talking about past times and how actually, Suffolk isn't a bad place to live and work. No worrying about getting pics, what other blogs were posting, rushing to get somewhere first, constantly checking Twitter in case I was missing something (fat chance with the signal out there). Just a decemt few hours, on decent buses, wiith decent people. I really must do that more often.

Of course I had to take a couple of pics at Southwold, where we parked up next to a coach from Smiths, but that was it. As Delboy would have said - cushty!

Smiths of Blofield Dennis Javelin Marcopolo FN02 HGY with some bloke bombing the pic!

Yes I know more BorderBus but I don't care!  107 in the Southwold sun

If you think there's a bit of BorderBus overkill at the moment I'd like to quote from another blog. My good friend and sounding board Roy Northcott from the exceptional East Norfolk Bus Blog paid a visit to BorderBus yesterday, and he managed to put into words what I have been thinking for a long time now. He simply says "After one or two more pictures, I thanked them all for their help and I left thinking that if any bus company deserved to succeed it was this one!" Couldn't agree more, Roy.


There will be more BorderBus soon as I have been invited to do something rather special with them which I'm both privilaged and excited about. I'll reveal more when everything has been arranged.