A to B
We subscribe to a fantastic magazine called A to B. Itâs lovingly produced by David and Jane Henshaw in Somerset, aided and abetted by young Alexander (who is apparently an enthusiastic magazine packer), and covers alternative modes of transport. There are articles on the increasingly arcane art of combining train travel with cycling, folding bikes, trailers and electric bikes: everything you need to know to avoid relying on cars as your primary means of transport. Despite the fact that it is more or less home-produced, itâs a very professional affair, with good writing, detailed reviews of bikes and accessories and lots of useful information1.
The current issue has a great article about the Caledonian Sleeper trainâa subject close to my heart. Iâve used the Sleeper twice, both times travelling with my bike from London to Glasgow, and then getting the train to Oban to make the ferry journey to the Isle of Mull. On the first trip, I travelled on my own, returning a year later with my new boyfriendânow my husband. Even if it wasnât the cheapest and most convenient way to get a bike to the north of Scotland, I would still go by Sleeper because it feels so special. The train leaves London around midnight, and it feels odd to be pulling out of the city in the middle of the night. The cabins are pretty tiny, but comfortable, and as you have a drink in the bar before you turn in, you canât help feeling that youâve just stepped into an Agatha Christie novel. Itâs pleasantly old-fashioned.
Good job we're not all the same!…