Commuting on London trains and buses will expose you to an incredible world of the UNEXPECTED. There is the shocking, the beautiful and even those that tug at your heart-strings. Some have left me speechless. I blogged about my daily commute for two years, to share the experience with my readers in a funny narrative. They loved it and asked for more. They suggested a book version of the blogs. It is finally here. You will be laughing aloud as you look forward to page after page of very entertaining narratives. You will not find another book like it out there. It is the perfect companion on your travels.
Excerpt from the Book
It was 4:40am and we were waiting for the Airport shuttle to take us to the Cologne Bonn airport to board our flight back to London. I detest early morning flights. Whose brilliant idea was it to have flights at such ungodly hours, l wondered? So annoying!
There l stood with my daughter and best friend, waiting for the bus. It was so cold this morning. Germany was definitely colder than the UK. It was a 30 minutes journey to the airport and all l could think of was getting into the bus and out of the cold. Therefore, the bus couldn’t come quickly enough for me. We shall miss my dear friend and her kids though. We had a great time at her home.
These thoughts were going through my mind when l overheard a conversation between two American women standing nearby. One was telling her friend that since they do not check tickets, she won’t pay for the bus ride to the airport.
Her friend encouraged her, telling her that as long as she goes in through the back door of the bus, it should be ok. It was 4:46am so they were quite sure no one would be checking tickets at that time. Her friend assured her she would not be caught. They looked quite young, possibly in their early 20s.
Hmmm…Are they being smart or a couple of dumb chicks?. Anyway, we shall soon find out because we would be traveling on the same Airport shuttle. This should be an interesting ride. We hugged my friend goodbye and got on the bus.
I noticed a male passenger giving the American girl the evil eye. Maybe he noticed she didn’t buy a ticket. The girl didn’t notice and was busy riffling through her handbag. Let’s just call her ‘Miss SmartPants’ for now. I may have to change her name to ‘Miss DumbChick’ soon depending on what happens next.
Reviews
Fancy
5.0 out of 5 stars.
Absolutely hilarious
April 15, 2019
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
This is a must have. Am absolutely hilarious tales of everyday occurrences on the train. The writer has a gift for story telling, narrating the most common events in a very detailed, comical manner. I most often smile to myself every time I go on public transportation. I relieve every detail in this book. Do yourself a favor, buy one for your coffee table, bedside and certainly for your bathroom….your visitors will thank u…..definitely 5 stars.
Igor Breja
One of the most intriguing things of visiting big metropolis like London or Paris for me is the public transport, especially the tube. One can encounter so many different people coming from all around the world concentrated on one place. This always takes my breath away. Nothing but positively, of course! How easy was my decision to grab Franca’s book dealing with the topic based on her daily commuting experiences! The book reads on its own, put together from short chapters/particular experiences over a year and grouped by all the months in a year. Pleasure from reading is incurred by smooth and entertaining language. Adding her personal evaluation of the situations even makes the reader often ponder about the moral side of the stories. I think this book is useful in realizing the Extraordinary behind the Ordinary of the daily stereotype. I read this commuting piece during my commuting and recommend you to do the same. You will never again look at the guy sitting next or opposite to you on your way to school or work in the same old way. Instead, you will start to outline his story. Your way thus becoming the Journey. Well done, Franca! Readers, Enjoy
Richard O. George
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Laugh and worthy companion!
8 April 2019
Format: Paperback
A carriage full of laughs does exactly what it says on the tin! But beneath the simplicity of language and daily experiences of the commuter, what Franca Lawrence the author has done is bring to life the diverse experiences, relationships and downright interactions of commuters who go about in pursuit of their daily bread. This is a must read! Get your tissues to wipe off tears of laughter!!!!
Emmanuel Eyo
5.0 out of 5 stars.
Entertaining and funny!!! Worth the read
21 March 2019
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend this book. Anyone who commutes by train will recognise some if not all of the situations written about and will definitely find this book entertaining. Well done!!!
Bruce
5.0 out of 5 stars
You will never look at a train journey in the same way again!!
5 February 2019
Format: Paperback
I recommend this book as it’s very entertaining and written in a way that compels the reader to finish the book in one sitting (or standing if you’re on a train!!). The stories are gathered from the author’s commute on two different trains over a twelve month period.
My favourite story, one of three in Chapter 12 (Angels appear in December), is “The Amazing ‘Miss Angelique”, which deals with a pregnant Indian lady, Anna, who refused the offer of a seat on the train, gave her scarf to a child, and a £10 note to a beggar on the train. Quite possibly, this lady was an angel.
Rosemary
5.0 out of 5 stars
Laugh aloud book
1 February 2019
Format: Paperback
A must read for those who travel on the train – your journeys in future will never be the same!
