Two nights ago I left work at 5.40 pm knowing I was likely to have already missed the closest bus to my actual finish time so I wasn’t in any great hurry – until I turned the corner of the street and saw my bus coming down the high street – running really isn’t my thing (those of you that haven’t read “My Boyfriend Thinks I’m Fat” please do so now) and yet the thought of being stood waiting for the next bus for an indefinite length of time forced me to commence an attempt at a run. I watched the bus stop as I ran (slow mo) down the high street towards it and I then watched as it closed its doors and started to drive off. But no, I’d already run this far I was NOT going to miss it, and then, hurrah; the traffic lights at the end of the road turned red as the bus pulled up to them so I continued my panting - flailing run (I definitely was not a gazelle in a past life) right up to where the bus had stopped at the traffic lights and knocked on the bus door (no need: the driver had clearly already seen me)…unfortunately this was not the end of my plight as, when he looked at me the bus driver merely shook his head and refused to let me on his bus.

So there I stood; gasping for breath in the freezing night air fit to collapse from the running, and there he sat in his nice warm bus for several minutes while he waited for the traffic lights to change. As I walked back up the street to the bus stop I must have seemed like I had developed Tourettes Syndrome; cursing and swearing to myself as I was. I then had the pleasure of waiting over twenty minutes in the cold for the next bus, at risk of losing a hand because I left my gloves in my locker at work. Excellent.

The following night I was determined not to get caught out again and so left work five minutes earlier than on the previous night: no need for running that way I’d be in perfect time for their perfectly made up time table. And yet once more as I turned the corner I found myself lurching and flailing towards the bus stop. Thankfully there were a lot of passengers getting on at that stop that evening so he only just got the doors closed as I got there. He reopened the doors for me and took my ticket then looked at me and said “that was lucky”. This was the same bus driver that had refused me getting onto the bus the previous night. And I was still M.A.D. really mad. My response verged on the hysterical and there were definitely symptoms of bus rage apparent “LUCKY?! LUCKY?!” definitely tending towards the hysterical, does this man have a death wish, I mean, REALLY! Lucky indeed, privileged in fact to have obtained the service for which I pay considerable sums of money each week. My response? “Oh yes, very lucky…Not like last night though” accompanied by a not subtle at all “death stare” which earned me the explanation of: “Well I could have lost my job for letting you on” I believe I snatched my ticket and snarled at him while stomping my feet as the red mist came down. Lost your job? Listen, losing your job is the least of your worries given the slow a painful death I had planned for you, I can assure you!

Bus rage is not simply limited to buses though, dear readers, it is also transferrable to every other method of transport but most especially the dreaded Public Transport.

There is an excellent reason for people choking up the roads and the atmosphere with their cars and their respective world destroying fumes: Bus Rage Syndrome. Now, this illness, and I shall call it an illness - because the triggers for such instances are such that they cause such an intense level of distress to one’s psychological well being that one temporarily (not so temporarily if you bear grudges) becomes slightly unbalanced (read: homicidal). What I am referring to is likely to be a situation you are familiar with being placed into - against your will - and I suspect you will recognise some of the symptoms.

Triggers:

Bus Timetables – the layout of the timetable itself and its incomprehensible symbols and logic, the inability of bus company to inform of changes to said time table, the inability of bus drivers to stick to said time table which leads us to;

Bus drivers -  their demeanour is either a, far too overtly cheery for the pre work bus ride or b, they are cantankerous and, in some cases, plain old rude, as mentioned previously they appear to be unable to maintain any sort of regimented time table, they have a fictional time table of their own which they anticipate you will figure out and adhere to, the inability to wait for anyone to sit down before they use an excessive amount of accelerator and then stamp on the brakes so that you weave and lurch like a drunkard (note to self: do not attempt a bus journey hung over) hoping not to land in the lap of the pervy over middle aged man that tries to make conversation with you at the bus stop instead grabbing the boob of an older lady that shrugs you off as “the youth of today” and eventually headbutting the hand rail and collapsing in a heap on the floor where you shall remain for the rest of the journey (what IS that smell?)

Bus stops – the illogical placement of these fixtures so that you still need to walk a considerable distance in the pouring rain in non waterproof shoes with no umbrella because the wind turned it inside out as soon as you stepped off of the bus, the fact that most bus stops now are literally just a post with no information on it: no details of which buses stop here and what the bus times are (because they are made up), there no longer appears to be any need for the great British public to have somewhere to sit out of the rain/wind/Siberian temperatures/snow and wait for an eternity for the next bus. Which leads us into the so called “Park and Ride”;

Park and Ride facilities – drive for miles to get a bus because the town wasn’t made big enough for anyone to actually park in it oh and I hope you brought your ice skates because we made sure the surface was multi use: any sign of frost and you’ll be sliding all over the place. And if there’s snow, well you can forget walking and just crawl to the bus from your car. Oh and feel free to guess where the spaces are because we haven’t factored in your need to see the lines to bay park.

Buses as vehicles – they make screechy noises when you are trying to have a little pre work nap (because you had to get up so very early to ensure you actually caught one of these miracle buses in time to attend work), they smell like urine and faeces which always brings good cheer to the pre work journey and the heating is never sufficient for having been stood out in the rain/wind/Siberian temperatures/snow for an indeterminable amount of time.

Symptoms:

Symptoms can vary from case to case and vary in intensity and expression but can include any number of the following:

Homicidal thoughts, steam coming out of ears, the silent “death stare”, stamping of feet, rocking backwards and forwards (although this can also just be an attempt at not turning into a living ice sculpture), muttering under one’s breath, screaming a stream of incomprehensible obscenities (which the other passengers politely overlook and refuse to make eye contact with you ever again, and they’re definitely not sitting next to you on the next journey), snarling, snapping, maniacal laughing

[the above list is not limited to just these behaviours alone, there are many more]

Well, 2011 has been a busy one and my blog has suffered. I apologise for not keeping up with it but now I am back and so is my next interviewee.

This is Gabriela Margarita Houlgraves or 'Gabby', 34 from Sittingbourne.  Gabby works as a Customer Support Assistant at Maidstone Library.

Our beloved county is the reason I write this blog.  It is the best!

Gabby loves our county to because it is 'so green!'

"This surprises a lot of the people here when I say it.  You all [Kent residents] think it's very, very urbanised, but I just look at the vast fields and meadows.  Always so close and forests everywhere, and think 'Dude, this is the Shire!"

As you can tell from the last part of that quote, Gabby is a Lord of the Rings fan. Everyone needs to have a hobbit!

As part of my 2011 revamp, I have added a question to all my new interviewees which has been instated to find out if the people of Kent have interesting facts or information to share with me.  I always like to learn new things about Kent!

Gabby has selected to inform us about the history of Dover Castle, commissioned to be built by Henry II in the 12th century.

"The tunnels were first dug for the Napoleonic Wars, and then used as a command centre for Operation Dynamo which was the operation set up for rescuing soldiers from Dunkirk.  This is all well known."

This can be found on the English National Heritage website: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk

What was more intriguing was what Gabby relayed next.

"There was also a lower level call 'Dumpy' which was the command centre during the Cold War and it was going to be opened to the public after the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act made it legal to do so.  But English Heritage went under there and found a lot of subsidence and were not as sturdy as the Napoleonic ones and also left in a hurry when the level got decommissioned, so they're not structurally sound. Lovely chalk!"

"And that is why the public won't be allowed down there!"

Gabby feels it is a shame as she would love to go down there and see them.  I would love to see it as well, it sounds fascinating.

We moved on to one of my favourite subjects: FOOD!

Gabby likes to dine at Maggie's cafe on Week Street.  I agree Maggie, whoever she is, does a blinding fried breakfast!

"The wholemeal baguettes and fillings are wonderful, not to mention the salads, the chilli, the cakes and pastries (all home-made) and the staff are the friendliest in town."

Also, Gab enjoys eating at Kitsu, a Tunbridge Wells based place that has, in her words 'The best sushi and teriyaki beef I've ever had."

Equally, Gabby likes an Indian at the Royal Tandoori in Chatham, traditional chips from a chippy in Lenham and her favourite pub is the Ringlestone nr Harrietsham.

We definitely have something in common here!

I always like to be a little bit nosey and find out what my interviewees get up to in their free time.  It feels like I can relate to them if they have something in common with me (in addition to food of course).

"Reading, reading, reading. I can't get enough of books!" Gabby says. "Guess it's lucky I work in a library!"

"I also love visiting English Heritage sites, you see something new every time.  And spending time with family and friends.  Nothing beats a house full of the people you love, all having fun and laughing, sharing life and food & drink."

I think Gabby is a great person, who lives life to the full.  That's the kind of people we need more of in this county to keep up its awesomeness.

This is always my favourite part of the interview: hearing a short story that sums the interviewee up.  I have heard some whoppers since I have been writing this blog - waking up half naked on a beach, buying items such as a bouncy castle on impulse, walking into walls or buying 'Chillis' when you are supposed to buy 'Jelly'.

"I was born in Puerto Rico (in the Caribbean), and I moved to New Orleans to my master's degree.  I still miss New Orleans, every day I'm not there, though I wouldn't live anywhere else in the world but here, in Kent."

That's what I like to hear!

"My first apartment burnt down, soon thereafter, I met Mark (now my husband- he's English, of course), and moved into a lovely shotgun house in New Orleans (For all who are not familiar, it is a narrow, rectangular building)."

"Mark and I got engaged, and i started getting my paperwork for the visa to come here to live and get married. There was a rumour that someone burned down their house near my house to collect the insurance money. The whole block of houses, including mine, burnt down.  I barely had time to grab my cat and laptop and run out of the house.  When I came back to see what was left, almost everything was burnt, except my visa papers and my winter clothes, and a crocheted Afghan my gran had sent me from Puerto Rico."

I want it noted now that Gabby has done fantastically to bounce back from this ordeal where others probably would have rolled over and given up.

"I took that as a sign from God and the Universe that I needed to go with my heart, to Mark and England.  And I didn't look back."

"Do I miss my family and friends from the other side of the Atlantic?  Oh yes!"

"Would I change anything? Not really. I only wish I'd met Mark before so we could have stated our life together sooner and that I had the power to teleport so I could visit my gran and my friends as often as I liked."

What a great story with both highs and lows but an overall outcome that is justly deserved.

It is always important to evolve and progress over time. That is true in both people, nature and our much loved county.  Gabby has some interesting suggestions on how to achieve this.

"I think we should have a better public transport network and it should be more realistically priced, so that people are seen to be quite foolish to take their cars out.  

I agree as I walk every where and think they should pump more money into transportation.

"If the buses and trains took us to where we wanted to go, frequently and cheaply enough, I swear people would give up cars quicker than you can say 'petrol'.  This is particularly true for people in rural locations, who are often quite isolated if they don't have a car.  But even between town centres, the service provision seems almost random!"

I think Gabby talks absolute sense and is valid in that our services are at times extortionate and something needs to be done to preserve the environment for the future generations.

And now to the finale.  My random question of the week.

You hear the four minute warning, you know it will only take you 10 seconds to get into a safe place, what would you do with the other 3 minutes and 50 seconds?

"That's a hash one!  Wow. I wasn't expecting that."

I like this reaction as it is meant to be surprising and awkward to answer.  It is my unique thing!

"I am close to Mark and Sebastian (my son) so I can make sure they're safe with me but even if not, the same applies.  Get as many people as I can into the safe place, hold them close and send a prayer up for the rest of my loved ones and the world!"

Sounds depressing but a nice answer and a good way to round off this sensational lady's interview.

Thank you Gabby for your time and I wish you all the best for the future. This interview has been a pleasure!

Well that's all folks for this week, check in again soon to see who will be my next victi... interviewee!

As an asthma suffer I do have a keen interest in air quality and pollution. But Cllr Martin Vye of the Liberal Democrats, do you honestly think a congestion charge for major Kent towns is a solution to my problems?

People need cars in their daily lives. Fact. There is no viable alternative for them and the lack of investment in this countries infrastructure is not the fault of drivers; inexcusable apathy from countless governments are to blame. Kent has some of the worst roads in the whole United Kingdom and the neglection has gone on for far too long.

A congestion charge is not a solution to the problem. I'm still waiting to see the benefits in London, which has not lead to a psychological change in drivers. In fact, Ken Livingston was unpopular for wanting to expanding the charge to other regions of London. Subsquently went on to lose to Boris Johnson in the Mayoral elections. Manchester rejected the preporsal.

It is unpopular and completely unjustified.

Here's some alternatives:

1. Improved road layouts

2. Better junctions

3. Ending the nightmare of poor town management

4. Funding public transport and investing in sufficient vehicles.

The solution is not another tax for over taxed individuals.

I could literally write endless pages on my frustration about potholes. A truly horrifying, shocking and an utter damnation of Kent County Council. Last night I had the pleasure of talking to the Liberal Democrat Leader at Canterbury Council, Alex Perkins, and he is appalled by the state of our roads. Alex is conducting a crusade on twitter and gathering examples (from residents) of potholes in Canterbury and documenting them.

Local businesses are the significant voices on this subject. I'm not aware of the cost to the local economy, but I assume it is quite significant.

However, from experience, it seems the back roads are among the most neglected. Especially Stour Street in Canterbury. KCC are promising the problem is being dealt with and these are not among the worse roads in the United Kingdom. But I beg to differ. In fact, I am willing for readers to contact me via twitter or facebook and actually send me photographs are potholes across the country – in order to highlight the neglectful attitudes towards roads.

Well, now the Christmas period is over and the ice and snow are finally melting, I can get back to interviewing you fine people of Kent.

This is Mark Wickens, 25 from Maidstone.

Mark is an Airline Pilot and has spent time abroad training.

In his free time he enjoys visiting the gym and most recently Horse Racing.

"This is largely down to my brother who is an avid fan."

Unfortunately he is also a big Arsenal fan so rightly he receives a ribbing from his mates about their weekly performance.  What must be more sickening is that their London rivals Tottenham have notched up a victory against them, meaning one of Mark's Spurs supporting mates has bragging rights.

Kent, in Mark's opinion, is in a good location and is far away enough from major cities for it to be a calm place.

"Kent is relatively quiet and tranquil but equally there is lots to see and do in the vicinity should you want to make the short trip from home."

Again, like Katie a few weeks ago, Mark has selected a Bearsted eating spot as his first choice when eating out.

"I am a fan of The Oak on the Green.  The food is all freshly cooked and very tasty."

In his free time he claims not to be a film buff but after reading his quote, I would question it.

"I am slightly ashamed to admit that I have not been to the cinema for about 4 years. However, I really liked the original Matrix and Closer. I also enjoy a bit of James Bond (don't we all).  I've also seen Top Gun more times than I can remember.

Mark has great determination to succeed and the story he has told me about himself only proves that.

"About 4 or 5 years ago, I was working as a Store Designer for a large retail company which I very much enjoyed but I decided that I wanted to do something really rewarding with my life and move in a completely different direction."

"I decided that I wanted to follow my aspirations of becoming an Airline Pilot. It was a big decision and a massive commitment from both a training point of view and a financial aspect.  But some three years down the road and I have been very fortunate to have recently landed a job with one of Europe's largest airlines."

I am with Mark on this one as this blog is one of my steps towards being a writer. Mark has some good advice for anyone chasing a dream.

"I am a big fan of making your own luck in life and like to encourage others to follow their dreams and do whatever it is that they want to do.  As long as you are prepared to give up pretty much everything else, and maybe a bit more, as well as the resolve to keep going whatever the circumstances then you will make it!"

As always, I like to find out what the people of Kent think about improvement to our county and more importantly, ways to implement them.

"I personally think that Kent and Maidstone's public transport leaves a lot to be desired. Being a car person, naturally I am reluctant to get out and onto public transport. Why does it still take over an hour to get to London Victoria."

"It's also not particularly flexible or practical for lots of journeys."

Mark's suggestion is a good one and I also believe that our public transport should be refreshed and updated.

"I would like to see a vast improvement in this area as I would like to do my bit for the environment but I don't want to be out of pocket as a result of choosing to use public transport."

As always at this stage of the interview, I like to round it off with a random question of the week and this one is in-keeping with the festive season.

If you could have any Christmas present, exempt expense, what would be and why?

"Well, my weakness is cars and my favourite car ever is the Ferrari F50. I absolutely love it! I have wanted one as long as I can remember and I was fortunate enough to sit in one many years ago, however I never could afford one so I would definitely ask Santa for one of those."

I would like to thank Mark for his time in talking to me and I would like to wish my fellow Kentish men (and women) a very Happy New Year!  

If you live in Kent, let's talk!

If you would like to appear on my blog, all I ask is that you live in Kent and that you are willing to talk to me for 10 - 15 minutes about yourself.

If you think you'd like to give it a try, drop me an email on millendauthor@gmail.com and we will see what we can do!

Again the cold, winter freeze has made its way across the county causing more chaos but I have still managed to track down one of you lovely Kentish folk for an interview.

This is Katie Smith, 31 from Maidstone.

Katie is currently on a career break from teaching so that she can look after her 2 children.

In the previous 10 weeks I have noticed a pattern developing amoungst Kentish residence.  A pattern that is similar to the amount of times I lose to my nan at cards when she's dealing!

Like most before her, Katie enjoys the quaint villages of our county, how we have an open countryside around the different parts of Kent and the links we have to our beloved capital city, London.

The appeal to most of us who live here is that we have the luxury of public transport that can get you into the capital in just over an hour so if you want to work, shop or just visit, it is not an inconvenience.  Additionally the countryside we do have available to us is ideal for hiking or just a stroll.

So despite the similar response I receive from interviewees, I understand where they are coming from.

As always though, we have tasty food and drinks and we all like to indulge ourselves once in a while.  Katie is no different.

"I like The White Horse on Bearsted Green. It has good food and a good atmosphere and is a brilliant place to sit outside in the summer."

We all like to sit indoors though, on the cold winter nights and watch a good film or a bit of t.v.

"I like to watch Miranda, Desperate Housewives and Coronation Street.  My favourite movies have to be The Thomas Crown Affair and Dirty Dancing."

I always like to get to this part of the interview because I enjoy to find out funny stories about people to see the real them.  Katie's is just superb and kind of makes you wish you were around when it happened.

"When I was at Primary School I thought I would see what would happen if I pulled the pin out of a fire extinguisher and squeezed the handle."

Wait!!!! It gets better.

"Needless to say water started spraying everywhere, I panicked as I was in the school library and I didn't want the books to get wet so I aimed it at myself."

I can't stop grinning because I think that everyone at some point has wanted to try and spray the water or foam from a fire extinguisher around without any repercussions.  I'm sure there was on this occasion but I always wanted to try it!

After this incident though, I'll think I will steer clear.

Back on a serious matter, I asked Katie how she would make Kent a better place and in my opinion the first part is spot on!

"I would reduce the number of demolitions to old buildings that are replaced by 'cardboard' flats and offices."

I 100% agree that tearing down historical buildings in certain spots to be replaced with housing flats is just crazy.  Building complexes on any spare piece of land or by knocking down other buildings instead of properly planning out a good location is ludicrous."

It seems all sensibility is going out the window.

And finally I have, as always, my random question of the week:  What is the scariest thing, in your own opinion, you have ever faced and successfully overcome?

"Learning to drive was pretty scary as I was rubbish.  It did not help that I booked my test for 5 days after my 17th birthday. I failed!"

Although Katie failed, she eventually overcame the fear and can now drive.

A huge thanks to Mrs Smith for her time and best of luck on the career break with her family.

It still remains to be seen who is my interviewee from week to week, but who knows, it could be you next!

If you live in Kent, let's talk!

If you would like to appear on my blog, all I ask is that you live in Kent and that you are willing to talk to me for 10 - 15 minutes about yourself.

If you think you'd like to give it a try, drop me an email on millendauthor@gmail.com and we will see what we can do!

Well the big freeze has hit England again and so the South East and Kent in particular have been plunged into chaos.  But I still just about managed to get an interviewee.

This week's interviewee has plenty to look forward to in the next 7 months.  She has the build up to Christmas like the rest of us but more importantly, in May 2011 Jo is getting married to her fiance Ben.

So firstly, I want to offer my best to both for the coming months.  (Ben, see you on the Stag Do!)

(I was assured this was a Diet Coke and not an alcoholic beverage)

So this is Joanna Marie Goldhagen, 25 from Malling.  Previously she lived in Kings Hill and then West Farleigh where she picked up an interesting fact.

"The residents are out numbered by sheep apparently."

Jo is an Investment Portfolio Administrator for a London corporation.  Her job entails dealings with ISAs, Unit Trusts, Exams and Pensions.  Despite the huge demand on her, Jo clearly enjoys what she does.

"I love the people I work with, including the Fund Managers.  The commute to work is a killer, particularly with the current snow conditions."

The only benefit of Jo's daily commute is that her fiance also works in London and so, she has a familar face to look at across the carriage.

Although she highly enjoys her current job, Jo also, like most of us, has an ideal occupation.

"I'd like to become an eating disorder counsellor or ultimately, I'd love to open a chocolate shop where I could just bake cakes all day and make truffles for people to enjoy over hot chocolate and coffee."

Aside from mandatory jobs, Jo finds some free time for her hobbies which include making chocolate and confectionary treats such as brownies, truffles, shortbread and fudge and wedding planning.

"My friends would argue that one of my hobbies is wedding planning as I've been planning my own wedding for almost 3 years.  A lot of effort has gone into creating my ideal 50's style sweet themed wedding."

In her childhood years, Jo used to enjoy figure skating but has put her lack of commitment to it down to wariness of breaking something.

I know how great Kent is but it feels even better to know that the people of Kent feel the same.

"I like that we are close enough to London to be able to work and shop, but far away enough to enjoy the countryside.  Kent is picturesque and the people, particularly in smaller villages, I find are very friendly."

"I think the best restaurant in Kent is the The Mulberry Tree in Boughton Monchelsea.  My wedding reception will be held there and it has the best food ever."

Jo is also partial to a fish finger sandwich and recommends The Horseshoes in East Farleigh.

I was surprised with all her wedding plans, chocolate making, commuting and hectic working life that Jo had time to sit down and watch a flick or a TV programme.

"It's a tough one but I particularly love action films: Rocky, Die Hard, Man on Fire and Taken.  They are up there in the best films ever for me.  However, in complete contrast, I love The Sound of Music and La Vita Bella."

I thought I knew Jo well enough already from the information above yet she still had another story to tell me about from her childhood.

"When I was 3, my mum, brother and a family friend and her chidren all went to Butlins in Bognor.  One of the first days there, we went swimming and after, when we were changing, I couldn't find my mum.  I remember thinking 'Mum's left me here!'".

Most kids would panic at this point and it actually happened to me when I was about 7, but Jo funnily did pretty much what I did.

"Rather than crying, I went off to the play park for a bit, then managed to walk home to the chalet where we were staying."

(This next bit, I definately didn't do!)

"Little did I realise my Mum had just been in the toilets. My disappearing act had shut down the whole of Bognor Regis Butlins with the 'Red Coats' out combing the streets and stopping every car going out to check the car boots for me!"

Jo's moral to the story is that she has always been the type of person to just shut up and get on with her life. 

"I think people complain too much about things and give up too easily."

Seeing as Jo didn't give up too easily, I continued to question her and I was really interested to know how Jo would improve the county if she had the power too.

"I would make the Southeastern train lines more reliable.  Kent commuters pay the highest ticket prices and due to the snow, not one person from my area that works in London has been able to go to work.  I would also encourage schools to offer more assistance to all students and not just tell them to go to university.  They should encourage them to explore the other possibilities such as employment, apprenticeships and vocational study."

Again I totally agree and as I said before, I did not go to university and I did an apprenticeship and it was one of the best things I could have ever done for my future career. Unfortunately, the savage cuts the government are making will make opportunities like these few and far between so ex-students and non university folk out there, get your applications in quickly!

Finally, as always, Jo had to be asked my random question of the week:  If your life was summed up in a song, what would it be and why?

"It would have to be Time Warp from Rocky Horror Show.  It's weird, fun, energetic and addictive which couldn't sum up my life better!"

And as I'm writing this line, that is all I can hear in my head so thanks Jo.

Best wishes for the wedding (I'll await my invite in the post!) and I hope you have a great Christmas.

Who is the next resident of Kent to speak about our county?  You tell me!

If you live in Kent, let's talk!

If you would like to appear on my blog, all I ask is that you live in Kent and that you are willing to talk to me for 10 - 15 minutes about yourself.

If you think you'd like to give it a try, drop me an email on millendauthor@gmail.com and we will see what we can do!

There is real passenger anger at the rail price increases due in January 2011 and in my view it is a true outrage. Rather like the spineless bodies of the organisations that are supposed to protect us consumers in regards to energy, phone lines and now rail they all come up with pointless comments for these huge spikes in prices like, “We are disappointed in the increases”.

What is the point in these organisations if they can only provide rhetoric and not positive action? We are also to blame when tickets to sporting events go through the roof or rail tickets go up as we just simply shut up and pay out. We should boycott them, which is harder said than done I hear you say. But writing to your MP or the rail company is also futile. Perhaps en mass we should not renew season tickets and turn our backs on sky-high match prices. It is not going to happen, I know, but if this was France I am sure they would not stomach such increases without protest or mass demonstrations.

As the snow fell across this part of Kent, two things struck me - and none of them was a snowball. Firstly, in January of this year and the month before when the snow fell and the council said it had taken them by surprise did they learn the lesson for next time and do better?  Some lesson. Exactly the same situation has happened again now with even more carnage on the roads. What is going on? Are we so cretinous we cannot learn from our mistakes, just stupid or are we as nation so ill prepared for a bit of bad weather in this country that everything just has to go downhill? I am just amazed that somewhere like Switzerland is able to run any trains or planes without the whole country grinding to a halt.

The funniest story (sadly it is true) during this winter “Armageddon” of three days was that the Police were stopping motorists with too much snow on their car roofs and giving them three penalty points. If that is not just a total waste of time I am going to take my triangle from my old school trunk and join the Salvation Army band.

I am a little bit bored of the snow now, but my dog loves it!!

In the last three days we have had no post, no refuse collection, and the only delivery has been milk everyday without fail. Hurrah for the milkman!!!

OK, so the snow has wrecked just about every single travel route in Kent.

I joined the hundreds of commuters stuck on the gridlocked A2 yesterday (Tuesday, November 30) until I swerved off the pandemonium onto the hard-shoulder for about 300 yards (very naughty I know) and took the next junction off the motorway and made my way home through the country lanes.

London is slightly different. You can actually get from A to B, albeit at a snail’s pace in some instances. I know from the ear-ache I’ve been getting from my commuter dad and brother that there are no excuses for city workers heading into the capital. The trains are slowly running from my home town of Gravesend into the Big Smoke but I know delays have been much heavier for commuters from other areas of Kent. We have all heard stories of people stranded on trains on their way home on four-hour journeys.

So it is with this knowledge that I fear for anyone going to see Arcade Fire at the O2 Arena tonight (Wednesday, December 1) or tomorrow. Although I appreciate travelling is tough at the moment, I’ll be hacked off if the venue is half empty for a set from one of the best live acts in the world at the moment.

A gig is nothing without atmosphere and while tonight’s performance is sold out and tomorrow’s (which I am going to) has only some additional seating left for sale, I fear the worst for the attendance levels.

What would the Canadian outfit think of what happens to this country when we get a few inches of snow? Of course, the UK’s budget for dealing with this level of snowfall is much smaller than that of the North Americans but that will not stop the sniggers from our cousins across the Atlantic. It might also dissuade Arcade Fire from playing over here at this time of year again.

To be honest I was a bit miffed when I heard their headline sets at the Reading and Leeds Festivals this summer were poorly attended. This was largely down to scepticism from ticket buyers about the Montreal band getting bill topper status when they had only released two albums.

Yet when they released their mind-blowing third effort The Suburbs in the spring, it should have silenced the doubters and made for a sensational gig. Let’s face it, the other two headline acts were Guns and Roses, whose frontman Axl Rose showed up an hour late, and the brilliant but slightly dated Blink 182.

So for anyone out there umming or arring about whether to brave the cold and hop on a train to the O2 (I am not advocating driving – this is clearly not safe at the moment) then this is a call to arms. The spirit of rock and roll should implore you to support your favourite band no matter the obstruction or journey time.

It is not as if you’ll be suffering delays for a train that is going to take you to work, where you don’t want to be anyway, is it?