Don't you just hate the feeling when you are standing there at the train station, hoping that the train will arrive at when the timetable promises. As the clock contunies to tick, you suddenly realise that the train was meant to arrive 5 minutes ago and that, always the public transport system has let you down. Not only does this automatically mean that you are going to be late, but also that you are invariably going to miss your connection and more than likely sit next to one of the following, an overly talkative nana, a fat guy with horrible BO (especially for 8 in the morning), somebody listening to Delta Goodrem, The Spice Girls or Katy Perry at a rediculous level on their iPod or an emtpy (this option generally applies if you fit into one of the previous categories).
Well, in Santiago this situation isn't a problem. It could be that over here, nobody has heard of Delta Goodrem, nobody likes the Spicegirls and Katy Perrys filmclips are watched, but not listened to. It could also be that nana's give up on talking to me when they realise my Spanish is not sufficient to maintain a conversation when they speak at 600 words per second. Primarily though, its because ths Santiago trains like clockwork. Here, trains seem to appear every 5 minutes, and connections are so simple - you follow the signs leading to the next platform and bingo a a train rocks up to the station. When you get on its also pleasant to note that the guy who sits next to you doesn't have a BO problem.
The well coordinated system really puts anything I have experience in Australia to shame, and to be honest its rather embarrasing that a system which services six million people is able to run on time so much more efficiently than a system in Adelaide which ensures that its population of around a million people are, on an almost daily basis late to work, school or university. It really provides some food for thought, and I honestly hope that the people from AdelaideMetro are reading this - it is possible to have a public transport system that runs on time!
Anyway ladies and gentlemen, its almost midnight here - and more importantly Scott Pilgim vs. The World is nearly finished. I don't precisely know what that means, as I can't say I have fully understood everything that has happened.... although points flashing on the screen and people exploding into penny's has been a remarkably entertaining movie I highly recommend it.
Tomorrow I have Sainters practise in the morning and will hopefully not meet any girls with a large number of crazy ex's who I must defeat in mortal combat!
Chao Amigos!!
