I'm on the Ebbsfleet express again, although at the moment it's not going anywhere as it isn't due to depart until 7.26. Annoyingly I missed the 6.37 by about a minute and this was the next one. The one thing they could do with improving on is the timetable. Trains are every half an hour, apart from this large gap after the half past six one. Then, the 7.26 is the last train of the day. Carrying on the half hourly service through a bit more of the evening would be a very good idea - especially if we wanted to use this service for days out in London.
Talking to Nicky, we agreed that I should get something to eat at the station, so I went to the "Fine Burger Company" which is at the bottom of the escalator from the Ebbsfleet platform. They were doing a two pounds off a meal deal promotion so my BBQ burger, chips and coke were 5.45 rather than 7.45 (no pound sign on Treo keyboard).
The Fine Burger Company (www.fineburger.co.uk) isn't trying quite as hard as the Gourmet Burger Company, but clearly wants to market itself as a step up from McDs and BK. Burger was ok if nothing special. Chips were midway between fries and chip shop chips. Probably worth the 5.45 (especially given the location) but not sure if the same would be true of the full price. Will it survive? They seemed to be doing decent trade, but no doubt the key question is how many burgers do they need to sell to pay what is no doubt a huge rent to their St Pancras landlords.
(By the way, in a day of eating on trains, lunch was a little bit healthier - prawn sarnie, grapes and fruit juice.)
Been in Reading today. First time in nearly 4 months. Definitely lots for me to be doing.
(And we're off!)
Nicky told me that we've had another offer on the house today. Reassuring from an interest perspective, but hopefully irrelevant given that we've already accepted a previous (higher) offer.