Desolate

A pleasant wee train trip to Inverness today for a meeting. The run up was particularly nice seeing at it was a pretty sunny start to the day, although the change at Perth meant hanging around on a desolate and freezing cold platform for 20 minutes. Still, that meant I got to wander around taking random photos.

The run back was much better - no changes, a table seat and some new chums to talk to (while also working, I hasten to add). It also seems faster and downhill all the way, which makes me more convinced I should do something I was pondering on the way up - get the 0650 train to Aviemore in time for a quick breakfast and then cycle home. It's only 116 miles by road so should be doable with an overnight stop. I'm sure there's a off-road path the whole way.

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One of the major problems with the banking system is that they have been allowed to develop to a point where the customer relationship has become almost completely inverted. The illusion of choice and competition is there but in reality the banks have come to understand that as people's banking habits have developed - salaries paid in, mortgages paid out, direct debits, standing orders, credit cards etc - actually implementing choice is so onerous that most people will never switch. When that dawned, the banks' behaviour towards their customers changed. They stopped viewing them as customers whose business needed to be retained and began to see them as a captive asset. But there's always choice if you're willing to put in the effort.