IT WAS LUTON AND MILTON KEYNES AFTER TWO YEARS

Yes after two whole years I have updated our coverage of the buses of Luton and Milton Keynes. It was of course an early start, Mandy came with me so we used Mandy's car so after swapping vehicles around on the drive at 5.30 am we went down using the A50 to escape the awful M6 plus Mandy's new toll road pass hasn't arrived as yet. We were soon parked up in Luton, strange as there didn't seem to be any rush hour or rush hour bus services, the whole place was so poor and squalid with no obvious redeeming features and hardly any English population left now save for a few dossers the last vestiges of a lost empire as our towns and cities crumble away and the inheritance of a thousand years passes with so little to show for it. Really sad but no hassle, really nobody there with the energy to hassle anyone, all sleeping half dead, rolled up in a sleeping bag on the bus stops amid the modern bus station with so few buses.

I walked back through 'The Mall', it should be on the tourist circuit, this is probably why so many people voted for Brexit clutching at a last straw that something would save their homes and towns, so near London like other forlorn places i visit such as Harlow, proximity to wealth is little help. The next part of the day was slightly less sunny but certainly more cheerful as we headed back up the M1 to Milton Keynes, I read that it comes out as one of the best places to live in the UK and people are prosperous and happy and Mandy says they have a good shopping centre which is easy to get around in the wheelchair. I say they have plenty of buses and some of the most cheerful friendly bus drivers without exception and a shining light for public service.

Actually it made me think of the Collett driver at Liverpool and all the other truckers who are also so friendly, wouldn't it be great if smiles and waves could cure a lot more problems perhaps even relieve the Poles of their shoulder chips. The buses seemed colourful, varied and frequent - even a policeman returned my wave near the station, isn't it just great when things start to go r Hopefully Mandy's broken foot will be healed soon, it will certainly relieve the pressure at No17! Tomorrow I'm going round to St Oswalds to remove cobwebs around the windows and hopefully clean out the bird feeder which has been soaking for three days now, also need to get some bug killer and rose spray, our local garden centre is good on plants but low on stocks of such things but that is offset by some glorious cakes in the cafe.

Later tomorrow we go to a memorial service and wake for a wonderful person who like Mandy had polio, he did marvelous work for charities recognised by his OBE. We shall meet lots of other people many stoic in their life challenges not helped by the thuggish policies of Dear Leader May Blossom blessings be upon her. I think she would be our secret weapon to sort out North Korea dropped on them from a great height, a very great height in fact, neither seem very adept at qualities of compassion, it's all a bit of a Trump card you could say but I think we've all been handed out a bad deal. Mean while I'll settle for the smiles at Milton Keynes and a compass to get us out. The photos this morning at Luton, don't let it depress you though.