That timetable planner at Cardiff Bus with the weird sense of humour has been at it again. The No.44 bus goes to and from St Mellons over 300 times a week but on just two occasions it deviates from that route. Those two occasions are early on a Sunday morning when it starts at the Eastern Leisure Centre in Llanrumney. In order to make sure I’d ridden the full No.44 route I therefore had to be up and out before dawn to ensure I was in with a chance of catching the 06.27 into town.
I waited nervously at the bus stop which had no mention of the No.44 on the sign. When I popped my head around the corner, there in the distance I could see a No.44 waiting at the side of the road. I scuttled back to the bus stop and sure enough, dead on time, it appeared around the corner.
As the sun slowly rose and we rode smoothly around St Mellons, Trowbridge and Rumney more passengers embarked probably heading into town for their jobs. By the time we got there it was light. I had a walk around for half an hour, watching the streets being cleaned up from the Saturday night exuberances.
By now the Wetherspoon’s Prince of Wales pub was open so I went and had some tea and toast and a read of my book Why Can’t Elephants Jump? This is a New Scientist publication, a collection of questions they publish which readers have a go at answering. Fascinating stuff. The Prince of Wales is also fascinating as it is an old theatre and then cinema which I never came in before it was a pub. I’m only emphasising that because it used to be the X-rated movie house when I was young.
After a look around the pub I headed out to catch the No.44 back to St Mellons. And no it doesn’t return to the Eastern Leisure Centre, not for another week and only then ‘out of service’. By the time I got home it was my normal ‘getting up’ time and I still had the whole day ahead, and yes, I confess, I did have an afternoon nap.
Cardiff Capers 