Although I sympathise with Jeremy's plumbing problems, it's comforting in a way to know that things are no better in America when it comes to chasing tradesmen and insurers.
The latest in my long-running saga with NatWest Home Insurance is that a large cheque they think they sent on 5th, 6th, or maybe 7th of January (they don't seem to sure) failed to arrive, but a subsequent much smaller cheque sent on 17th has. So the large cheque was cancelled and will be re-issued, and will be with me some time in February.
In other news, despite frequent maintenance to the tracks, journeys from Norwich to London now take two hours, and the return journey seems to average around two hours and twenty minutes. I don't know if we're the subject of freakish localised continental drift or something, but Norwich is now about 30 minutes further away from London. Good to see things improving as we move into the future.
All of which leads me to wonder: is it like this everywhere in the (ha ha) "developed" world? Are plumbers fully booked in every country? Does public transport universally mean travel ordeals? Do insurance companies pay promptly without screwing you around? Is there any place in this blighted world of ours that is SANE AND REASONABLE?
Wanted: nice place to live. Must have temperate climate, low crime rate, plentiful tradesmen, good transport infrastructure, cheap internet.
Posted by savs at January 21, 2005 3:25 PM"Is there any place in this blighted world of ours that is SANE AND REASONABLE?"
Nope, 'fraid not. If you'd wanted that you should've incarnated on a different planet, not NowWhat / Shikasta. Personally, I'm planning to retire to a warm, comfortable cave with a copy of the Tao Te Ching, and await the apocalypse.
Posted by: Steve D at January 21, 2005 5:09 PMHere, Japan.
Posted by: Tatsuhiko Maekawa at January 24, 2005 12:51 PM