The journey I'll talk about was meant to be a straightforward Friday run to see my sister, but a network fault stranded us on the platform for about ninety minutes before overcrowded trains even appeared. I picked up water, shared a charger with a stranger, and listened to contradictory announcements that irritated the crowd until staff organised buses for the final leg. I reached her place after midnight, exhausted yet strangely calm once I accepted the delay was beyond my control.

The delayed train journey I'll describe was a Friday evening trip to see my sister — we were stuck on a platform for ninety minutes after a power fault, with crowded carriages and no seats left. I bought water, shared a power bank with a stranger whose phone was dying, and read the safety notices twice out of boredom. Announcements contradicted each other at first, which annoyed everyone, but staff eventually arranged buses for the last stretch. I arrived past midnight, tired yet oddly calm because I'd accepted I could not control the network. It taught me to build buffer time on important trips and to carry snacks like my mum always says.