Paul Walter

Paul’s conference diary (1)

By | Sat 19th September 2026 - 1:10 pm

Thanks to the wonder of Traveline.info and an ingenious chain of five buses, I travelled to Brighton (and will travel back) free on my senior bus pass (Thank you – I know, it’s so hard to imagine that I am entitled to one) and saved, I’m told, 55500g of CO2, compared to driving.

In the process I learnt some valuable lessons in extreme bussing:

  1. Always have “fall back” buses scheduled a little later, in case you miss your connection.
  2. Never look at your phone when waiting for a bus. …Because you may look up just as your bus is passing at an astonishing rate of knots. (I know, what a pain – but look on the bright side, I enjoyed an excellent coffee waiting for the next bus).

  3. Strategically plan loo stops. The alternative is too horrendous to contemplate.

Anyway, to paraphrase Uachtarán na hÉireann Catherine Connolly as she greeted Donald Trump (it did not need a lip reader to make out) “oh well, I’m here now”.

Another economy tip: I have learnt over the years to arrive at conference with a stock of edibles such as cereal bars, tinned fish (above), bananas and instant porridge for hotel room consumption. It saves a small fortune.

Anyway, I am all ready for an early run and then the opening of conference at 9am. Hopefully. If I make it. At least I have remembered my badge this time, I clean forgot it at York last time.

* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.

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5 Comments

  • Caron Lindsay Caron Lindsay 19th Sep '26 - 2:34pm

    I thought the sardines were representing you being squashed into the buses!

    This time next year, I’ll have my bus pass, but I won’t be able to use it outside Scotland.

  • David Raw 19th Sep '26 - 5:24pm

    Paul. I’m afraid you can’t deny that the party of ‘Middle England’ is also the Waitrose party.

  • Jason Connor 19th Sep '26 - 9:55pm

    Yes it’s the upper middle classes store of choice. Not a Tescos, Aldi, Lidl or Asda even in sight

  • Peter Martin 20th Sep '26 - 2:04pm

    To be fair to Paul it’s only the Mackerel that’s from Waitrose. The Sardines and Anchovies are from Aldi.

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