Don't snow days imply... snow?

As we all know from my pre-Christmas adventure dragging luggage through 5 miles of slush, London is thoroughly incapable of dealing with snow.

I learned this the hard way (again) yesterday when I arrived at my school, after an hour-long ride (which normally takes 20 minutes) on an unheated bus, only to find an empty carpark and a sign indicating the school was closed. Needless to say, I wasn't too pleased. I am now on the school's text messaging system, though, so I should at least be notified next time. And I was able to learn in advance that today would be another snow day.

The thing is... there isn't even that much snow. In Central London, where I live, there isn't really any at all. There is a tad more out where my school is, but not so much that I couldn't get there.

I totally understand that London hasn't made an investment in the infrastructure required to handle inclement weather because it doesn't make economic sense. The kind of weather we're experiencing now is atypical. I get that. But I'm hearing all these stories about people's cars getting stuck in the snow because they don't have snow tires. Since when do cars (with or without snow tires) get stuck in an inch of snow?

The rail service baffles me even more. If you're lucky enough that your train is running at all, you will be serenaded throughout your journey by the sound of a beached whale. You may even get stuck at a station for ten minutes, as I did, because the doors have frozen open.

I feel as though I'm living in an alternate universe... one where an inch of snow equals a foot. Maybe that's true. After all, it does feel impossibly cold here. It's currently 0 degrees celcius but it might as well be -20.

Ah well, at least I get to enjoy an extended holiday. My pocketbook really doesn't like it, but the rest of me does. I'm off to Oxford tomorrow, followed by a lazy Sunday. By Monday, I should feel fully refreshed and prepared to finally (hopefully) begin the school term. If it isn't another snow day.

PS - Today is my four monthaversary of being in London. I'd be lying if I said I still loved it here, but I do love being in Europe and I think a big part of my affection will be back come spring.