Laundry Day

After procrastinating severely over the ever-growing pile of washing in the corner of my apartment, i decided that today i would finally get round to doing my laundry - largely because of an unexpected earlier finish at work that i had anticipated. So, i crammed it all into a bag and wandered off towards the laundrette - the nearest one is a short walk away - for only the second time (i went out and bought a few things not long after arriving cause i really couldn't be bothered to clean them). The laundrettes here are much the same as at home except, as you'd probably imagine, they're a bit bigger - some 60-odd washing machines and a good 40 or so dryers. There's also the drop-off service too where, if you really like the idea of someone else handing your dirty washing, you can leave it for collection later. At least you don't get to see the looks on their faces as they go through it. Whilst bigger, its hardly comfortable - there are thin wooden benches lining the aisles that wouldn't be out of place in a changing room. Picking a machine at random, i threw in my washing - raising an eyebrow at the sign cautioning not too overload them (they're so big it would comfortably fit a great dane and still have room for a chihuahua or two). Then it's a matter of sitting and waiting. And in my case watching everyone else.

You get a sense from the place that it's quite a social hub for those that use it. There are usually groups of two-four people scattered about dissecting the weeks events. Everytime the door opens, someone from the back usually shouts a greeting. You even get the obvious students who sit there either devouring or writing notes (i managed to restrain myself from taking my papers there to read). The cycle itself is over pretty quick - and its on to the driers (again, ridiculously large and probably eating enough electricity to light Wembley Stadium), a quick 20 minutes later and its back out the door. All in all, i'd been in there for a little over an hour - not too bad going really - so i don't feel its too much of a pain to do, although i'm glad for one thing - at least you don't have Dot Cotton whinging in your ear.