The Joys of Civilisation

What's Aberystwyth got? Three streets, a pier, mouldering Victorian sea front buildings, Judith Iscariot as mayoress, stacks of pubs, the world's largest camera obscura and a beach? Wo-bloody-ho.

What's civilisation got? Public transport that (sort of) works or at least runs frequently, joy, more concerts than you can shake a thrust aloft (and rhythmically swaying) mobile phone at, happiness, a wider gene pool and ... everything you could possibly need, including paninis at 4am and urchins to shine your shoes.

Maybe not the shoe shining urchins. Still, cor blimey g'vnr... I can't complain and for the most part I'm relishing the opportunities of being away for a while.

Alas you can take the girl away from a torpid Victorian seaside resort town, but you can't take the decaying pier out of the girl - next weekend I am once again eshewing the amenities of the modern world to be off my tod down to Devon. It's worth it though: come next weekend Teignmouth will be basking in the warmth of its favourite sons and hosting two nights of Muse homecoming gigs. I have my ticket and I'm grinning like an idiot.