My kind of bus-stop – if only I had the time to linger there…

As I rushed from Queen Sally’s Diamond Deli with coffee in one hand, baby in the other, eyes on my four year old crossing the road to the Diary, I suddenly stopped in my tracks at the sight of this in a bus stop in Lyall Bay…

How wonderful! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this idea!

The books all had sheets of paper tucked inside at various pages, with people’s names on them. Spare sheets were tucked in the front of the books and read, ‘Write your name here’.

Underneath the bookshelf a sign read,

‘Have a read and take a little escape to somewhere more romantic, somewhere more exciting, somewhere far from here.’

How many times have you waited at a bus-stop, feeling frustrated when the bus is running late?

How many times have you wished for something to read and rummaged in your bag for something, anything to pass the time? In the past (before children and iPhones) I’ve sorted out my handbag, thrown away copious old receipts, half used tissues, decaying biscuits and other grime that worms its way to the far depths of my bag. I’ve been delighted when a pen emerges from a hidden crevice and gives me a list making opportunity on an old receipt. I’ve sat and rearranged the crazy number of store cards in my wallet in the vain hope of being able to magically find the right card in the right shop in the future.

These days I usually have a child (or three) to keep me more than occupied and on the odd occasion I do go riding a bus solo I usually have my phone on me to read the news, blogs and twitter away, but how WONDERFUL is this idea! How brilliant to be able to pick up a real book, flick through the pages and read a few words of literary escapism whilst waiting for a bus.

How lovely that this exists and isn’t vandalized or misused.

This sight gave me a real feeling of happiness in the community I am fortunate to live amongst.

I’ve tried to do a Google search to find out if there are any more of these bookshelves in bus stops around Wellington, but couldn’t find anything. I would love to hear from anyone who has seen any. I did find this fabulous post on ‘Crooked Brains’ blog, ‘Did you happen to see any of these bus stops‘, which highlights some amazing, less than ordinary bus stops from around the world (including one from Wellington!).

Now if I could just find some child-free time to wait for a bus… preferably on a sunny day when there’s not even a hint of a southerly blowing in…