| Last Thursday brought a quite unexpected treat. | | | | That the station was clean and the train punctual was |
| Business activity was polarised by an 8am conference | | | | satisfying enough but, on stepping into the |
| call and a 5pm meeting and I suddenly realised that I | | | | compartment, I was transported in more ways than |
| had the perfect opportunity to wander around a | | | | one. The air conditioning was so cooling and so calming |
| museum at my leisure and, simultaneously, find | | | | that I felt mildly disappointed that my rendezvous was |
| sanctuary from the stifling city. New York was literally | | | | only two stops uptown. Momentarily refreshed, I |
| a city in heat, sweating profusely as the lank humidity | | | | alighted and wandered in the vague direction of the |
| enveloped it.The subway was a revelation, however. | | | | museum. |