[Nibile]

ok, this is very important for me.
as many of you may know, I've been living in Florence for four years now, and recently many things changed.
first of all, my girlfriend, despite being from Florence, moved to Siena, my hometown, because of university. she crushed the entrance test for her specialization course, and so for the next five years at least she will work and live in Siena.
so I'm alone here in Florence, where my job is. I don't want to quit my job here because I love it and because in Siena I currently have no opportunities, so I'm thinking about going back to live in Siena and commuting to and from Florence every (fucking) day.
I've done this in the past and I didn't like it, but I've never asked anyone's advise or help. this time I'm asking for as much help as you can give me.

the pros of commuting are:
- no rent for the house, saving a lot of money;
- therefore I could work a bit less;
- a much bigger house;
- living with my girlfriend, the cat and the dog;
- better climate;
- closer to Sasso and Amiata boulders;
- no traffic;
- no pollution;
- all my friends are there, in Florence I literally see no one;
- I could put up my own wall in my house, while now the walls in Florence are shit;

the cons are:
- I'll have to wake up at 6,30 instead of 8, losing one hour and half of sleep;
- I'll depend on public transport, with all the usual malarky, timetables, strikes, traffic jams and so on;
- I'll spend three hours of my life, every day, in a bus;
- I'll probably need extra sleep during the day, a thing I never do;

the thing I fear the most is to get up very early in the morning and then be tired, nervous and irritable all day. sleep is crucial for me, I need a lot of it and I do all I can to sleep at least 8,5 if not 9 hours every night. I want to feel good during the day, ready to train and so on. plus, living in Florence I never risk getting to work late, and I am completely independant. obviously, in the weekends I go to Siena, to see my girlfriend: this means that if I want to go away I don't see her for two weeks and this is a problem.

my new daily routine could be:
- wake up at 6,30;
- take bus at 7,15;
- work until 13;
- take bus at 13,20;
- be back home at 14,35;
- rest of the day free to train, go to the boulders, and live my other life;
- in bed at 21,30?

so, after all this info overload, what do you think? any suggestions? experiences in any sense? other pros and cons?
please help me take this important decision in my life.

[Dolly]

Before getting into more detail one important question.
Will you be able to sleep on the bus ?

[Monk]

I have spent a quite large chunk of my life doing 45minute to 1 hour commutes in the car. I would always recommend against it. However, the times I have done longer commutes on public transport have been marginally better as I have time to read and sort things out while on the train (as long as you don't have to stand all the way). The biggest problems with my commutes has always been that it takes all my free time away - up early and home late. Any climbing or socialising then consumes all other time available meaning there is nothing left for things like eating, cleaning etc.

Having said all that, I would take your new daily schedule without a question. I'd love to have all aftenoon off and live near my friends and family. If you can do something worthwhile and relaxing on the bus (and it isn't too unreliable) then I'd be happy to do it.

[Jim]

move, getting up at half six isn't very early plus you'll be home for half 2 so its only part time work

[Reprobate_Rob]

Having spent the last five or so years in a situation similar to the one you're currently in, ie. working all week in a city hours away from all my friends, family, girlfriend, rock, decent training facilities, for the sake of a bit more cash; And having recently swapped that situation for one where i have all those things pretty much on my doorstep, but a bit less cash in my pocket and a (slightly) longer journey to work each day - I'd say move. Definitely.
If the time spent with the people i care about, doing the things i enjoy the most, in a place i love, came at the cost of spending a couple of hours a day (sleeping/reading/working) on a bus - it's a no-brainer.

And yeah, i would kill for your daily schedule.

[Jaspersharpe]

No fucking contest. MOVE!

It used to take me roughly an hour and a half (10-15 min walk at each end, 1 hr/+ on the bus) either way to get to/from work. It was shit at first and didn't get a lot better but I had no choice at the time. I couldn't afford a car as I spent about £300 a week partying and anyway I was never sober enough to drive on a weekend so it seemed pointless. So I just got with it...... for about 3 1/2 years.

Difference being, I was generally at work til five or later so didn't get back til 18.30 - 19.00. As Jim says, you'll be home early enough to enjoy your afternoon. If you can sleep on the bus in the am then it's a bonus, I never could really but managed to doze sometimes when I was really fucked. If not sleeping, just plug your earphones in and read the news / a good book and if you're not climbing in the pm then do what I used to do on the way home and sink a couple of beers. Makes the journey go much more smoothly....


You have so many more positives than negatives for moving, just do it!   

And yeah, i would kill for your daily schedule.

  

[Falling Down]

move, getting up at half six isn't very early plus you'll be home for half 2 so its only part time work

Exactly....

Nibs your schedule sounds like a fucking holiday - move.

[Falling Down]

And there's a saying "an hours sleep before midnight is worth two after". Bed at 10:00 and you still get 8hrs... Bargain!

[gme]

move

My holidays have a more demanding schedule than that.

[rich d]

You'll be getting up at half six and home at two. If you don't fancy moving I'll swap with you.

[LucyB]

I used to think that I needed loads of sleep, and couldn't imagine getting up at 6am. Then I had children.......

I've got used to the early starts fairly well, but when the baby has a bad night he sometimes wakes me up about every 45 minutes through the night. Then, I really feel like shit the next day! A (really!) good night is now one where he sleeps until 6. If I have managed to get to bed early enough (10 or 10.30pm is fine), then it feels okay; I can function perfectly well the next day and even have energy left over to train.

The world is a beautiful place at that time in the morning, too.

Your body will adjust really quickly, especially if you have lots of positive self talk in your head reminding you of the improvements in your life. And you finish by 2pm. Slacker 

[Jim]

Good job Percy doesn't have many bad nights then 

[fatdoc]

move mate... as what Jasper said.

[SA Chris]

What Lucy said; 6:30 is a lie in!

No idea what the transport is like, but that commute sounds like a doddle compared the brutal commutes some people I know deal with. If I could get home by 2:30 one day a week I would be fucking ecstatic.

[Nibile]

hmmm it seems like I'm on the move. Yes my schedule looks nice, although i could be home a bit later still sounds good. i think with some dedication and my professional sleeper kit i can learn to sleep no the bus, especially on the way back. plus, in the evenings i could work at the new wall in Siena. I can start trying now that i still have the house in Florence and see how it goes in a month or two. thank you guys, keep it coming, i really appreciate your help and support. it's a nice place on here.

[SA Chris]

View the commute time as an opportunity; catch up on reading, download some good podcasts to learn another language, get a little DVD player and catch up on old films. Or just surf UKB on your phone!

[ShortRound]

I think the fact that your pros list was way bigger than your cons list should tell you all you need to know. I get up at 6am and am back at home for five ish which gives plenty of time for climbing after work even at crags up to an hour away. I can squeeze in at least 2 hours climbing and still be in bed for 10pm which gives the magical 8hrs sleep.

The 6:30am starts will hurt at first but you'll adapt quickly and think about all the training literature you can read on the bus

[GCW]

move, getting up at half six isn't very early plus you'll be home for half 2 so its only part time work

Exactly....

Nibs your schedule sounds like a fucking holiday - move.

I commuted into Manchester for 3 years, left the house at 6am and got back at 7pm at the earliest.  I fucking hated it. 
Your schedule sounds manageable though, getting back in the afternoon would mean work-life balance would be fine.
I'm with the "move" posse.

[slackline]

I commuted into Manchester for 3 years, left the house at 6am and got back at 7pm at the earliest.  I fucking hated it. 
Your schedule sounds manageable though, getting back in the afternoon would mean work-life balance would be fine.
I'm with the "move" posse.

  Commuted Sheffield to Manchester and back for five and a half years by train and I too ended up hating it.

Used Jasper's approach of alcohol sedation on the return leg though.

But finishing so early you've actually got a decent amount of time once you get back to Siena so I'd go for it.

[rginns]

I used to think that I needed loads of sleep, and couldn't imagine getting up at 6am. Then I had children.......

I've got used to the early starts fairly well, but when the baby has a bad night he sometimes wakes me up about every 45 minutes through the night. Then, I really feel like shit the next day! A (really!) good night is now one where he sleeps until 6. If I have managed to get to bed early enough (10 or 10.30pm is fine), then it feels okay; I can function perfectly well the next day and even have energy left over to train.
The world is a beautiful place at that time in the morning, too.
Your body will adjust really quickly, especially if you have lots of positive self talk in your head reminding you of the improvements in your life. And you finish by 2pm. Slacker 

Funny how quickly you get used to being up that early! There's a few times I've driven about at 5 in the morning to get the little one asleep, but there's all sorts happening on the country roads round us - rabbits, deer, hawks, they all seem to be out at that time...
Anyhow, I digress.
I'm pretty bloody jealous actually Nibile, if I had a choice between Firenze and Siena I wouldn't be complaining too much! I think you should make the move - after all, you can get stuff done on the bus to work - when I sliced my hand up last year and couldn't drive for a bit I actually forgot how liberating being on public transport can be in terms of allowing you to read a book, listen to music or get some work done. Being stuck in traffic is not fun. Plus you'll have most of the afternoon free...
Whatever you decide, in bocca'al luppo!

[Nibile]

thanks really.
today I was thinking also that I don't have to see the commuting time as lost hours, I can actually use it to do something: could be sleeping if needed, or finally learning deutch, or planning the training session, like you said!!!
I think this will make everything easier.
I think I'll start the 6,30 wake up call next week, while still living in Florence, to get used to it with less pressure and to put in some double sessions!!!
goddammit, I'm fucking gettin' syked for this, blimey!!!

[GCW]

blimey!!!

That's pure gold, Nibs!!   

[tomtom]

Try it, if its too much hassle you can always move back?

[underground]

I'm in agreement with rginns on the benefits of spending time on the bus. I used to live 9 miles outside Sheffield centre, get out of bed at 'the usual time' and the drive in could take anything from 50 - 90 mins (although when I changed that and got out of bed early, it was a 20 minute sprint, and I was out of the office with a decent amount of afternoon and hence climbing / leisure time to enjoy).

Moved house, now 6 miles away - the drive again used to be over 45 mins due to traffic etc and that was leaving the house at 7.20, mad traffic. I got pissed off with my car sharing buddy one week, always sauntering down to the pick up point 5/10 mins late, so I took the train - 8 mins and a 5 min walk, but the tunnel was closed the same week for the whole winter, so I was forced to seek out the bus, and it's still a 40 min average journey, 6 miles, but I spend the time reading (much less time to do that at home with kids of 3 and 7) and catching up on music / podcasts etc - the journey to and from work is some precious time to myself when I'm unable to be pulled in any other direction, and notwithstanding the odd PITA day when the bus breaks down or similar (and like last week when a robust individual sat next to me on a really hot day and it was like being consumed by a phagocyte), I'm really grateful to be able to avoid driving every day... not sure if I'd choose to drive the same commute again even if the parking was free.

Although I'm really trying hard to avoid impulse buying an Italian scooter at present, which couls arguably be much worse, especially in January!

[Monolith]

Beast, I've seen your pro sleeping kit so we've no worries there. Similarly, the 06:30 rise will be a breeze (just think Jonny is packing up for the day at the crag at that time). The prospect of having the afternoon session is amazing as many have pointed out. I think this could work really well for you my man no?

Hours sleep in the PM before destroying the rock/board/weights whichever then onto aperitivo with Vale. Bliss!!!