Nick Hayes is an intern in our London bureau. He normally arrives to work on time, but not today. Here he tells us why: 

I just got a taste what life must have been like in Britain in the 70s -- when strikes erupted on a regular basis and angry workers engaged in running battles with the government of the day. Transport for London, the company that runs London's famous underground system, failed to come to terms with the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers. The result has been chaos on the subway since Monday afternoon -- and this could stretch to the end of the week.

I hope not: my journey to work -- a distance of 8.5 kilometers -- took two hours this morning. I guessed most people would be waking up at the crack of dawn to get to their jobs. So I figured I'd avoid the great shove and leave on the late side. I approached my Underground station, Putney Bridge, hopeful for a glint of activity -- perhaps it had all been resolved. No such luck.

I struggled along to the nearest bus stop -- on the bridge itself -- where I found a throng of disgruntled, sweaty commuters. They had already been waiting for 20 minutes. I squeezed into the mass, joining in with the very British sighs of irritation. A stream of buses suddenly came into focus and, for a second, it looked like our misery was at an end. Alas, our hopes were cruelly dashed -- every bus was full. Another 20 minutes, a little closer to the front... Finally I was onboard, holding on for dear life. An hour and a half later, I arrived at work. I learned my lesson: rather than relive the 70s -- again -- tomorrow I think I'll get a lift.