For most people, their daily commute soon becomes a mundane and uneventful blur. But that can't be the case for the passengers on the Q3, arguably Newcastle's best bus service, which takes riders between Great Park and Wallsend via the city centre.
Akin to a city-sights tour, the service gives riders views of some of the most iconic spots in the North East as it travels from the city's historic centre out along the Quayside.
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We took a ride on the Go North East bus service to see for ourselves, starting at the Newgate Street stop.
The bus arrived on time which was a great start, and once sat down, I was immediately plunged into the heart of the city. I admired the old art-deco Co-op department store before passing Bigg Market, bustling with mid-morning shoppers.
The magnificent view up to Grey's Monument caught my eye, before we were swung onto Grey Street. This majestic street is home to the Theatre Royal, independent shops, restaurants and galleries.
From there, we headed onto Dean Street, another area of historical and architectural importance. The bus squeezed its way through the parked cars, giving me time to marvel at the dramatic buildings which flank the steep gradient down to the Quayside.
And then the bridges came into view, seemingly stacked on top of one another in a marvellous optical illusion. The Tyne Bridge caught my attention first, as one of the dominant symbols of the city, and then the equally loveable High Level and Swing Bridge made themselves known.
As the bus tootled along the Quayside, I also got a great view across the Tyne at the Baltic and the Sage in Gateshead. And after a glimpse at the strikingly designed Millennium Bridge, it was up onto City Road.
From this higher vantage point, I got to survey the new developments at Ouseburn. This is set against the backdrop of the famous Byker Wall.
The route was less panoramic from then on, as we headed towards Walker. But it was interesting to see the activity around Hoult's Yard, the business village on the former site of Mailings Pottery.
I hopped out at St Peter's Basin - the tranquil marina development in Byker.
A quick tour of the area, home to the city's boat dwellers, was all I had time for before jumping back on the Q3 in the opposite direction. The route back was largely the same, until we got back into the city centre.
At that point, the bus zipped up Pilgrim Street, onto John Dobson street and round into Haymarket. All of which were buzzing with people going about their errands.
This trajectory meant I got to see two more of the city's celebrated landmarks: the modernist Newcastle Civic Centre and Gothic St Thomas church.All in all, the trip was definitely worth my £3.20 return.
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