Check out my new phone!

Admittedly, it's a bit big and doesn't quite fit in the pocket, but it does the job perfectly and is very convenient to use, while my Nokia N95 is being repaired in Newmarket (thanks to 21st C Dad). It's been a while since I've used a BT phonebox and actually I am pretty impressed.

For those who like the traditional aspects of telephone boxes, this one comes with the obligatory cigarette burn on the plastic notice cover as well as a butt-end left on the floor. Please note, it was a singular cigarette end. This is Bury St Edmunds you know and we have standards to maintain.

However, for someone like me who loves the appeal of modern technology, I was delighted to see that this phone box also offers text messaging (10p per message) as well as email facilities (20p per message).

The only shock was the cost of a phone call, minimum cost of 40p. Call me a cheapskate, but 40p to leave a message on my home answerphone was a tad expensive, although if I had been talking to another person that 40p would have given me a whole 20 minutes of gabbing and that is a bargain!

It was strange not to have my phone to hand, but in a funny old way I was enjoying the freedom. Hmmm, I'll think I'll do that more often.

(By the way, did you know that there are still 63,000 BT payphones dotted around the UK? You can even find out where they are located, by clicking here.)