Despite…
1. My general opinion on Christmas being an overly commercialised circus of hype.
2. London shops being rammed full with people making any kind of purchase a nightmare.
3. Mass transportation demand chaos causing huge disruption and inconvenience
4. The weird fog epidemic presently plaguing London and the south east (at least, if not further).
5. My hour and a bit long train ride from Ealing this evening because a set of doors on the train decided to open for no apparent reason whilst the train was cruising along at about 60mph (seriously I am not kidding) (having a train jump to an emergency stop is one thing I hope never have to repeat) and the resultant damage control exercise.
6. Claire still being away snowboarding.
... I am feeling surprisingly festive with a selection of now nicely wrapped gifts sitting in front of my non-existent Christmas tree.
Have a good Christmas people.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
U864
Interesting article (I thought) about a toxic WW2 submarine in the North Sea only recently discovered (via).
Monday, December 18, 2006
How much First Great Western Rail suck
To First Great Western Rail, may I just say that I have been forced into using your trains for just over six months now and must say I have generally been nothing short of being thoroughly underwhelmed by your service. However your recent timetable rearrangements are nothing short of bizarre, inconvenient and devastatingly dumb.
You are not allowed to announce with great pride that your new timetable provides a greater number of services. Your new timetable only provides a greater number of services because you have decided to stop them at every fucking station along the way. And because you have ancient relic piece of shit trains that accelerate and brake about as speedily as an asthmatic snail; this means that the journey into London now takes even longer than it did with your previously (slightly less) appalling service.
Add to this that you now appear to have made all the trains even smaller so they are even more crowded and everyone is forced to smell even more of their neighbours stinky armpits than before. Seriously, at what point did you think that any mainline service between London and Reading was going to comfortably accommodate everyone from all the stations you now kindly stop at when it only has two carriages?
This is of course assuming that the train fucking works. Lest I not go into detail about how you imprisoned myself and an array of other hapless passengers on one of your delightfully shit trains when it decided to break down half way between Maidenhead and Taplow and you left us stranded in the middle of nowhere for three hours with no apology and no compenstaion.
And a further thing, on what basis do you consider it acceptable to cancel my train because of 'stock shortages.' I presume this means you ran out of trains? Seriously how can you fucking run out of trains? What did you tuck it up in the shed last night and get there this morning to find it had magically disappeared overnight?
And I say tuck it up at night because quite clearly you are no longer operating any kind of late night service. One of the few redeeming virtues of your old timetable was that I could get out of London at 2 o'clock in the morning. Now there's no chance of that, I have to sit on yet another of your slow trains having enjoyed my last drink at midnight.
So First Great Western Rail, can you confirm for me whether you are in fact running a train company or are you running a fucking circus. Should I expect the 08:15 to roll in next week being towed by an elephant, or perhaps the 17:36 won't actually be a train, perhaps it will be a baboon, or a chocolate teapot or something else equally pointless.
You are not allowed to announce with great pride that your new timetable provides a greater number of services. Your new timetable only provides a greater number of services because you have decided to stop them at every fucking station along the way. And because you have ancient relic piece of shit trains that accelerate and brake about as speedily as an asthmatic snail; this means that the journey into London now takes even longer than it did with your previously (slightly less) appalling service.
Add to this that you now appear to have made all the trains even smaller so they are even more crowded and everyone is forced to smell even more of their neighbours stinky armpits than before. Seriously, at what point did you think that any mainline service between London and Reading was going to comfortably accommodate everyone from all the stations you now kindly stop at when it only has two carriages?
This is of course assuming that the train fucking works. Lest I not go into detail about how you imprisoned myself and an array of other hapless passengers on one of your delightfully shit trains when it decided to break down half way between Maidenhead and Taplow and you left us stranded in the middle of nowhere for three hours with no apology and no compenstaion.
And a further thing, on what basis do you consider it acceptable to cancel my train because of 'stock shortages.' I presume this means you ran out of trains? Seriously how can you fucking run out of trains? What did you tuck it up in the shed last night and get there this morning to find it had magically disappeared overnight?
And I say tuck it up at night because quite clearly you are no longer operating any kind of late night service. One of the few redeeming virtues of your old timetable was that I could get out of London at 2 o'clock in the morning. Now there's no chance of that, I have to sit on yet another of your slow trains having enjoyed my last drink at midnight.
So First Great Western Rail, can you confirm for me whether you are in fact running a train company or are you running a fucking circus. Should I expect the 08:15 to roll in next week being towed by an elephant, or perhaps the 17:36 won't actually be a train, perhaps it will be a baboon, or a chocolate teapot or something else equally pointless.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Travels
Well, looking back over the (somewhat thin on the ground) recent posts it seems the blog has turned into more of Nick's travel journal. So as not to depart from this general theme here is my rather fun map of where I have been. Create your own.
Friday, December 15, 2006
More adventures across the pond
In March we are going for a multi-stop trip to San Francisco and Vancouver. Claire has friends who are on work placement in Vancouver so we are staying there for free for ten days and having done considerable investigation on flights it transpires that it is barely more expensive to fly through San Francisco so we are stopping for five days there too.We are flying out to San Francisco on Virgin (because they were very nice when we flew with them to New York) where we connect to a flight to Vancouver with United. I know this sounds a bit weird but for quite a lot of flights out (or back) you have to connect somewhere (often random places like Cincinnati or Salt Lake City) and this way we get a cheaper deal than we were quoted from Flight Centre by around 250 squids and get nice Virgin Flights rather than having to board something crappy and expensive which seem to be the only airlines that fly direct to Vancouver.
Haven't booked anywhere to stay in 'cisco yet. Was thinking this place looked rather funky and is highly praised on Trip Advisor however my parents wisdom suggests that Fishermans Wharf is tack central and not the place to stay. We will have to see...
It is still three months away but I am already really rather excited, hence why I am telling you all about it.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Ten reasons why I would move to New York
Now it has been about a fortnight since I got back from New York. And I can without doubt say it was one of the best places I have ever been. Here are my ten reasons which I came up with (in no particular order) without even struggling and could easily list more.
1. Food. The food in New York is amazing. Not only are the portions huge, they are extremely tasty, not greasy, oily, fatty, re-heated or any other negative things that you seem to have to put up with to some degree at almost any restaurant in the UK unless you pay through the nose. And also the service is excellent and swift and many places stay open all night meaning you literally can get what you want, when you want. And yes you can have breakfast at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, or a Chinese for breakfast. And on top of all that it is extremely cheap, I don’t think we paid much more than $30 (£15) for two meals including drinks and everything the entire time we were there.
2. Central Park. Central Park is stunning. It is without doubt the nicest park I have ever been to. And that is saying a lot because if there is one thing London is good at it is really nice parks. The contrast of Central Park against the tall buildings surrounding it is breathtaking in its own right. However the park in its own right is amazing, beautifully laid out and landscaped and maintained to the absolute highest standard.
3. Cost. New York is cheap. Especially at the moment with the high performance of the pound against the dollar. Ok, it costs a little bit to fly out there and stay but once you are there it is totally bargainous.
4. The people. New Yorkers are great people, they are polite, accommodating, open minded and generous. Taxi drivers at the airport looking for a fare helped us to our shuttle bus drop off point even when we declined their offer of a taxi, the woman in the shuttle bus gave us hints and tips on good local restaurants and shops on the trip from the airport to the hotel, people chatted to each other on the subway and let people get off the train before trying to get on.
5. The Subway. The New York Subway is brilliant. I can't stand the London Underground because it stops everywhere (going local in NY speak), behaves erratically and you got told nothing about why the train has stopped for no apparent reason in the middle of nowhere for 20 minutes. The New York Subway has express trains which just makes so much sense, they are impeccably clean and run very smoothly and if it ever stops for more than 20 seconds, somebody will be on the PA telling you exactly why they’ve stopped what they doing about it, how sorry they are and that the train will be moving again in about 90 seconds.
6. The Staten Island Ferry. One of the most breathtaking views in the world on a very pleasant and amazingly rapid ferry for free. Seriously, how is that not outstanding?
7. Shopping. Question: What would you like to buy? Answer: Its there, whatever it is. Also imagine how little it would cost, then half the price and that’s how much it is.
8. Empire State Building. Stunning building which looks good from afar and looks good up close. And the views from the top are far ranging and staggering.
9. Street network. New York is a busy place and the streets are busy and crowded with cars. However the traffic isn’t all that bad considering. The Streets and Avenues work like this: All the lights are red on all the junctions, everything along the entire street is stationary and all you can see is a vast nest of red lights. Then bam all the lights go green in one go, all the cars stamp on the gas and everything leaps forward by about 5-10 blocks. Compared to south eastern England’s lurching and arbitrary infrastructure this is extremely satisfying.
10. Getting there. It is a seven hour flight from Heathrow Airport. Go on one of those nice Virgin Atlantic flights into JFK and by the time you’ve had your pleasant in flight meal, a few glasses of free wine and played about with the entertainment system you have arrived.
Now any one of these reasons is an excuse to go in itself. If you haven’t been book your trip now. Seriously. Here are some links to help you.
1. Food. The food in New York is amazing. Not only are the portions huge, they are extremely tasty, not greasy, oily, fatty, re-heated or any other negative things that you seem to have to put up with to some degree at almost any restaurant in the UK unless you pay through the nose. And also the service is excellent and swift and many places stay open all night meaning you literally can get what you want, when you want. And yes you can have breakfast at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, or a Chinese for breakfast. And on top of all that it is extremely cheap, I don’t think we paid much more than $30 (£15) for two meals including drinks and everything the entire time we were there.
2. Central Park. Central Park is stunning. It is without doubt the nicest park I have ever been to. And that is saying a lot because if there is one thing London is good at it is really nice parks. The contrast of Central Park against the tall buildings surrounding it is breathtaking in its own right. However the park in its own right is amazing, beautifully laid out and landscaped and maintained to the absolute highest standard.3. Cost. New York is cheap. Especially at the moment with the high performance of the pound against the dollar. Ok, it costs a little bit to fly out there and stay but once you are there it is totally bargainous.
4. The people. New Yorkers are great people, they are polite, accommodating, open minded and generous. Taxi drivers at the airport looking for a fare helped us to our shuttle bus drop off point even when we declined their offer of a taxi, the woman in the shuttle bus gave us hints and tips on good local restaurants and shops on the trip from the airport to the hotel, people chatted to each other on the subway and let people get off the train before trying to get on.
5. The Subway. The New York Subway is brilliant. I can't stand the London Underground because it stops everywhere (going local in NY speak), behaves erratically and you got told nothing about why the train has stopped for no apparent reason in the middle of nowhere for 20 minutes. The New York Subway has express trains which just makes so much sense, they are impeccably clean and run very smoothly and if it ever stops for more than 20 seconds, somebody will be on the PA telling you exactly why they’ve stopped what they doing about it, how sorry they are and that the train will be moving again in about 90 seconds.
6. The Staten Island Ferry. One of the most breathtaking views in the world on a very pleasant and amazingly rapid ferry for free. Seriously, how is that not outstanding?7. Shopping. Question: What would you like to buy? Answer: Its there, whatever it is. Also imagine how little it would cost, then half the price and that’s how much it is.
8. Empire State Building. Stunning building which looks good from afar and looks good up close. And the views from the top are far ranging and staggering.
9. Street network. New York is a busy place and the streets are busy and crowded with cars. However the traffic isn’t all that bad considering. The Streets and Avenues work like this: All the lights are red on all the junctions, everything along the entire street is stationary and all you can see is a vast nest of red lights. Then bam all the lights go green in one go, all the cars stamp on the gas and everything leaps forward by about 5-10 blocks. Compared to south eastern England’s lurching and arbitrary infrastructure this is extremely satisfying.
10. Getting there. It is a seven hour flight from Heathrow Airport. Go on one of those nice Virgin Atlantic flights into JFK and by the time you’ve had your pleasant in flight meal, a few glasses of free wine and played about with the entertainment system you have arrived.
Now any one of these reasons is an excuse to go in itself. If you haven’t been book your trip now. Seriously. Here are some links to help you.
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