Comparisons

I have wired internet in the hotel, freeman's for a member of Starfleet.  Hurrah for technology, although it is ethernet running at 10mbps, which is I believe the network connection speed for the ZX Spectrum.  

So, I am drawn naturally to comparing my first day back in the Smoke with my week off in North Norfolk.  I think it is fair to say that Londoners have less fingers (cheap joke, Ed) but more time for you.  There is certainly no underground system, except the Roy's underground fanbase,  of which I count myself the founder, and only, member.  They do have an extensive Broads network, the maximum speed on which is six miles per hour, four in built up areas.  This is about fifty percent faster than most traffic in London.
A portion of chips in Ken's of Wroxham (probably bitter rivals of Roy, but fair play to the fellah, he has stuck it out) is one pound twenty.  A portion of fries anywhere in London is seventeen pounds ninety-nine.  Probably.


The only other difference is that in London I am staying in a fancy hotel, and in Norfolk, a little white box.  The view from my room window today is rather impressive, though.  I am looking over Oxford Street, and just to the right I can see Marble Arch.  The only view from our 'van was the hairy @rse of the woman opposite doing her "morning stretches".  All I can say is, Marble Arch is slightly smaller, but not as white.


Second day back at work, first in my customer's offices, and the predicted "hard day" was just that.  Left the office at a quarter to eight, but had a simple six stop tube ride and then a one minute walk to the hotel, so it is an improvement on the Novotel, which had a tube change and a fifteen minute walk the other end.  The only down-side is I am not collecting any loyalty points staying here.  And breakfast is £18.95.  Rather a lot, so I had better make sure I eat my own weight in full English.  Unless my wife is reading this, in which case it is fruit, yogurt and a cold bath and flannel wash for afters.


I may well end up blogging every day this week, so I hope that I can attract back some off my many readers, who, it has to be said, have rather dwindled since I have been off on holiday, and working in London.


Come back dear readers, all is forgiven, and all is to be played for.  Now that is a topic for tomorrow.  Football.  You either love it or hate it.  Golfy is broadly neutral, which makes him probably a bit, you know, but I absolutely love it.  The Wan Kenobi clan have their England shirts, flags and age-appropriate drinks at the ready for the first game on Saturday.  

COME ON ENGLAND.

Time off for good behaviour

Some of you may have noticed that I have not been blogging much lately.  This is caused by two factors:

1. When I work in London, I cannot access this blog site (blocked by my customer's web-blocking devil)

2. I have been on holiday in Norfolk for a week last week.

The former is probably well known to you.  The latter may not be, so let me tell you all about it.


Norfolk, home of the north folk (bit of a guess) and to Norwich, which itself is home to a football club whose main claim to fame, for a know-nothing southerner, is when their most famous supporter had one too many sherries during the first half, and decided it was a good idea to rally the troops during the half-time interval.  See here to be reminded.  It was car-crash TV of the highest order, and I am guessing not many people tried to haggle down her after-dinner speaking fee after that.
It is interesting to note that she does herself live with the south folk, in Suffolk.  Rumours are it is to be nearer London, for her work you know, but then rumours know nothing.


The highlight of the visit was a visit to Wroxham.  This is on the Broads, and has a low bridge through which only small and medium sized vessels can pass, and so Wroxham has become a natural start and end point for the boating folks of the Broads, of which there are many.  Most of these you would really rather not be in charge of a large floating vessel, but in charge they are and after a couple of Pinot Grigios they are world-class.  Except with the bridge.  There are several chunks out of the said bridge, which now has a steel bridge installed above the original stone bridge, presumably for strength and such like.  Anyhow, you can get a "pilot" to take your boat through for you, which seems a very sensible route to take, and ensures that your boat looks just the same when it comes out the other side as it did when it went in.  The fact that the "pilot" basically does the process at top speed and with one lazy eye barely looking forward makes it all the more thrilling a spectator sport.

The other key claim to fame for Wroxham is Roy.  Roy owns the town.  There is a Roy's department store (bit like House of Frasier), Roy's food supermarket (Asda), Roy's Toy Emporium, Roy's Children's Clothing and Roy's Garden Centre.  Roy obviously saw a gap in the market and went for it.  My picture of Roy is six foot six, stetson, spurs and a plaid shirt, with a kind smile to old and young alike, and a wallet the size of a small fridge. 



We also had a lovely day out in Bewilderwood, which is an adventure playground set in the woods, with slides, roof-top walkways, zip wires and the like, all set in beautiful woods and selling only good quality, often organic, food.  We took a picnic of course, can't be doing with all that healthy stuff.

Anyhow, back up to Londinium this week, so will be non comunicado for 3 days.

Have a good week, and keep the faith.  I will try to find a way to blog when I am "up North".