Monday - at least the calendar says it is Monday

Monday 20th June

Safely arrived at Heathrow circa 6:45 am. The eighth and ninth wonders of the world happened, the plane was on time and I got through the airport formalities with a minimum of fuss. Everything I ever said about Heathrow airport I take back. The plane left Bangkok a little late but made up time due to a helpful tail wind. I can now safely reveal that after a dinner (at about 2am mind you) of Lamb curry, Bok Choi and rice that the guy in seat 47K was also experiencing tail wind problems. It’s very lucky that fellow passengers noses don’t work when they are asleep. Also had the tenth wonder of the world happen when I arrived, the sun was out and it wasn’t raining. I had to check that we had actually landed in London. I got to the accommodation (Schafer House, Euston) around 9 am. Its part of the UCL group (University Colleges London) and I can thoroughly recommend them. Five star hotels they are not but cheap, clean, user friendly places they are. Basically they rent out the colleges rooms over the academic year summer break. The rooms are spartan (bed, desk, chair, sink, wardrobe, and a small chest of drawers is all) and the dunny & shower is about five steps down the hall but if we are talking value for money it’s right up there with the best. The downside is the internet connection, in a word at the moment I can’t get any. Actually that’s more than one word but who is counting. I’m writing this in Microsoft Word and will cut and paste when the little icon on my PC turns green and tells me I am connected. So far multiple false alarms with internet connection via Wi-Fi but I am the eternal optimist, it will happen (today I hope).

Had another mega plus, my mobile phone works with the Orange network over here. Sent some text messages and people actually answered so that meant they got the messages and (I hope) wanted to answer. Dave from Darwin (my future travelling companion) was complaining about his head hurting after a big weekend at the V8 supercars at Happy Valley in Darwin (a very happy valley if the reports are to be believed) but that comes under the heading of “tell someone who cares”. Dave, if you will drink enough alcohol to refloat the Bismarck don’t come complaining to me about it. It's Dave’s eyes and tongue he should be worried about, in the Facebook pics that I saw where Dave was with the V8 grid girls and had one girl draped over each arm his eyes were popping out of his head and people were tripping over his tongue. Look them in the eye next time please Dave.

I’m struggling hard to keep awake all day to reach about 10pm before collapsing in a massive heap and into bed. I’m attempting to reach the normal bedtime without crashing beforehand so I can sleep over night and wake up adjusted to British time. Checked in with no problem but it’s a weird system, the room is numbered A334 and you have to open the door A33 which reveals another mini corridor and then find a second door with 4 on it and behind it is where the room will be hiding. Not a great thing for a guy to have to figure out when he is brain dead after 31 hours in transit.

Went for a wander across Regents Park past Madame Tussauds & Baker Street and ended up at Lords Cricket Ground. I didn’t go in because there was a game on between Kent and Middlesex. I might go back there tomorrow when I’m a bit more alert even though the cost is 15 quid (gees, 15 quid, do they think I am rich or something ?). I can now safely reveal I had a drink at Windsor Castle …. not the place where the royals live but at a pub by the same name. Had a pint of Fullers London Pride and a pint of Ringwood Ale to go with a Tagliatelli Bolognese for lunch that wasn’t half bad. There was a very nice blonde pub owner who could have had some considerable luck with me if she played her cards right but she must have been a bit shy but that was her loss. Called in to the Globe Hotel (Bombardier beer, not bad but I’ve had better) to see if they have the speedway on Sky tonight (they do) but the beer selection was a bit boring. Moved on to the Court Hotel in Tottenham Court Road where they do have Sky and the Polish barman is a speedway nut so I will be heading back there for sure. They have Marstons Pedigree beer (very nice) and seeing my auntie married a Marston then it’s all good.

I’m back at the room and will next try to top up my mobile phone with a recharge from Orange. I hope the recharge number to dial is the same as back home else I am in deep do do’s. I hope day one finishes ok, at 3 pm I’m struggling but hopefully my second wind will kick in sometime soon.

10pm update – Couldn’t stay awake so had a short nap this afternoon. It all got a bit too difficult and not being conscious for a while won fairly easily. I strolled down the Court Hotel to find the Polish barman gone and a British guy there instead. The tennis from Wimbledon with Andy Murray playing was on TV and the barman was a tennis fan and wouldn’t change to the speedway. A thousand curses on Mr. Murray and I hope he loses. The curses must have been on time delay because he won the first set easily against some no name with a hyphenated surname from somewhere that escapes me. The scampi for dinner was cheap and basic but it was all I needed. Found my way across the road to the Mortimers Arms and they were only too glad to put the bikes on TV for me. I shouldn’t have bothered; it was a dreary affair on a wet track with Coventry fairly easy winners over Eastbourne. Not a great spectacle by any means. You knew it was bad when Rory Schlein rode straight into the side of someone when Rory lost control of his bike through very little fault of his own. Maybe it was karma and the Andy Murray fans were getting their own back on me.

PS Normal service has been resumed; it’s raining here in north London this evening. The fine weather earlier today had given me a bad case of premature elation. Now it's reminded me it's around I hope the rain will p*ss off for the next month !!