The Joys of Heathrow, and the lack of them in Uganda

Last week I was at the Radisson Edwardian in Heathrow for a week of training with my company. It was interesting and worthwhile, but it's a bit odd not going outside for almost a whole week. The trouble is, there isn't much to go outside for when you're in an industrial estate next to Heathrow airport. Actually, 'industrial estate' is unfair - it's more of a strip of hotels, much like the Strip in Las Vegas, only without the gambling, strippers, and so on.

Come the weekend I was going a bit crazy so it was time to kick back a bit. Apart from generally chilling out I somehow knackered my knee, which still hurts. I blame this 'going to the gym' nonsense that I've managed to maintain since the New Year. We also managed to catch The Last King of Scotland, which is very good. It starts off fairly light-heartedly, but make sure that you don't have anyone too squeamish with you near the end. It's pretty gripping the whole way through though and really well done.

I hate to go on, but my knee is giving me jip. I'm going to have to drive to work tomorrow I think - I couldn't make the walk today and caught the bus after the first ten minutes. I don't think I could even do that tomorrow. I'm rubbish at pain, and I'm not afraid to admit it!

Water

Bottled water is pretty stupid. Everyone knows this deep down, even if they insist on buying it. I must admit that if I'm out of the house and have to choose a soft drink, I do tend to pick water over Coke or something. However, there's no hiding the fact that drinking it in the home is pretty idiotic. If any of your acquaintances can't see this, then the fact that it is not particularly safe either might help to convince them. If that fails, you really should find the Marcus Brigstoke rant on the last series of the Now Show - the Podcast is still available!

This Life

A happy New Year to you all!

This year I spent New Year's Eve at a party in Bristol. There were drinks and snacks, champagne at midnight, then an hour or two of playing music 'intro' identification board games. We made the most of the fireworks other people let off around midnight, and all in all it was a splendid evening. This is how I know I'm in my thirties.

I'm back at work now of course, and it still has a certain novelty value to it. I have made a positive start to this year too - I joined a gym. This sounds like the sort of thing that lots of people do as one of their 'resolutions', and while I'm generally not a 'New Year resolutions' person (if something is worth doing, do it immediately!) this seemed like a good time. I walk past the gym every day on my way to work and back, so it makes sense to pop in there every morning and at least use their shower instead of mine. Might get some exercise in too!

Last night I watched the one-off This Life +10. Retro memories abound! It was pretty good... always interesting to see characters as they are a few years after the end of a story. They're still messed-up of course, which is reassuring in some ways. (Potential spoiler coming up) I don't know why they killed-off Ferdy. The actor is still alive and well and they don't really mention why he's dead, unless I missed something. I guess his funeral served to get them back together, but that's a bit harsh for him...

Christmas

A Happy Christmas/Yuletide/Winterval/etc to you all. I hope that Father Christmas brings you everything you asked for tonight, and that you enjoy stuffing your face tomorrow!

Walnut Walnut

I experienced more new bits of London over the weekend, which is always nice. On Saturday we were in Beckenham (which likes to call itself Kent, but is London really). It's a suburb of SE London, about 20 minutes out from Victoria. In the evening we set out to Walnut Walnut, a restaurant in West Hampstead, for dinner. It was very good - the food was excellent, and I liked the exposed kitchen. The dining area itself was pretty cramped though! We finished quite late and got a minicab back across town at about 100mph, which added a high-adrenaline aspect to the evening.

The next day we went for a walk around Blackheath and poked around the shops and farmer's market there before heading down to Greenwich for a spot of lunch. We tried the Cutty Sark Tavern, but missed last food orders by about a minute. Still, we had a pint and the pub was pleasant enough. Afterwards we headed back to Paddington via the DLR. It was the first time I've used that - it's sort of like the tube but you can see out of the front. Also, I'm pretty sure it's automated, but there seemed to be a DLR worker sat at the front. Not sure what he does...

Lost?

So, series 2 of 'Lost' ended last night and I got that strange feeling of being satisfied, yet at the same time quite annoyed that it was all left in the air! I only watch about 3 things on TV at the moment, Lost being one of them, so in some ways it's good that the series is over as it frees-up another hour a week. At the same time though, I do like it. It's wacky and daft, but fairly compulsive none the less. Just right for telly really.

America

I got back from the States on Sunday night. Still haven't quite recovered. It was great to have three weeks away and see such amazing stuff. The Grand Canyon is very big, and sequoia trees are too. Lots of big things. However, I'm not going to run through my holiday here as that is dull for 99% of you, so instead, here are my observations of America:

• There is lots of good seafood to be had along the California coast. However, all restaurant owners seem compelled to call themselves Italian or Irish or something.


• Driving is generally ok, although everyone speeds. On the highways and interstates the speed limits seem to only apply to tourists. In fact people get a bit angry if you stick to it, or 10mph above. Also, the signs are rubbish. No warning for motorway turnoffs, and as for the cities? Urgh.


• Talking of the roads, they are long, straight, and pretty boring. A lot of them are in a sorry state of repair, even the big highways. Not as bad as the ones in Moscow, but pretty poor. It's quite bizarre though, being the only car on a fairly main highway in the middle of the day.


• There are far, far more poor people than I imagined. Lots of homeless in the cities (especially San Francisco), and loads of little towns along the highways where people are living in crappy corrugated iron houses with smashed-up cars in the garden. This seemed to be the norm in the more desert areas of California, and pretty much everywhere in Nevada and Arizona. The level of poverty in some people seems much worse than in the UK. Utah, on the other hand, seems really quite nice. No evidence of poor housing there, although I'm sure there is some, somewhere.


• They still use lots of polystyrene (or 'styrofoam', as they call it). Coffee cups, takeaway containers... loads of it. It's like the 80's


• Everyone is very friendly, or at least the 'real' people you meet are. The people in shops and restaurants seem the same as here, or perhaps a little worse, when it comes to being friendly. The US customs people have a real problem though. Jeez, it's like you're the scum of the Earth when you walk though there


• American TV is insane. There are adverts every two seconds. And the news? I knew Fox News was pretty bad, but even CNN had items called things like 'Know Your Enemy' about the meeting of non-aligned nations in Cuba. People like Hugo Chávez were presented as 'hating America'. Man, no wonder a lot of Americans have mad ideas about the world! I thought CNN was meant to be a serious news source. I think they tone it down for the UK and the rest of the world and make it more sensible.


• It's almost impossible to eat healthily if you depend on diners etc. for breakfast. It's pancake with syrup, or bacon, or anything else that's fried


• Vegas is mad, in a great way. You really have to see it.


• Petrol is really, really cheap. However, beer isn't really

I'm sure there's more. I had a great time. Some of the sights were pretty amazing. I've got lots of photos that I will put on Flickr soon, that way I can show you the amazingness rather than having to describe it.

Christmas in New Zealand, birthday in the US - makes me feel quite the international traveller! I've been feeling a bit odd since I got back though - not really had a chance to get over the jet lag, I think. I've found myself having strange emotional bursts, like being bothered a bit too much that some people hadn't remembered my birthday, which is unlike me. I need some sleep...