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Back in the UK...
Aug. 1st, 2005 08:54 amThis is the first time I've managed to get online since arriving in the UK last Tuesday. Mostly, we've been visiting small towns with nothing resembling online access for tourists; no internet cafes, no WiFi hotspots, no nothing.
Right now, we're staying in Alderton, in the Cotswolds. Yesterday, I cycled to Cheltenham, the nearest large town, and discovered that it had an internet cafe (which however seemed to be closed), and a Starbucks with a WiFi hotspot (but alas, I wasn't carrying my laptop in my backpack), so no Internet yesterday. Today, I rode back to Cheltenham with my laptop, and paid the exorbitant fee to T-Mobile so I could use the broadband at Starbucks, so here I am.
Anyhow, it's been a good trip so far, other than the traffic on the motorways. I got in one ride from Moffat, Scotland, and two (including today's) from Alderton. Mostly, my little toy bike (a Bike Friday -- it packs into a large Samsonite suitcase, so I can fly with it without extra baggage charges) is working well, though I had a bit of trouble with the adjustment of the front brake. And I packed the wrong bike lock -- one that I wasn't carrying a key for -- so I had to get a new one here.
We've had some nice meals here. In particular, the Lime Tree in Moffat is Highly Recommended for a fancy meal (21 pounds for three courses, so we're not talking cheap here). If you're on a budget, the Cleeve Fish House in Bishop's Cleeve (near Cheltenham) will stuff you for under 4 pounds, and the fish is very good indeed. The chips were a disappointment, though; you might want to just go for the large cod (which is HUGE; we had the small, which was quite substantial) and skip the potatoes altogether.
As for accomodations, I'll also speak highly for Hartfell House in Moffat. Lovely old stone building (so it's QUIET), and large, squeaky-clean rooms.
We stopped in Carlisle to pick up a couple of cheap Virgin Mobile phones. The "phone guru" there was charming and friendly, and she was happy to take plenty of time to explain the phones and service to us, even though we were just buying a couple of 30 pound low-end phones that we'll only be using for two weeks. I had done a fair amount of online research about mobile service here (both prepaid purchase and rental), and these seem to be a good deal. Only downside; the B&B where we're staying in Alderton is a marginal dead spot. (Sometimes the phone works there, sometimes it doesn't.) Marian and I have been spending most of our days apart; I've been out cycling, and she's been seeing historic sites, so the phones are a real help. We also expect that we'll use them a lot to coordinate during the con, as we won't be attending all the same panels.
I've been going through my books at a ridiculous rate; had to pick up a couple more yesterday, including a very silly Tom Holt. Something about not spending any time online, I suppose. Not watching any Spanish-language television, either; the places we've stayed have only had basic TV reception (on-air, not cable or satellite). Besides, 50Hz TV gives me headaches; too flickery. If I were ever to live here, I'd have to invest the extra money in a 100Hz set. (None of our accomodations have had such fancy hardware in the rooms. But the hostel I stayed at in Bratislava last spring did, though just the one set in the shared TV room.)
Got to get off the computer soon; the battery is running low. Unfortunately, the antivirus scanner went off as soon as I turned the system on, since it hadn't run for a few days; that meant the hard disk was continuously active, and it chewed up the battery. I've been on for 2.5 hours, and this battery would be good for about 5 hours of normal use, but that wasn't normal use. I'll have to remember to pause it next time I use the computer this way.
Wednesday, we make the long drive north. Interaction, here we come! Next update will almost surely come after arrival in Glasgow.
Right now, we're staying in Alderton, in the Cotswolds. Yesterday, I cycled to Cheltenham, the nearest large town, and discovered that it had an internet cafe (which however seemed to be closed), and a Starbucks with a WiFi hotspot (but alas, I wasn't carrying my laptop in my backpack), so no Internet yesterday. Today, I rode back to Cheltenham with my laptop, and paid the exorbitant fee to T-Mobile so I could use the broadband at Starbucks, so here I am.
Anyhow, it's been a good trip so far, other than the traffic on the motorways. I got in one ride from Moffat, Scotland, and two (including today's) from Alderton. Mostly, my little toy bike (a Bike Friday -- it packs into a large Samsonite suitcase, so I can fly with it without extra baggage charges) is working well, though I had a bit of trouble with the adjustment of the front brake. And I packed the wrong bike lock -- one that I wasn't carrying a key for -- so I had to get a new one here.
We've had some nice meals here. In particular, the Lime Tree in Moffat is Highly Recommended for a fancy meal (21 pounds for three courses, so we're not talking cheap here). If you're on a budget, the Cleeve Fish House in Bishop's Cleeve (near Cheltenham) will stuff you for under 4 pounds, and the fish is very good indeed. The chips were a disappointment, though; you might want to just go for the large cod (which is HUGE; we had the small, which was quite substantial) and skip the potatoes altogether.
As for accomodations, I'll also speak highly for Hartfell House in Moffat. Lovely old stone building (so it's QUIET), and large, squeaky-clean rooms.
We stopped in Carlisle to pick up a couple of cheap Virgin Mobile phones. The "phone guru" there was charming and friendly, and she was happy to take plenty of time to explain the phones and service to us, even though we were just buying a couple of 30 pound low-end phones that we'll only be using for two weeks. I had done a fair amount of online research about mobile service here (both prepaid purchase and rental), and these seem to be a good deal. Only downside; the B&B where we're staying in Alderton is a marginal dead spot. (Sometimes the phone works there, sometimes it doesn't.) Marian and I have been spending most of our days apart; I've been out cycling, and she's been seeing historic sites, so the phones are a real help. We also expect that we'll use them a lot to coordinate during the con, as we won't be attending all the same panels.
I've been going through my books at a ridiculous rate; had to pick up a couple more yesterday, including a very silly Tom Holt. Something about not spending any time online, I suppose. Not watching any Spanish-language television, either; the places we've stayed have only had basic TV reception (on-air, not cable or satellite). Besides, 50Hz TV gives me headaches; too flickery. If I were ever to live here, I'd have to invest the extra money in a 100Hz set. (None of our accomodations have had such fancy hardware in the rooms. But the hostel I stayed at in Bratislava last spring did, though just the one set in the shared TV room.)
Got to get off the computer soon; the battery is running low. Unfortunately, the antivirus scanner went off as soon as I turned the system on, since it hadn't run for a few days; that meant the hard disk was continuously active, and it chewed up the battery. I've been on for 2.5 hours, and this battery would be good for about 5 hours of normal use, but that wasn't normal use. I'll have to remember to pause it next time I use the computer this way.
Wednesday, we make the long drive north. Interaction, here we come! Next update will almost surely come after arrival in Glasgow.
