I work all over West London. Currently I have 5 offices I am in charge of. There is an office in Uxbridge, one in Wandsworth, another in Hammersmith, and Ealing Broadway office and one in Wembly Park, in the shadow of the stadium itself.
Whenever I take over a new office I make it a personal quest to locate the best fish and chips withing easy reach. This can prove challenging (Hammersmith has one where the chips are amazing but the fish is breaded - I mean, seriously!?). The best Fish and Chips I have had near an office I ran was in Stratford. Hardly surprising, I think that a bad chippy in the East End would get burnt out!
Today is the first Friday after payday and that makes it "Fish and Chip Friday". I am in Wembley and am delighted to report that the lunchtime offering was superb. There is a Chinese takeaway (stay with me) opposite Wembley Park station called Wok and Roe. And it does brilliant Fish and Chips. They use a very crispy batter and keep drizzling it over the chips (much like tempura) which results in a magnificent crunch. And the chips are ace too.
I am now at my desk and my hunger is sated and I will likely doze my way through this afternoon.
________________________________
It was Fat Disciples rehearsal time last night. No Holly (she got stuck at work), but a full turn out otherwise. The knowledge that we will be moving towards a gig has really focused me. Last night I played some songs that we have rehearsed hundreds of times the best I have ever done. My announcement of that seemed to make The Bear bemused. It was then off to the pub to see the end of Spurs humping Shamrock Rovers. Celtic drew with Udinese, which was a good result, but did need the ref to give Udinese a soft penalty to get the draw.
The Bear and I will be visiting The Worlds End near Finsbury Park on Sunday to see about hiring their room for the FD's first gig....
Friday, September 30, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Quincy, Chickens and Antiques
I had a great weekend. I love weekends, and they are all, to some extent, good. But this weekend was great.
It started on Friday night with a mad rush from work to the flat to grab Rina and a bag with some clothes. Then it was a dash on the tube to Marylebone and onto the train to Warwick. We were off to visit Ads and Sara.
Ads was the first person I met in England when I moved here from Norn Iron. He was a skinny Jim Morrison-a-like in my halls of residence. Sara was on my course at uni. She was all stripy tights and metal. They were clearly made for each other. I introduced them and the rest is, well, it's ongoing - but they are married and have been for years and they are amongst my closest friends.
Our train to Warwick was delayed. I didn't really notice because I was watching Indiana Jones (Crystal Skull - the shame). Friday night was a chilled affair - pizza and chat. It's really great to catch up with old friends. I love that you feel instantly comfortable in each other's company - and regardless of the time apart, you could have been chatting like this yesterday. Except, of course, that you haven't been, and that is why you talk for so long.
Saturday made me feel a little middle-aged. We all bundled into Ads' car and headed to Stow-On-the-Wold, a little town in the Cotswolds. It's a pretty little place, a town that seems to be from a different age. Slower and rustic. Like being in an episode of Last of the Summer Wine. Interestingly, I am pretty sure we were the youngest people in the town. We had a nice (but bloody expensive) lunch in a pub that claims to be the oldest inn in Britain. That'll be another of those then. If you ask me, it didn't look that old. After lunch Sara and Rina went off to browse the antiques shops and Ads and I went to the pub. After a couple of drinks Ads and I went into a charity shop where I bough a tambourine for the Disciples. Let's see how that goes down on Thursday!
Saturday night was dinner in and a DVD. Sara and Ads cooked a wicked roast chicken and we watched The Girl Who Played With Fire. Good movie, but very long. I think it suffered from the film-makers' need to be very faithful to the book. I reckon you could have comfortably shaved off 30 minutes.
On Sunday the girls went off to an Antiques Fair at the Warwick Exhibition Centre. Ads and I sat in the lounge pondering what to do. Should we walk the 5 miles to the pub we were planning to meet them for lunch, or do something else. Well, suffice to say as soon as Quincy started on the telly the decision was made. I used to watch Quincy LOADS at uni. Watching this episode I remember why. It is absolutely Awesome!
Lunch was in The Stag in Offchurch. This is a pub that has built a reputation for its food - which was very good. I had smoked sea trout. The girls had roast pork. All the food was ace....but there is something a little soulless about a gastro-pub. Or is that just me?
All that was left was the train home and a Tesco Chicken Pie for dinner. Rina and I watched Aussie Masterchef and Rizzoli and Isles and then it was to bed - knowing that in a few short hours work beckoned.
Top weekend though!
Friday, September 23, 2011
Changing Seasons and the Perils of Facebook
Much has been said on the internet recently (and on BBC News this morning) about the changes Facebook has introduced. I haven't really noticed much of a difference, but that is probably down to the fact that I rarely access Facebook from anywhere other than a mobile device. Suffice to say - people don't like change!
What has occurred to me recently though is one of the major drawbacks of Facebook - namely its ability to magnify S.A.D.
I don't put much stall in Seasonally Affected Disorder. Nobody likes it getting cold! Everyone gets a bit down in the rain. Some people (not me mind) actually love the snow!
Where does Facebook come into this, I hear you ask. Well, I am very luck to be able to say I have a lot of friends in Australia. Some of my best friends moved there and I made friends with a lot of Australians who travelled round Europe. As the days get colder and the nights draw in here, I get to read, every day, and from a variety of sources, that the days are getting longer and hotter in Oz. Surfboards are being waxed, thongs are being donned and the rituals that welcome summer are well under way. It doesn't help that their winter is as warm as our summer either.
So if I believed in S.A.D, I would be absolutely sure that Facebook would make it worse.
I'm off to buy a new scarf.
What has occurred to me recently though is one of the major drawbacks of Facebook - namely its ability to magnify S.A.D.
I don't put much stall in Seasonally Affected Disorder. Nobody likes it getting cold! Everyone gets a bit down in the rain. Some people (not me mind) actually love the snow!
Where does Facebook come into this, I hear you ask. Well, I am very luck to be able to say I have a lot of friends in Australia. Some of my best friends moved there and I made friends with a lot of Australians who travelled round Europe. As the days get colder and the nights draw in here, I get to read, every day, and from a variety of sources, that the days are getting longer and hotter in Oz. Surfboards are being waxed, thongs are being donned and the rituals that welcome summer are well under way. It doesn't help that their winter is as warm as our summer either.
So if I believed in S.A.D, I would be absolutely sure that Facebook would make it worse.
I'm off to buy a new scarf.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
First and Last
Sunday saw the first Glasgow Derby of the season (there is no "Old Firm", there is only Celtic and a bunch of animals) and the last BBQ of the season.
Having the last 9 months pretty much consisting of doing up our flat has had some significant bonuses. Very near the top of this list is turning a scruffy yard into a garden. Rina and I gambled and invited some people over on Sunday (The Bear, Fra, Jenny, Alistair and Jade). We were mostly lucky with the weather - what little rain there was ended up being kept off us by the tree at the end of the garden (a small benefit in comparison to the amount of conkers and leaves it drops in to be cleaned up!). I made BBQ sauce - from scratch. It was awesome. I also got a wee bit drunk - but that's all fun.
As for the football game. It was shit. 2-1 up at half-time followed by a second half of complete capitulation by Celtic. That's all I'll say about that right now.
So the BBQ has been put away, the outdoor furniture washed and stowed and the garden has said its farewell to summer. And a great summer it was.
Having the last 9 months pretty much consisting of doing up our flat has had some significant bonuses. Very near the top of this list is turning a scruffy yard into a garden. Rina and I gambled and invited some people over on Sunday (The Bear, Fra, Jenny, Alistair and Jade). We were mostly lucky with the weather - what little rain there was ended up being kept off us by the tree at the end of the garden (a small benefit in comparison to the amount of conkers and leaves it drops in to be cleaned up!). I made BBQ sauce - from scratch. It was awesome. I also got a wee bit drunk - but that's all fun.
As for the football game. It was shit. 2-1 up at half-time followed by a second half of complete capitulation by Celtic. That's all I'll say about that right now.
So the BBQ has been put away, the outdoor furniture washed and stowed and the garden has said its farewell to summer. And a great summer it was.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Review Spot
Last night Rina and I watched Sex and the City 2. Christ, it was dire.
Now, I actually appreciate that SATC was a quality TV show. Some of my closest female friends LOVE that show. It defined the early naughties for them, and rightly so. Empowered female characters who were sexually free and all had powerful jobs. Good stuff that. So why, when it comes to the big screen, does it become a painful to watch exercise in dire one-liners. "Lawrence of My Labia"? Really? That's the best you could do?
So, final verdict. Pish poor.
Now, I actually appreciate that SATC was a quality TV show. Some of my closest female friends LOVE that show. It defined the early naughties for them, and rightly so. Empowered female characters who were sexually free and all had powerful jobs. Good stuff that. So why, when it comes to the big screen, does it become a painful to watch exercise in dire one-liners. "Lawrence of My Labia"? Really? That's the best you could do?
So, final verdict. Pish poor.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Change....
It was another three-man session in the Bush Studios last night for the latest Fat Disciples rehearsal. No Al and no Holly (who were both on holiday).
It was a fairly straight forward affair - a run through of most of the set list (no ballad-rap) and then onto jamming around some new ideas. We came up with a workable basic structure of a song that definitely has potential. What was particularly funny about this song is that it required relatively little guitar work, but a ridiculously fast rhythm. I love when The Bear has to get up out of the drum stool to stretch after a frantic song. This one I think is a keeper.
We came up with the basic bones of the song by playing round with the voices on my Boss GT-8 effects pedal. The thing is amazing - hundreds of sounds, each of which can be edited and changed to you preferences leading to tens of thousands of potential sounds a guitar can make. I use 3 of those voices. Clean, slightly distorted and very distorted. Very rarely will I play with the others - but I did last night and look what happened.
Change......good.
It was a fairly straight forward affair - a run through of most of the set list (no ballad-rap) and then onto jamming around some new ideas. We came up with a workable basic structure of a song that definitely has potential. What was particularly funny about this song is that it required relatively little guitar work, but a ridiculously fast rhythm. I love when The Bear has to get up out of the drum stool to stretch after a frantic song. This one I think is a keeper.
We came up with the basic bones of the song by playing round with the voices on my Boss GT-8 effects pedal. The thing is amazing - hundreds of sounds, each of which can be edited and changed to you preferences leading to tens of thousands of potential sounds a guitar can make. I use 3 of those voices. Clean, slightly distorted and very distorted. Very rarely will I play with the others - but I did last night and look what happened.
Change......good.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Hints and Tips for Storing Comics
I love comics. There was a time where I would get irate and demand people call my comics 'graphic novels'. But they're comics. I am at ease with that now.
It was Spider-Man that first peaked my interest in the medium. And, yes, that was the correct hyphenation of Spider-Man. Although a pedant might tell me that it was a dash rather than a hyphen, but I digress. I fucking LOVE Spider-Man. And Daredevil. And Batman.
I don't collect individual comic book issues. I like trade paperbacks - the graphic novels as it were. I have amassed a decent collection including The Dark Knight Returns, Hellboy, Watchmen, From Hell, Sin City and lots more. The collection has, however, recently reduced in size somewhat.
As I posted earlier, we have been having work done on our flat. This meant we had severe storage issues. I had to work out what to do with my CDs, DVDs and books. It was summer, so I decided to pack them in boxes, wrap the boxes in bin liners and store everything in the garden.
God I wish I owned a shed.
I supposes you could say that the recent rain has been unseasonal, but we live in London, and it pisses with rain here all the time!
I have managed to save a fair proportion of my collection, but I suspect Forbidden Planet will be looking forward to seeing me.
Kapow!
It was Spider-Man that first peaked my interest in the medium. And, yes, that was the correct hyphenation of Spider-Man. Although a pedant might tell me that it was a dash rather than a hyphen, but I digress. I fucking LOVE Spider-Man. And Daredevil. And Batman.
I don't collect individual comic book issues. I like trade paperbacks - the graphic novels as it were. I have amassed a decent collection including The Dark Knight Returns, Hellboy, Watchmen, From Hell, Sin City and lots more. The collection has, however, recently reduced in size somewhat.
As I posted earlier, we have been having work done on our flat. This meant we had severe storage issues. I had to work out what to do with my CDs, DVDs and books. It was summer, so I decided to pack them in boxes, wrap the boxes in bin liners and store everything in the garden.
God I wish I owned a shed.
I supposes you could say that the recent rain has been unseasonal, but we live in London, and it pisses with rain here all the time!
I have managed to save a fair proportion of my collection, but I suspect Forbidden Planet will be looking forward to seeing me.
Kapow!
The Perils of Paint
I don't know if I am cut out for the role of property developer. We are currently nearly complete in phase one of 'doing up' our flat. We moved in in December last year. We have achieved quite a lot in the months since then.
Today saw the end of the painting. We had the whole place done, but the painter came back to do the final touches to the place. So now that's done.
That means we have put in new floors, bookshelves, a new fireplace, a garden and had the place painted. A fitted wardrobe, shutters and the purchase of a bed will see us done.
Thank fuck.
I'm high on paint fumes.
Today saw the end of the painting. We had the whole place done, but the painter came back to do the final touches to the place. So now that's done.
That means we have put in new floors, bookshelves, a new fireplace, a garden and had the place painted. A fitted wardrobe, shutters and the purchase of a bed will see us done.
Thank fuck.
I'm high on paint fumes.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Clash of the Titans
Celtic play Athletico Madrid in the first leg of their (in by the backdoor) UEFA Cup tie on Thursday night.
The Fat Disciples have a practice on Thursday night.
Clash of the Titans.
The Fat Disciples have a practice on Thursday night.
Clash of the Titans.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Someone's Lucky Day
I was at a wedding at the weekend. It was a top wedding (and if I'm being honest, I'm not a big fan of weddings) more like an awesome party with free beer and a silent disco. But the wedding was not the main event of the weekend.
The other half and I had hired a car for the weekend. We left London on Friday night and travelled to Swindon (our hotel was about 20 miles from the wedding venue). The wedding itself was on Saturday and we drove home on Sunday. Shortly after getting on the M4 at Swindon I was daydreaming and Rina was driving when she slammed on the breaks and said "Oh my God, they've gone right over. Phone the emergency services". Suffice to say that snapped me out of my reverie. I looked up and all I could see was a lonely tyre rolling away ahead of us. We pulled onto the hard-shoulder and Rina pointed up onto the verge beside us. There was a car and it was on its side. The car had suffered a blown-out tyre, had flipped in the air and rolled up a 6 foot verge before coming to rest on its side against a fence.
I jumped out of the car and up the verge. Other cars had pulled over by now, but I was the first person at the car. The front was crumpled and the side windows had blown out. The way the car sat, my view was of the car from above. I could see the roof and the bonnet, but not into the car. Looking at the distance the car had travelled and the damage it had sustained on the way I ran up to it expecting to find some very seriously injured people.
As I got to the car a head popped up out of the driver's door window. It was the girl who had been driving. She was able to climb out through the window, so me and another guy who had arrived by now helped her down. I looked in through the windscreen to see a shocked, but in one piece, passenger. The girl's partner. We asked if he could move, he could and climbed out of the window. We all walked down to the hard-shoulder where they sat down and started to come to terms with what had happened.
The police arrived and we left, heading back home.
On refection those guys should be feeling very grateful this morning. The fact that they both walked away from that crash is little short of a miracle. I was fairly sure, approaching the car, I was going to see some very hurt people. It seemed like they suffered little more that some bruises (and considerable shock).
What I try not to think about is that if a different tyre had blown that car would have flipped in a different direction - towards the middle of the motorway and towards us.
Yesterday was definitely someone's lucky day.
The other half and I had hired a car for the weekend. We left London on Friday night and travelled to Swindon (our hotel was about 20 miles from the wedding venue). The wedding itself was on Saturday and we drove home on Sunday. Shortly after getting on the M4 at Swindon I was daydreaming and Rina was driving when she slammed on the breaks and said "Oh my God, they've gone right over. Phone the emergency services". Suffice to say that snapped me out of my reverie. I looked up and all I could see was a lonely tyre rolling away ahead of us. We pulled onto the hard-shoulder and Rina pointed up onto the verge beside us. There was a car and it was on its side. The car had suffered a blown-out tyre, had flipped in the air and rolled up a 6 foot verge before coming to rest on its side against a fence.
I jumped out of the car and up the verge. Other cars had pulled over by now, but I was the first person at the car. The front was crumpled and the side windows had blown out. The way the car sat, my view was of the car from above. I could see the roof and the bonnet, but not into the car. Looking at the distance the car had travelled and the damage it had sustained on the way I ran up to it expecting to find some very seriously injured people.
As I got to the car a head popped up out of the driver's door window. It was the girl who had been driving. She was able to climb out through the window, so me and another guy who had arrived by now helped her down. I looked in through the windscreen to see a shocked, but in one piece, passenger. The girl's partner. We asked if he could move, he could and climbed out of the window. We all walked down to the hard-shoulder where they sat down and started to come to terms with what had happened.
The police arrived and we left, heading back home.
On refection those guys should be feeling very grateful this morning. The fact that they both walked away from that crash is little short of a miracle. I was fairly sure, approaching the car, I was going to see some very hurt people. It seemed like they suffered little more that some bruises (and considerable shock).
What I try not to think about is that if a different tyre had blown that car would have flipped in a different direction - towards the middle of the motorway and towards us.
Yesterday was definitely someone's lucky day.
Friday, September 9, 2011
A Tale of Beers, Bears, Basslines and U.G.C
Lat night the Fat Disciples had a rehearsal. It was not a full band effort - Holly was at her granddad's funeral and Chris is holidaying with the future in-laws, but Dal, the Bear and I were there.
I get a bit of grief from the band about my insistence that we drill our songs. I refer to this practice as "UGC" or Under Gig Conditions. Yeah, it's a bit geeky, but we need to practice the songs we will actually play if we are going to do anything approaching a decent gig.
The Bear doesn't like UGC. The Bear is a creative soul who flourishes when we come up with new ideas.
The UGC run-through was OK. The songs definitely need Holly singing. My flat efforts were dreadful. To think that at one point we thought I would have to sing if we gigged. That would not have been good.
After running through the set The Bear got his way and we started to play around with a couple of bits-of-songs that we have messed with in the past. No real progress made, but fun to make a loud noise.
The most creative moments were when Dal and I swapped instruments. Dal played lead in Shamoogatron - the band he, The Bear and Chris used to be in. He took the Les Paul Studio, whacked on the Wah and started rocking. The Bear wanted a repitive bassline that we could work around, I provided that. We jammed a bit and recorded the efforts.
I then started playing a simple but catchy Bass Riff - around D and F#. Dal and I swapped back - he carried on the bassline and very quickly we had the makings of a good bluesy song. It came from nowhere, but made sense - with The Bear's frantic beat and Dal's bouncy bass and me playing a fuzzy 2-chord riff. We recorded this as well and I'll try to work it up into a full song before our next rehearsal.
I am still a firm believer of UGC, but sometimes The Bear's insistence on trying new stuff pays off.
I get a bit of grief from the band about my insistence that we drill our songs. I refer to this practice as "UGC" or Under Gig Conditions. Yeah, it's a bit geeky, but we need to practice the songs we will actually play if we are going to do anything approaching a decent gig.
The Bear doesn't like UGC. The Bear is a creative soul who flourishes when we come up with new ideas.
The UGC run-through was OK. The songs definitely need Holly singing. My flat efforts were dreadful. To think that at one point we thought I would have to sing if we gigged. That would not have been good.
After running through the set The Bear got his way and we started to play around with a couple of bits-of-songs that we have messed with in the past. No real progress made, but fun to make a loud noise.
The most creative moments were when Dal and I swapped instruments. Dal played lead in Shamoogatron - the band he, The Bear and Chris used to be in. He took the Les Paul Studio, whacked on the Wah and started rocking. The Bear wanted a repitive bassline that we could work around, I provided that. We jammed a bit and recorded the efforts.
I then started playing a simple but catchy Bass Riff - around D and F#. Dal and I swapped back - he carried on the bassline and very quickly we had the makings of a good bluesy song. It came from nowhere, but made sense - with The Bear's frantic beat and Dal's bouncy bass and me playing a fuzzy 2-chord riff. We recorded this as well and I'll try to work it up into a full song before our next rehearsal.
I am still a firm believer of UGC, but sometimes The Bear's insistence on trying new stuff pays off.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Uncle Fail
Today I posted a birthday card to my beautiful niece.
Her birthday was last Sunday.
Uncle Fail.
Her birthday was last Sunday.
Uncle Fail.
Autumn Falling
It was hot in New York. Really hot. Hide in the shade, drink loads of water hot. Suffice to say then, that it was a surprise to return to London to find that autumn is truly underway!
I was sitting in my lounge last night and realised that it was dark at 8pm. Proper dark. And the breeze coming through the open window carried a real chill. The first fall of leaves had happened in our absence and there were reds and golds and browns fluttering round the pavements.
I will miss summer. I don't have the complexion for the sun, but I certainly like the heat. This has developed in me as I have grown older, but the turning of the season means my favourite type of day will be with us soon.
As Autumn moves towards winter and the days shorten, we will have days (normally in late October/early November) where the sky is clear and blue and the air is very cold. These crisp, clear days with their clouds of breath and sore-red ears are the days that let me know I am alive. I love those days.
There are other benefits to the turning of the seasons. For all the beer garden fun we lose, we now have pints in cosy pubs by the fire. I defy anyone to not find joy in that. And there is something wonderful in eating out in London as the winter world passes by the window.
Yeah, I'm sad Summer is ending, but I will look forward to a wonderful London winter.
I was sitting in my lounge last night and realised that it was dark at 8pm. Proper dark. And the breeze coming through the open window carried a real chill. The first fall of leaves had happened in our absence and there were reds and golds and browns fluttering round the pavements.
I will miss summer. I don't have the complexion for the sun, but I certainly like the heat. This has developed in me as I have grown older, but the turning of the season means my favourite type of day will be with us soon.
As Autumn moves towards winter and the days shorten, we will have days (normally in late October/early November) where the sky is clear and blue and the air is very cold. These crisp, clear days with their clouds of breath and sore-red ears are the days that let me know I am alive. I love those days.
There are other benefits to the turning of the seasons. For all the beer garden fun we lose, we now have pints in cosy pubs by the fire. I defy anyone to not find joy in that. And there is something wonderful in eating out in London as the winter world passes by the window.
Yeah, I'm sad Summer is ending, but I will look forward to a wonderful London winter.
Monday, September 5, 2011
The Fat Disciples
I am in a band.
To be more precise, I'm in my mid-30s and am in a band that have never gigged. We are The Fat Disciples.
I've played the guitar for over 15 years. In that time I have got reasonably OK at it (that is not false modesty, rather sad reality). I LOVE playing the guitar. I have an awesome Gibson Les Paul Studio that plays like a dream. It's chunky, heavy (in weight) and makes me look cool.. For a pudgy ginger man.
The Fat Disciples are me on lead guitar, Chris on keys, Dal on bass, Holly singing and the Bear on drums. We play fuzzy bouncy songs and are working our way towards our first gig. There are no delusions of grandeur within the Fatty Ds. We have no hope of being signed or touring, but we are definitely good enough to play in front of people - or at least are willing to hire a room so we can.
In fact that is exactly what we decided to do. So, after a couple of years practice the FDs will (hopefully) be playing to a group of our friends as part of my birthday celebrations in November.
We rehearse on Thursday nights in Shepherds Bush and now we have booked this in the practices should become more interesting.
We'll see if The Bear can focus....
More on him later.
To be more precise, I'm in my mid-30s and am in a band that have never gigged. We are The Fat Disciples.
I've played the guitar for over 15 years. In that time I have got reasonably OK at it (that is not false modesty, rather sad reality). I LOVE playing the guitar. I have an awesome Gibson Les Paul Studio that plays like a dream. It's chunky, heavy (in weight) and makes me look cool.. For a pudgy ginger man.
The Fat Disciples are me on lead guitar, Chris on keys, Dal on bass, Holly singing and the Bear on drums. We play fuzzy bouncy songs and are working our way towards our first gig. There are no delusions of grandeur within the Fatty Ds. We have no hope of being signed or touring, but we are definitely good enough to play in front of people - or at least are willing to hire a room so we can.
In fact that is exactly what we decided to do. So, after a couple of years practice the FDs will (hopefully) be playing to a group of our friends as part of my birthday celebrations in November.
We rehearse on Thursday nights in Shepherds Bush and now we have booked this in the practices should become more interesting.
We'll see if The Bear can focus....
More on him later.
The No-Fly List
I like to travel. I count myself very lucky that I can travel a lot. I have a decent job that lets me pay for trips abroad, a travel-mad fiancee and living in London means the most interesting locations in Europe are a short hop away.
Over the last few years, as the frequency of my trips abroad has increased, I have found it necessary to put together a No-Fly list. This is basically the list of air carriers that I have decided I will never fly with again. Each has earned its place on the list, but all for different reasons. This is my list, and these are my reasons, so they don't have to make sense to anyone else...
The first name on the list is Ryanair. This needs no explanation. My Ryanair experiences have all been, to some extent, horrific. The flights never cost what they claim. The carry-on allocation allows you to take on board little more than a lunchbox. The staff are jaded. Just unpleasant.
The second is Air France. They bumped me. Once. It was enough to earn a place on the list.
Thai Airways. A long Haul flight with no entertainment? Really?? Welcome to the list.
Finally - Continental Airways (and by association United Airways and probably all other American carriers). The reason for this is fourfold.
Firstly, I was recently in NYC when Hurricaine Irene hit. My flight was cancelled (understandably), but from the moment it looked even remotely likely that this would be the case Continental Airways put an automated message on their phoneline saying that they wouldn't be answering any calls. The message directed you to their website. Not. Good. Enough.
Secondly, their website is rubbish. No information and no way to contact them other than their dreadful "Ask Alex" automated service.
Thirdly, when the hurricane had passed and the phonelines remained closed we made our way to Penn Station to queue at the Continental ticket desk to get new flights. Unsurprisingly there were quite a few people there (we arrived at 9am when the desk opened). It appeared that Continental hadn't considered this though and had 2 people manning the 5 available desks (and to be fair, doing an admirable job under what was undoubtedly emmense pressure). I queued for three and a half hours to be offered a seat on a flight almost a week later. Poor.
Finally, and if you live in Europe one worth noting - US airlines are not as thoroughly regulated as those in Europe. What this meant is that if we had been flying with a European carrier such as BA or Virgin Atlantic, out extended stay in the US would have been paid for by them. Because we flew Continental it was not. This is not a mistake I will make again.
.....
It was great to get home yesterday and awesome to sleep in our own bed. I now have to look forward to a very full-on week at work...
Over the last few years, as the frequency of my trips abroad has increased, I have found it necessary to put together a No-Fly list. This is basically the list of air carriers that I have decided I will never fly with again. Each has earned its place on the list, but all for different reasons. This is my list, and these are my reasons, so they don't have to make sense to anyone else...
The first name on the list is Ryanair. This needs no explanation. My Ryanair experiences have all been, to some extent, horrific. The flights never cost what they claim. The carry-on allocation allows you to take on board little more than a lunchbox. The staff are jaded. Just unpleasant.
The second is Air France. They bumped me. Once. It was enough to earn a place on the list.
Thai Airways. A long Haul flight with no entertainment? Really?? Welcome to the list.
Finally - Continental Airways (and by association United Airways and probably all other American carriers). The reason for this is fourfold.
Firstly, I was recently in NYC when Hurricaine Irene hit. My flight was cancelled (understandably), but from the moment it looked even remotely likely that this would be the case Continental Airways put an automated message on their phoneline saying that they wouldn't be answering any calls. The message directed you to their website. Not. Good. Enough.
Secondly, their website is rubbish. No information and no way to contact them other than their dreadful "Ask Alex" automated service.
Thirdly, when the hurricane had passed and the phonelines remained closed we made our way to Penn Station to queue at the Continental ticket desk to get new flights. Unsurprisingly there were quite a few people there (we arrived at 9am when the desk opened). It appeared that Continental hadn't considered this though and had 2 people manning the 5 available desks (and to be fair, doing an admirable job under what was undoubtedly emmense pressure). I queued for three and a half hours to be offered a seat on a flight almost a week later. Poor.
Finally, and if you live in Europe one worth noting - US airlines are not as thoroughly regulated as those in Europe. What this meant is that if we had been flying with a European carrier such as BA or Virgin Atlantic, out extended stay in the US would have been paid for by them. Because we flew Continental it was not. This is not a mistake I will make again.
.....
It was great to get home yesterday and awesome to sleep in our own bed. I now have to look forward to a very full-on week at work...
Friday, September 2, 2011
Things to do in New York when you're stuck
This first blog post finds me sitting on a bed in a hotel room in New York a full five days after we were due to fly out. New York is ace, but there comes a point where you just want to be on your way home. That makes me sound like an old git, but once you have done all the standard tourist things killing time in New York, much like killing time in London, is either dull or very expensive.
That aside, this trip has been a lot of fun. It started with an 8am trip up the Empire State Building, included soul food at Sylvia's in Harlem and Double Dipped sandwiches in Brennan and Carr's in Brooklyn.
On a side note - should you find yourself coming to NYC definitely get your hands on a copy of NFT (Not For Tourists) for NYC. It is definitely the best guidebook I have ever used. It is small and straight to the point. We have followed its advice in regards to places to eat and it has been 100% on the ball with its suggestions.
We have been staying in the Wingate by Wyndham on W 35th St. This is the second time I have visited NYC, and in terms of hotel this one has been really good. The room is huge and we got it cheap through booking.com. This is a massive bonus, considering we've been stuck here for the extra week. Anyway - there is no way to complain about staying for a few extra days in New York without sounding like a prick.
So, this blog, should it continue, will cover the trips I make with my other half, the progress the Fat Disciples make towards their first gig and any drawings I do. Let's see if that happens....
RS
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