I rise far too early, around 5.30am, having slept quite well with the help of ear plugs, applied when I’m woken by a shouting woman in the street at about 2.30am. On the web to blog for an hour, then shower. This place has 15 bathrooms, well shower rooms actually, so I find an empty one easily enough. Unfortunately, the shower head will not attach to the wall. I fair better with the second room I try and after fiddling with the taps for an age have a very acceptable shower; in fact it’s as good as the Grand where the water temperature was very variable, despite it’s 5 stars.
Then I have a senior moment when I think I’ve left my shower gel in the bathroom. Many more of these to come I assume. At 7.40am I dress and head off to the Post Office for breakfast. I knew they had branched out, as a bank, an ISP etc., but breakfast; we’ll see. (Pause). Oh well, it did seem too good to be true. It turns out that the PO doesn’t open until 8.30am; by then I will be on my way to north Finchley.
Off to the tube which is right outside the hotel so 10 out of 10 for location (2 out of 10 in general) to pick up a Metro and head north. I walk so far round the one way system to the ticket barrier, where I have to join a long queue, and then on to platform that I think I might as well have walked to the office! The actual journey takes me just over 50 minutes, it’s 11 stops and we’re packed in like sardines until we reach Camden, and it costs £3.35. How do people cope with this every day. I only have 1 delegate today, he's being joined by a colleague tomorrow, and he's very bright and the rest of the day goes well.
I do make the mistake of offering him a free lunch, on behalf of the training company, without first checking that he's entitled. This proves a bonus as they give him, and me, a free lunch, vegetable lasagne at the local Italian, rather than withdraw my offer. When I finish training I decide as an alternative to travel back by bus using my free bus pass, but this takes 2 buses and 15 minutes longer than the tube. A dilemma; perhaps I'll go up on the tube and back by bus each day.
This evening I was to meet my brother for dinner but his partner has pulled a muscle and is immobile so we postpone and I return to the hotel and the web. I consider a visit to the local arts cinema, The Renoir, but am not sure I want to see the film showing especially as a ticket costs £11! I also decide against having a curry and just buy a sandwich and a pint of Green King IPA in a local, the Skinner’s Arms, where I find out which pubs are showing the Spurs game tomorrow.
It turns out that the PO Cafe is actually open at 8.00am on Mondays and 7.30am the rest of the week so I'll try and have a cooked breakfast in the morning. Radio and bed now.
Then I have a senior moment when I think I’ve left my shower gel in the bathroom. Many more of these to come I assume. At 7.40am I dress and head off to the Post Office for breakfast. I knew they had branched out, as a bank, an ISP etc., but breakfast; we’ll see. (Pause). Oh well, it did seem too good to be true. It turns out that the PO doesn’t open until 8.30am; by then I will be on my way to north Finchley.
Off to the tube which is right outside the hotel so 10 out of 10 for location (2 out of 10 in general) to pick up a Metro and head north. I walk so far round the one way system to the ticket barrier, where I have to join a long queue, and then on to platform that I think I might as well have walked to the office! The actual journey takes me just over 50 minutes, it’s 11 stops and we’re packed in like sardines until we reach Camden, and it costs £3.35. How do people cope with this every day. I only have 1 delegate today, he's being joined by a colleague tomorrow, and he's very bright and the rest of the day goes well.
I do make the mistake of offering him a free lunch, on behalf of the training company, without first checking that he's entitled. This proves a bonus as they give him, and me, a free lunch, vegetable lasagne at the local Italian, rather than withdraw my offer. When I finish training I decide as an alternative to travel back by bus using my free bus pass, but this takes 2 buses and 15 minutes longer than the tube. A dilemma; perhaps I'll go up on the tube and back by bus each day.
This evening I was to meet my brother for dinner but his partner has pulled a muscle and is immobile so we postpone and I return to the hotel and the web. I consider a visit to the local arts cinema, The Renoir, but am not sure I want to see the film showing especially as a ticket costs £11! I also decide against having a curry and just buy a sandwich and a pint of Green King IPA in a local, the Skinner’s Arms, where I find out which pubs are showing the Spurs game tomorrow.
It turns out that the PO Cafe is actually open at 8.00am on Mondays and 7.30am the rest of the week so I'll try and have a cooked breakfast in the morning. Radio and bed now.
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