The western front
Well, as predicted, it's all calmed down a bit now. But to tide you over, here are a couple of things I've learned.1. If you go for a run in the snow, it takes less than five minutes for you to lose the feeling in your face. Another five to lose track of your feet. And fifteen more for the ambulance to come.
2. If you go for a meal in Baraboo (or any other small, mid-western town I suspect) don't ask for the wine list. Unless what you actually want is a blank look. If you just ask for 'the wine' you may get lucky. Or you may get another blank look. Otherwise it turns out that Coke really is it.
3. Don't underestimate the town. A conversation in a bookshop may reveal that the woman behind the counter is far better read than you, and actually knows London quite well too.
4. When it's below zero outside, your back conservatory becomes a handy second fridge. You can keep as much beer as you like nice and cold. Excellent.
5. Get a car. I really can't emphasise this one enough.
Oh, one other thing. We did have lunch at a restaurant yesterday that took a novel approach to interior design. They had a load of Christmas decorations up AND a whole bunch of Valentine's stuff up too. I can only guess they got fed up with putting stuff up and down so just left it all up for year-round coverage. I suspect they had a Hannukah corner somewhere as well.
Actually the whole decor of the place was a subtle blend of lace factory and Grandma's house. It was as if every time they got a new piece of decoration, they just couldn't bear to take any other pieces down, so they just kept adding and adding. The only thing missing was a dozen or so cats around the place.
Still, they gave me a nice burger, I must admit.
And finally, due to another brilliant piece of logistics by me, I'm getting the 2.30am bus tomorrow morning to get to the airport for 6am for my 8am flight. So another sleepless night just as I was starting to get over jetlag.
I really am an idiot aren't I? And it's American Airlines again (so I'm taking a packed lunch and a bottle of gin).
Oh, and finally again, I tried to extend my trip to Brazil and discovered that:
a) there are only 3 BA flights a week out of Rio; and
b) these are booked solid for at least a month if not more.
Now I'm no Donald Trump, but doesn't this indicate, say, that this is a popular route and the people want to travel it? So wouldn't you, for example, try running a flight every day, or perhaps even more?
Yes you would. And I would. British Airways, on the other hand, prefer to simply train their staff in the fine art of apologising for the complete lack of any flights.
I wonder why they keep losing money?
posted by Peter The Great @ 3:40 PM
2 Comments:
Hello darling,
great to hear that you had as disasterous a time with AA as I did. As well as the bottle of gin, don't forget to take the sharp poky stick so that you can jab the supercilious trolley dollies in the legs when they start to patronise/ignore/be surly with/to you.
Heartbreak Hotel very quiet without you- and the feeling of dropping off to sleep without the gentle thump thump thump of your music through the ceiling was strange at first.
Of course, we all miss you and Little Pip sends you an affectionate slash-of-claws-across-the-hand.. either we are deluded in thinking that his little attacks are a sign of affection (they do look rather like arm-hugs-with-claws) or he is utterly psychotic.. I prefer to be deluded.
Take care and suggest that now you have experienced intimate cavity search, you shouldn't go there again: you may not get someone with trimmed fingernails next time.
Lots of love,
Mads xx
It's a lovely thought about BA but unfortunately the buggers keep *making* money ... Must have something to do with ineffective regulation, but that's not something I would know about ...
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