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Cape Otway April 21


Japan9 October 19


Frangland July 19


Korkong April 19


Japan8 October 18


China4 April 18


Japan7 October 17


Taiwan4 March 17


Japan6 October 16


Europe May 16


Japan5 November 15


Korea2 March 15

Even More Trips

HongJapWan March 2014
Sichuan March 2013
Tokyo3 October 2012
China2 August 2012
Japwan March 2012
China November 2011
Korea September 2011
Taiwan March 2011
London3 June 2010
Japan May 2010
London2 February 2010
London September 2009
SE Asia December 2005

London - September 2009 - Page 1

Day 1 - Saturday, 5 September 2009

Adelaide to London

Flew from Adelaide to London Via Sydney and Bangkok.
Longest series of flights I have ever been on, and pretty much the longest you can do anywhere in the world, the USA and South America are both closer.
Got business class to Sydney (2 hours, 737-8), then economy to Bangkok (9 hours, 747-4), then economy to London (12 hours, 747-4). Allowing for flight changes this equals about 26 hours on planes or in airports.
Bangkok airport is enormous, too big for them to put anything of real intest into it. There were almost not people there and the corridors are huge. To make you walk past the various shops you get off the plane on the 3rd floor, walk all the way along a corridor, go up to the 4th floor, walk all the way back to where you came from and go down a ramp to the same gate.
The plane you get back onto is the same plane, they just make you all get off so they can clean it etc, which is much needed to stretch your legs.
Fortunately my Qantas Frequent Flyer status allows me to use the first class lounges in all the airports, so thers no shortage of food and drink on offer in Adelaide, Sydney and Bangkok.

On the various flights theres no shortage of food either, Adelaide to Sydney was business class so it was a full meal with the bakery basket and whatever else, Sydney to Bangkok was 2 full hot meals, you get a menu with a couple of choices. Bangkok to London was also two hot meals, the breakfast at the end was very good with an omlette.

The inflight entertainment system worked the entire way, I watched too many movies and a heap of episodes of the family guy.
To my knowledge I did not sleep at all on the plane, so this meant I was effectively awake for close to 38 hours straight.
Highlights were flying over Russia, Turkmenistan and the Caspian sea at night with a full moon, you can see lots even in the dark out the window.

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Day 2 - Sunday, 6 September 2009

Arriving in London

After such a long flight I was very happy to get off, only to be greeted by a 2 hour wait for passport control. Terminal 4 is in the process of being completely rebuilt on the inside, and Qantas is moving out next month. Until then its atrocious, there were no toilets or water and you have to line up for 2 hours, the line was so long it ended up looping back around on itself. There were police everywhere trying to control the angry people. I felt sorry for Old people and pregnant women, some of whom sat on the concrete and waited, not sure how they were ever going to get to the front of the line.
Next its time to get the train into the city, the extortion fee for this is about $35. Once you get let off you find out that all the connecting train lines are closed on the weekend, and you ride around on the tube with all your cases as the helpers in each station direct you back to another line thats closed. Eventually I got a taxi.

Finally got to the hotel at around 11:30, After being let off the plane at 7:15, cant check in however until 12, so went and ate...burger king. It was the closest thing to the hotel.

London - September 2009 - This is a bad photo of one of the train stations I went through between Heathrow and my Hotel.

This is a bad photo of one of the train stations I went through between Heathrow and my Hotel.


London - September 2009 - Heres my hotel, London City Hotel Ibis, near Liverpool Street Station, chosen because its cheap, could be easily booked from Australia, and is located

Heres my hotel, London City Hotel Ibis, near Liverpool Street Station, chosen because its cheap, could be easily booked from Australia, and is located near to the Liverpool Street station from where I needed to catch a commuter train.


Online

I was able to get internet up and running, thanks to someone who had previously visited giving me his pre paid 3g usb stick thing, setting it up was simple, so now you can be rewarded with my crappy website and accomponying photos.
After laying down briefly, I decided it was time to explore the train network.
I bought an oyster card which lets you on any tube train or any london bus, the system is very easy to use.
Caught the train from liverpool street to a random station.

London - September 2009 - Liverpool street station - the biggest train station ive ever seen.

Liverpool street station - the biggest train station ive ever seen.


London - September 2009 - Some random building I found when I got off the train.

Some random building I found when I got off the train.


London - September 2009 - A real Lotus 7 parked in central london, not a kit car copy like we generally see in Australia.

A real Lotus 7 parked in central london, not a kit car copy like we generally see in Australia.


London - September 2009 - Architecture to be found around the monument station.

Architecture to be found around the monument station.


London - September 2009 - The actual monument.

The actual monument.


London - September 2009 - Tower bridge.

Tower bridge.


London - September 2009 - Random shot of Leceister Sqaure, which is also called the West End, where all the plays are showing and where Michael Jackson is performing next month

Random shot of Leceister Sqaure, which is also called the West End, where all the plays are showing and where Michael Jackson is performing next month when he come out of forced retirement.


Public transport

Headed out again in the late afternoon and to find dinner. The trains really are fantastic, people in London dont realise how good they have it when it comes to transport.
Decided to head back to Leceister Square as it looked like the place to go in the evening.

London - September 2009 - The famous cock penis building is very close to the hotel.

The famous cock penis building is very close to the hotel.


London - September 2009 - Picadilly Circus (I think? Is it the name of the actual building or what?)

Picadilly Circus (I think? Is it the name of the actual building or what?)


London - September 2009 - Heres where I ate, it was very average.

Heres where I ate, it was very average.


London - September 2009 - Random shot of the skyline taken on the millennium bridge near the london eye (both of which I took no photo of).

Random shot of the skyline taken on the millennium bridge near the london eye (both of which I took no photo of).


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Day 3 - Monday, 7 September 2009

Went to Brentwood for Work

I had to head out to the IT headquarters located at a commuter train in Brentwood. Now I assumed that it being 40 miles or so out of the city that it would be a run down industrial area. It turns out that the rich folks live out of London and commute on fast commuter trains.
The Town itself was picturesque english housing, like in those boring tv shows starring semi retarded old ladies that solve crimes. However the people there were young professionals driving Aston Martins.
Work itself was fine, I had a major breakthrough and was able to convince a 3g modem in england to connect to a private VPN in Australia on a frequency its not designed to use, it required lots of cables and firmware hacking.
I went out for lunch and fired off a couple of snaps.

London - September 2009 - A random churchy looking thing.

A random churchy looking thing.


London - September 2009 - The high street, had a salad for lunch at the slug and lettuce, it was very good and well priced.

The high street, had a salad for lunch at the slug and lettuce, it was very good and well priced.


London - September 2009 - More of the high street, most of which was being dug up to be repaved.

More of the high street, most of which was being dug up to be repaved.


London - September 2009 - Example of the architecture in the town, not sure what this is, but things like it were all over with huge lawned areas in front of them.

Example of the architecture in the town, not sure what this is, but things like it were all over with huge lawned areas in front of them.


Pizza at Harrods

The trains are so impressive, to this Brentwood place they ran every 2 minutes in peak times, at 100mph, and stop just once in 40 miles.
Decided to go to harrods in the evening, rode on a big red bus, generally walked around and got lost, think I walked behind buckingham palace (fail).
I had dinner at a chain store pizza place, on recommendation, called pizza express. Mock me now if you wish but it was great, real pizza, real bocconcini and proscuttio, and it was cheap, a pizza I couldnt finish was 9 pounds.

London - September 2009 - BOODLES!.

BOODLES!.


London - September 2009 - Harrods is on the right, it was just shutting as I got there (fail).

Harrods is on the right, it was just shutting as I got there (fail).


London - September 2009 - Huge advertising sign thing.

Huge advertising sign thing.


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Day 4 - Tuesday, 8 September 2009

Went to Kings Cross for Work

Went to the head office for the UK for work today.
It is very near to kings cross station, just a short walk up the road. The office is like fort knox, theres 3 security doors to get through before you get to an office.
Not much to report of interest on the work front, the trains were packed in during peak hour in the morning, and it was hot for London this time of the year (27 degrees) but because you spend only 5 minutes on a train to get anywhere its ok.
Headed out in the afternoon to view some of our business in Westminster live in action, the place was packed with supermodel looking people, I felt stupid in my cheap work clothes, so decided to come back later in regular clothes to look around Regent and Oxford streets.
At night its even busier, and most of the shops stay open into the evening. I bought a top from THE GAP for 9 pounds. Generally clothes also seemed cheap, business shirts at Beneton which were in a style id wear were only 20 pounds and didnt seem to be on special.

London - September 2009 - Oxford street at dusk.

Oxford street at dusk.


London - September 2009 - Had ribs for dinner at garfunkels, found out after that it was a chain store when I found another one around the corner which caused me to become conf

Had ribs for dinner at garfunkels, found out after that it was a chain store when I found another one around the corner which caused me to become confused and get lost.


London - September 2009 - Famous hotel, so famous I forgot the name.

Famous hotel, so famous I forgot the name.


London - September 2009 - More fancy looking white buildings.

More fancy looking white buildings.


London - September 2009 - Different looking sort of building near Soho, stopped for gelati near here, but felt badly out of place as everyone else was wearing $3000 suits.

Different looking sort of building near Soho, stopped for gelati near here, but felt badly out of place as everyone else was wearing $3000 suits.


London - September 2009 - The Ferrari shop.

The Ferrari shop.


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There is now a page 2, use the nav thing to go there now!

Contents

Day 1 - Saturday, 5 September 2009
  Adelaide to London
Day 2 - Sunday, 6 September 2009
  Arriving in London
  Online
  Public transport
Day 3 - Monday, 7 September 2009
  Went to Brentwood for Work
  Pizza at Harrods
Day 4 - Tuesday, 8 September 2009
  Went to Kings Cross for Work
Day 5 - Wednesday, 9 September 2009
  Went to Kings Cross for Work again
Day 6 - Thursday, 10 September 2009
  Kings Cross, big meeting day
Day 7 - Friday, 11 September 2009
  St Albans
Day 8 - Saturday, 12 September 2009
  The studio visit
Day 9 - Sunday, 13 September 2009
  Harrods
  Thames festival
Day 10 - Monday, 14 September 2009
  Greenwich
Day 11 - Tuesday, 15 September 2009
  Museums and rain
Day 12 - Wednesday, 16 September 2009
  Oxford
Day 13 - Thursday, 17 September 2009
  The science museum
Day 14 - Friday, 18 September 2009
  Shopping, walking
Day 15 - Saturday, 19 September 2009
  Sick, Markets, Relaxing
Day 16 - Sunday, 20 September 2009
  Last full day in London
Day 17 - Monday, 21 September 2009
  Heathrow
Day 18 - Tuesday, 22 September 2009
  Singapore
Day 19 - Wednesday, 23 September 2009
  Bonus day
  The end