Hello. I hate seeing the same post fester at the top of my blog for too long, so though I have nothing constructive or interesting to say, I thought I'd make a post anyway. Here are things that have happened since my last post.
Jim has confirmed that his wedding will be on June 25th 2006. He also approves of my idea of hunting the Loch Ness Monster for his stag do. Nice one!
I've bought a new Flash (ah aahhhh) for my Digital SLR off of Ebay. Not arrived yet, but it is literally the dogs bollocks. Actually, not literaly, dog's bollocks would be ineffectual, but let's just say it is damn fine.
I went to London
again to see some opera
again - Wagner
again. Twilight of the Gods - It's a long assed bastard of an opera and I did get some shut eye in Act 1, but Acts 2 and 3 were marvellous, and managed to fit in a Jerry Springer segment, a suicide bombing and the destruction of the world. Cool bananas! No baked bean can based murders like the last opera I saw, which was a shame.
Coming up this week - Richard Herrings at the Lescar, Manchester to see Hat Man, Alice's christening, and a bonus day off work. Hurrah!
Monday, April 25, 2005 9:31 PM
Booking my holiday on the Sheffield - Shanghai express is turning out to be an incredible headache. It turns out that I'm not actually allowed to book any of the required train tickets until 45 days before departure, which is a bit bothersome. None the less I decided to plough on and book my hotels and return flight, again - easier said than done. First of all, Virgin Atlantic are absolutley convinced that Sheffield is in China, and I don't seem to be able to convince them that it is actually in Yorkshire. Secondly, they want me to pick up and pay for my ticket in person at their Shagnhai office within 48 hours, I've explained that this is a little inconveniant, given that Sheffield is, as already noted, in Yorkshire, not China.
Obsessed as I am with comfortable seating, and being a complete newbie at long haul flying, I have been checking out
this site which shows the best and worst seats on planes. I'm thinking K50 would be best.
This site is quite useful too, as you get individual opinions from past flyers.
UPDATE - I've spoken to Virgin now, and the flight is sorted. As regards the seat, I asked for opinions
here and there are two problems with K55 - one is that you can't book exit row seats in advance, you can only book on arrival as they have to be sure that you are physically fit to operate the door in the event of a major catastrophe. Secondly, the areas with extra legroom tend to be held back for people with babies. There's only one thing that would annoy me more on a 13 hour flight than lack of legroom - and that would be sitting next to a screaming vomit machine. So I've plumped for K55.
I realise that to most people such in depth discussion of seating arrangements may seem trivial, but to me, it's important. I once hatched a plan to buy a wheelchair so I could sit in the disabled sections at auditoriums and public transport, as the people in the disabled sections always get shit loads of legroom, which I think is unfair, the fact they're in a wheelchair means that they probably don't have much feeling in their legs anyway, so why should they get all that space for their useless legs? And those sections are always virtually empty anyway, so it's not like I'd be depriving any genuine disableds. I didn't go through with the plan, as wheelchairs are suprisingly expensive.
Interesting fact - Row J was always the best row at the Sheffield Memorial Hall as it inexplicably had twice as much leg room as any other room. I wonder if that will continue to be the case when it re-opens after re-development.
Friday, April 15, 2005 4:04 PM
A brief visit to Birmingham on Friday, for the Welsh National Opera's production of
Wozzeck. Here are some facts about Birmingham that I have ascertained from my visit...
People in Birmingham must really like Chinese food, as the smell of it hangs all around.
Someone will stop you in the street begging for money on average once every ten minutes.
If you like shopping, then you are well and truly sorted, as pretty much every retailer is represented here, all within easy walking distance of each other. Sadly the investment in the commercial district doesn't seem to have extended anywhere else, as the rest all seems pretty grotty. Why, for the love of God and all that is holy, don't they spend some money on New Street Station? It is the worst station in the country, always has been, and doesn't exactly set a good first impression.
Saturday, April 02, 2005 10:32 PM
