Today ...is gonna be the day.

The O2 is pretty impressive even if its fundamentally a very large tent. Finding the exhibition didnt open until 11 was a bit of a downer, but retrieved by a half-price Full English Breakfast at the Slug and Lettuce in the Dome (before 12). Sum total £3.72. Phemomenal value for the capital.

The exhibition itself is a bit of a mixed grill too. On the plus side an excellent collection of Memoribilia - David Bowies Ziggy stageware,  Roger Daltrys 1964 guitar , which also belonged to Pete Townsend at one point and New Orders Emulator II+ and handwritten lyrics from Blue Monday plus Peter Hook's six string Bass are highlights. Rob Halford's 1970's leather jacket and trousers make me wonder how anyone ever considered him a Straight man!.
The Punk cabinet is impressive too - including several fanzines of the time - and Rat Scabie's Bass Drum Head - deliberatly hacked up - aparrently at one stage a rat used to peer out of it.

Great video clips on the walls , set up so the participants were the same scale as the viewer, gave a wierd 'Front Row' kind of feel. Particularly odd since many of the clips were of those no longer with us.......

Saving data on a smart ticket - very good idea - see if it works when i get home.

On the down side - quite a few of the audio feeds from the exhibits were not working, and since the idea was to select an item and get a commentary on it was a bit of a non-starter.

The Gibson Interactive studio should be the highpoint of the visit but i found myself slightly underwhelmed by that part. The drums are fine - but you only get one take at the song before you are forced to go through the ten minute introduction again to get another one. The Bass guitar is a cheap instrument which sounds terrible. Guitars are OK, but again the long preamble to a single take. Not sure who its aimed at as that long an intro wont work for a schoolie's attention span and frustrating for an adult.

So can't fully recommend but i think i'm glad i went. For the memoribilia.

Canary's are go

Well. I hadnt planned to tour Canary Wharf , but the trains give me no choice. You get off in the Reuter's building , which is made of opulent brown marble. Finance types on mobiles everywhere. And its still only 9.30.  Not seen anything like it before. Then you walk across the Plaza to the Jubilee Line. Surrounded by the biggest Chrome and Glass structures you have ever seen. What Recession?

Then along one stop to the Millenium Dome , now the O2. British Music Exhibition.

This is the day the ravens left the Tower??

Early Morning. Tower of London. Chilly and Foggy. No Ravens. That could be bad. Luckily there are loads of Guards and a Beefeater on duty - i'm sure they know where the Ravens are. Joggers running so i cant be that early. Tower doesnt look so big these days but i last saw it when i was 4 so i guess thats to be expected. Top of the Shard is lost in the fog. Not sure if its always like that.
Best bit is Tower Bridge - but i'm not going to see it opened at this time of the morning. Lots of early morning traffic going across. Didnt realise that this tourist trap is actually in Tower Hamlets although is suppose it makes sense.

First chance to try the DLR - goes from Tower Gateway , change at Canary Wharf for North Greenwich.  Next stop British Music experience.

Germans

Thats been a good night - the Germans dont get up early and pinch all the towels - unless they already have since there aren't any.

Quite a reasonable breakfast bag also - kept some of it for later. Cerial Bar and Orange Juice. No doubt in true movie fashion these stored items will become essential later. Now its off to the Tower!

Where the tube?

Liverpool St and my first taste of the London Rush Hour, Its amazing that some Tube stations try and get folk to the platform by lift. Thousands of them. But after a bit of queuing tound my way to Russell Square. With the aid of GPS got myself to the Generator.
And its good. Seems very well run. Friendly folk at check in and no messing about, The 3.50 i expected to be added seems to be a thing of the past as it was not mentioned. My punt on a dorm on a Monday was good as there was only 3 others in it and all German.. Bought a locker though for my stuff - just in case.
Lots of eating places about.. Funds getting a bt low so think about doing some freestuff tomorrow as well as British Music Exhibition. at the O2.

Meanwhile - what about Bale's wonder goal. Watched that down here in the bar. Wont see many like that.

Disappointing

After an eventful morning which involved joining tbe Essex Libraries, entiely a dodge to print my Facebook pics onto a memorystick. Android isnt good at that kind of thing.. Converted these into a framed collage of the family for Reg. Oh and picked up a large Famous Grouse. All ready o go. But sadly Millard House till not havin it. So instead met cousin David in th e White Hart. He is a good guy. 3 pints of OSH and a burger, Thanks David - that invitation North still stands. But no visit so at 3.30 - its back on the train.

Full English

Tropical Crunch , Orange Juice, Bacon, Sausage, Egg, Beans , Potato Waffle, Real Coffee and refill, lots of toast.

No more description needed.

Beer in the Fleapit.

Well. Tonights pub game is finding a pub with more than 10 people in it. The Wetherspoons is my first call. The old Cinema, bit of a cavern when its near empty. But a Barman who knows stuff guided me to local Microbrewery beers and quite an acceptable Porter for only 2 Quid.

The balcony looks unchanged from the fleapit days though. Strangely they are still showing video where the screen used to be - except now its Italian football.

Then a mercy mission to the Swan to support a  hard- one-by folk duo by increasing the audience %20.
Its ok - badly mixed (tricky with only two accoustic and two  voices but they managed it) - and a bit of a thankless task. The beer here gives Real Ale a bad name, so i wont mention it again.

This was more than some other places. The Boar's head had 3 old blokes who seemed to work there and were switching off to go home , and Baileys had already shut at 9.45. I wasn't going there anyway mind (horrible Faux Irish bar) .

Not a good night to be out - and it was freezing - lucky i had my winter wear.

Sensible Shoes

Now thats more like it. Staying at The Old House in Bradford Street.

Fine old place, bedroom is in the same red as Roberts. Even with the heating up its not all that warm though.

David texted me and apparently the Home is still under quarentine so we might not get in.

But apparently Famous Grouse would go down well.

Lets have a look at the old town. Better dress for warmth though its a bit chilly. Sensible shoes were a good idea.

Day 2

Perhaps a weekend when the Circle Line ISNT being repaired would have been better. Despite the Carling Cup i havent seen a single Welshman so far.Several Bradford fans were out yesterday, but no Swansea fans thus far. A decent lunch with an old friend (and her husband but fortunately not the dog) followed. Islington is ok but i still prefer the rough n ready of Camden. Then with some difficulty found the Hammermith and Cityline.I dont think they want you to use that one folks. Dived on the train to Witham with a couple of minutes to spare.. As as since time immemorial, lo and behold, the creaky Braintree connection was there waiting. Just myself and two urchins travelling in my coach and they got out at Cressing. Braintree Station. A time bubble.Stlll looks the same although everything round it has changed. Even the tatty railway cottages have been painted an look very countrified now! Change everywhere. Lots of Kebab shops, a small Polish shop, the Cinema is a Wetherspoons. The Old Court hotel is now a shell of peeling paint and adverts for the Bridge club. Lot of tatty Tudor houses needing TLC - lucky a few now have SOLD signs on them, so might be improving. And the Institute is reduced playing host to travelling Mediums. Woolies is now Iceland so i guess it could have been worse.

Hyde Park Corner

The Hostel is by Hyde Park and packed with intersting people. Apparently the full time residents outnumber the travelllers as its simply the cheapest place to live in London. However met an Italian who is there looking for work, as well as a guy who delivers Company Cars for a living. 1 mile every five minutes is the estimate. Better than it used to be. Thanks be to the Conjestion Charge. Slept OK - not put off by the constant comings and goings. Feel a bit short changed by the breakfast - cornflakes and toast,particularly as i neednt have paid for it as there is no check on who comes down for breakfast and who doesnt. And no hot water. Glad i have a good stop tonight.

Back on the road.

Day1

First chance to update since wifi has been uniformly rotten. Coach trip which began in the snow finished a bit better fortunately. got the chance to wander from Victoria up to Buck House. Queenie didnt seem keen to see me for some reason so i wandered instead to Westminster and the Houses of Commoners. Then a visit to the wonderful but madly multiculural village of Bayswater. I have never seen so many cultures together - even the Russians are in the mix. The Hyde Park hostel is a bit of a mix too. Almost wouldnt let me in as apparently i should have Photo ID - not mentioned anywhere of course. But my money is good.
So I have a swipe for my room and locker (for an extra £150) and assorted bedding to look after.
Room is warm though, and the locker is pretty secure.

More in the next post..

nearly ready to go

Well its the night before and i have just heard that the home my uncle lives in has been hit by an epidemic, and they have asked for folk NOT to visit. Well its just advisory so i think we will be ok but my cousin down there will keep me informed! It could only happen to me!

Welcome to my travels

Hi - in a few days i will be hitting the road to London. My plan to blog as i go along. Maybe get some pics up. Well lets see.