London 28-07-2015

28-07-2015 Very little sleep last night

Typical jetlag, plus the European heavy Doona with no lighter blankets available did not help. Found the TV room and watched late-night news and “Discovery channel”. Found that I did not pack my travel power-plugs (oversight) so will have to try for a Aus-UK plug adapter tomorrow.

Woke early and had a quick “leftovers” breakfast with a cup of coffee. (Yesterday’s travel left me queasy so I had cups of tea during the night and sat on the toilet for long periods to ensure dehydration/constipation was not a problem. The alternatives are not pleasant.) Check date and time with the Reception, also recommendations for Bus to Natural history museum. Found number 52 Bus station and travelled to Royal Albert Hall/Exhibition rd then walked to the NHM. Found my way to library and introduced myself. The email had arrived and I was on the books but the staff were not the ones that I had dealt with previously. I went through the re-application forms/process and got my new “readers” pass card, good for 5 years this time. I arranged to visit again tomorrow at 10 oc to start going through the archives. I also checked the “Staff and Visitors” entrance door as advised by the library staff. School holidays meant that queuing through the normal entrance was ridiculously congested/long.  I retraced my journey back to Pembridge Hall successfully.

While walking back from the NHM to the number 52 Bus station I took a nostalgic walk through the main campus of Imperial College. Significant rebuilding has meant where I stayed before is now a huge accommodation building, one of four “halls” that now occupy the site. The tiny park is still there but most of the old terrace houses have gone. I could not even find the Renewable Resource Assessment Group (RRAG), where I had given two major seminars on my PhD research. Back at Pembridge Hall I bought a adapter plug from Reception to allow me to recharge various batteries, including my camera. Visited TESCO’s again for supplies and am forcing myself to stay awake. I found a Royal Bank of Scotland at the corner of Penbridge Rd. They used to be fee-free for ATM withdrawals. Fire drill/alarm at Pembridge Hall, false alarm thankfully.

Really successful first day as I found and tested the route to the NHM, established contact and credentials at NHM General Library, got the wifi to work, and sent my first SCU supervisor update!.