A quik note to update the Qantas strike/lockout episode. The extra flight in my online-booking was just a "place saver" to keep the booking open while we were trapped in Singapore. I do not get a flight to Antartica! (As was the rumour at the time).
Qantas however have given me a direct return flight anywhere in Australia, good for twelve months. Reading the fine print, that also includes the possibility of a direct return flight to NZ. A few caveats such as "subject to availability" but a nice gesture. Not to be used on Jetstar unfortunately so the number of direct Qantas flights out of Cairns is limited; but there will be a way. I am hoping that the domestic leg of inbound International flights will be allowed. I need to get down to Melbourne to vist family but I may have to combine the "freebie" flight with a cheap flight to Brisbane or Sydney. This will reduce the cost significantly. [In the end it was all too difficult and I let the offer lapse].
Thursday, 8 December 2011
Sunday, 20 November 2011
21/11/2011 Monday in Cairns, JCU
JCU Library 21/11/2011.
Review. European research trip 2011.
(Debrief with Academic Supervisor Asc Prof Stephen Naylor, 18/11/2011, Robyn Glade-White, 22/11/2011)
1. The research trip was "on-budget" and completed all major research elements as planned.
2. The most successful research elements were:
(a) the visit to London Natural History Museum for the primary source of Ferdinand Lucas Bauer paintings of marine animals from the Tropics (Queensland) and Tropical plants (Queensland, GOC) from the Mathew Flinders voyage of discovery to Australia 1801-1805.
(b) the visit to Paris National Natural history Museum for the primary source of Charles Alexandre Lesueur paintings of tropical marine animls (? Australia) from the Nicolas Baudin voyage of discovery to Australia 1801-1804.
3. The visits to the Le Havre and Vienna Natural History Museums archives of the Lesueur and Bauer drawings respectively and while germaine to the study, only limited access to these archives could be negociated. In both cases only one part-day was allowed for viewing. Obtaining images was also problematic and relatively expensive in the case of Vienna (30 Euro per photo-copy/scan compared to 0.6 Euro per scan in Paris).
In Le Havre security concerns made access to the Lesueur "velum" paintings impossible while periodic electrical black-outs in the drawings archive reduced the opportunity and photographic quality of the images I could obtain.
Note: In all museums the standard operating procedures/regulations for research allowed only a hand-held camera with no flash. This meant no long exposure times and using natural light only, consequently all images I took were relatively "dark" and required "Photo-shop" post-production to "salvage" them for the thesis. The scanned images provided by the Museums in Paris and Vienna were limited to a max of 300 dpi so were only low-medium resolution.
4. All images have now been downloaded into a minimum compression ".tiff" format and the brightness/contrast adjusted. Further post-production will be required prior to publication in the Thesis appendix but the images are now usable for comparision between artists and for re-joining paintings with their respective draft/drawing.
5. Video records of the trip have been downloaded/stored and will be processed at a later date when I have access to the Townsville Campus video laboratory software/expertese.
6. Subjectively I am very pleased with the quality of the images I have collected and that I have achieved my primary aim of "veiwing" the original sources of the scientific-illustration artwork produced on the 1801-1805 French and English voyages of discovery to "Terra Australis/New Holland". I feel honoured to have been able to see and hold the original paintings and drawings produced over 200 years ago during one of the first series of scientific investigations of Australia. I am indebted to and wish to acknowlege the assistance of all the librarians and curators in the variuos Museums that helped me on this research "quest".
Review. European research trip 2011.
(Debrief with Academic Supervisor Asc Prof Stephen Naylor, 18/11/2011, Robyn Glade-White, 22/11/2011)
1. The research trip was "on-budget" and completed all major research elements as planned.
2. The most successful research elements were:
(a) the visit to London Natural History Museum for the primary source of Ferdinand Lucas Bauer paintings of marine animals from the Tropics (Queensland) and Tropical plants (Queensland, GOC) from the Mathew Flinders voyage of discovery to Australia 1801-1805.
(b) the visit to Paris National Natural history Museum for the primary source of Charles Alexandre Lesueur paintings of tropical marine animls (? Australia) from the Nicolas Baudin voyage of discovery to Australia 1801-1804.
3. The visits to the Le Havre and Vienna Natural History Museums archives of the Lesueur and Bauer drawings respectively and while germaine to the study, only limited access to these archives could be negociated. In both cases only one part-day was allowed for viewing. Obtaining images was also problematic and relatively expensive in the case of Vienna (30 Euro per photo-copy/scan compared to 0.6 Euro per scan in Paris).
In Le Havre security concerns made access to the Lesueur "velum" paintings impossible while periodic electrical black-outs in the drawings archive reduced the opportunity and photographic quality of the images I could obtain.
Note: In all museums the standard operating procedures/regulations for research allowed only a hand-held camera with no flash. This meant no long exposure times and using natural light only, consequently all images I took were relatively "dark" and required "Photo-shop" post-production to "salvage" them for the thesis. The scanned images provided by the Museums in Paris and Vienna were limited to a max of 300 dpi so were only low-medium resolution.
4. All images have now been downloaded into a minimum compression ".tiff" format and the brightness/contrast adjusted. Further post-production will be required prior to publication in the Thesis appendix but the images are now usable for comparision between artists and for re-joining paintings with their respective draft/drawing.
5. Video records of the trip have been downloaded/stored and will be processed at a later date when I have access to the Townsville Campus video laboratory software/expertese.
6. Subjectively I am very pleased with the quality of the images I have collected and that I have achieved my primary aim of "veiwing" the original sources of the scientific-illustration artwork produced on the 1801-1805 French and English voyages of discovery to "Terra Australis/New Holland". I feel honoured to have been able to see and hold the original paintings and drawings produced over 200 years ago during one of the first series of scientific investigations of Australia. I am indebted to and wish to acknowlege the assistance of all the librarians and curators in the variuos Museums that helped me on this research "quest".
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
3/11/2011 Cairns (after long sleep).
Cairns
3/11/2011 Thursday
(Also for the 31st October, 1st and 2nd November)
Where to start? The Singapore "diversion" came to an abrupt end with the announcement that an extra flight had been put on by Qantas and we were to be packed and ready to leave by bus for the airport at 5.30 pm. This was after we had been told all flights were full and we would stay another night (our third night and fourth day in Singapore). Before that we were to leave at 9.00 o'c pm by the QF 52 flight we were originally supposed to take. Three changes of instructions in 6-8 hours, not confidence building but we were to go home!
I had stayed close to the Hotel desk so got the message and packed fast. My shirt, that I had washed out to dry overnight, I simply ironed until it was dry enough to wear. Everything else went into the suitcase slightly damp.
The bus was crowded and luggage had to go between seats but we got to Changi by the time specified; then after being processed by immigration/customs/security we had to wait until the plane boarded at 8.30 to 9.00, finally leaving about 9.30 pm. A classic case of "hurry up and wait"! At Changi airport the Qantas check-in was chaotic but the Qantas Club special-entry allowed me to book my seat back to Brisbane and to also book a seat from Brisbane to Cairns. I would only have to take my bags through customs then to the transit drop-off; or so the "theory" went.
After finally boarding the plane we had a scare and a delay when the pilot explained that they had a "a red warning light" that the engineers had to investigate and the plane returned to the parking bay until fixed. That made us late into Brisbane and stuffed up connecting flights. Not happy campers.
The flight was noisy and "stressed" but we finally got to Brisbane. My bags were the last off the conveyer belt (again) but I breezed through customs and found that my "electronic" passport allowed me to take one of the fast lanes. These had not been in operation in Brisbane on my previous trips. So far so good; until I tried to "drop-off" my bags at the Domestic transit desk in the International airport. Apparently in Changi I had been issued a boarding pass for a Brisbane-Cairns flight that did not exist (or had been cancelled in the intervening 24 hours).
I had to re-book on a "real" flight, taking what I could get. As it was there was one seat available on the 10.00 am flight, so after a fast trip to the Domestic terminal (instead of the original 6 hour wait), I boarded my flight to Cairns. I travelled in the second last row, next to a Korean newly-wed couple, but I got to Cairns airport around 12.30 pm. After retrieving my bags, then waiting in a long line of Qantas passengers all trying to get home, I jumped into a taxi and went! Free at last from airport(s); it had taken 5 highly stressful days to get from London to Cairns.
Thankfully Rose was at my unit to hand-over the keys and she had left milk, bread, and breakfast cereal in the fridge, which sustained me for the next 24 hours. It was mid afternoon but I had not slept for the last 24-30 hours so I simply crashed. A series of disorienting short sleeps followed by comfort food then another short sleep. I had the usual "flu-like" jetlag and was popping Paracetamol but I was "home".
I will review my field-trip over the next week then post my last "Blog" when I have a more balanced perspective on the results. At the moment I am paying over-due bills and "catching-up on buisness" after 3 months away.
3/11/2011 Thursday
(Also for the 31st October, 1st and 2nd November)
Where to start? The Singapore "diversion" came to an abrupt end with the announcement that an extra flight had been put on by Qantas and we were to be packed and ready to leave by bus for the airport at 5.30 pm. This was after we had been told all flights were full and we would stay another night (our third night and fourth day in Singapore). Before that we were to leave at 9.00 o'c pm by the QF 52 flight we were originally supposed to take. Three changes of instructions in 6-8 hours, not confidence building but we were to go home!
I had stayed close to the Hotel desk so got the message and packed fast. My shirt, that I had washed out to dry overnight, I simply ironed until it was dry enough to wear. Everything else went into the suitcase slightly damp.
The bus was crowded and luggage had to go between seats but we got to Changi by the time specified; then after being processed by immigration/customs/security we had to wait until the plane boarded at 8.30 to 9.00, finally leaving about 9.30 pm. A classic case of "hurry up and wait"! At Changi airport the Qantas check-in was chaotic but the Qantas Club special-entry allowed me to book my seat back to Brisbane and to also book a seat from Brisbane to Cairns. I would only have to take my bags through customs then to the transit drop-off; or so the "theory" went.
After finally boarding the plane we had a scare and a delay when the pilot explained that they had a "a red warning light" that the engineers had to investigate and the plane returned to the parking bay until fixed. That made us late into Brisbane and stuffed up connecting flights. Not happy campers.
The flight was noisy and "stressed" but we finally got to Brisbane. My bags were the last off the conveyer belt (again) but I breezed through customs and found that my "electronic" passport allowed me to take one of the fast lanes. These had not been in operation in Brisbane on my previous trips. So far so good; until I tried to "drop-off" my bags at the Domestic transit desk in the International airport. Apparently in Changi I had been issued a boarding pass for a Brisbane-Cairns flight that did not exist (or had been cancelled in the intervening 24 hours).
I had to re-book on a "real" flight, taking what I could get. As it was there was one seat available on the 10.00 am flight, so after a fast trip to the Domestic terminal (instead of the original 6 hour wait), I boarded my flight to Cairns. I travelled in the second last row, next to a Korean newly-wed couple, but I got to Cairns airport around 12.30 pm. After retrieving my bags, then waiting in a long line of Qantas passengers all trying to get home, I jumped into a taxi and went! Free at last from airport(s); it had taken 5 highly stressful days to get from London to Cairns.
Thankfully Rose was at my unit to hand-over the keys and she had left milk, bread, and breakfast cereal in the fridge, which sustained me for the next 24 hours. It was mid afternoon but I had not slept for the last 24-30 hours so I simply crashed. A series of disorienting short sleeps followed by comfort food then another short sleep. I had the usual "flu-like" jetlag and was popping Paracetamol but I was "home".
I will review my field-trip over the next week then post my last "Blog" when I have a more balanced perspective on the results. At the moment I am paying over-due bills and "catching-up on buisness" after 3 months away.
Sunday, 30 October 2011
31/10/2011 Singapore Oasia Hotel
Singapore
31/10/2011
Re the Qantas Strike/Lockout/Delays: The message came through that we were leaving Singapore at 10 o'c pm today, then it was amended and we are staying an extra night. The return flight to Brisbane will now be tomorrow (no time given). The Hotel is very good but the meals, which started out as superb, have got less varied in choices at each sitting. I suspect there is cost control in operation. I have emailed Qantas Frequent Flyer customer service asking for advice/information but do not expect a reply.
When checking my Qantas booking/account page for announcements (there have been none) I came across an extra booking on my current London-Cairns journey. I have a "mystery flight" booked for the 12th of November, that I know nothing about. When I finally get to the Airport I will check this out with the Qantas Club. Theoretically my Club membership finishes today, the 31st October, so it will remains to be seen if I get into the lounge at all. If all went according to plan I would have renewed the membership in Townsville today, but the "wheels have fallen off" a number of plans due to the travel delays. I will miss the CSIRO/GBRMPA workshop for a start!
Although I am in Singapore, and so is my MA co-supervisor A/Prof Stephen Naylor, he is busy with a visit by the JCU Pro Vice Chancellor, so I do not get to show off my data collection of images from the 1801-05 "voyages of discovery" to Australia. A pity but I will catch up in Cairns later in the month. It actually gives me some time to organise and "pre-process" the images into a Power-point presentation for my initial MA seminar. I have been working this up while "trapped in Singapore" but without the image processing software available at the Townsville JCU campus I am limited in what I can do on my laptop.
I am still staying close to the Hotel so I can get any Qantas instructions/news, apart from ducking across to the Coffee shop in the Shopping Complex for free WiFi. My tummy upset which has been "low-level" throughout the three-month trip had flaired up again in Singapore. I am wondering if it is the Singapore water (Giardia??) as it was after the Singapore stopover on the way to London that I had the last major bout. This need for toilet facilities is probably the real reason for staying close to the Hotel. Being very careful with what I drink at the moment, (or of course it could simply be the side effect of sitting in a fairly cramped space for 12-14 hours.)
We still have 7 hours to get to Brisbane and another 3 hours to get to Cairns so I am not happy. Being able to use the Qantas Club facilities has turned out to be more urgent than I anticipated.
31/10/2011
Re the Qantas Strike/Lockout/Delays: The message came through that we were leaving Singapore at 10 o'c pm today, then it was amended and we are staying an extra night. The return flight to Brisbane will now be tomorrow (no time given). The Hotel is very good but the meals, which started out as superb, have got less varied in choices at each sitting. I suspect there is cost control in operation. I have emailed Qantas Frequent Flyer customer service asking for advice/information but do not expect a reply.
When checking my Qantas booking/account page for announcements (there have been none) I came across an extra booking on my current London-Cairns journey. I have a "mystery flight" booked for the 12th of November, that I know nothing about. When I finally get to the Airport I will check this out with the Qantas Club. Theoretically my Club membership finishes today, the 31st October, so it will remains to be seen if I get into the lounge at all. If all went according to plan I would have renewed the membership in Townsville today, but the "wheels have fallen off" a number of plans due to the travel delays. I will miss the CSIRO/GBRMPA workshop for a start!
Although I am in Singapore, and so is my MA co-supervisor A/Prof Stephen Naylor, he is busy with a visit by the JCU Pro Vice Chancellor, so I do not get to show off my data collection of images from the 1801-05 "voyages of discovery" to Australia. A pity but I will catch up in Cairns later in the month. It actually gives me some time to organise and "pre-process" the images into a Power-point presentation for my initial MA seminar. I have been working this up while "trapped in Singapore" but without the image processing software available at the Townsville JCU campus I am limited in what I can do on my laptop.
I am still staying close to the Hotel so I can get any Qantas instructions/news, apart from ducking across to the Coffee shop in the Shopping Complex for free WiFi. My tummy upset which has been "low-level" throughout the three-month trip had flaired up again in Singapore. I am wondering if it is the Singapore water (Giardia??) as it was after the Singapore stopover on the way to London that I had the last major bout. This need for toilet facilities is probably the real reason for staying close to the Hotel. Being very careful with what I drink at the moment, (or of course it could simply be the side effect of sitting in a fairly cramped space for 12-14 hours.)
We still have 7 hours to get to Brisbane and another 3 hours to get to Cairns so I am not happy. Being able to use the Qantas Club facilities has turned out to be more urgent than I anticipated.
Saturday, 29 October 2011
28/29 October 2011, Singapore OASIA Hotel
Singapore
28-29/10/2011 Friday-Saturday.
Well, the wheels fell off my planned journey home. We got to Changi Airport, Singapore, and Qantas had called a total strike/lockout, grounding all planes. Major upheavals to travel plans of all the passengers and with no definite "end-date" to the grounding. It was a mess, with all the Qantas flights into and out of Changi grounded and the passengers having to find their luggage and be booked into local Hotels.
We were due in at 3.30 pm and I was due to catch my connection to Brisbane at 8.40 pm. Just enough time for a meal, shower and clean up at the Changi Qantas Club. What actually happened was that we were kept on the plane for 3/4 of an hour while they sorted out their instructions from Qantas, then we were allowed off into the transit area to wait for instructions. Following a 3 hour wait some passengers on code-share flights were transferred to the partner airline and flew out. Other airlines took a few more, and the rest of us were to told we would be housed in local Hotels for the night.
What this meant for me was: waiting until the lists were decided, then after not getting on a flight, filling in appropriate forms (we were to go out through customs), finding my luggage in the bedlam downstairs in Arrivals, being processed by customs/immigration, then being allocated and transported to a hotel. All the cancelled flights had passengers trying to find luggage and going through this "process" at the same time so it was totally chaotic. People (a "mob" by this time) were really stressed, and very unhappy.
By 9.30 pm I had found my bag (on a completely different carousel to the rest of the flights baggage) and got through the over-worked customs controls. We then waited en mass for allocation to a hotel and for the buses. It was about midnight before that all happened and I cleared the Airport by overcrowded bus. I am writing this "blog" at 1.00 am after getting registered in the Hotel and finding my room, on the 20th floor (i.e., it took 9.5 hours to get through the mass chaos). I got three meal vouchers and I found the Internet connection so I could warn everyone I was not going to make it for Sunday lunchtime.
A shower then I sleep!
28-29/10/2011 Friday-Saturday.
Well, the wheels fell off my planned journey home. We got to Changi Airport, Singapore, and Qantas had called a total strike/lockout, grounding all planes. Major upheavals to travel plans of all the passengers and with no definite "end-date" to the grounding. It was a mess, with all the Qantas flights into and out of Changi grounded and the passengers having to find their luggage and be booked into local Hotels.
We were due in at 3.30 pm and I was due to catch my connection to Brisbane at 8.40 pm. Just enough time for a meal, shower and clean up at the Changi Qantas Club. What actually happened was that we were kept on the plane for 3/4 of an hour while they sorted out their instructions from Qantas, then we were allowed off into the transit area to wait for instructions. Following a 3 hour wait some passengers on code-share flights were transferred to the partner airline and flew out. Other airlines took a few more, and the rest of us were to told we would be housed in local Hotels for the night.
What this meant for me was: waiting until the lists were decided, then after not getting on a flight, filling in appropriate forms (we were to go out through customs), finding my luggage in the bedlam downstairs in Arrivals, being processed by customs/immigration, then being allocated and transported to a hotel. All the cancelled flights had passengers trying to find luggage and going through this "process" at the same time so it was totally chaotic. People (a "mob" by this time) were really stressed, and very unhappy.
By 9.30 pm I had found my bag (on a completely different carousel to the rest of the flights baggage) and got through the over-worked customs controls. We then waited en mass for allocation to a hotel and for the buses. It was about midnight before that all happened and I cleared the Airport by overcrowded bus. I am writing this "blog" at 1.00 am after getting registered in the Hotel and finding my room, on the 20th floor (i.e., it took 9.5 hours to get through the mass chaos). I got three meal vouchers and I found the Internet connection so I could warn everyone I was not going to make it for Sunday lunchtime.
A shower then I sleep!
Friday, 28 October 2011
28/10/2011 London Heathrow
London
28/10/2011 Friday
Barking Library, Heathrow Airport.
I am killing time until Hotel check-out at 12o'c. I had breakfast in the Appendices Restaurant and am taking care of the last emails while I have Internet (although I am hoping for Qantas Club Hotspots). The sun came out for a brief moment so I shot a couple of "Barking scenes", which I will add to the blog later.
While packing I threw out anything I could to lighten my luggage but I kept the accumulated books and papers, so the weight has not really gone down. Too late to post anything so my luggage weight will have to be right. I will wear the heavy jackets, which should compensate.
My plan is to have lunch here then travel to Heathrow at around 1pm. The Tube at lunch-time on a weekday will be interesting, and it is also school Holidays so I may be standing the whole way. I loaded my Oyster card with 5 pounds (minimum I could put in at the ticket office) and was told the trip should cost 3.40 pounds (which is more than when I came from St Pancras EuroStar Station). Strange fee/cost system! More later, if I get the chance.
[Later] BA/Qantas lounge at Heathrow.
I travelled by District Line to Hammersmith then simply walked across the platform to the Piccadilly Line, with no dragging of my Trolley-case up or down stairs or even through lifts/escalators. Worth the detective work and I wish I knew of this "shortcut" back when I first arrived. Then whole trip from Barking to Heathrow took 2.00 hours (and a bit waiting at Hammersmith). I started with a perfect corner seat and simply kept sitting, clutching my suitcase in the alcove next to the seat, despite the little old ladies, pregnant women, masses of school-age children, etc. Both my case and I were out of the way and reasonably comfortable. Not so lucky with the Hammersmith to Heathrow run but I got a seat towards the end. Lots of people had cases so I just became part of the obstacle course.
Heathrow Terminal 3 was a bit of fun. I made it through the initial security to the Qantas Luggage/book-in area only to find that they were closed until 4 hours prior to boarding the flight. Therefore the reward for my efforts to be on time (allowing for the 3 hours it took to get through security/protocols last time) was that I had a two hour wait just to check-in my case and get the Boarding pass. I tried the DIY Check-in Kiosk (with the help of a BA ticket/check-in person) but the machine told me I did not have an e-ticket and to see the Check-in personnel. I found a spare seat and read my ebook. Come 4.30 pm I was just about first in line and was processed very efficiently despite the Kiosk advice (including directions to the passenger Club lounge F, which is shared between BA and Qantas). The subsequent customs/passport/second security search was fairly straightforward and surprisingly quick, I think the passenger traffic was reduced at the time (by luck rather than good management).
Therefore I am now in the BA Lounge having had a bowl of soup and a curry/rice dish (with a beer) and am waiting for my flight call. It is just on 6.00 o'c and the plane will board at about 7.30. Therefore I only have to play with my computer and maybe read a bit; I am relatively relaxed now I am "in the system" and on my way home! Next stop will be Singapore (Changi airport Qantas Club). I will try to add bits to the blog there.
28/10/2011 Friday
Barking Library, Heathrow Airport.
I am killing time until Hotel check-out at 12o'c. I had breakfast in the Appendices Restaurant and am taking care of the last emails while I have Internet (although I am hoping for Qantas Club Hotspots). The sun came out for a brief moment so I shot a couple of "Barking scenes", which I will add to the blog later.
While packing I threw out anything I could to lighten my luggage but I kept the accumulated books and papers, so the weight has not really gone down. Too late to post anything so my luggage weight will have to be right. I will wear the heavy jackets, which should compensate.
My plan is to have lunch here then travel to Heathrow at around 1pm. The Tube at lunch-time on a weekday will be interesting, and it is also school Holidays so I may be standing the whole way. I loaded my Oyster card with 5 pounds (minimum I could put in at the ticket office) and was told the trip should cost 3.40 pounds (which is more than when I came from St Pancras EuroStar Station). Strange fee/cost system! More later, if I get the chance.
[Later] BA/Qantas lounge at Heathrow.
I travelled by District Line to Hammersmith then simply walked across the platform to the Piccadilly Line, with no dragging of my Trolley-case up or down stairs or even through lifts/escalators. Worth the detective work and I wish I knew of this "shortcut" back when I first arrived. Then whole trip from Barking to Heathrow took 2.00 hours (and a bit waiting at Hammersmith). I started with a perfect corner seat and simply kept sitting, clutching my suitcase in the alcove next to the seat, despite the little old ladies, pregnant women, masses of school-age children, etc. Both my case and I were out of the way and reasonably comfortable. Not so lucky with the Hammersmith to Heathrow run but I got a seat towards the end. Lots of people had cases so I just became part of the obstacle course.
Heathrow Terminal 3 was a bit of fun. I made it through the initial security to the Qantas Luggage/book-in area only to find that they were closed until 4 hours prior to boarding the flight. Therefore the reward for my efforts to be on time (allowing for the 3 hours it took to get through security/protocols last time) was that I had a two hour wait just to check-in my case and get the Boarding pass. I tried the DIY Check-in Kiosk (with the help of a BA ticket/check-in person) but the machine told me I did not have an e-ticket and to see the Check-in personnel. I found a spare seat and read my ebook. Come 4.30 pm I was just about first in line and was processed very efficiently despite the Kiosk advice (including directions to the passenger Club lounge F, which is shared between BA and Qantas). The subsequent customs/passport/second security search was fairly straightforward and surprisingly quick, I think the passenger traffic was reduced at the time (by luck rather than good management).
Therefore I am now in the BA Lounge having had a bowl of soup and a curry/rice dish (with a beer) and am waiting for my flight call. It is just on 6.00 o'c and the plane will board at about 7.30. Therefore I only have to play with my computer and maybe read a bit; I am relatively relaxed now I am "in the system" and on my way home! Next stop will be Singapore (Changi airport Qantas Club). I will try to add bits to the blog there.
Thursday, 27 October 2011
27/10/2011 London Barking Library
London
27/10/2011
It has been a slow day, full of emails from the Library WiFi and packing up for my trip home. I did some sight-seeing around Barking and there is a "country-village" side that I had not discovered before (because I was not here during the week-days). I had lunch in the Church Hall where they run a tea-shop and serve the English food I remember from my first visit to England. Boiled potatoes, stewed vege, and unidentifiable meat. Rice pudding or treacle sponge for desert. Same price as the High Street take-aways and probably the same nutritional value. The clientele seemed to be exclusively anglo-saxon old-aged pensioners. It is raining intermittently so I am indoors most of the day.
I copied important files onto my second memory stick which will go into my wallet, so I have covered myself as well as possible against loss of data. Now all I have to do is to negotiate my way to Heathrow and to get myself home.
27/10/2011
It has been a slow day, full of emails from the Library WiFi and packing up for my trip home. I did some sight-seeing around Barking and there is a "country-village" side that I had not discovered before (because I was not here during the week-days). I had lunch in the Church Hall where they run a tea-shop and serve the English food I remember from my first visit to England. Boiled potatoes, stewed vege, and unidentifiable meat. Rice pudding or treacle sponge for desert. Same price as the High Street take-aways and probably the same nutritional value. The clientele seemed to be exclusively anglo-saxon old-aged pensioners. It is raining intermittently so I am indoors most of the day.
I copied important files onto my second memory stick which will go into my wallet, so I have covered myself as well as possible against loss of data. Now all I have to do is to negotiate my way to Heathrow and to get myself home.
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