I arrived at SFO on Monday afternoon. Of course my luggage had the usual Virgin US treatment of being beaten up and one of the wheels missing. It frustrates me, at the time I bought the bag I thought "these wheels will come off" - but decided that German build quality (Rimowa) would prevail. Well, sure enough they do get kicked off. Although it only ever happens in the US - 6 flights back-back in Asia and they are fine. I guess there is maybe someone at SFO who hates German goods !
This week has been absolutely crazy in terms of workload - so so much to do with back-back meetings. The good news is that I think I have managed to be good on the food front and not eat (or drink) too badly. It feels as though I have been away from how for a long time- I guess that happens when you only go home for a week !
Drinks in Santana Row yesterday. It used to be a place I didn't care too much for (too false). However, I've gotten to appreciate the good service (including people being tolerant of my colleagues son as he hit the large gong they have at the entrance). Also, the food is pretty good (Kobe Beef Burgers are fantastic).
Just time to do this post and then start packing....
This has been a very good weekend for food. Although as I write this I'm getting really hungry - although 9PM isn't the right time to rustle up some beef stew (what I have a craving for). So, this weeks food highlights:
- Tuesday - Turkish food at Effes in Cambridge. Probably the best Turkish food I've tasted and one of the few highlights of food in Cambridge. Mixed kebab is really good, and they cook rice to perfection.
- Friday - lunch at a Deli in Sheffield. I love basic British food and lunch was hot turkey, stuffing, on a white roll. Just slightly under a similar place in Ipswich.
- Friday - dinner at the Tickell Arms in Whittlesford. I haven't been there for a few years and food (as well as the atmosphere) was fantastic, a really good evening.
- Saturday - lunch at Asadal in Holborn. Another place I haven't been for a while, but really missing Korean food right now. Marinated beef, spicy chicken. The ambience of the place is really good- downstairs London.
- Saturday - Macarons (Pistachio and Vanilla) at Laduree with coffee. They have this really cool coffee machine that does Cappuccino way better than Starbucks.
The next week is in San Jose and I'm worried it'll be some junk food a good chunk of the time.
Cambridge Railway Station
Cambridge Railway Station is one of my serious stresses when it comes to living in Cambridge. Actually, it was my first impression of Cambridge years ago when I arrived here for a job interview. Coming from a proper city, I was amazed at how small it was. In all fairness, over the past few years it has gotten better- an ATM machine, Marks and Spencer have made a difference. However, there are still many things that are a complete joke:
- The station actually isn't in Cambridge. Of course there are various historical anecdotes about why this is the case. To be honest, I don't really care - it should be in the city centre (not a good 10 mins walk away from it).
- The area around the station looks like something out of a deprived city - lots of old manufacturing sites and random land.
- Marks and Spencer - doesn't open until later in the morning. Clearly there isn't a market for their goods first thing in the morning.
- WH Smith - the only railway station I have ever been in the UK where the newsagent is closed at 7PM (but there are still trains running at that time).
- Upper Crust - from history at the weekend it can still be closed at 8AM. Well I guess the staff who work there have to have a long lay in bed from time to time right ?
- Car Park (aka Taxi Rank) - how often do I have to do a tour of the ticket machines to find one that actually works ? Well at least nowadays the machines take all valid coinage - notes would be far too difficult. The car park also doubles as a taxi holding area - to trying to exit is a major pain.
- Exiting from the station - that gate that leads to the car park is never open - why do I have to walk 5 minutes extra (even if a member of staff is there to check my ticket) ?
Buying a ticket is also a major pain. There are several automated ticket machines. However, the user interface has clearly been constructed by a 19 year old who never actually has used a ticket machine and hasn't a clue about user interface design. Of course maybe he doesn't need to use a ticket machine since his mother buys his clothes for him. Mensa take note - anyone who can buy a same day return to London Kings Cross in under 3 minutes deserves membership.
In short, if you need to buy a ticket allow at least 10 mins to do so.
Of course train passenger traffic is highly predictable and the problem could be mitigated by having extra staff (taken from the pool of the token British Rail staff who hang around with blue jackets talking to each other) sell tickets.
Lastly the biggest problem is the layout of the station. In the past year they've added automatic gates that compound the problem of foot traffic in and out of the station. You end up having people bumping into each other and obstructed by the queue to the ticket machines. At peak times it's like that 80's TV show "It's a knockout" !
This week has been really hectic - just far too much to do at work. I've been getting in just after 7AM, leaving no earlier than 7PM and then working 'til later in the evening. Thankfully it's Thursday night and only a day to go (albeit one with a 6hr train journey).
I'm pretty tired and heading back out to the US on Monday morning first thing. In some ways I think I suit a more hectic lifestyle as I appreciate the relaxation time a lot more than just lazing around.
Cambridge Supermarkets
Another stress of living in Cambridge is the excuse for supermarkets. You'd think in the South East of England there would be fairly good logistics systems in place, but alas no. If you ever watch one of these 'doom and gloom' shows (like Survivors) which depict when society has some major epidemic, strike etc. one of the things they always show is the supermarkets empty.
Note to the BBC: Forget paying huge sums to create a scene of an empty supermarket, Waitrose in Trumpington Road Cambridge has it already. Here's the scene in the drinks isle in the middle of Winter::
Inventory of missing items: No Thai Chilis, No Beef Stock on Display.Clearly there had been an influx of people wanting to make hot beef noodle soup, then having to drink lots of water afterwards due to a burning mouth (wait a minute, that's me !).
In all fairness, at least the staff in Waitrose do take the effort to go and check in the back storeroom. This is unlike most shops in Cambridge (where I'm sure the staff - clones of Adrian Mole and I'm sure are paid in Clearasil) who simple utter "if it's not on display, we don't have it". I often wonder if shops in Cambridge do actually have any stock rooms ?
As usual I had the 'seek assistance' message at the Quickpay counter - making me feel like someone who has bought something that they shouldn't have (ironic as usual it was the Sunday Times).
Whilst I'm on a rant, other Cambridge specials include Sainsbury's not having any potatoes (stopped going there after that one), Domino's pizza not delivering after placing an online order (after calling to ask why my order hadn't been delivered I was told they had ran out of pizza bases).
Drinks
Drinks in All Bar One later in the afternoon, after realising when I got into the 'city' that I had forgotten to take my wallet with me. I like All Bar One, another example of an organisation that values the quality of its staff who are generally very friendly and efficient.
Arrived early on the flight from SFO. As we flew over Wales it looked covered in snow- though I'm sure everything still managed to function. However, nearer London is was completely clear - makes me wonder what all the fuss was about regarding the place in meltdown (not a good choice of expression I know- freezeup is probably better). Actually I know - people using the 'bad' weather as an excuse to be lazy.
As usual (well about 50% of the time) the IRIS system was broken at immigration. Makes me wonder why they even bother having it. I was about to take a picture of the broken machines but noticed some staff around so decided that was a bad idea. Government officials tend not to like the idea of someone photographing and spend time policing it (rather than fix the problems in the first place). The reason for the picture was simple - to prove to the complaints people that there actually was a problem. I've had several occasions where they have challenged me that at the given time the machines were in fact working - clearly I was the one at fault.
After a few expletives I was ushered to the airline staff fast track, where I asked the lady who checked my passport if the machines weren't working because the dwarfs who were inside of them hadn't made it in because of the snow - she laughed.
Usual wait around for luggage - I'm sure the people who were supposed to the transporting the luggage around the airport couldn't make it in due to the 'bad' weather (read excuse for some workshy slob to take Saturday morning off and sit watching football and drinking lager). London Underground had the usual weekend carnage - why not just report the bits of the underground that are actually working is probably a shorter list to rattle off using the tannoy than those that aren't.
... A world first ! - I am at the airport on Friday traveling back home a day early due to meeting times being optimal for a change (usually it's the opposite). It will also be good to get home early as I'm sure there will be carnage at LHR due to the poor weather conditions. I'd use the phrase 'meltdown' but that isn't really applicable I guess. I guess there was the wrong kind of snow in London and so everything has come to a standstill.
I'm sure I've gained a few pounds (how quickly I get into the American way of life !) in the trip here. Last night was ribs, have just eaten a steak in the lounge. The Virgin lounge at SFO isn't that great (esp. give it's before security), funny how you get to know the staff in such places. Looking around me there are many clones of 'the brit abroad' - it's like going into a clothing store in Cambridge and all the people look the same (no genetic comment intended).
So the main amusement on this trip is that at the security point as I checked in, the guy had to go off and check my ticket was valid for going home early. I was standing looking at the paperwork and there was a piece of paper titled 'watch list' with a list of names on it. For those who know me and are interested drop me a mail - I have a funny anecdote to tell you regarding the names on the list.
Right, boarding and bed awaits....
I'm finding the past few days I'm getting about 5hrs sleep. This is probably enough to survive on. However, I tend to find my concentration (and motivation) reduces when I don't have enough sleep. I guess this will be one of these trips where I board the flight, make up the bed, then sleep for the entire journey back.
So far the trip has been good. Lots of sunlight also helps - the weather here is nice and sunny and this makes such difference to how you feel. On the down side, I have been eating lots of junk food (Nachos last night) which I'm sure isn't good for the waistline. Still, a glass of red wine (my secret for keeping weight under control) is always good.
Seeing pictures of the snow does make me laugh. I remember as a child being knee deep in snow and everything functioning. Nowadays a fairly low snowfall and the country gets to a standstill. Well I guess that's what you'd expect from a country that adjusts train timetables in different seasons due to 'leaves on the trainline'.
Woke up this morning at 12AM with a massive headache. I guess having not travelled long haul for nearly 2 months I'm not used to jetlag - thankfully I had some melatonin and ibuprofen to take. Lunch today at Sichuan style Chinese restaurant. I'm not a great fan of the SF Bay area - but one thing it does very well is really good Asian food. I stupidly had one of my favourite dishes- sliced beef in chili oil pot. I'm so stupid- every time I have this I have a sore stomach the next day. Without fail at 6PM (2AM UK time) I started to feel unwell. Thankfully it passed quickly.
Dinner was steak and garlic mash with (British) guy from work who lives here now.
It feels like so long since I've been here (about 10 weeks or so I think). Our office has moved to a new location (nearer San Jose) so I'm staying at a new hotel. When I got here I realised that I actually had been to this area quite a few times before for lunch. A quick survey looks bad for health and the wallet:
- Large Borders - so that's books and DVDs sorted then. I need to remind myself not to go there after a few drinks in the evening (I am a perfect specimen of the '50 quid bloke' concept.
- BestBuy - so that's random gadgets sorted (and more DVDs)
- Various 'junk' food places
I've been here about 3hrs and had a round of Buffalo Wings and a plate or ribs. Let's just hope I can exert some self control (not something I'm well know for).
The good news is that the area is fairly nice and near to the office (I was worried it wouldn't be and I'd be isolated).
