Yesterday I went to London. As the train pulled into Paddington they announced that the only tube line running was the Bakerloo. Which isn't a particularly pleasant line at the best of times, certainly not when it's hot and it's only line stopping at Paddington. So, having established that it was an easy walk, I walked to Oxford Circus. I didn't get lost (although I did consult my map twice). The bit in Hyde Park was quite pleasant, walking through the crowds on Oxford was less so, but I did stop off in a few shops to have a look around, but not buy anything.

Then today I cleaned my bookshelves. I didn't get rid of much because I can't decide, for quite a few books, whether I'm likely to read them or not. But once I've moved I'll have space to buy more bookcases, so then everything will get moved around anyway and I can make decisions. I still have all my other furniture to clean and everything to go through to get rid of stuff I don't want, but at least I've made a start.

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Life, Travel: London, Moving

I ended up reactivating my Facebook account (I never completely deleted it because I didn't trust them to delete my data). After the end of Rotaract dinner with people I hadn't seen for years I thought I really ought to keep up with them. And then at the windmill there were people I hadn't seen for a year, so I knew nothing of what had happened to them during that time, but they all knew about each other.

So I ended up going back on Facebook. It looks like I can see all status updates on TweetDeck and post from TweetDeck and I am assured that these days emails to say you have a message tell you what the message is. So I shouldn't have to actually go to Facebook itself. But it is purely a real life thing - I only have Rotaractors and people I knew at uni on there (plus Emma who is the only person from school I still talk to).

And then after that I got curious about Google+. So I used my netbook, where I'm trying out Firefox 4.0. I found that it's much easier to change the privacy settings on Google+ than Facebook. And that's the only thing I've done on either of them really. I don't intend to use Google+ for anything, not least because it seems to have chosen one of my Gmail accounts to associate with my Googld+ account. Which isn't a bad choice, but I wish it had warned me in advance.

On the topic of old friends, I'm off to London this afternoon to meet livii - and shinyjenni and sillycleo too. It's been very handy having people come here, when I can't go anywhere. This year I've also seen selenay936, hhertzof, just_ann_now and munditia and I've only had to go as far as Coventry and London.

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Internet, Life, Travel: England, Facebook

I learnt some interesting things I didn't know, like America gave us aid during the war, on the basis that we'd pay them back later. And the minute the war was over they stopped and we have to convince them that actually everything hadn't immediately gone back to normal and we still needed it. I knew children were evacuated right at the start in 1939, then when no bombs were dropped on London, some of them went back. But then they ended up getting evacuated again, and they went in schools - they had to turn up at school to be evacuated. Some people who were sent to the South Coast then had to be moved again because that wasn't safe. Some children were sent abroad to America and Canada and Australia, and some had their ships hit and sunk and they all died. Some of them were treated as skivvies and the families that took them in did it just for the money. If all that wasn't bad enough, the children that arrived on the Kindertransport were stuck on the Isle of Man as enemy aliens! But I was amused by the photo of children crowding into a sweet shop when sweet rationing ended in 1953.

I took some photos in the museum.

After that I walked up to Waterloo via the river the opposite side of the Houses of Parliament. Which was a pretty, if long way round. I met my best friend and her boyfriend and his friend, where we had undercooked chips in the pub in the station. They promised on the menu to serve them within 13 minutes of ordering - it took them more like 3. Handily, the boyfriend knew where I was going because my plan was to go to Festival Hall, as I knew where that was, and wonder around until I found the BFI.

Once there I met cosmic_llin, carawj, silly_cleo, Karen, Alistair and Jenny. I think. The BFI turns out to have horrid seats. I thought the spaces between your legs and the seat in front was wide, it turned out that's because the backs of the seats go back when you lean on them. So then your neck is really unsupported and it's just so uncomfortable. I had a headache by the end.

They started by showing us the end of The Green Death and the end of Hand of Fear. It was great to see them with an audience because everyone laughed at Mike Yates saying "That's marvellous" in a voice that suggested it wasn't at Jo getting married, and the Brig telling Mike to have a drink. And Cliff stopping off in Cardiff. And the Doctor promising Sarah he's landed in South Croydon. They did a short quiz, then we had the main event.

I enjoyed the episode, although with SJA at the moment I'm never sure about the first five minutes and then I like it. Some of it didn't make sense because I hadn't seen The Nightmare Man and was avoiding spoilers. I couldn't help laughing as soon as Mr Smith spoke because I was remembering all the videos I'd watched with Alexander Armstrong in the morning. And the minute Rani's Dad popped up all I could think was that he tortured Harry (because Spooks is on at the moment).

I'll say more about the episode once it's been on, but I really enjoyed it. I would say I liked it more than the other SJA episode the Doctor's been in, but since I think that might be the worst episode SJA has had, that wouldn't be saying much. I loved the Doctor in it and I loved Jo in it and there's a great bit at the end which did get a round of applause, but I'm not going to say why because it would spoil the surprise.

Afterwards they had a panel (of which I have blurry/dark photos depending on whether I had the flash on or off). There were a lot of general questions and Lis Sladen was asked to repeat the story of how she came to be back on Doctor Who. Katy Manning told the story of how she came to be on SJA, which mostly consisted of people ringing her/her ringing her agent and no one telling her anything, except that she couldn't tell anyone! Katy Manning turns out to be as mad in real life as I've heard. She turns everything into innuendo, including something as innocent as a roving mike (for the audience to ask questions).

The panel agreed the Trickster was scary because he had no eyes. Most of the panel grew up with Jon Pertwee/Tom Baker being the Doctor they saw as children, except Joe Lidster, for whom it was Sylvester McCoy. Katy Manning said she watched Doctor Who before she was in it and she's been watching the new series. But not SJA because it's not been on in Australia. She also said she knew the cartoon K9 series would fail when they rang her up and asked her to do the K9 voice for them because they didn't know what he was supposed to sound like...

Given that they had the Brig on last series, and now they've had Jo Gary Russell said they had no plans to bring back any more old companions, but they hadn't ruled it out. They filmed the first half of series 5 at the same time as series 4, so they just have to go back and film the second half. And hopefully a series 6 too. Lis Sladen, for some inexplicable reason, wants to do an episode set on a health farm.

That's all I can remember. It didn't finish till 10.15, so I was struggling a bit by then with the amount I'd done that had made me dizzy and headachy. So I thought when I got to bed at 12.30 (having got the second to last train) that I'd sleep late last night. Bearing in mind my alarm goes off at 7.45am, I woke up at 7am this morning. Today I have the day off as I'm going back to London to see Chris Addison and doubtless have the same bedtime. Just tomorrow I'll be back at work and expected to have more of a brain than I currently have...

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Travel, TV: London, SJA

So far I've watched four episodes of Spooks and other things too, but that was my first priority. Although I had to do them in bits because they're so emotional. Tomorrow I have off work, so I'll catch up with everything then.c

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Travel: Canada

They changed the clocks in Canada this weekend, so I'm five hours behind home again. But no one told my body clock that, so I woke up at 6am. And being Sunday the World's Biggest Bookstore doesn't open until 11am.

I uploaded loads of photos of Niagara Falls yesterday. So many that I had to delete kittens to make space on my card. It turns out the hotel by the airport tomorrow night does have free wireless internet, so I will upload the last of my photos - which will be lots of views of Canada from up the CN Tower. And hopefully me on the glass floor. Watch this space... (or rather, watch my flickr space because I haven't been posting to here everytime I upload photos)c

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Meme, Travel: Canada, Meme: fanfic

I am looking forward to going to Niagara Falls on Saturday because that'll be so different from everything else. And I haven't allowed myself to buy souvenirs because I'd have to carry them, so I can buy tat there. And I'm looking forward to seeing Hilary and what we have planned for Sunday.

I'm just ready for my life to go back to normal now.

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Travel: Canada

Although, of course now I've got used to my way around this city and getting buses, I have to get used to a new one. Although Toronto has trams, which are quite exciting in themselves, so I intend to get trams a lot, instead of walking. The soles of my feet might drop off otherwise, and that's through expensive walking boots too.

I do have some interesting photos. First of all, a nightclub called Zaphod Beeblebrox. It's interesting that the signs above it talk about hot and cold buffet in English, but hot or cold buffet in French. Also, there's The Brig Pub. They're next door to each other as well!

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Travel: Canada

However, I had planned to answer emails & lj comments etc (and I have stuff marked as read in Thunderbird and my RSS Reader). But the trouble is that after walking around and learning things all day I'm too tired in the evenings to do anything much. I am looking forward to having Wednesday off, as I'll be spending the morning lazing around in Ottawa, the afternoon on a train and the evening lazing around in Toronto. Or at least that's the plan. I planned to laze around in Montreal a bit too and that never really happened.

So far I like Ottawa, it's much smaller to walk in, it has impressive buildings and people indicate (it's weird how the French in Canada are exactly like the French in France in that respect - except that here people don't try to run you over). And it has a livii And some gluten free bread that tastes quite nice. And I do mean nice, rather than "not disgusting". But so far I haven't tried to take it anywhere, and I've been taking good care of it, so it hasn't fallen apart yet. It will when I get to Toronto, I'm sure. Otherwise I'll be buying it in bulk and shipping it home.

I have finally got over my jet lag and can now sleep till 8am. Usually I'm complaining about waking up that early, but it's a big improvement on 6.30am... And since I end up falling asleep about 11am, that's a reasonable amount of sleep anyway. I just dread to think how tired I'll be in the mornings when I get home. The good thing is that they don't change the clocks in Canada till next weekend, and as I have to get up early the Monday after it basically won't affect me and means I'll end up being 4 hours out at home. She says hopefully...

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Travel: Canada

The hostel I was staying at was basically a big house. On my floor were four bedrooms and two bathrooms - each bathroom had a toilet, sink and shower in it. So you can imagine the queues given that my room have eight people in it... It was very nice and friendly, but the room was boiling, the mattress was the softest thing ever, the bunk beds moved with the slightest movement. And I just couldn't take the sharing a room with seven people - especially as it was a smaller room than I shared with three people in Montreal.

Since they didn't take credit cards I'd only given them a bit of cash, so I decided to look into self catering hotels instead (which I didn't know existed until quite recently). I booked myself in one that was quite central and when I got here I got up to the room and it stank of smoke, even though I'd asked for a non-smoking room. The only way they could get me a non smoking room with a kitchen was to upgrade me to an executive room. I'll take photos of it tomorrow in the light because it's massive - it's bigger than my flat.

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Travel: Canada

The sleeper train was very exciting, but now I'm so tired. I already hadn't got over my jet lag, then I didn't get much sleep last night and changed time zones so now it's even earlier than I think it is. My computer think it's 1.35am and although it's actually only 7.35pm, I feel more like it's the former, rather than the latter. So I might well do more catching up with the internet from Ottawa and just watch videos because that's pretty much all I'm capable of.

So far I like Montreal. I have tried out bits of French, but mostly I only have to say 'Bonjour' and people speak back to me in English. So having a terrible French accent is actually a good thing. I've been walking everywhere rather than using the metro, only partly because it's a lovely sunny day that's mostly been warm enough not to need a hat (but I have needed both jumpers).

I have found a supermarket, so I have more snacks. Not the really nice wafers they had in Atlantic, but I do now have bourbons and custard creams. My potato bread fell apart on the journey in my suitcase, so I started on the Italian bread, but it's so dry it's horrible. I have found there is a health food shop on the same road the hostel is (if at the opposite end), so I will see what bread they have tomorrow.

Tomorrow I'll go to a museum, I think, and after I'll be back to the English speaking world in Ottawa, and also more getting lost.

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Travel: Canada

Sel's kittens are very sweet, if crazy. It's been really cold here, except today which was really nice weather. I'd be happy if it stays like that.

So far I really like Canada and unlike America, don't feel a desperate need to go home. The accents aren't as bad and they do acknowledge the existence of the metric system, which helps a lot.

Even though I'd been warned, all the people are amazingly friendly and people in shops and restaurants can't do enough for you. Except tell you how to pay by plastic. And I had to have help getting money out of a cash machine because it asked me a question that was non-sensical (which account I wanted to get money from - the answer was the account that belonged to the card - but Sel explained why it asked that question - crazy system).

Tomorrow I go to Montreal on a sleeper train, which is quite exciting. Then I should be on the internet more because I won't have anyone I know with me - except when I meet livii, Hilary and maybe Manda. And to think I thought I didn't know anyone in Canada and it wouldn't be quite like my Australian trip.

If you want to see them, I have put 44 photos (mostly of kittens) at my flickr page - link down the side.

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Travel: Canada

Last week I saw three houses. The first was just down from where I live now - three blocks away (and by blocks I mean of flats). It's more than I pay now, but was smaller - the kitchen was tiny, but the bathroom was massive. All the rooms came off the lounge as well, which is a pain for having people over to stay.

Then I saw one in a former foundry. It's also more than I'm paying now and very quirky. The lounge would be big except there's a step separating the lounge and dining room. The bedroom doesn't go right to the far wall and you can look over the rail down to the lounge below. The bathroom doesn't have a window and all the things in it (bath, toilet, sink) are all dark blue. The walls are also dark blue. So you can imagine how dark that room is, especially as it's only small. I loved it to bits, but it's just not practical to live in (there's a good reason why I haven't looked at any of the places with a spiral staircase in).

Then I saw one in the next town (that would mean I'd have to drive to work from). It's less than I'm paying now and about the same size ish. But I liked it. It's first floor, so no neighbours above and it had red carpets. You can only get to the kitchen from the lounge, but the rest of the rooms are off the hall, so it's not too bad for having people staying.

So I told them I wanted it and it's all approved. After I get back I have to give them large amounts of money and work out what date I'm moving in. Then pack and try to get rid of some of my crap and work through my list of people/companies I have to tell I'm moving. And change my doctors, which I'm not looking forward to. But at least it's all sorted and I don't have to worry about it while I'm away or when I get back.

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Life, Travel: Canada, Life, Moving

When you book a flight you get to choose one type of meal from the drop-down list, so I chose non-lactose, since that only takes an hour to make me ill. So I asked them if I could have gluten free too to keep it simple, as if I listed everything I couldn't have they'd throw a wobbler no doubt.

But then I spent five minutes trying to convince them that's what I needed, otherwise I wouldn't be able to eat at all. At the end of that time all she could tell me was that I could try and ask them when I check in. Which is really helpful.

When I last flew to America Virgin managed to get me something I could eat from First Class, but there's no guarantee of that, so I'll have to bring enough to eat for the whole flight.

As if flying isn't stressful enough, given that I get travel sick and worry about getting there in time.

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Travel: Canada

Then I booked a train from Halifax to Montreal which takes 20 hours and includes a bed and that cost me £150.

And the government wonders why people don't use public transport.

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Travel: Travel

So, to help me plan:
a) What is there to do in these places that people would recommend?
b) Does anyone want to meet up in any of them? (the trouble I always have going away is what to do in the evenings)

The plan is to start off with selenay936 in Halifax, so that part's sorted. From there I'm thinking of going to Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. I fly out from the latter, so I definitely have to go there!

The only thing I know I'm going to do is Niagara Falls. Apart from that, going to Canada/US/Australia is always a problem because the main thing I do on holidays is castles. And other old things. So apart from those, I'd like to do stuff that'll tell me the history of the country, go up tall things. I don't really know beyond that.

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Travel: Canada

Then we went to a different train station via the village where they filmed The Android Invasion. I accidentally went through it rather than round, so when I got back and watched bits I honestly can't say whether it's the same place or not. If it is then they've put road markings down since.

By the time we got to Cardiff it was raining (unsurprisingly for Wales). We went to see Sarah Jane's house, and Alan and Maria's.

A quick trip to the castle (well, as fast as you can go up a keep with steep, slippery steps) and some second-hand bookshops and the Oxfam bookshop, and then we visited Torchwood. And I can prove that the invisible lift really works.

It turned out the Doctor Who Exhibition opened past 5pm and only cost £4, so we went round that taking photos of nearly everything - it was handy it was so empty. When we came out I might have accidentally bought a sonic lipstick and little remote control dalek. The latter is a black version of an ordinary gold dalek I have, so I will have to get myself some pink paint and paint them in the summer when I can do it outside - it doesn't matter if I accidentally paint the grass pink.

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Travel, TV: Doctor Who (Classic), Doctor Who (New), Wales

So, because for some reason I was thinking about this yesterday: Places I want to visit:

Places I've never been to:

• Edinburgh (and back on the sleeper train)
• Croatia
• Somewhere in Scandanavia where I can see the Northern Lights and the Midnight Sun
• Italy
• Spain: Madrid and Barcelona perhaps. But not when it's hot
• Egypt
• Israel (if they ever stop bombing each other
• South Africa
• East bit of Canada - which I'm doing next autumn, starting off with selenay936 in Nova Scotia and working down to Toronto, taking in Quebec, Montreal and Ottawa
• Vancouver (will have to come back to that bit)
• San Francisco
• Tasmania
• Brisbane
• Uluru (which isn't a place, I know, but I'm making up the rules)
• New Zealand

Places that I want to go back to:

• Northern Ireland
• Dublin and the Republic of Ireland
• Paris
• Prague
• Romania
• Las Vegas
• New York (I forgot to go to Flushing Meadow, so I have to go back for that)
• Sydney

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Travel: Travel

Eventually I got there, approaching it from an entirely different direction, only to find they've moved everything around. They also labelled their red grapefruit as pink and they didn't have chocolate buttons. However I passed a Holland and Barrett in my getting lost and went in just in case. They had three packets - I now have two left. Hopefully, some local Holland and Barretts will have some. But now I've had a packet I feel better. I just need Harry to shut up about the chocolate buttons and talk about Ruth instead. Or smarties, I have some packets of those.

I got the bus back to the tube station after that, and made my way to the British Museum. I'm gradually working my way through London's museums. This was one that was very badly signposted and I only found it because I thought the road with coaches parked on it was suspicious. I had a wander round all the ordinary boring museum stuff and thought it wasn't going to take me long to get round. Until I found the ground floor (I came in on floor -1, which was very confusing). They had a big room of massive statues and gates etc from the Egyptians and some other eras I can't remember. But they were all really impressive. And then I found a massive marble structure in another room. And then I found the Parthenon. I ended up spending two hours in there.

And then I got lost in the museum trying to find the cloakroom. It was a very confusing layout. I decided to go out the main entrance, on the basis that lots of other people were, and by following them I found Tottenham Court Road station. I went into the Sainsburys there on the off-chance and mixed in with their red grapefruit with a pink sticker on, were some that looked as if they might be pink. So fingers crossed for when I cut one open tomorrow morning.

I was home in time to watch SJA: Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? For which there will now be spoilers if you're not up to date with the CBBC episodes.

I wasn't sure about it from what I'd heard, on the basis that there wasn't going to be a lot of Sarah in it. But before I watched dad told me he and mum liked it (since they watch it live once a fortnight), so I knew I would.

Although I was so afraid that they were going to reset everything so that Alan wouldn't remember, especially when he was running from the Graske. Which was quite funny. But I like that he now knows, especially when he was so good at saving the world. It'll be interesting to see how much he helps next story.

It was in the trailer for this, but I still really disliked how Sarah said Maria was the one she trusted most. I can believe it, but only with qualifiers for Harry (not around) and Luke (who might not quite understand). It just seemed like they did it purely for the story.

I wonder if they cast the older actress for Andrea on the basis that she looks a bit like Sarah. The younger version didn't. I didn't like her - I know that was the idea, but I just never found her sympathetic at all, not even at the end. She was just annoying, which didn't help. I didn't even like Sarah in this - all the 'I'll never leave you' crap was just so overdone. Any more of it and I'd have needed a sick bucket.

It was interesting, how Chrissie and Andrea were making comments about Alan/Andrea. It makes me wonder if they did it on purpose to highlight how there's no Alan/Sarah at all.

I am looking forward to the next one, even if it is the last.

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Travel, TV: England, SJA

Friday

I didn't rush to get up Friday, but enjoyed my lie-in. The buses and terribly well timed so I had a 50 minute wait for my train. I was a bit taken aback at a 1 hour 20 minute journey costing £38. It didn't help that it's too far west to use my railcard.

I managed to find the youth hostel in Cardiff quite well. It was alright to stay in, but I wouldn't particularly recommend it. The rooms were cold - probably because they use the old school system where the heating doesn't go on until October. The bathroom was warm, if badly laid out - the mirror was on the back of the door, and there are no mirrors in the rooms. The showers were a pod-like things with the hooks on the side behind the door when it was open.

The kitchen was far too small - considering they have 70 beds, they only had one kettle! I did discover on the last day though, that if you come down for breakfast after they put away the free toast it's a lot quieter. The beds were uncomfortable too. This was because the sheet on the bed included a hole for the pillow. After the first night I took the pillow out and laid the sheet half over it, which was much better.

It wasn't too bad for a few nights, cheaply, but I'd probably go somewhere else next time.

I wondered round town for ages trying to find the tourist information. It's really badly signposted. I eventually discovered a map and realised I'd gone quite close to it but turned the wrong way. The tourist information turned out to be a bit of an anticlimax anyway, and by the time I'd asked for a map I'd wondered around so much I pretty much knew where everything was anyway.

After that I went on an open top bus tour. I find it a good way to discover what to go and see - much better than the tourist information in this case! It wasn't too cold, wasn't raining, and was really interesting, so well worth the money.

Saturday

I got up early and met sarah_janesmith. We went to see Sarah Jane's house. And nearly walked past it! Then we walked down to Cardiff Bay to frolick in front of the fountain. Or stand on Torchwood's invisible lift and look mysterious (although me, being a crap actor, meant I bit my lip to stop from smiling).

We didn't go to the Doctor Who Exhibition because it looked crap, but we spent plenty of time in the shop. They even now have Doctor Who tablecloths, paper plates, paper cups and napkins! All at ridiculous prices, of course. After that we wandered round a bit, talked a lot, but eventually our feet dropped off. Half an hour's sit down, soon solved that and we went our separate ways.

I went to Cardiff Castle. It was definitely well worth paying extra for the tour. The castle's got an interesting history, as it started off as a Roman fort, which is why the castle is square. Then the Normans got in there and built a keep on a mound. Then the Bute family came along and it was their manor house, basically.

One of the Marquis of Bute had an architect friend at Oxford, who was off his trolley, frankly. He didn't just decorate the rooms, he over-decorated them. The men's room had the theme of time, the children's room had nursery story pictures round it (with Little Red Riding Hood riding the wolf). There was no space he left. The nicest room was the Drawing Room (I think, all these dining/drawing rooms got me mixed up) which was left in the Georgian style - ie more minimalist. Although that was so they had space to hang the family portraits.

Fortunately, after the Second World War, the family moved back to Scotland and left the Castle to the people. After the tour, I went up the 110 steps of the keep to get a view of the City. Which just looks like a city really - apart from the Civic Centre there's not that much pretty in it. The Millennium Stadium, in particular, looks like a monstrosity.

Sunday

Having exhausted Cardiff city, I spent Sunday in Cardiff Bay. This is where the Millennium Centre is aka that bit that looks familiar. The visitors centre there was far easier to find, but just as useless.

I decided to go to the Barrage. The Bay is redeveloped Dockland, and when they did it, they made the water in the Bay freshwater, at a constant height and they pump oxygen into it like a fishtank. The Barrage keeps it that way, and has locks to let boats in and out - the seawater was much lower, when I was there at least.

There aren't many ways to get there, specially at the end of September. So I took a boat - which was inside and quite warm. The Barrage, on the other hand, being windy, was freezing. The first half hour I spent there was waiting for the road to go back down. There was no where to go inside out of the wind either, so I didn't spend too long on the other side of it, as the boats back only went once an hour and I didn't want to miss it.

I wasn't quite sure what to do after that, but the Millennium Centre provided. They have a free stage on the ground floor and just after I got there (thinking I'd quite like a sit down) Pembrokeshire school bands provided a concert. So I stood up for an hour and a half, enjoying myself listening to a string band, Big Band and Jazz Band all of whom were really good.

Monday

The rain started Sunday night and didn't stop until I got home. So I was glad I didn't have much left I wanted to do. Mostly, I just wandered round some shops and tried to find the toilets in Howells, which was Hendriks in Rose, but are in reality, House of Fraser. And have non-existant toilets.

To summarise - I enjoyed myself, was amazed at how little it really rained, and now feel like I've done Cardiff.

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Travel: Wales

A proper write-up to follow - I still have 2 hours 15 mins of TV to catch up on and 40 unread RSS Feeds. For now, though, there are photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/paranoidangel/tags/cardiff/

I read six Chalet School books in preparation for my TARDIS Big Bang story, and now I think I need to read more. But I definitely like the Austrian ones better than the English & Welsh ones. I wrote 10 pages of notes on A6, which hopefully I'll be able to make some sort of coherent sense out of. I'm not sure some of the original makes sense, which doesn't help.

I watched SJA live:

Spoilers for Eye of the Gorgon part 1:

I can't really evaluate the story without having seen part 2. Although the trailer at the end tells me all I need to know about how they're going to resolve it. I resolve not to watch those after part 1s in future.

Mrs Warbouys was in it! I wonder if they got her to do this at the same time as Smith and Jones? Luke's as adorable as ever, Maria's mum continues to make me want to slap her. Sarah saying "Mr Smith, I need you," followed by accompanying effects is old already. If they do that every episode I might hit something.

I was waiting for that old woman, or her husband, to have a link to the Doctor. But it looks like he just found stuff. Although that doesn't account for the Sontaran she mentioned.

So far, better than Revenge of the Slitheen, but that rather depends on next week.

Permalink | No comments | Categories: Travel, TV: SJA, Wales