Taunton & Edinburgh, Days XX-XX

The weather is actuallyr eally nice, so I don't have much of a desire to sit inside a internet cafe when there is like thousands of festivals popping off around me. So I'll be brief.

Currently in Edinburgh. First full day here.

When I turned up yesterday, when it was dribbling rain for hours, and finally found my hostel - the whole thing was covered in plastic sheathing and there were exposed wires everywhere. Huh? Construction was still going on. Stuck to the window with masking tape was an envelope with handwritten "S. Willis" on it. In case I hadn't noticed, THEY HADN'T FINISHED BUILDING THE FREAKING HOSTEL YET.

And here I am in the drooling rain with a backpack and soaked sueude shoes in the middle of possible the busiest weekend in Edinburgh being told that they kinda forgot to warn me that the building mightn't be finished when I booked.

That's a lie. They did warn me.

A day before I was due to arrive.

With a note.

Stuck to the window of the non-complete hostel.

And that's where I'll leave you in suspense. :)

London & Taunton Days 4-8

"It's called a mullet. Didn't your Beckham bring it back into fashion???"

I had to count the days to put in the little title bar. I think I'm going to stop doing that because it makes it feel too much like a count down and I know its just going to end when I already don't want it to.

Anywho.

Woke to the news of the attempted terrorist bombings on Thursday morning. So much more frigthteningly real in London. In Australia, it's all just shadows and political rhetoric shovelled by those with the most to gain (ie politicians and op-ed writers - which I refuse to dignify by calling Journalists). Here, its an actual threat or at least the physical proximity makes it feel like an actual threat. I wonder if Mark Story arrived in the UK before the flight restrictions?

Jason rang me at 5.30am to say hello. Thanks Jason. I seem to recall that I was cracking jokes that I thought were hilarious but I think left Jason a little bewildered. Thank you.

Made my way to the Tate Modern which was just awe-inspiring - the building itself and its contents. Only managed to do two floors in six hours: the turbine hall of modern sculpture and the paid exhibitions (Kadinsky and Hugyhe). I want to go back to see the more permanent collection. After seeing the William Blake and Francis Bacon at Tate Britain, I really want to see some Jeffery Smart and Rene Migrette if I can find them somewhere.

There was some quote by some artist at the exhibition "forget war and money, women will destroy your heart". Too true.

After that, I wandered the streets of London for 3 hours or so. What I particularly like about London is that the Thames is such a geographical marker. I can make my own way to places (See that Cathedral top? I'm giong to walk that way) AND be able to find my way back to Waterloo. Mighty useful.

I probably should add some acidic sacrasm to the proceedings here.

On my wanderings, I went through Victoria Park which seems to be the post-work make-out place for Britons. Tongue-ing was going on all about me.

Pip didn't like me getting lost and not calling. Sorry Pip. We spent much of that night talking about management philosophies - part of her job is looking after the corporate culture of her company. Lots of things to learn from her.

Friday saw me wander through Soho and Covent Garden. Had one of the few good coffees I've had in a week in a little italian place called Cafe Miro. It was furnished with wood and pot plants and old italian man talking. (And the cops were there too). The old man complained his daughter was beign raised by his ex-wife in Estonia and he hasn't had a chance to warn her about men now that she's 16. Let's hope she isn't being raised in Tallin, eh? :)Curious thing about Londin is just how many Cafes are franchises... Starbucks, Cafe Nero, Pet, Eat, blah blah blah. I hate them. They serve up bitter dishwater and call it coffee. So hard to find a small, owner-run cafe in this place.

Soho was bars, restraunts, adult book shops and lingere stores compressed into a few streets. I liked it.

If only IMAX 3D added a third dimension to characters then I might have bothered with seeing Superman Returns again.

Went to Metal Militias - a metal merchanding store off Oxford St. I think I've been there before, many many years ago, but I can't remember.

Then I caught a two hour train to Taunton.

Which is where the story slows down.

Staying with my family in Taunton which is frightfully uneventful, yetrelaxing and lovely. Staying in what I'd call a Country Manor (though its a renovated servants quarters). I'm being well looked after as my Aunt is a retired chef and I even have an en suite in my room. I had to join the local library to get internet access as there is no internet cafe here. So early 90s.

We'll go up to Wells and maybe Bath during the week. Off to Edinburgh for the festival on Friday. Wondering how much I need to book ahead.

I need coffee.