Got to London, but…
- The plug adapter I spent $20 bucks on at Radio Shack only has two holes on the American side, and I need three. I just bought it Sunday and threw it in the suitcase. I’m down to 14 percent battery power.
- The Internet connection at the hotel is fitful. I finally connected after working with the guy at the front desk for about half an hour. They tell me that tomorrow, I’ll need a whole new password.
- Oh, yes, the lift is out of order, and we’re on the third floor. So, a dilemma — after I carried half the EXTREMELY HEAVY suitcases up to the third floor and the bellhop carried the rest, should I tip him extra, or not at all, as I stand there huffing and puffing? I gave him three pounds, as it happens.
More when I have power…
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I’d tip him a quid a bag. SOME people manage to travel with a whole lot less…
If you just needed some of the luggage for Oxford, I’d have checked it downstairs if at all possible until you’re ready to leave…but too late now. There used to be secure lockers at the train stations, too. I’d say that after 9/11 maybe not, except that I was there when the IRA was frequently bombing London.
Next time, translate into English.
Does the hotel not keep adapters on hand for guests? I’m sure this comes up all the time …
It is good to know that the UK is still so different from the US, just as Texas is still so different from South Carolina. Even with high-speed communication (depending on the wifi system and our battery supply)and fast transportation (when the aircraft can move on the ground in the snow), when we go from one place to another, we have new experiences, meet new people, learn new things and acquire new knowledge. We have to adapt to their way of life and their very different culture, even though our minds and bodies are hardwired to our comfortable life in South Carolina. Even so, we will must venture beyond our state and beyond our country. We come back wiser and humbler — and want to go again.
Travel is such a broadening experience.
@Emerson
Couldn’t agree more. Due to job requirements, I spent a significant portion of 2010 in Toronto, Dallas, Salt Lake City, and Tampa.
One thing I did notice is that all three of those cities still have excellent newspapers (Toronto’s Globe and Mail is fantastic). It really helps to understand what is going on in the area.
@ Doug –yeah–The State is really getting to be such a bummer. On Tuesday, they bumped the weather for all the post-Christmas obits, but still found plenty of room for sports stories (and Rooms To Go ads).
If other cities can still have decent papers, why can’t we?
Brad, first lesson for a traveler with laptop is always have one of those US adapters to go from three to two prongs; you can get them at any Walmart. I need them occasionally in this country.
You must have gone to SC way-East.
I just read that SC has some of the worst Internet connection in the nation.
Is that ketchup in the other picture??
“My MacBook adapter only has two, nonpolarized prongs,” she said smugly.