Friday, February 24, 2006
Somewhere in England
Written (though not posted) on a train somewhere in England (parked in Cheltenham Spa station at this instant, but it wont be for long).
I've always been a fan of rail travel. When it works properly, then I find it more relaxing than flying and for the right length of trip it can be quicker as well. Plenty of leg-room, the opportunity to look out of the window and on this occasion a snack-box to keep the hunger pangs at bay.
I was mildly disappointed that the views crossing the pennines were not more interesting. I suppose that is because the railway always tends to take the easiest route and interesting is usually associated with steep gradients. Still, this is still an excellent way to see the country and also gives the opportunity to do a little work as well.
The preparation for the conference tomorrow is complete. The presentation was completed and reviewed a couple of days ago. I've rehearsed the narration as much as I think is necessary. So today I've used the time preparing documentation for a series of "workshop" meetings I'm running starting next month.
The workshops are intended to make some basic policy or design decisions for the software we are going to be implementing (and no, it is not at all closely connected to ferrying cows across dirty rivers!)
On the train up to York I had a pleasant experience. I met a man from South Korea. I'm usually pretty reserved, but he struck up a conversation which me and he was a interesting character, an academic involved with English literature, on his way to the university in Edinburgh. So, to recap, we have a man, who originated in Korea, who teaches English literature, discussing current affairs with another man, who lives in Ireland but works in England, to a train travelling between London and York. The world really is quite a strange place!
I've always been a fan of rail travel. When it works properly, then I find it more relaxing than flying and for the right length of trip it can be quicker as well. Plenty of leg-room, the opportunity to look out of the window and on this occasion a snack-box to keep the hunger pangs at bay.
I was mildly disappointed that the views crossing the pennines were not more interesting. I suppose that is because the railway always tends to take the easiest route and interesting is usually associated with steep gradients. Still, this is still an excellent way to see the country and also gives the opportunity to do a little work as well.
The preparation for the conference tomorrow is complete. The presentation was completed and reviewed a couple of days ago. I've rehearsed the narration as much as I think is necessary. So today I've used the time preparing documentation for a series of "workshop" meetings I'm running starting next month.
The workshops are intended to make some basic policy or design decisions for the software we are going to be implementing (and no, it is not at all closely connected to ferrying cows across dirty rivers!)
On the train up to York I had a pleasant experience. I met a man from South Korea. I'm usually pretty reserved, but he struck up a conversation which me and he was a interesting character, an academic involved with English literature, on his way to the university in Edinburgh. So, to recap, we have a man, who originated in Korea, who teaches English literature, discussing current affairs with another man, who lives in Ireland but works in England, to a train travelling between London and York. The world really is quite a strange place!
# posted by tom_gillies @ 1:09 PM 
