Update

I blame the setup of this particular Finnish machine, but I can't find the Edit button on the screen to modify the below picture and change its orientation. It's still pretty good considering it is all done from the phone rather than on a PC.

Thankfully Finnish keyboards are arranged more or less the same as UK and NZ ones, although finding the @ sign proved a challenge (Alt GR + 2 obviously). (Groovy Scandinavian keyboard - löök whåt I cän dö!)

Helsinki is great. I was last here about 12 years ago (and will be meeting a couple of guys I knew from back then) but didn't stop at all. I'm not here long today either, but will be back at the weekend at the latest. As I mentioned, this is off-season so many of things I might consider doing may not be available. And for those denigraters out there (and I felt denigrated even if there was not denigratory intention) you might be interested to hear about the weather. Admittedly, I've had my first rain this morning, but when I arrived I was told in no uncertain terms to avoid getting cold as it gets very cold indeed. So I went for a walk in a few layers expecting a sudden drop as I left the bar after the rugby (poor, poor Ireland) and proceeded to overheat, necessitating a visit to another bar before my return. It is pretty darn mild at the moment.

Finnair provided a good service so, despite my journey-long battle for the armrest with Mr I-have-a-big-paper-so-I'm-going-to-read-it, it was very pleasant. Certainly compared with being sat on the tube and being unable to control the volume of two Aussie girls jabbering away about the rugby.

And congratulations to the Phoenix on the first home win of the season! I understand that the mercurial (or even capricious) Daniel was on good form while my bete noir Ferrante was dropped. Excellent (waggles fingers in a Montgomery Burns style).

Off to Lahti today.

Helsinki

Yes, I know the picture is from the Egypt section of the wonderful British Museum, but I didn't want you worrying. Now in Finland! I little grey, but warm and still lovely. Very much off season though, I think.

A little kudos to the bank

They promised to get a debit card delivered to the branch before I left. And they did! I then asked them how I set my PIN, and they advised happily that, for security reasons, it's been sent to my home address. She got a little miffed when I looked at her as if she were an idiot. Perhaps I could get someone to open my mail and read me my PIN over the phone? I suggested that her 'security reasons' were slightly worse than my own idea, which was that I set it right here seeing as that is where I am, rather than the other side of the world. I noted that she was stretching out her fingers toward the 'Panic' button (for use when process, and therefore, brain fails) so I let it go. This time...

I also had the very strange experience of asking for some Euros from the bank and they said, here have some pounds: take them to the money exchange down the road as their rate is far better than ours!

So, London today before Finland tomorrow. I'd better get packing.

West Pier

It's rather sad and pathetic isn't it? Especially considering its glamorous and exciting past.

Brighton Part II

So, back trolling round Brighton. I've been organising rooms in Helsinki and Stockholm this morning so I don't intend to do anything too exciting today. Tomorrow I'm off to that London again. But yesterday was a beautiful, sunny day again. Largely. I did have to put a top over my shirt on the beach, as the wind (a gentle zephyr compared with home) was a trifle chill. But, as you can see, the ludicrous but entertaining Pavilion looked wonderful.
It is an embarrassment of a building: patronising and insulting the heritages of India, China and Britain. I like it. That probably says more about me than you really cared to know. Saying which, you probably already know more about me than you care to.


The Pier was also great, populated as it was by the traditional, rocking crowd.

I'll have to work out the HTML formatting on this another time. I'm hungry. Thankfully Marks and Spencers is just too far for me to wander over there for breakfast. I'd only walk out with more underpants.

Another film I saw on the plane was Paris, Je T'Aime. It kind of perpetuated the stereotypes that might have been expected: Paris is beautiful, the women delicate and aloof, and the men violent and promiscuous. I liked it a lot and was even quite moved by a couple of sections (it was a collage of episodes by different directors and actors) despite the fun, but ludicrous, vampire one. Reminded me of someone I know who really would love Paris if ever they got there...
I also got to see the Lives of Others, a film I'd wanted to watch for a while, even though it had been recommended by MKB (heh). A very very good film on every level. To put you in a position of some sympathy with a Stasi operative is a remarkable achievement.

The 'tank' wot I drove

See? It's a real one, although not exactly a tank per se

Back at a PC

A fun-packed few days left me somewhat tired. However, I now have completed many of my duties/chores/opportunities for the England leg. I'm almost at a loose end. Almost.
I have now got all 4 visas after a relatively brief visit to the Kazakh embassy this morning. My UK bank account is now available to me (huzzah!). I have seen the dinosaurs at the Natural History museum (a little disappointing apart from the dinosaurs, but still good). Forest delivered a fantastic 4-0 victory purely for my benefit. Plus other sundries, such as I now have a camera which I am assured will be adequate for my needs - I went for quality rather than quantity on the pixellage front, so I'll probably be laughed at.
I also drove a tank. Okay, maybe it wasn't technically a tank, but it was near enough for me. Nine tonnes of metal which (after a certain settling-in period) was under my control. Marvellous. I can't thank the relevant parties enough for that. I was also permitted to get up close and personal with a Spitfire (which might make Ratkin a little jealous) and a Catalina (similarly for Ronaldo) and there's a picture of that last one below.
Seeing Forest again was also wonderful. Last time I went we won 1-0 but had a horrible way of playing football and Megson as manager. This time, we had a patient and controlled style and getting lots of goals helped enormously. The manager is also one of the more presentable in the league, even if he does sound a little like Sir Alex Ferguson. Chris Cohen and Luke Chambers in particular look like heroes in the making. Hope for the future.
The return from Nottingham was a reminder that, despite the shiny, quiet new trains (and shiny new prices), the rail network in the UK is still very fragile. Not much fun to be had on that journey.
Many thanks to Wavey for putting me up, despite the return of the glamorous but jet-lagged Mrs Wavey and it being his birthday today. And also to the piskie and the beardless man for the picnic on Hyde Park yesterday. Just occasionally, I am more than happy to do very very little.
I need to get to the planning thing very soon now...

PS: I tried to get to Lloyds phone banking, but they asked me what my overdraft limit was. I don't know because I don't use it and haven't used it in years. Is there any other question you can ask? No, this is the security question, otherwise I could be talking to anyone. No you couldn't: I can tell you anything about this person (what with it being me) and about the transactions that I just made this morning. So, because I don't know the value of a facility I don't use, you won't validate my ID. That's a frankly pathetic attitude to take. It's not my attitude, it's the question I am given.
So I'll have to go back into a bank (with my passport to prove my ID) to find out what my overdraft limit is so I can phone up to get a user ID. I can't be given this in a bank either. And I was going to be so nice about them, too.