crud those helicopters kept me up for 2 hours.

i originally logged in to look for warnings or news alerts or something. then i got to editing previous posts to add hyperlinked info.

this is undisputably the coolest map i’ve seen to date of the transport system in london. click on the link to open the map, then click on the station names for more information — including very detailed street maps of the surrounding area. TfL (Transport for London) Interactive Map

ok this was a most interesting week.

well in houston when there are helicopters swarming the area one tends to get nervous, since this is a sign of:

1) police looking for dangerous fugitive
2) potential hostile takeover from terrorists

but in london on a friday night it can only mean:
helicopter tours

ok now i can sleep easy.

boy the air here sure is dry compared to the sub-tropics of houston.

also fyi, it seems that i’m only writing about internet access points but this is a kind of “handsel & gretel” breadcrumb trail i’m leaving behind.

kind of like a terrestrial “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” sort of thing as well…

mabel’s tavern, fyi (referencing the previous post)

http://www.shepherdneame.co.uk/pub/london/mabels-tavern.aspx

i’m trying to find the source (or a closer access point) of the signal that I occasionally access via my hotel room. it was a “good” quality signal in front of the pub next to the hotel so i did the logical thing and went in to investigate. 🙂

too bad. the signal is completely gone but i picked up a new one… “low” quality but it works… and yum the pint of Oranjeboom (yep that’s how it’s spelt*) isn’t bad at all…

*and “spelt” is really spelt “spelt” here, not spelled “spelled” as in over there…

gotta go. the concierge is getting restless.

i’ve been editing the posting below as i performed research…

today’s intensive online research yields the following information:

gov’t safety info for americans
* http://travel.state.gov/acs.html

promising sites for grade-school research
* http://www.parentcentre.gov.uk/

* http://www.schoolsnet.com

* http://www.expatagency.com/click on “Education” button

* http://www.uk-yankee.com/schools.php

promising sites for americans living in or moving to the uk
* one of my favorite info sites for americans living in the uk switched from free access to fee-based access. grrr.

* http://www.naconnect.com/Links_Resources.htm

* http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_web/acs/ukentry/family-uk.htm

* http://www.expatagency.com/ click on “Keyfacts” and “Housing” buttons

* http://www.reloburo.com/uk_information/american.shtml

found a hotel a few blocks from my own hotel that has a ReadytoSurf hotspot.

and a power source!

ok the hotel’s breakfast made up for the tiny room.

homework for today: find a laundomat (laundrette here) and continue research for moving costs & such.

tips for walking in the london crowds (most are just good tips in any place with more than 3 people walking anywhere):

1) find the biggest, fastest person and stay closely behind him if you are both travelling the same direction.

2) when following the person mentioned in the previous tip, switch people periodically or you’ll spook the poor guy.

3) when departing the railway, find a large, immobile object and stand close to it while adjusting your coat, scarf, briefcase, etc. DON’T stand in the middle of everyone that is moving around you to make the adjustments.

4) same goes for looking wildly around for the signs that point to the next rail line or the “Way Out”.

5) when walking, lead to the left. you may bump into someone or another at times but at least you can say that you’re following the rule of the road… which leads to the next tip:

6) nearly everyone here comes from somewhere else. especially when you bump into others in the railway. since social mores and attitudes differ from culture to culture, be conservative and practice the (hard for us americans) skill of not looking around whenever someone enters the rail car. to us americans, it’s considered part of a normal appraisal process. to londoners it’s considered gawking and brings attention to both the viewer and the viewee. not good.

7) you can smile and nod to indians and the french and they’ll smile back and may even cut up a bit if you share a common funny experience (like losing your balance when the train moves about and flailing wildly into the air for the grab bar). don’t expect a response from anyone else. they’re not being rude — they’re just trying not to embarass the both of you. see previous point.

8) don’t carry bulky big black briefcases with you on the railways. that sets off all kinds of security alarms. you’ll soon have an entourage of uniformed guards casually stolling past you. on the plus side, the added security presence scares off the pickpockets.

9) when you bump into someone or are in someone’s way, DON’T say “excuse me” or “pardon me”. doing so will announce the fact that you’ve just farted. say, “sorry” instead.

fyi, t-mobile internet is not free even with a t-mobile phone account. it’s also 5 GBP on a per-hour charge, and 16.50 on a per-day charge. more homework to do… and i may end up keeping my per-use account and phone with virgin after all.

for some unknown gift from Providence i am able to hook into a random signal from my hotel room that sometimes provides access… signal is weak and transmission speed is low but it’s live and that’s what counts!

now i can do online homework on the local schools for the kids…

got the phone. yay! i’m currently at a corner somewhere near Moorgate underground station. hooked into a local company’s wireless internet connection. not telling which one though…. hee hee.

btw i WAS doing something constructive today…. turned in rental application before hunting for wireless internet. next is the phone after i check email and bank account.

also btw the Leicester square adventure this morning while looking for a supposedly actual t-mobile location was pretty educational. not for kids. i’ll leave this off my list of family attractions. who knew about charing cross station area? apparently the guy at starbucks knew and is having quite a laugh at this funny joke.

ok the bagel factory at canary wharf is definitely having problems with their wireless. probably dns issue. i’m at the Westferry circus location and can connect no problem.

it’s a bit out of the way though but i need a lifeline so i can find a tmobile shop nearby. starbucks is essentially omnipresent which makes the tmobile hotspots easily accessible also. since i really need a mobile (they are expected of all professionals) i might as well get one that offers free broadband internet as well. and coffee.

too bad java joe’s closes at 11 am… even though it’s 9:50, the guy’s closing up shop. grr and i missed the 9am breakfast club at the hotel. tomorrow i’ll be more on the ball.

funny – you’d think a place called java joe’s wouldn’t be posh but it is very upscale. it’s on the ground floor of a fancy hotel. gotta go – the guy wants to wipe down the chair i’m sitting on. onwards to the next adventure.

ok now i’ve definitely got the hang of the wireless connection thing. i made a mistake and turned on the option to connect to any non-preferred network. it seems that tmobile and eurospot are more grabby than readytosurf and take over my wireless connection.