Much rainings.

Mutterings continued.

Happy me, cooler weather and precipitation. I've enrolled in a beginners' French course at Kent St (where I learned French originally, funnily enough) which I suspect will be too basic for me, however I don't know if I retain enough of the language to start with the Continuing course.

When I booked my trip to the UK last year I was offered any other European city for $50 (I chose Rome), and I'm hoping the same offer will be available next year. I'd like to see Paris again as I only had a day and a bit there in '98.

Today's this time last year:
Stratford, Day 4.

I spoke to one of the other B and B guests at breakfast and she told me about her visits to the theatre - the RSC's Tempest was disappointing however their Winter's Tale was great. A raptor was released into the audience in Act 2.

Off to Loughborough to see friends Fiona and Dave. Loughborough, half way between Birmingham and Nottingham, has a university which is doing some really interesting scientific research. The weather was rotten, making the drive up the M1 a little scary but I survived (obviously).

The trip back was even worse and I had to pull into a motorway service station for a while. These are very interesting places with expensive, and not always very nice, food. I stopped in one on the way to Middlesbrough and left one of my bags next to the self serve counter. I went back to get it to find two security guards gingerly poking at it with a stick.


Web site listing motorway services.