Archive for December, 2005
A German Christmas
This year I broke with my life-long tradition and spent Christmas not at my parents house with my family but with my girlfriend and her family in Germany.
The flight there was uneventful but dull thanks to Aurigny’s one-flight-per-day to Stansted at mid-day. This means 5 hours + of milling around. Thankfully Stansted isn’t quite as bad as I recalled and there are a few book and game shops to browse around in and I managed to keep my shopping down to a mere 3 books… Shame I already had 3 in my backpack.
After the introductions and a good nights sleep I put on my best "oh please" face and Clarissa drove us to Media Markt to see if they had Xbox 360′s in. Unsurprisingly they didn’t so we headed into Nuremberg to check out the shops and experience the Christmas market.
Having spent hours exploring the streets and stores of Nuremberg on a previous trip I stopped by EB Games in the mall and quickly acquired one of the two 360 core’s they had in stock as well as a wireless controller, Project Gotham 3 and Need for Speed Most Wanted. The box weighed the same as a small child but alas was not equipped with legs and so we dropped it back off at the car before my knuckles reached the floor.
The Christmas market was very atmospheric and the white lights the Germans favour over the English disco-fever multicolour bonanza felt less tacky and helped keep the descending chill of sunset at bay for a few minutes longer. We ate hot waffles and caramelised nuts whilst wandering around the multitude of stands before my feet eventually protested to further activities and we headed wearily back to the car.
Back at home we played a bit of 360 (I’ll post more on this in a future post) where I found that while the console and PGR3 will auto-switch to the language my NFS Most Wanted was decidedly German only and Clarissa had to help me every stretch as my German currently consists of telling people my stomach is empty or that I have hiccups.
We met the morning with tragic news… Clarissa’s parents had set-up the Christmas tree in the lounge where the only TV in the house and my 360 were. This meant after weeks of waiting to get one I would now have to wait 2 days before I could get back into the lounge to play it!
We had Christmas shopping to do and some friends to visit and between those two events I sunk into The Time Travellers Wife (a very good read so far and a similar core to something I had in mind a while back). Clarissa’s father had taken the plunge and installed a wifi ADSL connection so I kept up with emails and repeatedly checked for my assignment score.
On the 23rd we had a mini-grill/fondue night with friends where we ate lots and played some games. Unfortunately my German is still minimal despite evening lessons and Clarrissa’s help and her friends were only occasionally speaking English so the night went by with a rather detached feeling.
The 24th here in the UK is Christmas Eve, generally people rush around getting the final gifts they need for people before retiring for a few drinks with friends or family before a big meal and gift exchange on the 25th. In Germany the gifts and big meal happen on the 24th.
Clarissa’s parents cooked a fabulous dinner which we ate with her sister and brother-in-law and we all exchanged gifts. We even got her brother-in-law and father to have a quick go on PGR and NFS respectively with… well, mixed results.
Boxing day was a quiet affair but we took in some snow and a meal at a Chinese restaurant before packing as much as we could into our suitcases, grabbing 3 hours sleep and setting off at 4am for our flight back which involved an even longer sit at Stansted, falling asleep in departures, a nice sandwich at Pret and some woman throwing her coffee over my 360′s box.
Damn Sony fan girls.
[)amien
British Airways and the art of delivering bad news
Breaking bad news to clients is always tricky but a bit of intelligence might be able to soften the blow. A few days ago British Airways sent me an email to let me know that the Gatwick-Munich route I use (indeed their only route I’ve used lately) is to be axed from the start of the 2006 summer season.
While this is incredibly annoying at least I know about it. In the next paragraph they try to soften the blow by letting me know that there are going to be additional flights from Heathrow. Intelligence fails them however because I don’t have access to Heathrow and their database already knows this.
The result isn’t a softened blow but rather a reminder on how Channel Islanders are Heathrow-less since BA purchased Guernsey’s slots at Heathrow airport from KLM subsidiary Air UK back in 1998 for a reported £14.5m. Our government fought the loss of a vital route – and lost.
The fact I could get to Gatwick at all is no thanks to BA either. They purchased regional operator Cityflyer and their Guernsey-Gatwick route back in 1988 too.
Fresh from the Heathrow wound our government raised valid concerns with the appropriate regulatory group that they believed BA would sell off the Guernsey-Gatwick slots or use them for non-Guernsey routes. Cityflyer assured us that would not be the case and the deal went ahead.
BA did of course suspened this route a few years later claiming the aircraft needed to be retired. I don’t know what happened to the slots but I can only guess.
Is it any wonder that our government decided to purchase one of the two airlines that services Guernsey to make sure it carries on? Personally I would rather have seen the government purchase slots at the essential airports and sub-lease them to the airlines, perhaps with a little subsidy but hey I’m not a politician.
I’m trying to be a traveller.
[)amien
Apple to the Channel Islands – Get lost
Last week I was at the Apple Store UK ordering a universal dock connector for my iPod. Unexpectedly the the shipping address was not accepted – it claimed they were unable to accept orders from my postcode.
This was a strange turn of events – I’ve ordered a PowerBook G4, iLife, Apple Pro Keyboard, 20GB iPod and various other accessories in the past. I’ve not changed address or postcode for over a year so what’s the problem?
One telephone call and 6 Apple staff later I’m finally told they are no longer delivering to the Channel Islands. Apparently this is a new policy introduced in the last few weeks, perhaps I missed the big announcement or maybe they kept it quiet. They couldn’t tell me the reasoning why or just where I should now take my business.
Luckily for us here in Guernsey we have a local Apple authorised dealer called Guernsey Computers and their prices are quite reasonable. About an extra 5% on top of the non-VAT Apple Store prices. Our friends in Jersey aren’t so lucky and 20%+ is quite common – in fact the “Technology Store” here in Guernsey tends to put this sort of mark-up on their Apple goods too.
This does of course mean no more engraved iPods, no more education store or refurbished store pricing.
I guess the success of Apple’s iPod means they can just tell customers in minority regions to get lost.
Never mind the fact some were helping keep them afloat before they hit the iPod goldmine.
[)amien
Another meme
Questions stolen from the same source as the last one ;-)
- Time of starting?
21:43 - Were you named after anyone?
Indeed, after the priest in The Exorcist. - Do you wish on stars?
Not really. - When did you last cry?
A couple of months ago when I tripped while running and had to go to hospital. Needed glue stitches and a couple of visits to the dentist :( - Do you like your hand writing?
Very much so, I’ve been gradually learning calligraphy and adding flourishes. My pencil writing still looks like a school teachers ABC board tho. - What is your favourite meat?
Chicken. - What is the most embarrassing CD on your shelf?
Shakespear’s Sister – Hormonally Yours. We all make mistakes. - If you were another person, would YOU be friends with you?
Yes but one of us would actually need to arrange something social… - Are you a daredevil?
Sometimes. Last year I went rock climbing and white water rafting and I ski every year. Next year is going to have a parachute in it. - Have you ever told a secret you swore not to tell?
Most likely although I fail to recall any at the moment… - How do you release anger?
I tend to get stuff of my chest the moment it arrives so there’s never much to release. - Where is your second home?
No idea, not too sure where my first home is. I move house. Rather a lot. - Do you trust others easily?
Depends very much on the person and scenario. - Favourite toy?
My car. Fun, responsive and just downright enjoyable regardless if it’s a 3 minute or 3 hour journey. - Do you use sarcasm a lot?
Nope. - Have you ever been in a mosh pit?
I’ve been in a sort of moshy area at Watersplash in Jersey. Probably doesn’t count but it did get very physical. - What do you look for in a guy/girl?
There’s no one thing, it’s whole package/combination thing. - Would you do a bungee jump?
It doesn’t appeal to me because there’s no involvement. You jump, you wait, you get off, you try not to be sick. Give me a solo parachute jump or hang-glider… - Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
No, my shoes are sufficiently large enough to slide off and on without such tedium. - What’s your favourite ice cream flavour?
Cool Brittania from Ben & Jerry’s was the best but alas, gone. Strawberry cheesecake is good too. - What are your favourite colours?
Depends totally on what it’s applied to. - What is your least favourite thing?
Seafood. - How many people do u have a crush on right now?
Eine, un, uno, 0×01, 00000001, 1, one.
Okay, well there’s Natalie Portman too…
- What do you miss most right now?
My girlfriend but we’ll be spending Christmas together so not long to wait. - What colour underwear are you wearing?
Black. - What are you listening to right now?
The loud clickety click of my keyboard. - If you were a crayon, what colour would you be?
Some sort of non-primary colour. Maybe this one. - What is the weather like right now?
Overcast, cold and windy. Welcome to the UK. - Last person you talked to on the phone?
My girlfriend. - The first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
I don’t notice the opposite sex any more honest ;-) - Favourite drink?
Cherry Coke. - Favourite alcoholic drink?
WKD Blue or Lager + lime. - Eye colour?
Blue. - Wear contacts?
Most of the time but today is glasses day. - Siblings?
Three sisters and two brothers. Christmas can be tricky. - Favourite month?
July. - Favourite food?
Spiced forms of chicken – curry, fajitas, bbq… - Last movie you watched?
The Lost Boys (we have a movie night at mine once a week). Going to see Goblet of Fire tonight. - Favourite day of the year?
I’m not going to say Christmas…
- Have you ever been too shy to ask someone out?
A few times but more often than not I’ve gone for it.
- Scary movies or happy endings?
Neither. - Summer or winter?
Winter despite July being my favourite month. I’m a snow king wrapped in Goretex. - Hugs or kisses?
Depends on the occasion and recipient. - What book/magazine are you reading at the mo?
I’ve actually picked back up Dan Brown’s Deception Point. There’s a chance I’ll finish it this time. - Time of finishing
22:19 – I was multi-tasking.
[)amien