We’ve arrived…

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Whew, what a long trip. Got a ton of email done. One of the most productive flights I’ve ever had. Something about being stuck on a plane gets me totally in flow state. I started the trip with 550 unread emails and ended it with 43.

No distractions cause there ain’t no Internet connection and Maryam was watching movies.

Anyway, I’m jet lagged now. Looks like there’s lots of people who are excited about doing something on Friday afternoon (and a ton of parties we can crash too in the evening). We’ll figure that out.

This is a weird world. Not nearly as much wifi as back home and a LOT more people smoke here (one lady refused to put hers out on the train — in California she would have been arrested or beaten, or both). Oh, and what’s up with reading tabloids? It seemed the entire train was reading trashy tabloid newspapers.

I do love traveling for 16 hours and being able to jack into the Internet and everything works just like it did back at home.

Tomorrow Maryam wants to go see the Cardiff Castle. Sounds fun.

UPDATE: that plan got thrown out cause of family logistics. So, we’ll hang around Newport tomorrow. Just made plans to meet Robert Gale at Wetherspoons near Murengers in town. This is the best thing about blogging — I can go to any town in the world and most likely find someone interesting to have a beer with.

Published by Robert Scoble

I help entrepreneurs build their technology business' story, help with getting ready for investors, with other launch plans, and many other strategic things that can help your new startup. Call to talk: +1-425-205-1921 (text first).

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59 thoughts on “We’ve arrived…”

  2. Give me a shout if you want the guided trip around Windsor (the Queen lives here in Winsor castle!). Would be great to catch up and show you some of our latest projects 😉

    Like

  3. Give me a shout if you want the guided trip around Windsor (the Queen lives here in Winsor castle!). Would be great to catch up and show you some of our latest projects 😉

    Like

  5. Wifi in the UK is WAY up over what it used to be, but still doesn’t hold a candle to the US. I remember in 2003 I was wardriving through London (Knightsbridge, Kennsington, Sloane Square) and had about 3 hits total, compared to about 3 hits per block in the US (sometimes higher) around the same time. Now I get quite a few more hits in the UK, but still not quite what we are used to.

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  6. Wifi in the UK is WAY up over what it used to be, but still doesn’t hold a candle to the US. I remember in 2003 I was wardriving through London (Knightsbridge, Kennsington, Sloane Square) and had about 3 hits total, compared to about 3 hits per block in the US (sometimes higher) around the same time. Now I get quite a few more hits in the UK, but still not quite what we are used to.

    Like

  7. Paul: oh, I know better than to act like an ugly American. The CONDUCTOR asked her to put it out! She refused and he shrugged.

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  8. Paul: oh, I know better than to act like an ugly American. The CONDUCTOR asked her to put it out! She refused and he shrugged.

    Like

  14. Arhh, welcome to Blighty, mate!

    Not nearly as much wifi as back home

    Nope, esp in Wales. In fact it’s not possible to get broadband in many places in Wales due to the distances from the phone exchanges, etc.

    and a LOT more people smoke here (one lady refused to put hers out on the train — in California she would have been arrested or beaten, or both).

    Yeah, well, that’s why I living in California now. I find it really awful to go to a pub for lunch and then feel the need to go home and change in the evening because my clothes stink of smoke.

    The whole smoking on trains thing is funny, it’s now banned but you can still smoke on platforms (not London underground). People still feel it’s their right to smoke on trains, however.

    Oh, and what’s up with reading tabloids? It seemed the entire train was reading trashy tabloid newspapers.

    Lol, yeah. It’s probably because they have topless women on page 3. You should check ’em out Robert.

    Hope you enjoy your stay in UK – makes me feel a little home sick as I’m not going home for Christmas. Mind you I’m pleased not to be in Wales…

    Ben

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  16. Arhh, welcome to Blighty, mate!

    Not nearly as much wifi as back home

    Nope, esp in Wales. In fact it’s not possible to get broadband in many places in Wales due to the distances from the phone exchanges, etc.

    and a LOT more people smoke here (one lady refused to put hers out on the train — in California she would have been arrested or beaten, or both).

    Yeah, well, that’s why I living in California now. I find it really awful to go to a pub for lunch and then feel the need to go home and change in the evening because my clothes stink of smoke.

    The whole smoking on trains thing is funny, it’s now banned but you can still smoke on platforms (not London underground). People still feel it’s their right to smoke on trains, however.

    Oh, and what’s up with reading tabloids? It seemed the entire train was reading trashy tabloid newspapers.

    Lol, yeah. It’s probably because they have topless women on page 3. You should check ’em out Robert.

    Hope you enjoy your stay in UK – makes me feel a little home sick as I’m not going home for Christmas. Mind you I’m pleased not to be in Wales…

    Ben

    Like

  19. Ben: we’re getting together a Photowalking of the train museum in Sacramento during Christmas vacation (probably on December 27). You should come along, that’ll keep you from feeling too homesick.

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  20. Ben: we’re getting together a Photowalking of the train museum in Sacramento during Christmas vacation (probably on December 27). You should come along, that’ll keep you from feeling too homesick.

    Like

  21. See if you can get Danny Sullivan from Search Engine Watch. And say hi for me.

    Lately there are many “spicy” tabloid news on Royal family like Charles’s wife and Prince Williams. May be you can bring back some american versions of news that we didn’t get to read here. Bush can’t compete with British Royal for that kind of news.

    Topless women? Almost all European magazines show some sort of topless women, even newspapers.

    American. The sexiest things we have is Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on TV channel. Models are decorated with feathers and trees.It is beautiful to watch. And it is so artistic and tasteful.

    Like

  22. See if you can get Danny Sullivan from Search Engine Watch. And say hi for me.

    Lately there are many “spicy” tabloid news on Royal family like Charles’s wife and Prince Williams. May be you can bring back some american versions of news that we didn’t get to read here. Bush can’t compete with British Royal for that kind of news.

    Topless women? Almost all European magazines show some sort of topless women, even newspapers.

    American. The sexiest things we have is Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on TV channel. Models are decorated with feathers and trees.It is beautiful to watch. And it is so artistic and tasteful.

    Like

  23. Welcome Robert! Cardiff is a top place – was there in 90-93 at Uni and it has transformed since – a load of investment! (If you want cheap beer – head to the student Union!) 😉

    Like

  24. Welcome Robert! Cardiff is a top place – was there in 90-93 at Uni and it has transformed since – a load of investment! (If you want cheap beer – head to the student Union!) 😉

    Like

  25. How did you ever get to check that much email on plane? What monster battery do you have in your laptop, Scoble? Pray tell, I have a trip to Frankfurt coming up & I would like to be able to have that kind of juice.

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  26. How did you ever get to check that much email on plane? What monster battery do you have in your laptop, Scoble? Pray tell, I have a trip to Frankfurt coming up & I would like to be able to have that kind of juice.

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  27. Sam: Intel loaned me a Sony Vaio. I just turned everything off. The battery stayed up for five hours and never died.

    I type fast.

    The bad thing about answering that much email? People answer it, so now I’m getting even more email.

    Like

  28. Sam: Intel loaned me a Sony Vaio. I just turned everything off. The battery stayed up for five hours and never died.

    I type fast.

    The bad thing about answering that much email? People answer it, so now I’m getting even more email.

    Like

  29. More acclimatisation…

    The tabloids will be the free papers, aimed at commuters, like Metro – surviving on the print industry’s version of AdSense, all owned by the big news conglomerates and losing shedloads of cash.

    From a yank in the UK since 1967 – where you meeting on Friday?

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  30. More acclimatisation…

    The tabloids will be the free papers, aimed at commuters, like Metro – surviving on the print industry’s version of AdSense, all owned by the big news conglomerates and losing shedloads of cash.

    From a yank in the UK since 1967 – where you meeting on Friday?

    Like

  33. ‘Oh, and what’s up with reading tabloids? It seemed the entire train was reading trashy tabloid newspapers.’

    You say this like it’s a bad thing. I would have thought that information ingestion, in whatever form, would have been right up your street Robert. Just because the paper is trashy it doesn’t mean the readers are.

    Were you on the Paddington to Swansea service? I used to catch it every day and smokers were usually dealt with by the ‘regulars’ rather than the inspector. Sad but true. I once spent 5 hours on a train that came to a halt outside outside Didcot and the smokers nearly freaked out as it was one of the new trains without opening windows. Eventually one of the smokers said ‘b******s to this what’s the worst that can happen, are you going to get me off this God forsaken train?’ To be fair I couldn’t argue with that and got home past midnight smelling of smoke.

    Like

  34. ‘Oh, and what’s up with reading tabloids? It seemed the entire train was reading trashy tabloid newspapers.’

    You say this like it’s a bad thing. I would have thought that information ingestion, in whatever form, would have been right up your street Robert. Just because the paper is trashy it doesn’t mean the readers are.

    Were you on the Paddington to Swansea service? I used to catch it every day and smokers were usually dealt with by the ‘regulars’ rather than the inspector. Sad but true. I once spent 5 hours on a train that came to a halt outside outside Didcot and the smokers nearly freaked out as it was one of the new trains without opening windows. Eventually one of the smokers said ‘b******s to this what’s the worst that can happen, are you going to get me off this God forsaken train?’ To be fair I couldn’t argue with that and got home past midnight smelling of smoke.

    Like

  37. Chris: the tabloids I saw had very little information that would make anyone a better human being. Mostly salacious stuff.

    Just like what happens when Americans eat junk food. They get fat and ill.

    Like

  38. Before taking a flight overseas, I would recommend seatguru.com because you can often find out if your seat has a power port. Some planes have them only in business, some have them spread out, and some seem to have them everywhere. You can check your airline and aircraft and then see if there are any powerports available.

    I fly BA and they have power ports in economy plus through first. Never run out of power with that. I even charge my ipod while on the flight.

    Like

  39. Before taking a flight overseas, I would recommend seatguru.com because you can often find out if your seat has a power port. Some planes have them only in business, some have them spread out, and some seem to have them everywhere. You can check your airline and aircraft and then see if there are any powerports available.

    I fly BA and they have power ports in economy plus through first. Never run out of power with that. I even charge my ipod while on the flight.

    Like

  40. Chris: the tabloids I saw had very little information that would make anyone a better human being. Mostly salacious stuff.

    Just like what happens when Americans eat junk food. They get fat and ill.

    Like

  41. Andrew: good tips. BA’s Economy Plus cost $300 more per seat. I wasn’t willing to do that just to have a power outlet and a little nicer seat.

    Turned out we had an entire row to ourselves anyway.

    Like

  42. Andrew: good tips. BA’s Economy Plus cost $300 more per seat. I wasn’t willing to do that just to have a power outlet and a little nicer seat.

    Turned out we had an entire row to ourselves anyway.

    Like

  45. ‘the tabloids I saw had very little information that would make anyone a better human being. Mostly salacious stuff.’

    Hmmm… Well I think they’re in business to make money not make people beter humans. Still, I take your point and I agree. Though I do read the trash tabloids just to see what’s going on in the unreal world.

    Have a great trip and try not to read too much trashy tabloid crap it will rot your mind.

    Like

  46. ‘the tabloids I saw had very little information that would make anyone a better human being. Mostly salacious stuff.’

    Hmmm… Well I think they’re in business to make money not make people beter humans. Still, I take your point and I agree. Though I do read the trash tabloids just to see what’s going on in the unreal world.

    Have a great trip and try not to read too much trashy tabloid crap it will rot your mind.

    Like

  49. have a ball! In my email box are all read, but still over 300 are unhandled. One day!

    My electricity went out Thanksgiving Day so I was forced to read…..a book!

    The History of “Cod” and how it changed the world. The Welsh would love it.

    Bon Voyage to you and Maryam

    Like

  50. have a ball! In my email box are all read, but still over 300 are unhandled. One day!

    My electricity went out Thanksgiving Day so I was forced to read…..a book!

    The History of “Cod” and how it changed the world. The Welsh would love it.

    Bon Voyage to you and Maryam

    Like

  51. Hi Robert:

    Hope you and Maryam are having a great time. While you’re there, you might look up Don McAllister of screencastsonline.com . He’s a great guy and is doing a bang up job with his video podcast.

    Jan Kabili and Dave Van de Water (stuck back here in the States and very jealous).

    Like

  52. Hi Robert:

    Hope you and Maryam are having a great time. While you’re there, you might look up Don McAllister of screencastsonline.com . He’s a great guy and is doing a bang up job with his video podcast.

    Jan Kabili and Dave Van de Water (stuck back here in the States and very jealous).

    Like

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