Lots and lots of little people

We went to LEGOLAND :) Obviously we went just for my young daughter and in no way was I wishing to revisit my childhood.

The hotel and breakfast started well and the journey from LEGOLAND to Windsor was all going well until we found the traffic. Turns out that it was the weekend of Royal Ascot and Royal Ascot and LEGOLAND just happen to be on the same road off the M4. that might have been an error in judgement and added a rather frustrating hour to the journey.


LEGOLAND was good but not at all what I expected. Over the years I am guessing the powers that be have realised the best way to make money is to attract children of all ages (or mainly parents of children of all ages). The best way to do that seems not to educate and play but instead to provided thrills and spills with as many rides as possible. to that end it appears to concentrating more on being a Theme park and less on being LEGO-land. Pity really, if I had wanted another Alton Towers I could have done a lot less driving to get there. Still, their was a Lego mini-land with plenty of cityscapes and a special Star Wars Lego mini-land with scenes from the film re-enacted in plastic. their was also the best Lego shop I have ever seen and I am fairly sure that I could have spent the entire cost of my house without any effort. Again I would like to say that this would have all been for my daughter and not at all for me ;-)
Easy drive back up the road and two hours later we were in the hotel again and here I feel I have to say my piece. I have previously said I dislike Holiday Inns near Northampton but this time I found a good one in Crick. Good rooms, free chocolate and juice when we got back from the day, extremely courteous staff and a decent swimming pool as well. the only downside was the price of the meals which was a tad excessive, but I suppose you can't have everything.

The following morning was a brief drive back up North. Found out that the roadwork's on the A46 have now finished and the new dual carriageway from Leicester to Newark makes for a speedy and easy journey. It was a good weekend away, pity I had to go back to work but I can always check my lottery ticket just in case.

Nothing to write about

Nearly two weeks have gone by and still not a lot of excitement to think off and comment on. A few bits have stayed in my mind but for oddity rather than greatness.

I drove to Reading and back again but the highlight of that journey was a night in Leicester with a bedroom view of the local football stadium.

I spent two days on a sales training course in Sheffield. The best parts of that were: 1. No role play of any kind. 2.  Free lunch. 3. We got to finish earlier on the second day. 4. Watching many of my work colleagues look very very hung over on day two.

I also did a brief visit to a chicken factory in Chester with a new coworker who is vegetarian. To be honest that was a tad mean, considering what they do to the chickens there I suppose their is no wonder he went as green as what he eats. 

This evening though, could be start of a great weekend. Left home with the family in tow at 5pm and currently in a hotel near Northampton for the night. Tomorrow should be fun, full of many many small things.

Better on two wheels

I do like to drive. I like to see the world rush past and also get to where I am going at maximum feasible speed. But I also like to cycle, to trundle along the quiet lanes, especially with my family and even more especially round my home city of York. Sunday was one of those cycling days, 12 miles in a circle down the old railway line across town, past the university, along by the river and then home, with two compulsory play park stops along the way. Took about 90 minutes at a sedate pace, but that's part of it, to go at the speed that the mood and path dictates. The bit by the university was a bit odd though. It has doubled in size since I was there and to find the name of my old college on some shiny new posh building was just weird. Students these days, they get it far too good!!