Sleep

Once again I seem to be unable to sleep at night while in this time zone - yet don't seem to require a lot of sleep during the day either. I think I slept for about 2 last night then another hour each way on the train (we'll get to that). Hopefully sleeping in a room that doesn't smell like petrol or turpentine has been sloshed all over very surface will help things. I love staying in hostels. I really do. Especially when it's 4 in the morning and you decide to take a shower and not ONE of the six shower stall has anything in common in terms of how to operate them. I settled for the one with two vertical spinners that through some form of alchemy controlled the direction of water flow. Still, didn't have to hold down a button to use them so that's an upgrade in my book.

After my brisk morning shower I decided to do what i do best when traveling and just go and get lost. South seemed like a good enough direction and I eventually found my way to parlament (after harassing some ducks) where I met Bob. Bob's a this horribly grizzled looking old guy that's probably not much older than 50 (he refused to be specfic or be photographed for that matter). Bob's been camping out in front of parlament ever since the Iraq war started demanding that briton pull out of the campaign. for those of you keeping score at home that's 6.5 years. He didn't really like to talk about is reasons (he's told that story too often) but his side kick - an even more weathered man who's name I've forgotten - was all to happy to ramble on about conspiracy theories. It's rather unfortunate that this guy was bob's spokesman since it added that special lack of credibitilty that only the borderline insane can provide. Still a fun time, I may go back tomorrow.

After trying to to decide where to go while dead exhausted I chose to head to stonehenge since it afforded me an hour and a half train ride on which to doze. And doze I did - so much so that the folks who clean the train after the fact were the ones to shake me awake. Thank god salisbury was the last stop. Having missed the bus I grabbed a cab driven by Henry another enjoyable briton. He was more than willing to talk on pretty much any subject that came to his mind including the perils of learning to drive on the opposite side of the road. He also told me that those ancient stones are apparently down range of an artillary range so you might occasionally hear a boom or two while in the field. A boom or two is actually a sustained boom about every 30 seconds. With low flying helicptors. I imagine the druids didn't have to deal with that. Stones commenced, not much to say there, then a ride back to london sharing a booth with a humorless business man.

The rest of the day was hunting down a few choice souvineers for those who require plaster Big Ben's and scouting out a couple of the places I want to see tomorrow. There's even a production of MacBeth staring Patrick Stewart. Captain Picard doing "that scottish play" - I think my nerd credentials require that I see it. It's either that or the profanity spewing muppets. Tough call.

man I hope I can sleep tonight...