Fear and Loathing in West London

Without due care and attention I made my jetlagged self sit through 3 back to back episodes of 24 this weekend. I had to deal with an attack on CTU, the death of several major characters (including my favourite) and generally Jack being in peril. How very, very fraught. Once again the line between fiction and reality became a blur to me. fficeffice" />

1 Comment 25.4.06 13:16, comment

RedRobin rides the rails

Just arrived into the colonial cool of ffice:smarttags" />Colombo’s Galle Face Hotel looking (and smelling) like a vagrant. The reason for this is that I decided to spice up the end of my trip and instead of shelling out £50 for a taxi to the capital I opted for the 4 hour train ride from Matara to Colombo. What a laugh, a way to see the countryside and the people of Sri Lanka.  That was the idea.

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Buying a ticket was easy as I was greeted by a beaming smile and a “good morning” from the ticket agent. The trip cost a mere 155 rupees which is about 80p. The train was not at a platform but people were wandering across the tracks to get on (thus breaking the number 1 rule of the Trans Siberian Railway – NEVER cross the tracks). The train could best be described as rickety and I was struggling to understand the difference between 3rd and 2^nd class. Perhaps no goats allowed in 2^nd? Despite getting to the station half an hour before departure there were no seats to be had at all. A feeling of dread came over me as I contemplated the 4 hours ahead. However, the train was not that busy and so I grabbed a seat on the filthy carriage steps and settled in. This was the beginning of the filth-accumulation. The train left bang on time – ‘this is going to be great’ I thought. That feeling lasted until the train spluttered to a halt mere metres outside the station and then began reversing back into the station so the hoardes left on the platform could get on.

Suddenly the train was heaving. Not a problem to someone who has the best seat in the house – legs dangling, white knuckles holding on, being swatted by the odd palm frond, nature’s air conditioning. However, after an hour and we reached Galle dozens of people squuezed on and this became progressively more sardine-like at each stop. It was standing room only in the carriage, in the aisles, in the gangways, even on the steps. The smug expressions of those with seats at Matara were wiped off as they found their armrests and footwells commandeered. More filth as I leant against the walls of the carriage, peeling paint and grime rubbing on my skin and once beige trousers. Constant jostling for position and re-arranging of limbs which went on for 3 hours. This was an ordeal, even for someone who has once journied from London Euston to Glasgow in the luggage rack of a Virgin Train. I survived by achieving a zen-like state and triumphed for the final hour after some clever manouevering got me a seat on the steps – years of training on London’s Central Line proving effective. The approach to Colombo is along the seashore and I took in the noon sun and was cooled by splashing waves; no doubt picking up a pebble dashing of more filth.

A major panic at Colombo Fort train station as I was on the outside of the carriage and my rucksack on a rack in the middle. Using some frantic pointing I secured help to have it passed out the window to me. The 2 minute tuk-tuk ride from the station to my hotel cost more than the train journey. The staff at Galle Face Hotel looked shocked at my dishevelled state and it is in there interests (and the comfort of other guests) that they hurry up and get my room ready!

2 Comments 19.4.06 10:00, comment

Hello from ffice:smarttags" />Sri Lanka. Finally reached the beach after a week of hills, elephants, and rainforest. Certainly been an active holiday with cycling and trekking and two particularly spicy climbs up steep rocks. By far the worst was the ascent of Sri Lanka’s highest peak, Sri Pada – an angry 2000m mountain. To get up I had to negotiate 5200 steps of increasing steepness and agony. Also, we started at 2:30 a.m. in order to get to the top before sunrise. 3 and a half hours of screaming legs, self-loathing and despondency at the never-ending slog and I made it in time. Cracking sunrise thank god. Going down was no picnic either – a further 2 and a half hours of wobbling thighs and crunched knees. I was practically in a trance by the time I limped to the bottom.

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Sri Lanka is a beautiful country with lush scenery, lovely curries and welcoming people. Now got another week of beach recovery to look forward to. It’s not all fun and games. There are a lot of beasties so lots of mozzie bites. Last night I had a millipede take up residence on my foot and refuse to leave. I am sure the fact that I did not freak out was due to the local moonshine I was drinking, made from coconuts. Dirty.

3 Comments 14.4.06 12:51, comment

Razorlight last night in the marvellous setting of the Royal Albert Hall. Just didn't seem right rocking up there in jeans and trainers. The poor ushers looked terrified at the indie invasion; apologetically telling us that no drink could be taken into the auditorium. The RAH is an amazing building. I've been there a few times but it never fails to impressive. Smaller than you expect but it just creates such an exciting atmosphere.

The evening was a part of a series of charity gigs for the Teen Cancer Trust.and before the band came on we were treated to a video about the work of the charity.  Well I don't know if it was my fatigue at being out for 3 nights on the trot or what but I was almost in tears. Very moving.

So to Razorlight. Lead singer Jonny Borrell is rake-thin and wore spray-on white jeans and top. Very difficult to get a photo without making him look like some sort of spectral being.

He has an amazing effortless honey voice. I heard they were good live but they put on such a tight show. Things really took off when 4 backing singers arrived and it all went a bit rock-gospel. Golden Touch being particularly brilliant. Borrell took off and clambered high up to the choir seats and then onto the circle. With his tight white outfit he looked like an indie-spiderman climbing along the walls.

In the encore gig organiser Roger Daltry came out and sang Summertime Blues with the band and it was brilliant - loud! Daltry still has a set of pipes on him and did that twirling microphone thing which is very, very fast and impressive when you see it up close.

Best bit of the evening outside music? Christian O'Connell came on to introduce the bands and was thanking sponsors and Virgin Radio was resolvedly booed by the crowd. Heh Heh! Know your audience Christian. Still find him very funny but download the podcast and listen to Lauren Laverne and better music instead.

31.3.06 10:08, comment