Sporting Pasta

I wake up late (like that's a shock to anybody). I have no internet to get maps like I was hoping. I search through my luggage and find that the small map package that I laid out didn't seem to make it into my luggage. Starting off right, I see. So, I jump in my tiny lawnmower powered car and head off to the Little Chef. It's a small crappy little eatery that really aspires to be a Denny's when it grows up. However, it was right next to the Travelodge when I stayed here last time and I ate many breakfasts. It's like comfort food to me :).

I decide to go on a little car ride this morning. I have no major destination in mind until I start driving. I decide to hit Bluewater (it's the only shopping center around here that I know of). I've got a couple things I'd like to look into picking up. I have no map and no navigation system (thank goodness), but, I've been there once before. I can usually get back to a place that I've taken myself to in the past. I run into a couple snags. First, it seems that I don't actually recall the exact exits needed for Bluewater. Then there is all of the new construction in that area of the motorway. I make several mistakes on turn offs. Usually, it would be no big deal. However, when you pull off on some of these turn offs you're committed to them until the next exit. Many of those exits are 10-15 miles down the road. So, these are 20-30 minute mistakes that I'm making. And I make quite a few. I spend my morning and early afternoon making these mistakes. I decide that unless I want to fill the gas tank on my second day here, I need to find a destination.

So, I make a non-adventurous decision. I decide to head back to the hotel. But, wait! I have an actual reason for this decision. There are a couple of games on today that I'd like to watch. The first being a 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup game. England vs USA. I know that most of you do not follow football. I don't get to watch it as much as I'd like. But, you need to realize that this tournament is a bit different. USA is the favorite. Yes, you read that correctly. The Women's USA team is favored to win it all. We've actually won our last 50 games. That's pretty damned impressive. For an American football team that's, what, more than two full undefeated seasons? Well, we win this one as well, 3-0 kicking England out of the world cup.

The other game I got to watch was the Rugby World Cup (too many damned world cups. We may have a world series that doesn't involve many other countries, but, at least it's not the world cup of baseball!). England vs Samoa. Decent game. England won in the end. Like most sporting events, in my opinion, there are some not so exciting parts of the game that I'm tempted to change the channel in search of more entertaining fare. But, I keep the rugby on and am rewarded with some pretty nice plays.

I got the laptop up and running by using the power converter on "high-power" mode. I can hear the charger buzzing and expect it to explode at any minute. But, in the meantime, I have a computer connection :). The internet connection in my hotel room is out-freaking-rageuos! They want 15 quid per day or 75 for the week. That would be months of service back home. I pay the ransom because I know I'm going to need it.

Sitting at the bar waiting for a dinner table, I am at a loss as to what I want to accomplish tomorrow. Do I go into London? Do I try and get to an historical site? My last trip here I had so many choices. This time there are still many things to see and I feel I really can't do any of them. I am so lethargic. I feel like doing nothing at all. Maybe it's the fact that I'm here for such a short time this trip. Strange that I see this 8 day trip as a short trip when I can usually fill a 2 day weekend with an enormous amount of activity.

On this mornings' misadventures I found myself on the M20 heading East at one point. I know that means nothing to you. Hold on a second and I'll get to the explanation. That motorway leads directly to Dover. I was about 50 miles from both the coast and the castle. It is, if you recall, a castle that had a fairly big effect upon me. I loved being there. I spent quite a bit of time there. I turned around this morning for some reason. I sit here now wondering why I did that. I should have gone. Sure, I'd seen it before. For some reason I longed to see it again.

A couple beers later (these bastages only have Becks Vier on tap...a pilsner) I get my table. It's an Italian place and I've had a metric ass-ton of pasta lately (mostly spaghetti). I decide that I'll get something different. I go for the penne with shrimp. Hey, I said I would get something different...it's not spaghetti :). I love me the pasta!