1/17/2006
Observations of the United Kingdom, by Nigel Davies

Being mainly plugged into the internet I don't get out much. So I learned much from this weekend's drive from North to South of the UK and back:

1. Russian has become the second language at UK motorway service stations, with Costa Coffee, Wimpy, BP and maybe other outlets hiring extensive numbers of Russian staff.
2. Wimpy, Britain's first and apparently beaten down fast food outlet has produced a 'gourmet chicken burger' which beats the heck out of anything McDonalds or Burger King have to offer.
3. Service stations now have extensive wifi access, which makes them comparable trading venues to McDonalds; although they're not as convenient they have better burgers if they have a Wimpy.
4. Winning should not necessarily be mistaken for competence; I gave both my opponents in the 4NCL chances to get right back into it which fortunately they didn't take.
5. The idea that 'low quality offerings attract a greater than deserved premium during booms' seems to hold true in the property market, with some godforesaken places achieving near parity with more desirable towns.
6. Despite the price rises in petrol, travelling by car is still more cost effective and convenient than UK trains and buses. To this untrained observer this seems to be quite an anomaly.