Archive for April, 2009

Up, up, and away

Thursday, April 9th, 2009

No, not hot air ballooning, but our Easter Bank Holiday weekend train from London to Darlington. We started our journey with a pint of cider just outside King’s Cross. We left there at 20h00, and have just passed York, so we’ve only 20 minutes more to go. We’re zizzing through the darkness, and have excellent free Wi-Fi, courtesy of National Express East Coast.

It really is a brilliant service; both the train and the wireless internet. The Class 4 carriages are very comfortable, the service quick and on time, and the wireless connection to the world means that yes, we can blog ‘live’ as we’re moving! Welcome to the world of proper real-time updates.

All of which makes our service in East Anglia run by the same train operator look poor by comparison.

Happy Easter!

2009 Volkswagen Polo TV commercial

Wednesday, April 8th, 2009

Volkswagen only pulled the covers off the new generation of its supermini challenger last month, but, ready for the European launch this summer, there’s already a TV spot for it. And, surprise surprise, it’s aimed at cool and beautiful twenty- or early thirty-somethings who seem to have a very desirable lifestyle. Nice film, though. (Thanks to The German Car Blog.)

Entertaining, entertaining

Monday, April 6th, 2009

We’re so tired. Emilie, Luke, and Kathryn visited last weekend, and mum and Bart came this last one, so two full weekends of fun, food, and frolics have taken their toll. And even though I’ve been lucky enough to not be at work today (and Friday, too), I’ve almost been too tired to settle to, or do anything this afternoon.

But, just like last weekend, we’ve had a fun two days. Mum and Bart arrived from Lowestoft on Friday evening, and we caught up over a butternut squash and leek pie supper. With Saturday’s changeable weather, we headed into town for a walk around the market, buying some cheese, and mooching around the shops.

Saturday evening was cards (‘Blob’), a speedily made sausage plait and Eve’s Pudding, with champagne and wine, while yesterday’s sunny spells let us whiz over to Harlow, to look around its very large and renowned garden centre. Bart is developing a penchant for gardening late in life, and so filled the boot of the car with lots of greenery, eager to plant his new babies out the back of the house.

We had a night off last night, and went to Immo for supper. Usually busy, it was very empty, and the food wasn’t quite up to the usual standard, either. My spaghetti carbonara was a little wet and runny, but the Frisco Parmesan wafer starter and ice cream dessert upheld the tasty tradition. We still enjoyed what we had, though, and got home in time for tea before bed, and pre-11pm early night – we must have them around more often.

This morning’s breakfast was a little more low-key than both Saturday’s and Sunday’s (only eggs and muffins for our sleepover visitors), and the only job to do today was to replant the dragon tree in the front room, which true to mum’s word, had outgrown its pot and become root-bound. A new container was the easy remedy, and with cheese and crackers for lunch, mum and Bart were on their way home.

It’s always more than lovely to have visitors for the weekend, but it does take it out of you, especially two weekends running. But, both were worth it, with lots of fresh memories made and relaxing times had. The tables are turned a little this weekend, as we’re off to Viv’s in Darlington to meet up with Andrew and Sheila, and to enjoy the relaxing Easter weekend up north.

And, although we’ll do our bit to tidy up ourselves, at least this weekend, there’ll not be copious amounts of cleaning. Only maybe copious amounts of food, which, after the last two weekends, isn’t necessarily a good thing – the super-slim beach body due to my lack of willpower is a long way off yet!

Volkswagen Polo for India

Friday, April 3rd, 2009

2009_vw_polo_bluemotion_show_stand

The Volkswagen Polo is now a global car, with versions on sale in Europe, Australia, China, South Africa, and South America. Manufactured in all these locations, too, Volkswagen is to introduce the car to the emerging Indian market in 2010, and opened its plant in Pune on 31 March.

With a maximum annual production capacity of 110,000 vehicles (almost all of which will be for the local market), the new factory complex will play a major role towards achieving the Volkswagen Group’s growth targets on the Indian subcontinent.

The 580 million euro Pune facility will be the Volkswagen Group’s 61st production site, and heralds the largest investment in India by a German company to date. The Škoda Fabia will be the first model to be produced in Pune, adding to the other Audi, Škoda, and Volkswagen models built in VW’s Aurangabad plant.

Production of a specially-developed version of the new Polo for the Indian market will start in 2010, and Volkswagen Group brand communications head, Kurt Rippholz, has reportedly said that two versions will be available – both a hatchback and a saloon. The Polo name has been confirmed for the market, too, further entrenching the model’s heritage.

Exciting times then, for the mainstay of Volkswagen’s small car line-up. With rumours persisting about a debut in the US, and a full roll-out of the new-generation model later in 2009, Volkswagen is clearly pushing to make the Polo even more of a global car.

G20 protests

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

Campaigners have vowed that “we’re going to reclaim the City, thrusting into the very belly of the beast: the Bank of England”. On 1 April a coalition of radical and green groups will gather at four major London stations – Moorgate, Liverpool Street, London Bridge and Cannon Street – potentially obstructing thousands of travellers, before marching behind “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” in themed processions to a mass rally outside the bank.

Source: The Guardian

We heard the sirens blare, we saw the helicopters circle, and there were fewer people on the streets (although a greater number casually-dressed), but from the comfort of the Lincoln’s Inn Fields office, we could only surmise as to what was happening in the G20 protests across the city at the Bank of England. I thought there was a slim chance that I’d be caught up in some travel delays or station closure today, as one of the protest marches was leaving from Liverpool Street.

But, thankfully, it was quiet both this morning and afternoon. It was disconcerting knowing that just over the other side of the station heading east there were still thousands of protesters behind police cordons. It turns out that the protests were nasty towards the end – and questions are being asked about the police’s role in turning them violent – but I got home having experienced no disruption. I hope it’s the same tomorrow, as the Stock Exchange is being targeted early in the day, before I’m due to walk past.