The thing about getting lashed on your travels, is that the biggest challenge for the day after a big night out might be getting out of bed. Often it doesn’t matter if you don’t even manage that, but occasionally, you might have to get out of bed, of all the crazy ideas, by a certain time – perhaps to catch a plane / train / bus. Being a consultant in the UK is somewhat different.
Last night, for example, was an excellent opportunity to catch up with a few chums, and sample a few pints of Strong Continental. There were a few complications in the journey home, involving a bicycle that had difficulty with travelling in straight lines, and several large roads clogged with football supporters. After negotiating these moving, blurred obstacles, ironing had to take place. The results of the drunk bloke getting reacquainted with a shirt and an ironing board were mocked by casual onlookers, the man with the iron a source of derision.
Waking up early the today was little better, but the autopilot took over. Autopilot figured that turning up and catching a car at 8am travelling out to a client was enough. But then the reality of consulting took over, and people expected me to have sensible ideas and not be hungover, and look presentable. All things that aren’t really weapons in the tourist armoury.
Sharpening up by around midday, something strange presented itself – there was a giant sundial by the cafe where we had our lunch. But the dial was an hour wrong. So the designers must have figured that it was best to keep it in track with GMT, not British Summer Time. Which means it’ll show the right time in the winter when it’s cloudy and impossible to read. Nice. Perhaps the sundial designer had just returned from their travels too.