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So yesterday I went on an exciting journey to a land called Austria.

I was actually pretty pleased at my packing skills, I was over the 20kg limit by literally .9kg, and the person at the check in desk didn't charge me! This victory was achieved by taking complete advantage of the lack of a weight restriction on cabin baggage, and my carry on bag was a bewildering mixture of laptop, cables, textbooks, a camera and some climbing shoes. The people at security spent a LONG time gazing at the X-ray before calling me over and searching the bag...Despite my triumph, several important things were just to heavy to bring, like a sleeping bag. But luckily I am not the sort that wories about only having 9 days worth of T-shirts, as I've seen them enough times in the last 4 years not to mind which one I'm wearing any more.

The plane journey was delayed for almost an hour before take off. However, I had made the boredom-banishing purchase of the 600+ page anthology 'Best New SF 22', so this was absolutely not a problem. Most people won't know about this anthology, but it is pretty much the definitive yearly sci fi short story collection. For someone like me without the time, inclination or money to prop up the short story industry paticularly, it is nice to know you can get a brilliant selection without having to make any effort to sift through the rubbish. Plus the editor is called Gardner Dozois, which is a pretty sci fi name I think.

The reason I love plane journeys is almost exactly the same as the reason many hate plane journeys, and it is that I think it is pretty damn cool that I am hurtling through the air at 600 mph in a small metal cigar built by people. Plus, the view is alright. Most of the way there was thick flat cloud with islands or mountains of cloud projecting above at intervals, and making it look like we were flying over some arctic landscape. Clouds look very solid for something made out of little bits of water. As we neared Vienna the clouds disappeared. In a cool turn of events for passengers, but possibly not tourists on the ground, the flight path goes right above the Schönbrunn palace, one of Vienna's many famous landmarks. A very nice 'look, you're in Vienna now!' sort of moment.

Actually, my journey would have been infinitely more stressful if not for the incredible help provided by Ruth, my 'buddy' charged by ERASMUS to look after me. The keys to my room had to be collected from an office across town from the halls (why??) and the office (sensibly, of course) closed at 4pm. Bearing in mind the earliest flight I could find was supposed to land at 14:25 and actually landed at 5 past 3, actually sleeping in my bed last night looked unlikely until Ruth volunteered to go get the key for me. Which makes perfect sense of course, but I somehow never expected anyone to volunteer to do that. Maybe I am merely exposing my evil, lazy nature. I resolve to see if there is anything like the buddy system back at UCL and be disarmingly helpful to a foreigner of my very own one day. Of course I showed my gratitude to her by showing up 10 minutes late, very sweaty (forecast was rain, but it is practically still summer here I swear), and so tired that all I wanted to do was lie down after scoffing the sandwich I had bought. She sensibly left, but I will try and properly meet her soon.

Halls are of amazing quality, literally everything is provided, TV, internet, toaster (!), kettle (double !), a desk bigger than any I have ever had in my life, plus bedding, coathangers, cooking utensils etc. They feel a bit like a hotel though, without the homely and run down smell of Max Rayne. Also, the cooker is a big disappointment, 2 hotplates, a microwave cooker and NO GRILL. WTF Austria, do your students not like to cook chips and pizzas???

The people in the flat are friendly, but v. international. I think after you have lived in more than 3 countries in your life you begin to develop a certain character of 'internationalness' which all these guys have and I don't. They all speak perfect english, but 1 is German and another lived there for 11 years, so when I decide I can be bothered to speak German, I will. I can't wait too long though, or I will get stuck in an English rut. The other guy is from everywhere, but most recently Spain, and spends a lot of time speaking Spanish with the Spanish guy who spent the last 11 years in Germany... All 3 study non science subjects, 1 business, 1 hotel management, 1 politics. I do not think they will become my best friends, but I forsee no real problem with living with them for the year at present. When more people are around though, I suppose I will have to go knocking on doors to meet more people. Choosing which language to speak when I greet them may be problematic...

Today I am going to do very little. My muscles ache a surprising amount from the 25 or more kilos I dragged from the station. Went to the supermarket, the Austrian version pf which is called Billa, and their version of basics is called 'Clever'!. Bought English tea (v expensive, must cut down), but I really wish they sold bacon.

Bacon, bacon, my kingdom for a bacon! Ahem.

bis bald,
Tom

PS sorry for all the spelling mistakes, but this new keyboard seems to need more pressure than I am used to using, so misses letters out at random