Things always change, last time it was power sockets and in flight magazines, plus my first Oyster card. This time there are strange tables that pull out for laptops, and being close to First Class there is free Wifi.
It brings to mind flying back in to Heathrow many years ago after 6 weeks off the beaten track inIndia and Nepal. The cultural divide is there despite having the same technologies at home the paradigm is very different.
At home I walk to work with hills all around, the views include paragliders, the castle ruins, hills going up a thousand feet in every direction, and one of the best white water rivers in Britain. London initially hits me as busy and bustling, hi tec and high energy but trains are stuffy and it takes over an hour to travel 10 miles.
Metropolitan line trains are now clean and open, it's disconcerting to see how much the carriages move up and down, but looking down the train as you go round a bend is great.
I'd forgotten about all the green spaces and found some new ones in Richmond as google told me the eBay office is in the middle of a park, the walk managed to keep my head clear anyway.
After an interesting conference I had enough of Transport for London and made my way along the South Bank past runners, a circus, the big wheel and a myriad of bustling bars and restaurants, entertainments and side shows until time ran out and I had to hop on the tube again.
That was enough London for now but it reminded why some love it here and it seems to get nicer and cleaner as the years go by.
So I did what I came for, a Sellerdeck Conference, caught up with my brother and sister in law and came away with a freshened view of our ever changing capital.
But little brother please if you must pour so much good wine in my glass at least get up in time to show me how to use the Tassimo. Dare I say lightweight? We only drank til five, why weren't you up t seven to make me coffee like the Bon viveur you are?
