Today was a travelling day, as I made my way from Paris to London via the Eurostar high-speed train.

I left my hotel about 9:30am and headed for Gare Du Nord, one of the large train stations that service the regional and international lines. It was very busy, which I suspect is the normal state of affairs, and I looked around for the Eurostar terminal. Fortunately there were big signs that directed people to the UK Hall, which is a special upstairs section that contains a passport control area, beyond which you are effectively under the auspices of the UK.

I grabbed some breakfast at a cafe while waiting for my train. I tried to hook into the free wifi but the connection was atrocious. Eventually they announced that the train was ready for boarding and I headed down to the platform to find my carriage. I had purchased a Standard Premier seat, so I got a really nice and comfortable seat with a light meal served during the trip. The carriage was only partly full, so I had nobody sitting opposite me and could stretch out, since the seat could partially recline.

The trip was uneventful and passed fairly quickly, even though it was over two hours long. As the train lines are sometimes run through valleys in the French countryside, I could not always see very far beyond the trainlines, but what I did see was beautiful. AT times it reminded me of the south-west of WA, while at other times (like when you spot an old church sticking up through the greenery, or see groups of massive wind turbines) you could tell you were elsewhere.

The trip through the tunnel lasted about 15 minutes and then we emerged onto English soil. The contrast could not have been more different. Where France had rolling fields alongside the tracks, England more frequently had highways, service stations and industrial areas. At least half of the journey across England to London was done through more tunnels, so the view was somewhat limited again. The light lunch served halfway through was very nice, though.

Upon arrival at St Pancras International, I made my way out of the main gates onto Euston Rd and began to look for my hotel which was ostensibly just across the road. A sure sign that I have listened to Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds too many times is that I instantly heard Ric*********** in my head: "There were a dozen bodies in the Euston Road..." The hotel was actually just off Euston Rd and I quickly checked in.

I decided to go out for a walk to see what was around. I am not sure what I was expecting but what I saw looked exactly like the little shops and eateries that you see in the English cop dramas or soapies. My initial impression when I stepped out of St Pancras was that it reminded me of Melbourne in a way. Walking down those side streets quickly dispelled that and I felt like I was on strangely familiar ground.

Thanks to some timely assistance, I was able to find a Vodafone store to obtain simcards for my mobile and tablet - I am now mobile again. I had a really nice long chat with the sales girl in the Vodafone store, as we talked about working for telcos and the tribulations of the systems that we use (they use SIEBEL as well, guys, and they have the same problems that we do!)

After completing my purchases, I headed back to the hotel, stopping at the Chinese takeaway around the corner to pick up dinner.

Well, that's all for today. Tomorrow will be an early start and a long train trip up to Edinburgh. Until then... :)