The fact that you are reading the blog entry is quite something; once more the website server that I administer for Europäische Bewegung and others has suffered some serious problems. I’ve hence been burning the midnight oil, or more like consuming the 2am cups of coffee, to try to solve everything. I now have some help from a guy in Berlin who is a professional programmer, but it’s highly infuriating.

Far better news on the flat-search front. I have to wait until Monday to know whether my bid is accepted, but in short I’ve found the place I want to rent. It’s large enough to put a sofa-bed in the living room and invite friends to stay, which is good. I’ll write a complete analysis of the London housing market once all’s done and my contract is signed!

It took quite some physical effort to find the place yesterday; I did 2 return journeys from Clapham to Victoria by bike, plus diversions to Clapham South, Elephant & Castle and Oval to see properties, and all of this when very heavy rain showers were drenching me. None too pleasant, and my knees ache from so much cycling. Still, we need plenty of rain over the next few days if England are to escape defeat in the Test Match against Pakistan.

I’m writing this entry while sat on the train to Newport to go an visit my parents (need to persuade Dad to come and help me move flat!) I am always by what people manage to do in trains. One woman has spent the last half an hour painting her nails – some feat as the journey is so bumpy, but also annoying because it smells. Then there are some kids in the carriage, quite quiet and well behaved, but why do British parents insist on making their kids so unstylish? The mother is quite smartly dressed but she has kitted the children out in horrible t-shirts, ludicrous trainers, and vile rucksacks, all with wildly clashing colours. Bizarre.