Control / Stroszek / American Psycho / The Double Life of Véronique

Four more movies, over two days. One of which is today.

29th December (a.m.) – Control. This is the story of the life and death of Ian Curtis (the singer from the band Joy Division) who was a big influence on me when I was a teenager, and who I know a fair amount about. I’ve heard everything Ian recorded, would count Unknown Pleasures and Closer as two of my all time favourite records (and Atmosphere as one of the saddest and scariest piece of music I’ve ever heard), and there are also aspects of his biography I can closely relate to. I’ve watched Control before, but it never ceases to thrill me from beginning to end, and it seems to be a very accurate account of the life of an interesting man who died so young but continues to influence people to this day. I only wish someone would do something similar with the life of Nick Drake, who I find similarly fascinating. As an aside (and tapping into one of my interests) Sam Riley (who played Ian Curtis in Control) ended up marrying Alexandra Maria Lara (who played Annik Honoré, who Ian had a strong emotional connection to towards the end of his life). It’s an emotionally intense film, and exactly the sort of connection that so often bleeds through into real life relationships.

29th December (p.m.)  – Stroszek. Following on from Control, but also tapping into the European cinema theme, Stroszek is probably at least as famous as the movie Ian Curtis watched the night he killed himself than as a piece of art in its own right. In some ways that is a shame, because it’s an accomplished piece of cinema that more people should watch, and it’s actually really funny in parts. It’s also quite weird, but I think anyone who is aware of Werner Hetzog’s work will have a fair idea what to expect.

29th December (later p.m.) – American Psycho. I’ve probably had more debates about the book that this is based on than any other book, and I was very much looking forward to this movie when it came out (a very long time ago now). It hasn’t aged well in some ways, but there is still enough here to make me happy to watch it every few years, although I wouldn’t want to see it any more frequently than that. Incidentally, there is a sequel, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you want to see William Shatner in one of his most wooden performances ever.

7th January – The Double Life of Véronique. I don’t really know where to start with this one. It’s another Krzysztof Kieślowski film (which I tracked down after watching and loving the Three Colours Trilogy), and one that largely details the lives of two identical women in different countries, who don’t know each other, but who end up having oddly similar and coincidental lives. It is as if the same person is living in parallel, and can somehow tune into the emotions and emotional reactions of the other person, whilst at the same time being on some level unaware that they are not alone. I think I sometimes seek out connections with people who think and feel in the same way I do about things that matter to me, and this film taps into that idea nicely, as well as appealing to my love of chance encounters and seeming happenstance. Also, it is a very well written and directed film that works on both a narrative and emotional level. Like most of Kieślowski’s work, it’s in French and Polish, but also conveys a great deal through music and colour, and several times I found myself drifting away from the subtitles and just losing myself in the sights and sounds. Probably not one for everyone, but if you have got a spare hour and a half and are willing to try and think and feel at the same time, then this may be just what you need. I’d definitely recommend this, but for anyone new to Krzysztof Kieślowski I would recommend watching the whole Three Colours Trilogy first, as the narrative is slightly clearer, and they are probably a better entrance point.

A few (historical) thoughts about shoes

This is something I wrote ages ago for a couple of people I worked with at the time, but I was reminded about it  couple of times over the last few weeks during conversations about small talk and acceptable conversation topics.

This is not really about shoes. This is about things that other people find fascinating but that leave me somewhat cold. It is also about things that rock my world that other people just don’t get.

A fair few people I know are into shoes. They have hundreds of pairs of shoes, and take great delight in making sure they are wearing a pair of shoes that match their outfit. This at least I can relate to, in that I at least make an effort to make sure that the shoes I’m wearing match the weather. But fundamentally, I see shoes as something I wear to put a layer of insulation between my feet and the world, and I only really consider buying a new pair if the pair I’m wearing develop a hole (and thus are unsuitable for rainy days).

I have a feeling that when other people talk about shoes, I quickly develop a glazed expression which suggests I might not be listening too closely. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love learning about new things. I’m always on the lookout for new snippets of information and new subjects to study. But there are some things that I can’t relate to enough to be interested in, and shoes are one of those things.

Of course, there are lots of things I’m very interested in, like music and cinema. I remember a few times recently where I’ve mentioned a film I’ve recently seen, or a band I’m really into, and have been met with a look of incomprehension followed by a swift tangent into a more socially acceptable topic of conversation. This to me is not a problem, because I’m well aware that most of the things that rock my world are not to everyone’s taste. But at the same time I spend a great deal of time around people who seem to be able to effortlessly find mutual topics of conversation, and I sometimes wonder if there are whole aspects of reality that I’ve discounted as being irrelevant and which in fact could become fundamentally important in my world. Like romantic comedies. Or daytime television. Or shoes.

But then I think about all the things I am into, and how I don’t actually have time to do most of them any longer. With the advent of laptops and portable music players I can indulge in music and movies from almost anywhere, and we are now in an age where consuming large amounts of both can be done both legally and inexpensively. I don’t think I’ve got room for anything else, seeing as I don’t have enough time for proper computing, or reading, or football, or socialising, or doing little more than bounce between work, sleep and recreational media. And whilst I don’t think I have room for anything else, I think the world in general has room for all the above and more, and I think my life has been enriched by having so many people in it who don’t see the world in the same way I do.

So, you know the next time I start talking about obscure musicians you’ve never heard of, and try and play you abstract soundscapes that remind you of a kitten being tortured? And the next time I try and explain why films in a language I don’t understand can often do a better job of connection on an emotional level? And the next time I tell you that songs don’t need words and words are only relevant if they mean something? You know the way your mind drifts and itches to get back onto the sort of solid ground where you feel you have something to contribute? That’s how I feel when you talk about shoes.

Three months of movies

I’ve actually managed to watch a few movies over the last 3 months. Including ones that people might actually have heard of and/or seen. And as this list is getting quite long, I figured another blog post was in order.

7th October – Passion. Another Godard movie, this time from 1982. It’s not as entertaining as his earlier (or in fact later) work, and I think I need to watch it again before I can say much more than “It’s a movie about making movies”. I also think I should not try and watch things in a foreign language after a particularly tiring day at work.

11th November – Star Wars : A New Hope. Largely because it was on, and because I have not seen it for years. I’ll also be recording and watching the other two parts of the trilogy over the next few weeks.

17th November – Star Wars – The Empire Strikes Back. See above. This is probably my favourite of the three, and is definitely the darkest. I think it takes me back to being a small child, and wanting so much to be Luke Skywalker. I think the only person I wanted to be more was Doctor Who (see below).

23rd November – An Adventure in Space and Time. This is a made for TV film about the early days of Doctor Who, and concentrates on William Hartnell and Verity Lambert. It’s a story I wasn’t too familiar with, but it was entertaining enough, and acted as a nice precursor for The Day of the Doctor, which I loved.

24th November – Star Wars – Return of the Jedi. Not much I can say about this one, other that that is is still probably my least favourite of the trilogy, despite being one of the first films I saw in the cinema as a child.

25th December – The Elephant Man. Another Christmas, another David Lynch box set, including the only thing of his I’ve not already seen. This was made in 1980, although feels much older, and does a good job of capturing the atmosphere of Victorian England. It’s a fairly faithful retelling of a story I already know, and is actually more linear than I expected it to be. All in all, it’s enjoyable enough, and does a good job of exploring themes surrounding how society treats people it perceives as “different”. It is also deeply moving on several levels, and I would strongly recommend it to anyone who is prepared to give it some time.

27th December – Inland Empire. I have no idea how to describe this in one paragraph. It’s a very complex movie that explores the blurred line between a performer and the role they play, and which also does a very good job of exploring the emotional complications that people who act or otherwise perform can find themselves in with the people they work with. But that is just scratching the surface, and there is also a lot in there about the conflict between narrative and chronology, (and specifically how narratives are formed when seemingly unrelated scenes are juxtaposed) as well as a whole load of other themes that I don’t really have the words for right now. It’s another of David Lynch’s “movies about making a movie”, which takes some of the themes of Mulholland Drive and twists them even further, but it also taps into the surrealism of Lost Highway, and probably shouldn’t be attempted until both of the aforementioned movies have been watched, and to a certain extent understood. I accept that this may mean many people never watch Inland Empire, but if you do, or you ever have, then I’d love to have a conversation about it one day.

28th December (a.m.) – Weekend. This is a strange one. It starts off as a fairly simple tale of infidelity and greed, but soon tangents into a very strange road movie, that could only be made by Jean Luc Godard, and only in the late 60’s. If you like his other movies from this era then you’ll probably like this, although I certainly wouldn’t start with this one. There are also some fairly disturbing scenes that might not be to everyone’s taste, although these are redeemed by the opening dialogues and the closing monologue which combine words and music to outstanding effect, and which make this a worthwhile viewing experience. I feel I should see it again if I am going to understand all of it, but at the time of writing I don’t want to see it again because it made me feel slightly uncomfortable.

28th December (p.m) – Shame. This one is a recommendation from a while ago (September, perhaps), and was another quite uncomfortable movie to watch, but one that I did really enjoy. It explores the idea of physical intimacy and emotional intimacy being two very distinct things, and ties in nicely with conversations I had around the time this was recommended to me, and also more recently. It’s on Netflix as of now, and is well worth a watch.

I think this project is going to continue throughout next year. I’ve enjoyed cataloguing what I’ve watched, and I think it helps me watch things properly if I know I’m going to write about them afterwards.

Albums of the year – 2013

This year, as well as a list of albums that I’ve liked and would recommend, I’m also going to try and narrow it down to 10 that are interesting, that I think people really need to hear, and that define 2013 for me.

This is going to be a challenge. And whilst the top three are definitely in an order, I really can’t differentiate between the rest.

The National – Trouble Will Find Me

This record would have been my number one any year since I started keeping detailed stats about what I listen to, and it is number one this year because I’ve listened to it the most, like it the most, and really feel that it soundtracks my year perfectly. Yes, it’s mournful and introspective in places, but it explores emotions that I’ve felt intensely this year, and as such there really isn’t another record that compares. Everyone reading this should listen to all of it, but if I have to pick songs then I’d go with Demons, Heavenfaced and This is the Last Time (as the three that mean the most to me right now). Musically, I’d say it was a grower, but if you’re a sucker for mournful alternative rock with a gorgeous baritone then you can’t go wrong with this, and I’ve generally had pretty good take up with people I’ve foisted it on already.

Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City

If The National represent my introspective side, then Vampire Weekend are the other side of the coin. This is the music I play when I want to feel positive and energised, and it is the record where they take their influences (Talking Heads, Paul Simon) and forge them into something new, unique, and surprisingly modern. This is another grower, and another one where I struggle to pick a favourite song, although if you have to pick three then go for Unbelievers, Diane Young and Everlasting Arms.

Autre Ne Veut – Anxiety

And just when you thought this was going to be a list of American alternative bands, then along comes something totally different. I don’t even know what genre this is, except to say that it’s a stunning vocal performance on top of beautifully minimal instrumentation, and that I can’t listen to it without having to stop and actually listen to it. This is a recommendation from someone who knows my taste very well, and probably represents one of the biggest shifts in my musical listening habits this year. Listen to all of it, and accept that I’m terrible at recommending individual songs.

Moonface – Julia with Blue Jeans On

I wonder if anyone reading this has heard this album. It’s certainly not mainstream, and is could be considered quite musically difficult as it’s just vocal and piano. This speaks to me in much the same way Trouble Will Find Me does, but it is sparser, and more intimate. I’ve heard pretty much every note this man has recorded, and I think this is by far the best collection of songs, and the one that feels like it is telling a definite story. It sounds like there was heartache and heartbreak involved in this record, but it also sounds like the kind of catharsis that allows someone to move on. Definitely a record for 2013.

Ghostpoet – Some Say So I Say Light

I’ve listened to a lot of rap and hip hop this year. I could quite easily talk about one of the superstars like Drake or Jay-Z here, but instead I’m going to pick Ghostpoet, for making a highly accomplished record that manages to avoid sexism, racism, and the kind of lyrics that this genre really needs to move beyond. I listened to this record for the first hour of my working day for weeks, and it takes me back to a time of being very productive in the quiet hours of the morning before descending into a day of stress and chaos. It’s also really thought provoking, and would act as a good introduction to people who are not too familiar with this kind of music.

Julianna Barwick – Nepenthe

This is what I listen to if I want to become as disconnected from the real world as it’s possible to get. I’m not sure how this music is made, or what it means, but it takes wordless vocals and instrumental textures are forges them into something spellbindingly beautiful. It reminds me of a Cocteau Twins record in some ways, but also has even more spaces between the sounds, and it is the sort of record that makes me interested to meet the person who conceived it, because I think she must have seen or otherwise experienced something of otherworldly beauty. The title is also absolutely fitting.

Manic Street Preachers – Rewind the Film

This is a band I never thought would make my top 10 again. I love their earlier stuff, but have not really found a lot to inspire me in what they have released recently. This record is an exception to that, although (as with The National) I suppose they are of my generation, and they sing about things that are relevant to my life, but this time round they do it well enough to warrant a mention. I’m particularly impressed that they have made a largely acoustic record that doesn’t sound acoustic at all, and that there are new ideas here, from a band who have not had many new ideas in the best part of 20 years.

Los Campesinos! – No Blues

Putting this list together is a fairly solitary process, but I do talk to other people over the course of the year. The week before this record was released, I couldn’t find anyone who would disagree with my top 3, although we were all excited that a new Los Campesinos! record was due, as it was likely to shake things up a little. I don’t think it has, although I do like it more with every listen, and I can’t really pass over a record that I listened to pretty much constantly for days. It also makes me feel alive and energised in the same way Vampire Weekend do, but with a definite UK slant to the things they sing about. That is important, right?

Barbarossa – Bloodlines

I know even less about this one that I do about Autre Ne Veut, but it occupies a similar place in my heart. It’s soulful, tuneful, and in some ways quite commercial, but it also taps a deep emotional vein that epitomises this year. I think this is another one most people will not have heard, but it’s definitely worth a listen.

Darren Hayman and the Short Parliament – Bugbears

Another one I’m not sure if anyone will have heard, but one that nicely epitomises my love of folk music, and of songs that tell stories. And yes, it’s the same Darren Hayman who was in Hefner all those years ago, although you wouldn’t know it from this. I’d very much recommend his whole back catalogue, but this is a good enough starting point, and a record I found myself coming back to over and over again in the latter portion of this year. Which is largely why it is last on the list.

But there are plenty of other things I’ve listened to this year that have caught my ear, and the list below is just some of them.

  • Jay-Z – Magna Carta Holy Grail
  • Villagers – {Awayland}
  • Breathe Owl Breathe – Passage of Pegasus
  • Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Push the Sky Away
  • John Zorn – The Mysteries
  • Shearwater – Fellow Travelers
  • Tomahawk – Oddfellows
  • Drake – Nothing Was the Same
  • Mark Lanegan – Imitations
  • The Fall – Re-Mit
  • Jesu – Everyday I get Closer to the Light from Which I Came
  • Midlake – Antiphon
  • Mark Kozelek & Jimmy Lavalle – Perils from the sea
  • British Sea Power – Machineries Of Joy
  • Bill Ryder-Jones – A Bad Wind Blows In My Heart
  • Ed Harcourt – Back Into The Woods
  • Julia Holter – Loud City Song
  • !!! – THR!!!ER
  • Phoenix – Bankrupt!
  • Mark Lanegan – Black Pudding
  • These New Puritans – Field of Reeds
  • Primal Scream – More Light
  • My Bloody Valentine – mbv
  • John Zorn – Dreamachines
  • Blouse – Imperium
  • Mazzy Star – Seasons of Your Day
  • Kanye West – Yeezus
  • Mark Mulcahy – Dear Mark J. Mulcahy, I Love You
  • Joseph Arthur – Redemption City
  • Daughter – If You Leave
  • Mark Kozelek & Desertshore – Mark Kozelek & Desertshore
  • Anais Mitchell and Jefferson Hamer – Child Ballads

More than just a little bit sad

I wrote this post for G+ to raise awareness of Depression Awareness Week in April, and as I’m planning a second post on the same subject then I thought it was worth putting the first one in the public domain so I can reference it. 

I have been aware of depression from a fairly young age, although I didn’t call it depression then. Both of my parents suffered from it for years, although it wasn’t until I was in my early teens that I really understood what the word meant and how it affected their behaviour and their relationship with each other. I have always known I have a generic propensity towards depression, and so I’ve always been very self aware and very clued up as to what signs to look for in my own psyche and my own behaviour. But of course, it is never that easy, and very often the times I am the least self aware are the times that there is something there that I should have noticed.

But this isn’t really about me. I’ve suffered from mild depression a few times, with each one linked to a particular situation that my mind had difficulties processing. Generally it goes away with time, medication, and a whole load of talking to people and writing things down, and I feel I have been fairly lucky with my mental health over the last few years.

But I am still aware of depression on a day to day basis in most areas of my life. I lose count of the number of friends and loved ones who have fallen prey to this illness, and who fight a daily battle to do those things that the rest of us take for granted. Every day I see positive examples of people clawing themselves back from the abyss, but sometimes I also see the times when people do not feel they are winning and need a helping hand to see how worthwhile they are as people and how much good they contribute to other people’s lives.

I know so many people who I am extraordinarily proud of in this respect. It is not my place to name them, but they probably know who they are, and that I have their back.

But that’s not all I want to say. I wrote earlier that this isn’t about me, but I suppose it is in a way. On some levels I’ve not been doing too well these last few months, and whilst I would not say I’ve been suffering from full-blown depression, I think my stress and anxiety levels have been extremely unhealthy, and at times off the scale.

Most of the time I hide it well, but I have spent a lot of time this year trying to untangle some of my longstanding fears and anxieties so I can move forward and actually be more use to the people around me. This has taken a lot of time, a lot of mental energy, and a lot of long conversations with people who have let me talk but also provided a safely net during those times where I may have uncovered memories and thoughts that were unexpected or somewhat disturbing. Again, these people probably know who they are, and  how highly I regard them. But I can’t really write about this subject without acknowledging them again.

I think I am winning now though, but I needed help. I don’t find asking for help easy, but I do strongly recommend it. Showing vulnerability and weakness is not something any of us find easy, but sometimes it is the first stage in the healing process and one that I cannot recommend strongly enough.

I also recommend talking. And writing things like this. And using this week to raise everyone’s awareness of exactly how many people are touched by this illness in some way.

Albums that will probably make my end of year list

Because I’ve been asked twice now, I thought it was worth posting a preliminary list of things I think might make my end of year list.

If you’ve not heard these, then find them on Spotify or add them to your Christmas wish list.

The National – Trouble Will Find Me
Jay-Z – Magna Carta… Holy Grail
Los Campesinos! – No Blues
Manic Street Preachers – Rewind the Film
Autre Ne Veut – Anxiety
Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City
The Indelicates – Diseases of England
Villagers – {Awayland}
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Push the Sky Away
Tomahawk – Oddfellows
Mark Lanegan – Imitations
Barbarossa – Bloodlines
Primal Scream – More Light
Drake – Nothing Was the Same
Breathe Owl Breathe – Passage of Pegasus
Mark Kozelek & Jimmy Lavalle – Perils from the sea
Mark Lanegan – Black Pudding
The Fall – Re-Mit
Editors – The Weight of Your Love
Ed Harcourt – Back Into The Woods
Phoenix – Bankrupt!
Darren Hayman & The Short Parliament – Bugbears
Julianna Barwick – Nepenthe
!!! – THR!!!ER
These New Puritans – Field of Reeds
Julia Holter – Loud City Song
Ghostpoet – Some Say I So I Say Light

I am continuing to catalogue everything I watch

Despite being very busy over the last few months, I have still managed to keep track of everything I’ve watched (apart from TV shows, which probably deserve their own post/project).

20th August – Daybreakers. In some ways this is a generic 21st century vampire movie, but I did like some of the science behind it, and found it entertaining enough to watch for a second time (I can’t remember the date of the first viewing, hence including it here). I also re-watched Dune on the same plane journey (London –> Vancouver), but I’ve already mentioned Dune elsewhere.

7th September – Alphaville. During a rare weekend off, I thought it might be nice to dip back into European cinema. I had a vague thought of trying a Jean Luc Godard weekend of movies, which I kicked off with this one. Alphaville is very strange, but also very thought provoking, and it takes aspects of Film Noire and 60’s detective movies and gives them a subtle sci-fi twist. Probably not a movie for everyone, but certainly enjoyable enough, and one that bears repeated watchings (and listenings).

7th September (later) – Made in U.S.A. Another Godard classic, and one I’ve not seen for at least 10 years. It’s worth it just for Anna Karina’s wonderfully 60’s outfits, but it is also another great example of the kind of story that Godard tells very well, as well as being another really thought provoking collection of images and sounds.

9th September – Notre Musique. Part 3 of my Godard spree, and the first one that is from the modern age (well. if 2004 counts as modern). I had read a review of this a while ago, and thought it sounded like something I would enjoy. The first section is very surreal and abstract, but it soon morphs into a more narrative (and longer) middle section that explores war, peace, and the conflicts between people of different nationalities. The third segment acts as a brief peaceful coda, and the whole piece does a good job of portraying the hell, purgatory and heaven of Dante’s Inferno (on which Notre Musique is very loosely based). I really enjoyed this movie, although I totally accept that it is not for everyone.

11th September – Lancelot du Lac. As a break from Godard, I stumbled upon this in the library today. It’s a 70’s retelling of the story of Sir Lancelot, in French, with a very odd style of acting that removes all animation and passion from the story, but is still strangely compelling. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, although there are parts of it that seem very dated now, and it was very odd seeing a quintessentially English story being played out in French.

6th October – On the Road. This is a recent movie adaptation of one of my favourite books, and is fairly faithful to the book (with a lot of passages from the book used as narrative). It has the feeling of a proper road movie, and the jazz soundtrack makes it feel like an authentic period piece, but it also has something to say about life and love in the 21st Century. I was worried I might be disappointed by this movie, but it is actually one of the most enjoyable things I’ve watched for a while, and it makes me want to go back and re-read everything Kerouac ever wrote.

Updates and upgrades

This weekend I have been making sure that all my devices are running the latest version of their OS, and also that they are fully backed up (and that the backups work).  This is something I try and put aside some time to do every month or so, and whilst it can be dull, it at least means that everything is working as efficiently as it can do when I am going through a period of being busy and productive.

I also updated this blog to the latest version of WordPress, which is so far looking good on my iPad (although I have not tried it on a computer yet).

I am hopeful that soon I will be able to write about the next version of Mac OS X. I am running it on about half my machines now, and am so far liking it a lot. It is not a revolutionary upgrade, but it also feels familiar enough to not slow me down.

A tale of two cities

Yesterday we did all the walking in the world, or if not all the walking then enough to result in a huge purple line drawn around several major chunks of the city. We explored beaches and parks, main streets and backstreets, and saw everything from the most opulent parts of the city to the areas which demonstrate a level of deprivation I have not seen for a good while. I always say that when I visit cities I want to experience everything they have to offer, and to try and discover what it would be like to live in them. There are plenty of places here that I would happily live in, but also areas that made me feel very conscious of how privileged I am to be in this city and to have the opportunity to briefly explore areas that the people who reside in them would probably give anything to escape from.

That was just one observation of many, but it is the one that sticks most firmly in my mind.

Other things I noticed were far more positive, and are further evidence that this is the sort of city I feel at home in. I think the main one is probably how environmentally aware everyone is. There are recycling bins everywhere, and sustainability seems ingrained into the culture here. The whole city is very cycle friendly, and I think if I ever return here then I would definitely look at hiring a bike. There is also a decent amount of good public transport, with fuel-efficient bus/tram hybrids, and the sky bus, which is like a cross between London  Underground and a monorail system.

There is also food of every type available, and we have already sampled several delightful cafes, as well as the restaurant at the Four Seasons hotel which was pricy, but worth it for the delicious food and perfect service. Another thing I like to do when I visit a place is to try and eat how the locals do, and I hope to do much more of that over the next couple of days, starting with breakfast as soon as I have finished writing this blog post.

Talking of which, my soundtrack to writing these words has been “Kaputt” by Destroyer. It’s a record I’ve long loved, and one which very much sums up Vancouver to me. I like to soundtrack my travel appropriately, and hearing Dan Bejar singing about Chinatown and Downtown and knowing that I walked those streets only yesterday makes me feel closer to the music in some way, and I am sure that listening to the music in the future will make me feel closer to the city too.

More travel ramblings

(Written yesterday)

I am writing this from a delightful Air Canada plane, where I have lots of leg room and more space in general than I know what do do with. First class was definitely the right choice, and after a very nice breakfast in the departure lounge, I think we will be getting more food shortly.

So far the trip has been remarkably stress free. Last night’s hotel was both opulent and functional, and we dined on very tasty curry and white wine in the hotel restaurant. I didn’t have the best night’s sleep, but still managed a few hours before having to leave, and I am sure there will be plenty of opportunity to sleep on the plane.

(7 hours later)

I was right about getting more food. We were given a 4 course meal (with wine) about an hour out of London, and have been given regular drinks and snacks throughout the flight. I think we are about to get more food before landing, and I have a feeling I probably won’t want to eat much more today.

I didn’t sleep though, and have instead spent the last 7 hours watching movies, reading, and listening to music. I am so glad I bought my iPad on this trip, because it has hit the spot perfectly as a source of entertainment.

Next stop Vancouver, home of some of my all time favourite music, and a place I have long been interested in visiting. I am not sure how many hours I can stay awake, but I want to try and banish as much jet lag as I can early on in the trip.