Living in a big city like London that is also located in a relatively mild climate zone lets you easily forget how beautiful winter can be. I very well remember winters like that when I still lived at home. And every year I miss them more and more. Sometimes, I tell my parents and other relatives that they don't really know in what beautiful landscape they live. Just a gentle reminder. But it's also a reminder to myself because if you have it around you all year long you stop seeing and appreciating it.

So guys, if you are interested, then make your next holiday in Pöllwitz, it's right here, surrounded by loads of forest that offers plenty of hiking trails or cycle paths. You can also find more information on http://www.poellwitz.de that is looked after by Sabine.

Today I had my first iPhone experience with another person. I was walking up and down Tottenham Court Road in pursuit for some small arial connectors for my Freeview set up. And as I was looking for a shop that may have what I was looking for, I passed a Vodafone shop. There, some of the guys distributed leaflets the latest phone offers. Since one of the guys didn't give up trying to give me a leaflet I just took my iPhone out of the pocket and showed it to him saying: "Thanks, I am very well served."

Vodafone guy: "Who is selling them?"

Me: "There's only one provider who does."

Vodafone guy: "Is there? Who is it?"

Me: "Well it's O₂"

Vodafone guy: "Oh really? How is it?"

Well, here I stopped talking to him and just smiled and continued my pursuit. I am not sure whether he really didn't know who sells the iPhone in the UK or if he just tried to start a conversation. Maybe Vodafone's management brain washed all their staff so that they forget that the iPhone exists after Vodafone failed to secure the deal with Apple not only in the UK but also in Germany, which is basically a slap in Vodafone's face. Here in the UK Vodafone's customer service even had to shut down the first weekend after the iPhone went on sale because they couldn't cope with the number of calls from customers requesting their PAC code to migrate their number over to O₂.

I'm glad O₂ got the deal, it's the best mobile phone provider here in the UK. Never had a problem and for the critics out there: The iPhone tariffs are great. I don't think they are overpriced, in fact they are good value for money! Waiting for your comments now ;-)

Just waiting at Oslo Airport for my fantastic SAS flight to take me back to good old London. While waiting here, I have been joined by a few geeks who now all show off their great (and heavy) and stylish IBM, HP and Dell laptops. One guy's power adapter has the size of a gold bar and probably weighs nearly the same. What a shame it doesn't have a value of one though.

There's actually also a woman who wants to geek around too with her new Lenevo Thinkpad, but the older hackers decided to exclude her from their top secret MS Word and Spreadsheet investigations.

I sometimes find it quite amazing how people can make a living out of hacking (and mastering??) MS Word and Excel. Aren't there more interesting things around they could do? Maybe they get some casual incomes from MS just to show the world how great these two products are. But are they really? Anyway, it's enough to get at least five geeks at one table, here at Oslo Airport... I think that's already a great sign of the success MS has achieve here.

Ok, I have to go now and continue to geek around with Pages and Numbers. There's at least some fun and style when you geek with Apple software.

The morning started great today until I got to the train station from where I usually take a train into Moorgate to get to work. The trains are operated by First Capital Connect. However, just a few minutes I arrived on the platform, they announced that all trains to Moorgate have been suspended until further notice due to a broken down train at Drayton Park. Oh well, ok today we need plan B to get to work. And not only I was thinking that. Just seconds after the announcement a migration started from the overground platforms down to the underground platforms of the Piccadily and Victoria Lines. (BTW: I think the Victoria Line is the best underground line: reliable, fast and very frequent, usually every two minutes).

Ok, got on the first train. Good. Quick ride to Highbury & Islington then further down to King's Cross Sts Pancras. Usual minor delays on that section on our way into the station. Ok, got off and over to the Thameslink platforms to catch a train to Blackfriars. This route is also operated by First Capital Connect and surprise surprise what can I hear: Due to a broken down train in the Bedford area, all southbound trains are subject to severe delays. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Fantastic. At the end I got on the next southbound train, just.

It's not the first time that this happened. Actually, over the last months there were quite a few broken down trains on First Capital Connect services. What a suprise, that they didn't run short of working trains, which is often a reason for delays as well. Maybe they should consider a re-branding: First Capital Disconnect. I think that would be more appropriate. The worst thing in such situation is that the staff in the front row, i.e. on the platforms, usually get the kicking by the frustrated passengers while the company's managers are protected in their offices, thinking of new ways to improve share holder value. Unfortunately, to many times these new ways are well known old ones: Let's increase the fares.

Welcome to the world of public transport in Britain .

First Capital Disconnect - Your Journey. Your Choice. Your Railway.