The Brits, well, they love their queues. I don't mean in a plutonic sort of way, no, seriously man, they LOVE their queues. Anywhere, anyhow they can get them, they'll get in a queue. Wanna buy a chocolate? Join the queue. Wanna get on the bus? Join the queue. Wanna get on the tube? Join the queue...
So today, still being half term, I decided to go up town to the Natural History Museum. I've never been there, and I have to say, it was really good. Actually I need to go again, because I really didn't see all of it the first time. Why? Because of the queues...
There was a queue to go in. A queue to buy tickets to the special displays (one showing the winners and runners up in the Wildlife Photography of the Year, one about Antarctica). A queue to get coffee. A queue for the loo. And the biggest, hugest, longest (45 minute!) queue to see the Dinosaurs... no wonder I didn't get to see it all!
I did see the Wildlife Photography display, this was incredible. There were some absolutely amazing photos - like the one of a cheetah in the Serengeti - where you could see the car the photographer was in reflected in the eyes of the cheetah - or the one of the penguin jumping out of the water, or the shark jumping out of the water... the pictures were incredible.
I also went to the "Antarctic" special display, but was rather disappointed in this, as although the woman selling me the ticket assured me it was for adults too, alas, it was mostly a child's thing. Lot's of interactive displays that you had no chance of looking at for the minions of kids already on them. Oh well.
After this, I headed into Oxford Street, because today they were launching the new Mac OS - Leopard. I found out yesterday I'm eligible for the upgrade for free (well, nearly free - I have to pay p&p on the disk as I have to buy it online) because my Mac arrived after 1st October. So, I thought I would go up and have a bit of a look at the Launch, as I would like to see what the changes are in the OS.
Seriously, that was a stupid thing to do. First of all, I got the tube from South Kensington to Oxford St, and upon arrival, discovered that I couldn't leave the tube - because they were holding people back on the pavement due to congestion. So we had to queue to leave the tube... and fight the crowds on Oxford St... just to leave the station.
I then made my way around the corner towards the Apple shop - to be confronted by the longest queue I have seen in a while (barring the Wimbledon queue, of course!) - it was snaking right around the block and almost back double on itself! I should've given up then, but decided, as I didn't have anything else to do today, I would stay and see what it's all about.
I'm glad I did, it was very interesting and can't wait for my copy of Leopard to arrive - although with the ongoing postal strikes, goodness only knows when that will be...
Signs of China
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1 comment:
This must be doing wonders for you since you're such a big fan of waiting...
Meanwhile - no queues back here in Oz...
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