Russell Davies

day 15 - retail weekend

It's one of the things about moving into a new house. You always have to spend time at retail parks.

First thing Saturday we had to go to Halford's to get a new radio put in the car. Halford's clearly isn't just one place. It's a load of car brands lumped together. So we had to go back and forth from the ripspeed desk (where we bought the radio) to the AA desk (who fitted it). Still, it all worked.

Then to my favourite cafe ever. The bus on the A52 between Derby and Ashbourne. The food is great, incredibly cheap and the owners seem to know every one of their customers by name.

Then back to Ikea, for some serious shopping this time. Nowhere looks quite like Ikea.

Then the rest of the day is spent unflatpacking and tidying.

Portugal 1 - Greece 2

day 14 - not much, thinking about airports

Flew back from Copenhagen yesterday. Travelling to the airport reminded me of a game I used to play when I worked in the States. We did a lot of flying around, a lot of traveling to airports in places I didn't know at all. And you notice that the areas around airports always had more in common with each other than the places where they were. (If you see what I mean.) Firstly, of course, no hills. First you notice a higher than average number of corporate headquaters - especialling US technology compannies. Then a band of cheap housing and light industrial units. Nothing high of course. Then you notice companies you don't see anywhere else - logistic businesses, and importers and stuff. Then you notice that the roads you're on have odd names - named after people like Frank Whittle. Then you start to see businesses that are definitely linked to airports - like Lufthansa catering.

The game we used to play was to identify precisely at what point - if you'd just parachuted in, without seeing the surrounding area - you could definitely tell you were near an airport. Not just probably, but definitely. Not very exciting, but it passed the time.

Friday was a bit of a nothing day. Lots of blogging and stuff, then up to the Peak District, driving under interesting skies.

Then we called in at Ikea near Nottingham. Because we had to do a recce for buying some beds on Saturday and because Arthur really likes it there.

day 13 - wonderful wonderful

Great day in Copenhagen starting with the biggest latte I've ever seen in my life.

Then I strolled up and down the Stroget, which claims to be the longest pedestrianised shopping street in the world. They were just installing an, er, installation. A hugely long red carpet, the length of the Stroget. I liked it. It's the work of an artist Marco Evaristti - and supported by cities for people, a conference on urbanism and transport in stuff. Which I could have stayed for that. I especially liked that they were going to "focus on research, case studies and experiences in the integration of walking policies into a wider context." Made me wonder about my own walking policies.

I immediately thought this would be a good name for a brand consultancy or something, but someone's beaten me to the punch.

Then off to the conference. Really nice people, really well organised. I've no idea if they thought what Mark and I did had any relevance at all. I think I'm going over people's heads a lot of the time. Being too abstract and high-flown. Making it sound impractical. I dunno. It's easy to dismiss because it's Nike and Honda and that. They gave me a nice Georg Jensen bowl as a thankyou. Great people.

Mark Earls was very good as useful. Never seen him presenting his book before. Great stuff.

Very excited by this. A piece of promotional literature featuring my name.

Here they all are watching the Honda Cog ad.

day 12 - going to denmark

Didn't really achieve much today either. Did some APG banking stuff. Had a nice breakfast at a good snack bar on the Euston Road, opposite Great Portland Street, but forgot camera. Then off to Heathrow for trip to Denmark for this conference.

I don't like terminal four. All the romance of travel has completely gone. It's just a mall and a bus station.

Nice hotel in Copenhagen but still reminded me of all that Lost In Translation ennui and anonymity. And I was only there a night.

day eleven - nothing really

hmm. no real achievement. met some people for coffee and lunch, had an apg committee meeting. early night. got a laptop from work so I could write a presentation for this thing I'm speaking at tomorrow in Denmark.

Must try harder.

day ten - unpacking

A day spent unpacking stuff at the cottage, not a huge amount of fun, but honest labour. Arthur created an installation in his bedroom.

The best bit was finding our cruiser bikes. We bought these just before we discovered we were leaving the States so they've been in storage for years and we've never really ridden them. Since they were designed to cruise to the beach and back (no gears, no brakes) I'm not sure they'll get a lot of use in the peak district either.

We called in at a pub in Shardlow on the way back to London. Discovered this ancient set of skittles in the beer garden. Enormous amount of fun. Arthur did a very convincing imperonation of a Soviet weightlifter while bowling.

Then, scampi and chips while Arthur practised his expressions.

day nine - bit bitty

A bitty day, waiting for Anne and Arthur to get back from Cheshire. Good start though - a great bacon sandwich at a layby snack place. Between Ashbourne and Buxton. If I was a photographer, and I had a few spare months, this would be my first project. Photographing the layby snack joints of Britain. They're such interesting places. They always look odd. They always have stories to tell, you don't set up one of those places unless you have some kind of story.

Then went to Scriveners, which is a fantastic bookshop in Buxton.

Then to Hartington farmer's market for another bacon sandwich.

This is what an English summer is all about. Parking in fields. Car boot sales. Bouncy castles. Listening to recordings of brass bands over tannoys. Trestle tables.

Then I met Anne and Arthur at Breadsall Priory which is a hotel/golf club place. Once a magnificent country house, now owned by Marriott. It's strange. The best thing is this pond. It's very flat and it's surrounded by shards of very flat ornamental stones so it's absolutely perfect for skimming. I got up to about 13 skims. Honest.

day eight - more walking and some chips

I used to go to the Acropolis a lot when I lived in Derby. I'd hang out drink coffee out of those brown glass coffee cups. I was looking forward to sticking it into eggbaconchipsandbeans, but it's gone strangely downhill. Sort of updated. Sort of cheapified. And the final straw - not real bottles of sauce- just little sachets. So I had to reject it.

Then went for another great walk. Drove up to Edale and walked around Mam Tor and Lose Hill. Lots of hills and achey kness. But worth it.

Highlight, was a great chip shop in Buxton. Very nice fish and chips.

day seven - dovedale and the tissington trail

Anne and Arthur went off to Anne's mum, so I was left to tramp for 15 miles around Dovedale and down the Tissington Trail. I know it's a tourist-ridden cliche but it's definitely the loveliest bit of the country.

Nice to get away from civilisation.

The essential mid-walk pasty.

day six - bit wasted

We drove up to the Peak District today. We've rented a house up there - to compensate for the slightly tiny London flat. So we had to go up to do the inventory with a very jolly inventory bloke. About the best bit of the day was the services on the M1. The roadchef outside Northampton. My favourite bit was this sign for voting on the quality of the loos. What an excellent idea.

I've wanted to compile a list of things which are better than they used to be. To combat miserable Englishness. Motorway services are one of them. Yes, I know there was a sixties moment when services were the white heat of catering, but for as long as I remember them they've been insulting and rubbish. And now they're starting to be good. Not charming or soul-enhancing or anything but just decent efficient retail/eating experiences.

And there's actually decent coffee. That's a breakthrough.