Life in the fast (mobile broadband) lane...

Picked up a 3 Mobile MiFi the other day for use with a recently acquired Wi-Fi only iPad.

Visiting the in-laws at the moment where any mobile phone signal is a rare thing let alone a mobile broadband one. Took my T-Mobile 3G modem and the 3 Mobile MiFi to try and help them figure out a way around the lack of any broadband service over a landline. BT are being useless in even giving them a date that a service will be even considered. Villagers have discussed a community satellite broadband system, but it is only in a discussion stage.

The T-Mobile couldn't even get up a fast walking pace, O2 (on the iPhone) wouldn't get off the starting blocks but the 3 Mobile has surprised me by getting speeds of 2.5+ Mbps.

The inlaws were so surprised that it bettered by about 1Mbps their previous broadband service in their old property, they asked me to go online and get them the 3 Mobile USB dongle modem.

For once a UK mobile phone company has surprised me by actually delivering a decent service and coverage.

Thumbs up for 3.....

Grip, grip, grip....

So the Nokians have proved their worth. We've had snow and quite a bit too.
The tyres gave so much grip it was almost like having four wheel drive - OK, I know I could have been halted by really deep stuff or extremes of the bad weather but the tyres were really such an improvement that I felt confident to tackle side roads where only 4x4s had ventured.
Big tick in the pleased box!

32000' over Glasgow. Release bombs!!!!

So its a travelling I will go once again.  On the road to Las Vegas and CES for the second year even though I said last year might be my first and last time.
Travel, by air at least, is becoming a real drag as I am sure my legions of readers will agree. 
You, well I, take advantage of park and fly deals with airport hotels and  cut out that "will-we-won't-we-make-it" lottery of driving down the same day as your flight. Travel the day before and have a cold beer and tasty snack in the bar then retire to your room for a restful nights slumber. Or not, if the air con system sounds like some throw back to a black country mill!
Ah well, just suck that up and rest easy in the knowledge that you can stroll to the terminal and check in. 
Except for the increasingly personal level of undress that one has to undergo just to get into the departure area. Shoes off, coats off, small change and spectacles, testicles, watch and wallet in the tray before stepping through the portal into the next dimension. How long before we are stripped bare to outwit the Jibjabistanis? Too late I fear, as the US implement their Xray-O-Vision full body scanners.  They can now tell which side you dress to!!!!
Delayed flight by 45 minutes (well an hour actually) and some lanky gibbon-like teenager in the seat in front all add to the pleasure of international air travel. I have to be careful not to fall asleep, even though my eyes feel like they have been irrigated with a cocktail of Vim and battery acid, for fear my snoring will set off the knee tap reflex of the person sat behind! Grab a paper or magazine and read dammit. Virgin have a quiet zone on some flights. Maybe they need a snore zone for us heavy sleepers?
Suck it up man!
So, I'll get in at 10.30pm (UK time) 2.30pm (local) and will have to struggle on for another 8-10 hours to slot into Vegastime with 4 hours sleep tacked onto a ten hour flight. Deeply joyble in the words of Mr Unwin....    

Filthwizardry

From our Motoring Editor, Buster Bloodvessel...

Don't go to kwikfit!
£468.00 for exhaust!
Guy lifted car (engine running) we walked underneath he put his hand over the exhuast pipe (engine running!)no doubt to help aid our hearing to any escaping gases and then burnt his hand.....
He then said (with a pained expression and one hand under his armpit) "It'ss aaa compeletee system umff" and to be fair it looked complete from the mainfold, Cat and box all one piece but only the box was "blowing" a bit.
"I'll get you a quote" we go to the office he gets on the machine and with one hand under his arm pit quotes me £400+ pounds i go "mmm" his grimey co-erks go "bloodyhell"!

I said "I only need the box" he says they can cut the box off the new system and I can hang on to it till I need to replace the cat.... - I said "you surggest cutting the new £400+ system in half"
With no doubt a slightly ironic - phased expression on my face (I couldn't wait to tell C there's £340 pounds of Cat and pipe under the bed)

I asked if they could weld a patch? all 3 filthwizards pipe up and say "were not allowed to weld here" (probably because they'd FACKING burn themselves!!!!!) I left on good terms saying I'd think about it and then ran to my car feeling I was going mad.

Then popped into my local garage had chat with a dude who said there thieving scum at KF (no sh#t) and you can buy boxes on there own from the main dealers for £60 and a sleeve kit to adapt it to the pipe, which I remembered from my days of working at Citroen.

I'm now going to have a beer and sit in a darkened room for a bit.