David Currie

Whilst out running in Oslo last week I kept coming across groups in the park lobbing wooden batons at a selection of wooden cuboids stood in a rectangle. I had no idea what they were up to. Lo and behold, what should come up on the Today programme this morning but the game of Kubb. Perhaps I’ll buy a set next time I’m over there. Could be tricky with just hand luggage though!

124I’m staying at the Radisson Scandinavia in Oslo for the second week running and was surprised to find myself in a very contemporary looking room (see photo of headboard with illuminating plastic panels) compared with the relatively normal affair I had last week. I can’t help wondering whether this is because I checked in on Sunday night wearing jeans and T-shirt rather than the business casual I was wearing when I arrived last Monday. Perhaps I’m reading too much in to this!

One tip if you find yourself staying here but, like me, out of town during the day. Don’t pay the exorbitant prices to stay in the hotel car park as parking on the surrounding roads is free between 5pm and 8am. If you fancy a lie in you can always put money on a meter the night before.

117Iceland wouldn’t have been our first choice for a holiday destination but Christine’s attendance at the EURO 2006 conference gave us (and it seemed, most of the rest of the operational research world) a good excuse to make the trip.

(more…)

99Just back from a two-day trip to Verona. Fortunately the rain stopped for long enough for myself and a colleague to wander around the city centre taking a few shots of the sights. The sun was even shining for a while although the sky largely remained an ominous dark grey. My colleague had both an early flight and the car so I arrived at the airport before my check-in even opened. Unusually I was flying business class so could get some work done in the lounge. Indeed, by the time the flight had been delay 75 minutes, I’d got about 4 hours work done. The food in the lounge wasn’t up to much though – I’m not sure that many pistachio nuts are good for you!