West End wandering

Week 2 of my holiday began with really nice weather yesterday. I went to give blood in the west end, about an hour's walk (at my speed) from home. It's the first time I've ventured into the area since the start of the Olympics, and I was gob-smacked by how many streets are partially closed, especially near Broadcasting House. To compensate there was much less traffic than usual; I think that people are being sensible about staying away from the areas where the dreaded tourist hordes and Olympic vehicles are congregating - for example, I was nearly trampled underfoot by an endless stream of Italian tourists in Baker Street.

Blood donation went well, and I've signed up for a study to see if it's possible to give more frequently than my current 3-month intervals. At the moment this just involves extra blood samples and tests (which are not any hardship, they just draw a couple of extra tubes full during the donation), and I think there will be questionnaires on my health etc. to fill in occasionally.

I think next time (October) will be the hundredth donation, but I forgot to check.

After that I had a very nice meal at Wagamama in Wigmore Street, excellent chilli beef ramen noodles followed by frozen yogurt, did some shopping in Edgware Road, and walked home. So a pretty good day exercise-wise, which I have unfortunately followed up by vegging out today - I meant to get out, but I had to do a software install on one of my seldom-used computers which ended up taking nearly three hours (long boring story involving bloody windows and office updates and four other expiring packages), and by the time it was done it was well into the afternoon and peeing down with rain.

Tomorrow I have the joy of washing machine repair-man, who will probably be the same guy as the last 3 or 4 times and I suspect remembers me with even less fondness than I remember him. Wish me luck...