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science_expat
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« on: August 24, 2007, 10:04:25 AM » |
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For my sins, I'm now a peer review college member for one of the research councils. I have to attend a training day in Swindon in early September and will have to stay overnight as cannot get there from here by 9 AM.
Any suggestions for pubs and/or restaurants near the train station?
Cheers.
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It's not procrastination. It's "just in time" delivery.
Nutso is the new normal.
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expatinuk
Has spent over 1000 pounds but now holds a Brit passport!
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 6,653
From SC living in UK
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« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2007, 11:58:12 AM » |
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« Last Edit: August 24, 2007, 11:59:01 AM by expatinuk »
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Expatinuk seems to be a Soviet Satellite in stationary orbit over the UK
It is what it is.
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scotia
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« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2007, 01:41:36 PM » |
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My only visit to Swindon was to replace the exhaust on my car when heading back from Devon. I would not recommend the hot chocolate at Kwikfit.
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bibliothecula
Academic ronin
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 3,907
like Bunnicula, only with books
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« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2007, 01:47:05 PM » |
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Isn't Swindon the place where Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next novels are set? Maybe you can find the Dodo Emporium! ;)
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I came. I saw. I cited.
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snape
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« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2007, 09:59:55 AM » |
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The M4 was closed a couple of weeks back and I got diverted through Swindon.
Sorry, not very helpful, but I thought I'd share this experience.
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sandgrounder
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« Reply #5 on: August 28, 2007, 11:28:59 AM » |
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If you do not wish to see the magic roundabout do not get in a taxi - wherever you want to go the second they spot you're a stranger, they make a detour there...
I've had to eat there a few times thanks to train hassles and unless I've been missing culinary gems (quite possible), I'd say Indian food is safest.
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qrypt
Qryptacular & not really a Member-Moderator
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 5,439
the great vampire squid round the face of humanity
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« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2007, 12:57:27 PM » |
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Who is the bright spark who decided to put the ESRC in Swindon anyway? I can just imagine trying to impress eminent social scientists from abroad: Hey Professor Eisenstadt, come to Swindon to see the best the UK has to offer!
I'll bet it was that meathead Gordon Marshall.
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"I'm tired of being your love slave!"
"Does that mean I'm not going to get my coffee?"
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busyslinky
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« Reply #7 on: August 28, 2007, 01:18:33 PM » |
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My trip to Swindon was similar to others. Being an American, I rented a car and put regular gas (petrol) into a diesel car. Being an American, I don't know how to read English. It would have been helpful if someone at the rental agency pointed out to me that this vehicle was a diesel (almost all cars in the U.S. are petrol) and diesel is very rare. In the UK I found out that the diesel is right next to the Petrol. Diesel hoses do not fit into petrol gas tanks, but Petrol hoses do fit into Diesel.
Well, anyway, I found out that diesel vehicles do not run on Petrol. So some laughing Englishmen from Swindon (I was on the M4) picked me up on a Sunday and showed me to their nice large garage. Come to find out, they pick up about 4-5 people a week who do that.
Then I had to catch a train the rest of the way, it was late by 3 hours in the sweltering heat.
It was not fun. Swindon will live in infamy in my mind. There is nothing amusing about Swindon.
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Such a wonderful toy!
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science_expat
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« Reply #8 on: August 28, 2007, 01:42:41 PM » |
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Look folks, like it or not I've signed up for a 3 year term (sentence?) with this research council, and hence expect MANY trips to Swindon!
Is there not any place to get a decent pint or a bit of good grub?!
*Looks around desperately for agreement with RC*
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Logged
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It's not procrastination. It's "just in time" delivery.
Nutso is the new normal.
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qrypt
Qryptacular & not really a Member-Moderator
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 5,439
the great vampire squid round the face of humanity
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« Reply #9 on: August 28, 2007, 02:01:52 PM » |
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I figured there would be a Pizza Express, but I just checked google maps and nothing comes up. I also figured I'd have a look in my Rough Guide, but - Swindon isn't listed!
Perhaps you can spend the night in Bath? That's only 40 minutes away on the train...
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Logged
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"I'm tired of being your love slave!"
"Does that mean I'm not going to get my coffee?"
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science_expat
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« Reply #10 on: August 28, 2007, 02:21:39 PM » |
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Thanks for the effort, Grypt. Swindon must truly be a cultural wasteland if it doesn't even have a Pizza Express!
No choice about where I stay - accommodation was booked and paid for by the RC.
I will try to see myself as a pioneer, venturing forth bravely to the backwaters....
(And may email the woman making the arrangements - perhaps she knows a decent pub within walking distance of Polaris House...)
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Logged
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It's not procrastination. It's "just in time" delivery.
Nutso is the new normal.
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helpful
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« Reply #11 on: August 28, 2007, 02:30:25 PM » |
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If you are lucky, there is a pretty average football team playing second division I believe out of Swindon.
If you can rent a car for an afternoon there is some pretty nice countryside in the area.
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expatinuk
Has spent over 1000 pounds but now holds a Brit passport!
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 6,653
From SC living in UK
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« Reply #12 on: August 29, 2007, 12:00:53 AM » |
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If you are lucky, there is a pretty average football team playing second division I believe out of Swindon.
If you can rent a car for an afternoon there is some pretty nice countryside in the area.
I've already recommended this in PM....Wiltshire is lovely... |
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Expatinuk seems to be a Soviet Satellite in stationary orbit over the UK
It is what it is.
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wegie
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« Reply #13 on: August 29, 2007, 05:36:03 PM » |
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Swindon is the blot on the landscape of the wonder that is Wiltshire. Basically it's Crewe only 150 miles south. If you're having real problems, science_expat, try the recommendations on beerintheevening.com. Just make sure you go for something rated 6.5 or above with a number of reviews you like the sound of. I used to share an office with a guy who'd moved to Swindon because his wife was doing her medical rotation there. He had nothing complimentary to say whatsoever. |
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science_expat
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« Reply #14 on: August 30, 2007, 12:30:35 PM » |
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If you're having real problems, science_expat, try the recommendations on beerintheevening.com. Just make sure you go for something rated 6.5 or above with a number of reviews you like the sound of. Thanks for the link. Unfortunately, nothing close looked very interesting. I'm getting more and more depressed.... |
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Logged
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It's not procrastination. It's "just in time" delivery.
Nutso is the new normal.
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