Happy Thanksgiving from Newport, Gwent, UK

by on November 24, 2005

Whew, just arrived and the Internet works! 16 hours of traveling.
I can’t escape from Microsoft. When we changed our dollars into pounds, that was done on a Windows computer. When we got into our taxi there was an LCD screen booting up Windows XP (it then launched into a TV app where we could choose from a few channels).

One other thing? At Keyvan’s house I fired up my Tablet PC and started looking for wireless networks. None found.

There’s opportunity here. Whenever I look for wireless hotspots in, say, San Francisco I usually see dozens. It’s so weird to be in a place with no wifi.

Anyway, we’re here. Hope you’re having a great Thanksgiving!

Anyone want to get together in Newport? We’ll be here until the morning of the 28th.

  • HAHA Robert no we don't seem to have much wifi - I would doubt there would be much in Wales either!

    Are you coming up to Scotland Robert?

    It will be good to follow your posts at a decent hour now!
  • Robert, you shouldn't change your dollars to pounds at an exchange. The rate is too high. Best way to do the conversion is to simply withdraw the number of pounds you need from an ATM. You'll find it is much cheaper and more convenient this way. Start with some at the airport, and get more as needed at other ATM's. You are less likely to have to pay twice (convert a bunch to pounds at the airport, then re-convert back to dollars the remainder when done). Use the ATM, Luke... Learned that one on some extensive travelling...
  • Jess: unfortunately not this trip. I'll be in Wales for a few days, then onto Dublin, Cork, Paris, Brussels, London, and then home. Whew.
  • Happy Thanks Giving to you too. Use the ATM, it will be cheaper.
  • Hassan and Jerry, thanks for the advice! Will do.
  • If you come to this Keyvan's home can find Wireless Networks ;)
    Wish that you enjoy your stay at UK :)
    + Is he (Keyvan) Iranian?
  • You'll be pressed to find many hotspots in Newport, particularly free ones. Starbucks may have one and I know one pub in Newport that has got one. What part of Newport are you staying in? Count me in if you get anything arranged.
  • Keyvan: yes! He's my wife's brother.
  • Wireless networks are a bit scarce in Newport. I only know of one (in a pub!) but it's not free. What part of Newport are you staying in? What have you got planned whilst you are in Newport? If you get anything arranged I'll pop along.
  • Sorry about the posting twice, it seemed like the first comment didn't get posted.

    There are some places in Newport that have wi-fi. Here's a listing of places within a 5 mile radius (http://thecloud.totalhotspots.com/results.php?a...). Unfortunately they cost £4.50 an hour to use.
  • Robert: I don't have anything planned. Just chillin!

    I'd love to get together.

    Chepstow Road is the area I'm told we're near.
  • Jaz (same one from C9)
    Hey Scoble. tbh Newport isn't the place to be, sorry to say it, you need to just take a 10min ride on the train to cardiff to be where it's at (and i really suggest you do). Unfortunately i'm not at home right now but shall be seeing you in London on the 10th. I really suggest if you goto Cardiff you take a walk around where my home is at Roath Park Lake (i think i may have sent that as my postcard to the C9 team for my C9 guy), take a trip through town and see cardiff castle. And if you enjoy nights out theres no better place than Cardiff.

    I'll see you in London
  • Jaz: we might be going to Cardiff tomorrow. Or, maybe tonight! Thanks for the advice!
  • Jaz is right, there's so much more to do in Cardiff. It puts Newport to shame.
  • Jaz (same one from C9)
    i forgot to say, Cardiff Bay is actually worth a visit, some nice resturants, there s anice turkish one i think thats on the end of a peier, i forget the name. If you like fish, wines and fine port then in town on st mary street i suggest you goto champers. Possibly the best spanish tapas bar in Cardiff. They do fish on the top floor and meat on the ground floor. Is excellent and my dad recomends the ports they offer. If you love vodka Molokos is a great vodka bar/club offering hundreds of different vodkas (basically they have marmite vodka and i bet nowhere else does).

    The gatekeeper which is down by the welsh club near the castle is a nice enjoyable little weatherpoons chain, it's my main pub hangout.

    i shall be quizzing you in London if i pluck up the courage
  • Come across to Bristol (15 minutes by road across the bridge bring £6.00 for the toll) we have lots of wifi hotspots in the centre here and plenty to see (Clifton Suspension Bridge - dont look down!) Read your blog all the time, think you've got your finger on the pulse. Bristol is more happening and zingy than Newport but then again so is everywhere! (Sorry Newport I love it there really!) When in Newport look out for Adam Hussein (Goldie Looking Chain song - very funny!)
  • Yep, I was born in Cardiff. That's the place to be. Newport is the least hip place in the UK. And ... sorry ... but you're heading into a great snowstorm. Keep warm. Recommend the Laphraoig whisky :-)
  • Lloyd
    Hi Scoble,

    While you are in london, are you gonna have a chance to see Microsoft's Life Squared project?

    http://www.pcplus.co.uk/news/home_news/microsof...

    http://www.microsoft.com/uk/lifesquared/
  • Hi, Croeso Y Cymru (Welcome to Wales)

    I read your blog a lot and as someone new into blogging am really learning quite a bit.

    Hope you enjoy your stay in UK. If you are looking for WiFi hotspots Cardiff is the place to be, not to mention all the entertainment, pubs,restaurants, museums and Welsh culture to absorb.
  • Enjoy the snow! (Makes a change from the rain ;-) )

    Once you get outside of the major metropolitan areas of the UK, Technology regresses a bit (It is part of it's charm). Free Wi-fi is a rare luxury. Most of the time it is very expensive (There was a project for free wi-fi running in Cardiff, http://www.arwain.net but the coverage was a bit poor!)

    Happy Thanksgiving by the way
  • Would've been great to have met up with you (I'm from just south of Bristol) but I think I'll miss out!

    I sometimes work in Newport, was there this last Monday, probably going next week, and I was in Cardiff last night. Close but not close enough! You'll be gone before I make it over again.

    If you do make it into Bristol (MUCH nicer than Newport, and better than Cardiff IMHO) give us a heads-up on your blog and we'll head in to greet you!

    Hope you're enjoying the snow. Its clear and sunny on this side of the bridge! :-)
  • Simon: I'd love to meet up. Looks like we're going to Cardiff tomorrow. We'll hang out in Newport today. Not sure what we'll do on Sunday.

    I'm game for getting together, though. Gotta see as much as possible.
  • Lloyd, I wasn't planning on hitting that, but looks interesting. Actually, that looks like the Microsoft Home that I got a tour of last time I was in London. So, I'll probably pass on that.
  • If you're in the city centre today do you fancy meeting up for a beer?
  • If you fancy a great meal in Newport you should try the Chandlery (http://www.thechandleryrestaurant.com).

    If you're into history there's loads of roman stuff nearby, a stately home, Norman Cathedral and the club where Kurt Cobain proposed to Courtney love!

    For nice views your best bet is to head out of newport as fast as possible and try the Brecon Beacons national park or the forest of dean.

    We also have the second ugliest building in Wales, a 20 foot moving clock and a wide selection of run down council estates (personal tours at no charge)
  • Robert: yeah! Where should we meet up?
  • Something that should appeal to the geek in you is the transporter bridge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transporter_bridge) - it's one of only a handful in the world.
  • Danielle
    We do have wireless connection. Is it the same as wireless networks? Stay at the West Usk Lighthouse, a real lighthouse in Newport! Check our website. We do complementary therapies and we have a floatation tank, a must for jet lagged travellers. All the best.
  • Danielle, do you run that? That's cool!

    James, thanks, I'll try to check that out tomorrow.
  • Firstly, there is an important distinction to draw here between public wireless and public wireless with Internet access.

    Newport has had, for several years, at least 2 public wireless projects running, namely:

    www.wirelesswales.net (now defunct)
    pilltelecom.org.uk (status unknown)

    There is a new project JUST kicked off to establish a community WWAN around Newport - needs plenty of volunteers - will also be VPN linking to a parallel project in Magor shortly.

    See http://www.cownet.org

    (COWnet - C ommunity O rientated W ireless N etwork)

    you may also find references to www.openwan.org (open W ireless A round N ewport. This project was started at the time of the demise of wirelesswales.net , but is probably now going to be assimilated into COWnet.org

    As for no wireless in Newport !! thou kiddest! >B-O

    from my home here (near the top of Alway) I can frequently see in excess of 160 (YES one hundred and sixty) access points - the 2.4GHz band is saturated.
    Not to mention the vast quantity of CCTV traffic too

    conversely 5.8GHz seems as dead as a dodo!

    If any Newportonian wants to participate in COWnet, why not drop by ? or even browse our site wirelessly from the newport-east router

    regards

    rob ("bigbloke" on cownet forum)
    channel 9
    ESSID COWnet.org
    DHCP on
    WEP / WPA off (this is a community network)

    also looking to find people in the Cardiff area who would like to participate in COWnet - the more nodes the merrier, so I'm broadcasting a speculative link in that direction:

    channel 1
    ESSID LOGON_4_DETAILS
    DHCP on
    WEP/WPA off
  • forgot to mention, if you're on the malpas bettws side of town theres no way you will connect here, even with external antennas - christchurch is in the way. similarly clarence place / caerleon rd side of maindee - we need more nodes volunteers !

    with a 3dB magmount antenna you will get into the newport-east router from the ridegway - but you'll need a decent wlan card (e.g. lucent or senao)

    There are two guys in bettws (fester and razor) who were talking of setting up something there though.

    regards

    Rob (BB)
  • sdfdsfsdfsdfsdfsdfsdfsdfsdf
    Electronic boutiqie in Newport in teh tyeat 2000 had a woman who worked there who was a paedophile, she looked like atypical blonde haired woman, who liked eating people, i hope she is dead
  • sdasdasdasdas
    Caerleon had a terrible woman called carol who did archaeogy degree in 1997 too 2000, she was switz
  • Cardiff airport is one of the most efficient and friendly airports in the UK. The staff are outstanding. Its just a pity there is only the one runway
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