August 12, 2011
Not Connected. Wimslow into North Wales.
The early fog cleared and overcast sky was followed by breaks in the cloud with sunny spells. The canal which I'd thought of cycling didn't have a continuous towpath that I could ride on, but not to worry as I found the cycleway 5 dedicated route, leading me along a string of leafy lanes and through small picture postcard villages with expensive mock Tudor style houses.
I decided to cycle into Chester, the later few miles of which the cycleway signs directed me along the canal which now had a good towpath. The city supposedly dates back to the Romans and the main pedestrian drag is lined with fancy black and white half timber houses, very old looking, and looking to be slightly leaning as they rise up over the street full of sightseers.
I needed to buy a new map as the one in use came to the margin in the middle of England, in other words, Is about to ride off it. I found a bookshop and bough the map, I now needed a place with wifi to check emails and send an email. What could be easier. Everyday while in South America I found a place with wifi easily and connected up instantly. But here in the UK the national telecom company make the uncomplicated complicated by insisting on a registration form wherein you most fill in all your details in order to connect. And mostly when having filled it in, pressing send or continue, results in the same registration form coming up again blank, meaning I've to start again and there's no guarantee that it will go through this time either, and I end up unable to connect. And it isn't free. In a Starbucks I've to spend five pounds to receive a card. I bough a latte and a muffin for three eighty, so Is spending a balance of one twenty expecting to connect. But it was a waste of money as when with much difficulty understanding the thing I connected, it was too slow at first, then "No Internet Connection" appeared on the screen. I squeeze and crumpled the card in my fist and threw it down in frustration to a bemused look from the servitor.
With optimism, I then try McDonnell's which advertises free wifi, though, it isn't really free, as you have to eat their poor excuse for food because, I did go in without any intention of buying anything and tried using it, but found that I required a code which I'd only get after having bough something I didn't want to eat. Finally next-door in tourist information the lady directed me to a pub on the way out of town which, she said, has free wifi. Free WiFi! Hard to believe. Here my computer try as I did wouldn't connect to the network.
A couple sat across by the door seeing a distressed me and a look of resignation on my face as I rose to leave, caught my attention on the way out the door. I told the man what was wrong and he suggested I go to a mobile phone shop and buy a subscription, something such as a "Dongle"; perhaps..., yes, I'll give it a thought, I said before leaving. I will have to do something as I left town without writing my email.
I was now heading into North Wales where I would visit friends, people I'd met in South America, and that was the importants of the email, to find-out where they live. From Chester I cycled west following cycleway 5 mainly along the Union canal which at this point getting close to the sea is a wide body of water across low lowland with market gardening though mainly urban with much industrial buildings. I didn't know where in Wales Is going yet and envisages cycling over towards the north west corner, but another day would prove I wouldn't have to go that far.
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