Things I missed about the UK while away

• Sky+. I'm addicted to watching Airline, Airport, Air Crash Investigation, Seconds From Disaster, Sky Sports, Sky Movies, pausing/rewinding TV, etc. Not being at work my addiction as plunged new depths, as I've been sat on me sofa for hours and hours on end watching the same shows at the same time as Chris while chatting to him about them on IRC. Good job I'm going out today.
• My sofa. Sky+ might be full of awful TV shows but watching them is so enjoyable when done from my sofa.
• Radio 4. I only discovered the wonders of radio 4 about 3 weeks before I went away. Today, the shipping forecast, even the Archers!
• Football. Only managed to catch one game while away and I was drunk when it started. Sky Sports and Match of the Day 2 are superb. I might even turn up to an AFC Wimbledon game soon if I can be arsed (Exeter is tempting but the transport is shocking).
  
• Ordering beer in confidence. Only one of me and the barman might be a native English speaker, but in London I'm the one in the right.
• Englsh beer. I had some corking drinks while away, and Victoria Bitter too, but Bombardier and Spitfire are winners.
• Drinking beer with friends. The speed at which I drank while away was quite terrifying. I tried to slow down, to engineer some distractions (Liverpool -vs- Bolton on TV, note taking for blog entries, SMS conversations with people) but it was still difficult not to drink at a rate of 3 per hour. 1.5-2 is much more agreeable and affordable.
• Sterling. No branded notes, no dual-sizes-same-denomination coins, no dollars, no walking around desperate to spend leftover money on crap in airports, no filling up Unicef envelopes with change (although I shouldn't complain about that, heh).
• Gambling. One of my favourite things to do with money: piss it away on scratchcards and in fruit machines.
  
• Swearing. I fucking love swearing. Being at home gives me ample opportunity to engage in it.
  
• Music. I didn't take an mp3 player with me and the only time I listened to music properly was in the lounge at JFK. I love my music collection though. Think my second karma might finally have to come out of its wrapping as the original's battery is dying, but the best news is a karma-replacement (in terms of features) is about to hit the market finally.
• Magazines with free CDs. Terrorizer, Uncut, Metal Hammer, Rock Sound, etc etc. The best way to increase my collection.
  
• Surbiton. This town's ace. Even if there are hobos taking a piss in the street by the bus stop, and the recycling bins behind Hawes have been taken away.
• Dominos Pizza. But despite Chris's insistence I'm not going to have 3 in 8 days. Not even 3 in 12 days. Maybe I'll get one this Sunday though.
• Being in the same timezone as my mates. Although the hangovers this leads to aren't so good.