I am on my way to Finncon, and being somewhat leisurely about it. I’m spending this evening in Oxford because my Brazilian friend, Fábio Fernandes, is here on business (at an academic conference on cyberpunk). This was a perfect opportunity to meet up, and I enlisted the help of local guide Juliet McKenna. A fine evening has been had.

Dinner was in Wagamama’s (who turn out to do the most wonderful duck gyoza), after which Juilet took us to The Turf, a very old pub that is just the sort of place you should take foreign visitors (unless they are very tall). We have discussed evil plots, saving the world from the foolishness of publishers and all the other things that writers tend to talk about when they get together.

I’m now back at the hotel, and am happily running both the laptop and the iPad off the MiFi. This is the way technology was supposed to be. Much better than having to take a router with you because the idiot hotel wants to charge per connection (and yes, Kevin and I have done this on many occasions).

Tomorrow I meet up with Pat Cadigan at Heathrow and we fly out to Helsinki. Finncon will follow.