Weeknote 137

Visit to Google ADC, Bowie at V&A East, rainy Alton ride with puncture

• Last week I joined the frontenders at GDS for a visit to Google’s London offices and their Accessibility Discovery Centre. The space was set up with different computer stations where we could try out games, software, and websites using a variety of assistive tech. It’s been around for some years, but I was glad to see it’s continually refreshed, with new demos highlighting support for neurodiversity and AI-driven sign language.
• At the weekend, I joined Mena for a visit to the recently opened V&A East Storehouse, including the David Bowie exhibition, which we luckily got in to despite not pre-booking. The venue struck a nice balance: plenty to explore without feeling overwhelming or taking up the whole day. A highlight was the café, which served up some delicious baked treats at very reasonable prices.
• On Sunday I was a bit too optimistic about the weather south of London and took the direct train from Wimbledon to Alton for a ride. The rain never lifted, and on the way to Alresford I picked up a puncture. I managed to swap the inner tube on a quiet country road, but with no spares left, a filthy bike and the weather still grim, I rode back cautiously to Alton, wary of another puncture, and caught the train home. Lesson learned—best to skip road cycling in the wet when I can.