Simon Hawthorn
@simon.insanity.tube
Public transport major infrastructure sponsor (for my sins), mountain walker and lapsed archer, ex-charity director, Autistic & ADHD. Unreformed kayaker. Atypical podcaster. Democracy author. Might try and do some more travel soon! He/They 🏳️🌈
Reform UK Party Ltd are a company and yes, they ought to be investigated.
November 26, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Reform UK Party Ltd are a company and yes, they ought to be investigated.
I feel like I'm being supervised as I do the washing up.
November 24, 2025 at 9:08 PM
I feel like I'm being supervised as I do the washing up.
One of the others was staying back tonight but is such a poser
November 24, 2025 at 8:40 PM
One of the others was staying back tonight but is such a poser
Someone keeps asking me for dinner.
November 24, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Someone keeps asking me for dinner.
A splash of colour and grey.
November 16, 2025 at 12:55 AM
A splash of colour and grey.
A mountain shenanigan today. Pike of Blisco, Crinkle Crags, Bowfell, Esk Pike and a long route down. Was in cloud until after midday, slipped on a rock and have a bruise on my hip that is painful AF. But a good day, a QMD in the bag and time with my best friend. In all, not bad. Now, beer time.
November 8, 2025 at 5:20 PM
A mountain shenanigan today. Pike of Blisco, Crinkle Crags, Bowfell, Esk Pike and a long route down. Was in cloud until after midday, slipped on a rock and have a bruise on my hip that is painful AF. But a good day, a QMD in the bag and time with my best friend. In all, not bad. Now, beer time.
So. A shenanigan may have started. 9I52 with @coastwaywill.me @daxon.insanity.tube and a few others, a quick change at Rotterdam (or anywhere) where I abandoned my compatriots and the IC1178 to Delft for me. Time to find my hotel, maybe a beer and relax for what's left of the evening.
October 10, 2025 at 9:26 PM
So. A shenanigan may have started. 9I52 with @coastwaywill.me @daxon.insanity.tube and a few others, a quick change at Rotterdam (or anywhere) where I abandoned my compatriots and the IC1178 to Delft for me. Time to find my hotel, maybe a beer and relax for what's left of the evening.
Nipped out earlier to ride one of the new B23 DLR trainsets that came into passenger use today.
Good height, walk through, quiet, fast and decent passenger information systems. Will be good to see them slowly roll out across the network.
Good height, walk through, quiet, fast and decent passenger information systems. Will be good to see them slowly roll out across the network.
September 30, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Nipped out earlier to ride one of the new B23 DLR trainsets that came into passenger use today.
Good height, walk through, quiet, fast and decent passenger information systems. Will be good to see them slowly roll out across the network.
Good height, walk through, quiet, fast and decent passenger information systems. Will be good to see them slowly roll out across the network.
Yep, an hour from never having done this stuff in my life to hanging upside down without my hands. Turns out a lot of WODs have given me the right shape to balance this way. Just. It was hard but great fun.
September 28, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Yep, an hour from never having done this stuff in my life to hanging upside down without my hands. Turns out a lot of WODs have given me the right shape to balance this way. Just. It was hard but great fun.
I had a bit of fun last weekend! Nothing like as impressive of course.
September 28, 2025 at 10:17 AM
I had a bit of fun last weekend! Nothing like as impressive of course.
The band was good and fun.
September 28, 2025 at 12:22 AM
The band was good and fun.
What did I do with my Friday evening? Went to a disused factory owned by Tate and Lyle that smells of concrete dust and watched a lady strung up by her ankles play saxophone.
There was quite a lot else on as well.
There was quite a lot else on as well.
September 27, 2025 at 8:55 PM
What did I do with my Friday evening? Went to a disused factory owned by Tate and Lyle that smells of concrete dust and watched a lady strung up by her ankles play saxophone.
There was quite a lot else on as well.
There was quite a lot else on as well.
Wednesday dawned somewhat moist and windy. So I decided to explore Amsterdam. Jumped on the M52 up the Noorderpark so I could spend some time on the other side of the IJ.
Interesting sculpture at the station, called "7 Gates" which is supposed to link to the architecture of the Noord district.
Interesting sculpture at the station, called "7 Gates" which is supposed to link to the architecture of the Noord district.
September 4, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Wednesday dawned somewhat moist and windy. So I decided to explore Amsterdam. Jumped on the M52 up the Noorderpark so I could spend some time on the other side of the IJ.
Interesting sculpture at the station, called "7 Gates" which is supposed to link to the architecture of the Noord district.
Interesting sculpture at the station, called "7 Gates" which is supposed to link to the architecture of the Noord district.
Finished my explorations of Den Haag and headed back to the station for the train back to Amsterdam.
Dinner and off to a bar where I made good on my promise to have a kopstoot. I have some lovely, if impish, Dutch friends.
Dinner and off to a bar where I made good on my promise to have a kopstoot. I have some lovely, if impish, Dutch friends.
September 4, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Finished my explorations of Den Haag and headed back to the station for the train back to Amsterdam.
Dinner and off to a bar where I made good on my promise to have a kopstoot. I have some lovely, if impish, Dutch friends.
Dinner and off to a bar where I made good on my promise to have a kopstoot. I have some lovely, if impish, Dutch friends.
After escaping the ICC, progress was along more urban street. Past the former Shell HQ, along canals, tree lined boulevards (Lange Voorhout) and past church's (Kloosterkerk) back towards the centre of Den Haag.
September 2, 2025 at 10:26 PM
After escaping the ICC, progress was along more urban street. Past the former Shell HQ, along canals, tree lined boulevards (Lange Voorhout) and past church's (Kloosterkerk) back towards the centre of Den Haag.
Out of thread
Kopstoot.
Nancy is a bad influence.
Kopstoot.
Nancy is a bad influence.
September 2, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Out of thread
Kopstoot.
Nancy is a bad influence.
Kopstoot.
Nancy is a bad influence.
There is an interesting sculpture outside as well, a gift from the Netherlands to the ICC. The shape is apparently based on a salt crystal "like those found in tears or the sea".
September 2, 2025 at 6:02 PM
There is an interesting sculpture outside as well, a gift from the Netherlands to the ICC. The shape is apparently based on a salt crystal "like those found in tears or the sea".
By paths, a nature reserve, a wartime prison and an army range, I found myself at the International Criminal Court.
But I'm a good little citizen and they didn't need to invite me in.
But I'm a good little citizen and they didn't need to invite me in.
September 2, 2025 at 6:00 PM
By paths, a nature reserve, a wartime prison and an army range, I found myself at the International Criminal Court.
But I'm a good little citizen and they didn't need to invite me in.
But I'm a good little citizen and they didn't need to invite me in.
Somehow I reached the sea. I touched the sea. (Insanity colleagues take note).
Also some pretty impressive buildings (Grand Hotel Amrâth Kurhaus) and one hell of a pier. It has a model. I approve of models.
Also some pretty impressive buildings (Grand Hotel Amrâth Kurhaus) and one hell of a pier. It has a model. I approve of models.
September 2, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Somehow I reached the sea. I touched the sea. (Insanity colleagues take note).
Also some pretty impressive buildings (Grand Hotel Amrâth Kurhaus) and one hell of a pier. It has a model. I approve of models.
Also some pretty impressive buildings (Grand Hotel Amrâth Kurhaus) and one hell of a pier. It has a model. I approve of models.
I continued my peregrinations in a vaguely north eastern direction and came across this monument to Pieter Jelles Troelstra (1860-1930), a prominent figure in Dutch social democracy, skilled propagandist and a co-founder and leader of the Social Democratic Workers Party (SDAP).
September 2, 2025 at 4:47 PM
I continued my peregrinations in a vaguely north eastern direction and came across this monument to Pieter Jelles Troelstra (1860-1930), a prominent figure in Dutch social democracy, skilled propagandist and a co-founder and leader of the Social Democratic Workers Party (SDAP).
I eventually emerged from woodland bimbles to find the Indisch Monument that covers the Japanese invasion of the then Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) during the second small disagreement. I also found ducks and a peaceful lake.
September 2, 2025 at 3:28 PM
I eventually emerged from woodland bimbles to find the Indisch Monument that covers the Japanese invasion of the then Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) during the second small disagreement. I also found ducks and a peaceful lake.
Continuing the ambles with no particular goal in mind, I found the Van Karnebeekbron fountain, some nicely grassed tramlines, a bust of Constantijn Huygens (poet, diplomat etc) and some pretty woods to walk through dappled sunlight and peaceful paths.
September 2, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Continuing the ambles with no particular goal in mind, I found the Van Karnebeekbron fountain, some nicely grassed tramlines, a bust of Constantijn Huygens (poet, diplomat etc) and some pretty woods to walk through dappled sunlight and peaceful paths.
There was also the World Peace Flame, with representation from all 196 countries.
September 2, 2025 at 3:15 PM
There was also the World Peace Flame, with representation from all 196 countries.
Walked past the old royal palace and on towards the Peace Palace, home of the the UN Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. There are a number of memorials around the building that link back to the second world war.
September 2, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Walked past the old royal palace and on towards the Peace Palace, home of the the UN Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. There are a number of memorials around the building that link back to the second world war.
I found a statue of William of Orange on Het Plein square, ambled rounds bits of the Mauritshuis and obviously started spotting trams (DING!) for excellent intraurban transport. Although today I shall be proceeding on foot.
September 2, 2025 at 3:01 PM
I found a statue of William of Orange on Het Plein square, ambled rounds bits of the Mauritshuis and obviously started spotting trams (DING!) for excellent intraurban transport. Although today I shall be proceeding on foot.