« Bus Stop Tube Start | Main | The genius of light »

March 03, 2004

Real London Journey

Every journey for me is normally taken on the top deck of the bus - listening to my MP3 player. I know I switch to the tube and train for a part of it - but the imagery from the bus is so much more fitting with the music that I lose myself in. Continuing on from yesterday's theme - I put together a "pop video" of the Real London Journey - starting with Route 79 in the morning - and ending up on the same in the evening mostly passing through predominantly Asian/ethnic areas of Wembley and Ealing Road. This video gives you an insight into the daydream that is riding the top deck of a London bus.
Do a right-click and "Save Target As .." here to download THIS IS NOT A VIDEO STREAM! Download it and save it to a folder of your choice on your computer. Then double-click on the file when it's done.
It's a 13.9 megabyte "WMV" file (Windows Movie file) - which if you're on ADSL/Broadband should take just under 7 minutes to download. Apologies to the dialup users out there - it will take a lot longer for you - so you may decide not to bother. Pity. I just couldn't get the size down low enough enough (even with DIV/X) without losing quality as to make it not worth it. Those of you who have the patience to download it - might be totally disappointed by the results - so apologies in advance - and here's looking forward to the day when download times are 100 times faster and less inconvenient for everybody. The accompanying music is a hauntingly melodious east-west "fusion" song composed and sung (in Hindi) by famous Indian pop singer Shibani Kashyap called "Sajna" (which means "darling"). This song is sure to rocket up the British Asian charts soon (if it hasn't done so already!). Shibani's voice has been electronically manipulated for this song - in a fashion very similar to that in the Cher song "Do you believe in love". At first I thought that such manipulation would ruin the exquisiteness of Shibani's voice - but the effect actually amplifies the inflections in some of her crescendos - and like all great songs - needs to be listened a few times before it can be really appreciated for its brilliance. The chorus line of the song is "Nai Lagda Tere Bina Dil Mera" - which means "My life is nothing without you". Just double-click on the WMV file after it's finished downloading. (I personally guarantee that the file is virus-free!)
And turn up the volume LOUD!

Posted by jag at March 3, 2004 06:23 AM

Comments

Thanx for clearing the previous mystery.
I anyway, cant afford to download a 14 Meg file. (in fact the largest file I had downloaded was a 14 Meg file - a zipped game. I had to spread it over 2 days, taking about 45 mins each day. I still dont know how you can afford such a bandwidth.)
I thought that you only carried a digital camers, does that give this much fo storage for such a long video.

Posted by: sat at March 4, 2004 04:48 AM

Hi Sat, the cost of ADSL here in UK is around 25 UK pounds per month for 512kbps - and is "all you can eat" - so no usage charge - just rental and as much as you can download. �25 is a very small amount considering that many people (both rich and poor) pay up to �50 per month in Sky Sattelite subscriptions in order to watch the junk on 100s of TV channels.

Posted by: Jag at March 4, 2004 08:06 AM

I forgot to say - I also have a Sony Handycam that has firewire out (and in) - and I have toyed with video-editing for a couple of years now. You can see most of my audio-video productions ar http://www.jag.me.uk/audiovideo

Posted by: Jag at March 4, 2004 08:19 AM

Jag - I am unable to download the file. Getting the msg that the file is not in its location!

Posted by: Chakra at March 4, 2004 09:26 AM

Hi Chakra: I just tried from a different PC at a different location and it works fine. Not sure what the problem might be. Try clicking on the following: http://www.jazmedia.com/videos instead - you should see a list of several video files - do a right click and save target as on the real-london-journey one.
Let me know if that works for you.

Posted by: Jag at March 4, 2004 11:22 AM

Well, it's a pity I'm stuck on dial-up. Would have loved to have a look at the video. Maybe, next time I venture into a broadband cybercafe, I'll have a dekko and get a peek into your fascinating bus journey!

Posted by: Anita at March 5, 2004 08:42 PM

Anita: cheers! Never mind though - I don't think you'll miss much - the audio is better than the video in my opinion ...

Posted by: Jag at March 7, 2004 06:18 PM

Hi
I have just got broadband so the file downloaded nice and quickly as you said. Loved the film especially the bits with Ealing Road. I lived there many moons ago and worked on Wembley High Road. We moved there from Finchley Central because cabs to the Mean Fiddler in Harlesden were cheaper from Wembley (we weren't brave enough to move to Harlesden).
I didn't realise that the number 18 had become one of those horrible bendy buses. They tried converting the 207 (This must be the bus you get from Ealing Common to Broadway)to one a couple of years ago but gave up. My son was about 2 at the time and his pushchair was too wide to go down the aisle and I broke one of the wheels trying to get off, it was about 2 foot off the pavement. I am looking forward to trams on the Uxbridge Road.
Loved the song as well
Cheers Katy

Posted by: clockendkaty at March 12, 2004 10:03 PM

Hi Katy - many thanks for your comment - and your feedback on the pop-vid. Hey - the Mean Fiddler - what an institution!
Yep - the 18 is now a bendy bus. I once travelled it from Marylebone all the way to Wembley High and it was packed ALL the way - had to stand squashed in it! Actually - I don't get the 207 from Ealing Common to the Broadway - although I do reserve it as an option - I have various choices from Alperton: get the 83 or 297 to Ealing Bdy - or go to North Ealing and Walk to Ealing Bdy from there - or go to Ealing Common and get the District to Ealing Bdy from there - or even walk it from Ealing Common - although I am told that it is a shorter walk to the Bdy from North Ealing than Ealing Common.
I hadn't realised they tried to convert the 207 to bendy. Anyways - there are going to be trams in Unxbridge?? Now that will be something special!
Glad you liked the song.

Posted by: Jag at March 13, 2004 12:09 PM

Post a comment




Remember Me?