Mark Craig's London, Day 3: Narrow spaces and the right side of the bus

Covering the Vikings in London is a bit different that covering them at Winter Park or Lambeau Field. Star Tribune football writer Mark Craig will share some of the off-the-field excitement of this week's unique road trip.

From London...

Access Vikings American Invasion, Day 3

Man, you would not want to move an American couch in London. Old, small and narrow pretty much describes everything from the streets to the buildings to the bathtubs.

Speaking of which, I don't know my summer Olympic history, but I'm guessing the Brits have great high jumpers. It takes a running start and a Fosbury Flop to get into their showers. The Mrs. Doubtfire-meets-Huckleberry Hound language barrier can be overcome, but these kilometers and kilograms and pounds and stones have all got to go. At least until the Minnesotans go wheels up on Virgin Atlantic on Monday morning.

Got on a treadmill and punched in "6.4." Was puzzled when it didn't go faster than a brisk walk. Kept punching the "up" arrow until it hit 10.3, which felt about right. I don't know how fast 10.3 is in the U.S., but I do know it's fast enough for me to fall face down and be shot through the back wall. The TV was on, but every show looks and sounds the same.

My wife wouldn't like it here because apparently there are no "Housewives of Watford." And I'm coming dangerously close to missing ESPN, at least for 26 minutes every 24 hours.

Speaking of challenges, never follow Chip Scoggins to the right side of a British bus and stand there for 10 seconds looking puzzled because there's no door until remembering the whole drive-on-the-other-side-of-the-road thing. Chip's taking that one hard. It was a bitter defeat. But he'll be fine.