CRAIGSLIST - The Universal Language of the Future - and the Olympics

Out on a craigslist run to get a high chair.

Whether you speak British - English - American or Canadian - the universal language they all understand is "Craigslist-ese." Back home in Florida - I can't go a few hours without skimming Craigslist for bargains. You can buy and sell almost anything anywhere using this simple little web page - craigslist.org.


I have placed ads to buy and sell cars - scooters - computers - cameras - motor homes - trucks - boats - appliances - even real estate. Anytime I need anything - the first place I look is craigslist. The other day in Paris I was coveting a three wheel Piaggio MP3 scooter. I looked on craigslist back home in Tallahassee - and someone is selling one with just 50 miles on it. We made contact and they want to get rid of one as much as I want one  :-)


Lulu said she wanted a high chair and a stroller. She saw a nice high chair on craigslist. When Lulu says she "saw" something - it means "get it for me." It was only 3 miles from our apartment in St Johns Wood. You may remember the name from the Rolling Stones song - Playing With Fire. Since I am not comfortable with phones here - I emailed the person. He wanted 25 pounds - I offered 15 pounds - we settled on 20 pounds before I got there. I went on google maps - they gave me 5 options to get there. I chose two subways.


At 9:30 AM - I left the our apartment. I went to Hoborn Station - took the red line to Bond Street Station - then took the silver line to St Johns Wood. Simple enough. The subways were empty - where are all these Olympic crowds the media is hyping? I haven't found them. When I got out of the subway - I walked 3 blocks to the apartment - pressed the call button - then Saurabh buzzed me in. He is a nice young man with little kids - moving to NYC. I almost asked how much a beautiful apartment like his cost per month - but I didn't. I am guessing $3500. 


The high chair is nice - he had cleaned it all up for me. According to the ads it cost 89 pounds or about $135. He was not willing to sell me his stroller  - how about a walker - he suggested.


From the guy's apartment - you could look down into Lord's Cricket Ground where they were setting up for Olympics Archery. Boy there were tons of security around - even a tent tunnel where they sweep cars for bombs.


I retraced my steps carrying a highchair under my arm up the street - into the subway - from silver to red line - home from our subway stop. The highchair was a real icebreaker - everybody wanted to talk to me to find out the deal. One Arab asked me if I was Canadian - I had shorts and a short sleeve shirt on. It was only about 70 degrees. The total time took from 9:30 to 10:30.  

Craigslist is better than newspaper ads - better than ebay - better than TV - better than amazon - better than a farmer's market. The best part of craigslist list is you can buy something - try it - if you do not like it or tire of it - you can re-sell it. My goal is to use the chair two weeks - then sell it at a profit - heck I will even deliver it for the 2 pounds subway fee :-)

Here is my subway route to pick up the high chair.

The seller lived in the high-rise apartment overlooking the Lord's Cricket Ground.

St Johns Wood is a ritzy area with Maserati's in the driveways.

This is the cricket field where Olympics archery will be held - across from the apartment.

 Olympic archery will be held here.

This pretty hospital is next to the cricket stadium - what you you think about Obamacare now?

The subways were empty on a Sunday morning.

I had the escalators to myself and the chair.

Here is what the highchair costs on Amazon.