Rain used to be a tradition at h2g2 Summer

meets, but now it seems it is
soft rock. It would be too much of a coincidence

that Bryan Adams would be
returning to Hyde Park. On my arrival there the

streams of people heading
into the Park were a hint that something was going

on. Bon Jovi were playing
and to make matters worse, their box office was

right next to the meeting
point for h2g2ers. Pushing my way through crowds of

fans, I found a likely
looking bunch of people and yes! There was Munchkin

in a hat!

The afternoon began at the bandstand and by sending

huge swathes of
researchers off in groups to capture a part of the

(by now, heaving) Hyde
Park. I stayed with a few Researchers to brave the

hoards of Bon Jovi fans
until 3.45 pm before joining others on the south

side of the Serpentine.
Sporadic games of softball and croquet were

punctuated by excessive amounts
of lounging around and eating of the picnic

organised by Z Phantom and Kaz. Munchkin, looking resplendent in three piece suit

and panama, bought class
to the occasion by bringing along a mini croquet

set. Master B is currently
claiming that he stole a BBC Sport frisbee. This is

not strictly true, I
relieved BBC Sport of said frisbee at the New Media

Family Day and gave it
to Master B on Saturday.

I was first at the evening venue, along with

Natalie, Jim the Wonder Lama
and IanG, but it wasn't long before the others made

their way to the
Penderel's Oak. This pub has a great basement room

that has plenty of room
for h2g2 parties, but also the grumpiest staff in

London. In fact they are
so recalcitrant, they make your average Londoner

look like they possess a
PhD from charm school. Once everyone had a drink of

their choice, Sam led us
all in the tradition toast to the memory of Douglas

and absent friends.

I had spent a whole afternoon composing the pub

quiz and growling at
anyone who came near me. As none of the Editorial

Team knew the questions in
advance, they were invited to form a team and

demonstrate if they knew the
answers. Despite flicking 'v' signs at me through

the catering hatch, they
acquitted themselves pretty well coming joint

third¹. The winners with the
highest score ever in a pub quiz were the Droolers

with Team 'We always knew
Abi was a natural blonde' taking second place. Hard

on their heels were
Sporting Lesbian, Gnomon's Know It Alls and I left

the relevant piece of paper in the pub! What were the other teams called

again?

Late arrivals during the pub quiz were Xanatic,

Zebedee and the gorgeous
Fat Kelli who had left her boyfriend's sick room to

join the party. After
the prizes were given out, those present turned

their attention to the bar
and its rapidly reducing content and miserable

staff. All attempts to cheer
them up failed... spectacularly. But we got our

revenge in the end - closing
time doesn't exist as far as h2g2 Researchers are

concerned. For some, the
night didn't end until the sun came up over Hyde

Park.

Photo's by Pastey
Photo's by Bald Bloke
Photo's by Dr E Vibenstein
Photo's by Munchkin

Abi

03.07.03 Front Page

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