h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I enjoyed your account of it and admired your bin photo. I liked your breezy tone and funny footnotes.

I'm glad you enjoyed reading it - it was a breezy day that went really quick, but definitely a really enjoyable one.

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I certify that it is a true and accurate Report of the Meet up to the point I left

"As it was nammet time Sasha bought a pizza< FOOTNOTE >The Imperial War Museum, apparently unable to decide whether or not they should dispense disposable plastic or real metal cutlery, had compromised and provided a plastic fork, which promptly snapped, and a metal bread knife, which was incapable of cutting through anything more solid than a remark.< /FOOTNOTE > and I had a drink. Soon after MMF told me that he hadn't heard anything from Bluebottle, but then to be fair neither had I."

How very well put

Good description of the Top Secret exhibition, too! Quite something to have to haul myself up by the rigging to see an exhibit...

Just for the record, I told Sol I was going to use the facilities, and when I got back I was all alone in the nuclear war zone, too, so I went to the First Floor for a bit, not knowing about the shoe-event horizon incident!

It was a great plan to reconvene at 4pm, though, so that worked out well Good to read about the rest of the day, too It's a shame I didn't get to meet Pink Paisley and Tufty, but it was an excellent group at the IWM

I'm not sure what the point of the sloping Top Secret exhibition was - it's not as if it added anything to the displays and I don't think there was a structural reason for it

I think I'm beginning to understand what happened at 3:15pm. FloridaSailor's shoe disintegrated and he, possibly with others, left to get new footwear. Soon after, you left and told Sol, but soon after Sol left (possibly chasing after Toddler towards the stairs). After thinking 'Was that Sol going down the stairs?' and not being able to find anyone, I then assumed everyone else had gone elsewhere in the museum and tried looking around the other floors for people around about the time you returned unable to find people.

I definitely enjoyed the day and look forward to the next meet - you never know, I might even be able to go to 2 in a row

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This was a highly enjoyable account. It's nice to know that h2g2ers make for excitement wherever they go.

Years ago, I visited the Imperial War Museum - cool place. I remember seeing a lot of citizen-generated prototypes for spy equipment - such as a pipe that you could use to smoke, but also to shoot invading enemies...that impressed me with the general looniness of the UK...

It had lots of impressive things like that in the 'Top Secret' gallery, and it never ceases to amaze me what the ingenious Prisoners of War in POW camps were able to get up to and make - maps made out of jelly, gliders etc.

I'd love to go back to the Imperial War Museum on a weekday when (hopefully) it is quieter, so I can look at things more at my own pace and see the Great War exhibition. I enjoyed having the h2g2 meet there, but would want to concentrate on looking around - especially as I now know how easy it is to walk to from Waterloo.

I'm just hoping that some of the other attendees have written meet-up reports too so I can see things from their perspective. Especially Florida Sailor's view of the UK - in the pub he said the biggest difference between the US and UK that had stood out the most was that in the UK, once you plug an electric plug into the socket, you then have to switch the switch on.

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Let's get those reports in, then. The Post is waiting...

Oh GOD! Sorry, Sasha! Herself started to have a meltdown so we had to exit stage left and go and hang out in the playground round the corner while I stuffed sandwiches into her mouth every time she got close enough. I am afraid everything else just leaves my brain when Herself kicks off. She is horribly loud. I am an idiot, though, clearly.

That report was almost as much fun to read as it was to take part in. Almost, but not quite.

Great to see you all!

No problem, Sol! I was very relieved and amused to learn that 3.15pm was when everyone inadvertently dispersed, so it wasn't just me that lost the group

It was excellent to meet you and Herself Definitely a fun day out and great to meet everyone

I am currently working on my report, please remember that I only got back last Saturday night, Sunday morning London time, and have been working all week. I have a few good pics as well, but I want to get the right flavour. Please bear with, I hope to have something ready by the start of the week. I do have to include my special tour of the city with Herself (and Momma). Not to mention Pompey and the Isle.
Fantastic time, but I want to give it justice

F S

Great! I'll alert the Post Staff. Looking forward to it.

Ah - that explains it, Sol - I've been in public places with tantruming toddlers, so understand how that feels. I'd assumed that everyone else had moved on to a different floor leaving me inadvertently behind, but as we'd arranged to meet at 4pm, it worked out well in the end. Agreeing to meet up again after is definitely a good plan!

I look forward to reading your report, FS - especially your views on the Isle of Wight and indeed even Pompey. I'll be visiting Pompey in a fortnight but won't be stopping as part of the Great South Run.

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Thanks for this (after asking in the original thread, I found my way here to read up about what went on)

A lot of inadvertent losing of each other. Didn't you exchange mobile numbers?

Anyway, sounds like everything went pretty well, and that FS's visit was worth while!

I hope to be coming to London for a weekend sometime this winter, so thanks for the tip about the pre-booking at the IWM.

I didn't exchange mobile numbers, on the grounds that I don't like mobiles. Fortunately I don't own a working one at the moment...

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for a good read. Wish I could have joined you But at least I got to meet Sasha Q and Bald Bloke in Manchester earlier this year

"But at least I got to meet Sasha Q and Bald Bloke in Manchester earlier this year smiley - smiley"

Yes! Shame we didn't have more chance to chat, but it was good to meet you and put faces to names

"I'd assumed that everyone else had moved on to a different floor leaving me inadvertently behind,"

That's exactly what I thought, too!

"A lot of inadvertent losing of each other. Didn't you exchange mobile numbers?"

Ah! Didn't think of that... I brought a phone number for Bluebottle with me, but didn't realise he didn't have the phone to which it pertained with him I also had brought MMF's number, but never thought to try ringing him then. Anyway, I didn't mind a bit of alone time, so I just went with the plan of reconvening at 4pm.

I tend to wander semi-randomly and it was packed, so I wasn't surprised when I looked round and didn't see anyone else from hootoo.
The meet back up time and place is a neccessity when I am involved

Yes - that's what I would have done. It's great having a bit of time totally on your own in London. I once spent a large chunk of a meet day waiting for a bus in the rain. Didn't regret one minute of it!

This was a wonderful accounting BlueBottle. It really made me wish I'd been there. It also made me remember what a wonderful time I had at the Manc Meet. My biggest regret there was that I didn't make time to chat with everyone at that meet, notably Sasha Q and 2legs.

Damnit, I'm so upset with myself I may just half to punish myself with another transatlantic trip for another meet up.





Oh. And I love that bin photo. Your London bins are so much more refined than our ugly Texas bins.