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

Hmmmm. Having arrived fashionably late (is 1 1/2 hrs pushing fashionably?), despite the best attempts of the emergency services to obscure the bandstand from view. Either h2g2's alot bigger and more corporate than I ever realised, and ''softball'' meant softball played in a huge green fenced enclosure with thousands of paying spectators, or I've missed the softball party. If anybody reads this and happens to know which part of the park they've moved on to, could they let me know!

In the meantime, I'll endeavour to look as froody as possible whilst I cruise round in a growing state of panic and bewilderment (I'm not used to crowds like this), looking for some likeminded people playing softball.

Wish me luck!

but you found us in the end!

Indeed!

Post script to above panic :

Eventually found everyone in Hyde park, just in time to hear someone yell "right then! off to the pub!". Sort of followed everyone, without managing to introduce myself. Got a few slightly worried looks from the group I followed onto the train (). Don't think they knew what to make of this random person with oversize skateboard who seemed to be following them.

Anyway. Got off the tube at Holborn feeling very foolish that I'd not managed to introduce myself to anyone, and headed off down the road in the wrong direction. Stopped myself, sat down on some steps in the sun, thought about it, thought what the hell, went back in the right direction, and walked into the pub.

Lots of strange looks from assorted punters who neither looked like they were used to seeing people with aforementioned skateboard, or that they were having much fun. Hmmmmm. Wandered round for a couple of minutes without spotting any likely h2g2'ers.

Found a mystery staircase leading down to the toilets, and a double door saying "room reserved for private function". Hmmmm. Looked for additional notices such as "Beware of the leopard". Not finding any, pushed door open...

Thanks to Peta for welcoming me and talking to me long enough to stop me from heading back out of the door, Clive the Flying Ostrich for saying "come and sit down" , and the others (Amy, Parrferris, Ottox, Sunny) who welcomed me with open arms. Thanks to Abi for an entertaining quiz, and apologies to all that I didn't get a chance to speak to! Just sorry I had to when I did. Things were just getting started.

A (sucessful, phew!) first h2g2 meet, and I hope to go to plenty more. I hope it'll actually inspire me to do more writing, as I've loads that I previously deemed not worth saying. Thanks again to Clive for putting me right on that one, by pointing out that neither did he, but it hasn't stopped him being convener of the longest conversation forum in h2g2. Fair point mate!

See you all a fair bit more often methinks.

Voon

how come your description reminds me of the plans about the hyperbypass on 'open' display (in the h2-book)? ...

* wonders if having some big h2g2 sign at the meeting place, trying to leave a note (possibly also with a big h2 sign) at the meeting place with indications about where to find the group after it moved and having the big sign at the moved-to place in the park and maybe later a smaller sign at some place in the pub would have helped anybody *

hi there

Abi told me if you contact her about it she'll send you the prize for the contest you missed because you left

it's worth it!

can as well post it here, as the more 'suiting' threads all seem to have drifted to other subjects by now:


THANK YOU , Abi !

Thanks Sunny!

I love the prize, even if I've no idea what I didn't do to win it!

Being in the right place at the right time ..



(at least you didn't actively prevent us from having two more points, as I did )


in your case the prize also is for keeping cool enough blood to get to the pub after all