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

I left Cleethorpes at 9am and enjoyed an uneventful train journey to Kings X where I was met by the meet virgin h5ringer. I was supposed to be taking him under my wing to (sort of) ease him into meet-mode gradually but as we were meeting up with the beautiful Wilma at Richmond and I was clueless as to how to get thereI ended up with a gorgeous tour guide! Wilma was texting me and then she rang when we were around two minutes apart, we arrived at Richmond station at the same time and as she walked straight past me I squealed her real name causing her to jump out of her skinbut the next moment we were hugging and kissing and bouncing about like two Tiggers on speed.She gave me two gifts, a bottle which I thought was wine (it was extra virgin olive oil - private joke) and a bag of Hash trail / bird seed (I better hide out before Wilma reads this, give her a few weeks to cool off)
Having made the introductions between h5ringer and Wilma we then found a which took us to Kew (almost, Wilma decided she needed the exercise and told us to alight a stop early) which turned out rather well as we did nothing but swop hootoo stories and laugh and giggle and take silly photos of each other http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/anniebarrnone/album?.dir=/573dscd (photos 9 and 11 and 34) BTW I have now removed the photo I deemed unsuitable viewing by anyone under 18 and changed the album's status so anyone with a Yahoo account can load it now
After arriving at Kew Gardens Wilma rang MMF to find out where the main group was - drinking at the Pavillion, of course!so we set off to join them. I was staggered by the beauty of Kew, so much to see and the smell of the flowers was just I found some lily-of-the-valley and mentally sent to all fellow-Taureans and bluebells which reminded me of people who weren’t therebut the melancholy moment soon passed, you can’t stay sad long when you are in such good company, I got more than a few envious looks walking through Kew arm-in-arm with a gorgeous man one side and a gorgeous woman the other

We found the others (photos 14+15) and joined them for a drink of water, then queued to pee for half-an-hour, giggling over honey, took some more proof how lovely hootooers are (7,8,17,21,27,30,35) before setting off again and gazing in awe at the wonder of Kew (photos 6 [explained in photo 31] 12,13)
Photo 16 was taken by a passing tourist so all our little fragmented group got on the pic, in front of photo 12 which the camera doesn’t do justice to, it took my breath away! I’m the one on the end *waves* hiding under a sun visor which was borrowed, thank you!
Leaving Kew was as Wilma couldn’t stay any longer but we were grateful for the time spent together and agreed to meet up again in 6 months time.
The to the Pizza Express MMF had booked for 22 people was so choc-a-block that the driver pulled up and refused to move until the ones standing upstairs had got off the busbut he didn’t tell us that, he just went on strike! Finally we arrived at the eatery with rumbling tummies and slated our hunger and thirst, then set off for the Shakespeare’s Head pub with a few interesting distractions on the way like drooling in old book shop windows and gawping at the nightlife. Totally embarrassing myself when I pointed out that I was surprised I could see a star in London, then realising it was Venus
Time is the enemy at times like this weekend because it flies by so fast, I don’t know where it went, it was a quarter-to-ten when we arrived at the pub luckily the ones who weren’t staying overnight had a while yet before train times so I managed to take a few more photos (1,2,3,4,5,10,18,20,22,24,25,26,28,29,32,33) and some kind people took my camera to take proof of me collecting my promised hugs (19,23) and I have yet to find the one of me kissing Ivan who was thrust into my arms for the purpose of providing “an interesting photo opportunity”
Getting to meet everyone again and people I’ve spoken to for years and not previously crossed paths with, are precious times indeed and moments I will treasure forever. I heard all about the Friday meet and was especially the old library you went round and seeing a Dead Sea scrollI couldn't do both days and sorry I missed the people there who couldn't make Saturdaybut I'm glad you all had a good timeand thanks for thinking about me enough to pass on best wishes and regrets
Time to part after such a grand day/night are always bittersweet and Titania and I bid our farewells when the staff finally had enough of my antics (this is the sanitised version of events, suffice to say I had 3 glasses of wine…) and asked us to leave. We were going to find a bus to take us to her hotel but after passing 6 bus stops without the correct number being displayed I hailed a taxi, fit to drop was I but I’m so glad I did, the blessed man took us along the River Thames where we passed the London Eye all lit up, a gorgeous lilac/pink-lit building (?) and then Buckingham Palace!the flag was flying so I waved to the Queen as we passed. Had the hour not been so late we’d have called upon her Majesty for and chat
I don’t recall crawling into bed…just the alarm going off ten minutes later and dragging myself into the shower then forcing myself to eat a full English breakfastin the delightful company of Titania who had plans for the day so we were out by 9am, we said goodbye and I went shopping for postcards to bring home.
Thanks to MMFfor arranging the Kew visit and booking the meal, thanks to 2legs for arranging the meet-up!
Thank you to everyone who attended and I'm sorry for those who couldn't make it, you missed a grand day/night, I highly recommend you try and attend the next one!

in truckloads, GB. If all had worked out I would have been there, but at least your lovely posting has given me a "feel" for what the meets are like.

When is the next one planned?



Stephen

Lovely journal and lovely photos.
Funny that i always have to rely on the photos the others make, because I either don't have a camera, or manage to mess everything up when have a camera.
Anyway, must dash now, RL is back

Thank you

Stephen you need to go badger 2legs

I don't know who 2legs is, except he carries a "reputation" on hootoo...

That would be 2legs in photo 1/36.

another wonderful hootooo memory for you.

Reputation? 2legs? I wonder where you heard that

Thank you GB. Great report

Lovely to read your version - you're a great lass, GB.

I'm off to write mine, now - first opportunity, since I spent the ensuing weekend at my parents'.

The next London meet will be in the Autumn.

can't possibly wait that long. must have meet before that!

oh wait, there's a nordic meet in lund/sweden june 22nd and estonian summer xmas august 25th

Little olde me? A reputation? a I imagine they'l be some kind of more impromptue Mini meet some time summerwards in London, but the next big London meet will I guess be the autumn one

i was wondering about it too. a 'reputation' seems to be such a small word for it

A myth, or legendary or something maybe.

Nice pictures! Looks like barrels of fun.

Mad dashing about going on here but I just wanted to take a minute to rush in and throw my arms around you again, GB . You really *are* a great lass, as TC says. I can't tell you how pleased and smug I am that I got to come to Kew Roll on autumn!

Happy 21st for tomorrow, I'll be back with a cupcake for you



W

You're making me very jealous, GB, with your descriptions of the meet. I couldn't go because I couldn't go because I couldn't afford to go to London three times in three months. Anyway, I would have had to cancel. But I miss not having met B'Elana, and I'd like to have a good chat with Wilma.

I would have loved to meet you, Gnomon. As TC said, she'll hopefully arrange a meet in Heidelberg this year, maybe we can lure you there? If we really have that, I guess I'll have to give the next London meet a miss, as it would probably be too close to the Heidelberg meet. But that's a lot of 'ifs' still.

oh Heidelberg? sign me up for that

and I'm glad you had such a great London meet thought I'm very

Sure Sho, I expected you to come to Heidelberg. I've only ever been there once, for the wedding of a colleague, so all I got to see was some church.

I love Heidelberg - if the weather is good we can walk the Philosophen Weg. And of course there is plenty to see...