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

Great photos, Gnomon.

tattoos or is that tattoo's

1 = Yorkshire white rose and t'other is so I'll remember who I am should I get amnesia
http://lineout.thestranger.com/files/2008/01/animal.gif

Ah, but if you've got amnesia how do you know you'll look at the right tattoo to work out your name? You might end up thinking you're called Rose

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. He'd still be our Prof

aw ta! GB


T.B, I might not remember my namebut seeing the Animal tattoo at least I'd know I'm bloody ace (modestly put)

Can you imagine the Prof as an ACE?

no!

You have no imagination

only for daft stuff

Don't I know it!

My trip to Hull was an interesting one. I had only decided a week previously that I was going to join the others in Hull. By that stage, the hotel in which they were meeting (the Premier Inn Hull North) was all booked out, so I had to book into the other Premier Inn (Hull West), which is a few miles outside the town, near the Humber Bridge.

I got up at a reasonable hour on Saturday, and Mrs G gave me a lift to Dublin Airport. The flight was on time, and I landed in Doncaster at about 1:15pm. Doncaster is a very new airport, only opened in 2007, on an old RAF base. There are a few things that still need to be sorted out - there's a motorway that runs past between the airport and the town, but no motorway exit, so you can't get on to it. You have to drive quite a distance along parallel to the motorway (about 10 miles) before you reach an exit. The guy in the carhire booth could also do with a few lessons in how to rent out a car in less than 20 minutes.

The car I got was a Renault Clio, perfectly adequate for just the one of me. I left Doncaster at about 1:40 and arrived at the hotel in Hull at 2:40, only 10 minutes later than I thought I would arrive. Wand'rin Star was waiting for me in the foyer. She knew I was coming but not at what time, so she'd been waiting for hours. Soon after this, ST and Prof Animal Chaos turned up. ST had agreed to take me along when he drove to the meet, and he had room for 'Star, so the four of us headed over to the meet venue. There we found a patient Galaxy Babe looking very glam and sitting in a corner waiting for us. She'd wisely nabbed the corner by the fire, as it was very nippy outside and snow was forecast. Sure enough, soon we saw flakes starting to fall, and there was a light dusting of snow.

We were quickly joined by lil (Auntie Giggles) and her long-suffering husband Pete. Galaxy Babe surprised me by handing out presents all around. There was even one for me although I hadn't given her much notice I was coming - a fascinating Greek Mythology calendar. Other people got books specially picked to match their characters. There was even a present for Wand'rin Star, as one other attendee hadn't turned up. Moonhogg arrived with his daughters, then everybody started handing out presents. I hadn't brought any at all, but I'm determined not to feel guilty about it.

Moonhogg's daughters are delightful. They remind me of my own girls as they were about 6 years ago. Let's hope they grow up as well adjusted.

We had a great time chatting, cracking jokes, examining the Prof's tattoos, taking photos of each other. ST told us the story of his first encounter with espresso coffee - he couldn't believe they'd charge money for a little eggcupfull of black goo. We grumbled about various researchers on the site that didn't behave in quite the way we'd like, and marvelled at the energy and enthusiasm of others. Moonhogg had to head off with the girls, then was back later with the Missus.

The nine adults present eventually sat over at one of the tables for a very nice dinner. I had duck paté, a yellow tuna steak and something very gooey for dessert, which I can't now remember what it was. There was lots of talk and joking going on at the dinner - lil's giggles are infectious and with the Prof at the other end of the table injecting his own brand of humour into the conversation, the mood at the table was nothing if not hilarious. I think Moonhogg's Missus will probably never think of moustaches in quite the same way again.

In the middle of the meal, Galaxy Babe got a mysterious phone call - it turned out to be Pailaway, ringing all the way from the United States! It was great to talk to him, briefly. The phone was passed around those people who know him.

After the dinner, we all headed back to the comfy seats where the conversation continued. lil made a call to B'Elana in Germany, who was bored because none of her friends were on h2g2. We were all in Hull.

At about 11pm, we were thrown out of cosy corned because the hotel who share the room with the pub were setting the tables for breakfast. We moved briefly to the other end of the bar where we were serenaded by a gang of Welshmen - they knew all the words to "Speed Your Journey", so they must have been a choir of some sort. The music was good but it did encourage conversation, and ST was worried that the snow on the roads was turning to ice, so we decided to have an early night, heading back to out hotel. I've no idea how long the rest of them stayed up, but I suspect it wasn't long.

On Sunday, we had a leisurely breakfast, then at about 10:15, we checked out and headed off in two cars to the Deep, Hull's giant aquarium, where we met the rest of the group.

I was impressed by the Deep. It's not the biggest aquarium I've been in by any means, but it is very well laid out, and is really interesting and educational. You start off at the top and gradually walk down a sloping walkway passing all the exhibits. There was a timeline of the history of the oceans from 3,500,000,000 BC to the present day, a 3-D film on sharks (using perpendicular-polarised goggles so that it could be full-colour), a deep-ocean exhibit mainly in darkness (where GB took me specially to see the octopuses, and I told her of the sad tale of octopus mating) and sea life everywhere. We saw seahorses, hagfish, starfishes, jellyfishes, giant anemones, and lots of different types of fish.

The biggest tank had sharks, mantas and other large fish, and at the very end we went in a glass tunnel right under the large tank with the fish swimming apparently just over us.

The highlight for me was probably the tank full of nautiluses, a creature I've never seen in any other aquarium.

At 2:30, it was time for me to go. Hugs all round, and I said goodbye to my friends and drove off, back to Doncaster and my flight home. I finally arrived home at about 8:00 - a long journey each way, but well worth it to meet those friendly hootoo Researchers.



Postscript - Gina, Moonhogg's Missus, is sick. She seem perfectly fine when we went around the Deep together, now she's in hospital with gall stones and will have them removed later in the week. I wish her all the best and a speedy recovery.

Actually, it was Bel who phoned me on my mobile


A good evening was had by all, even the couple sitting in the far corner enjoyed our conversation!

We forgot to mention 'Ivan', who once more became the topic of a number of other diners on Saturday night. Yes, he was a perfect kangaroo and even wore his tie!

*hic*

Makes me feel as though I was there, and even more I couldn't attend.

But there is next year! As long as the date gets sorted soon. Maybe an event or birthday or something special? I am free alternate weekends Honest... And I don't make much mess, can use a knife and fork with assistance, and take my cocoa and tranquiliser at 21.00 sharp! I'm also on my best behaviour if my minder, GB, and a Gayjacket are present. I tried a straightjacket last time, but Prof was not impressed!!!



MMF

Very dear gnoman,

thank you, thank you, Thank you.

You have written it so beautifully and made me feel as if I was there with you all all the time.

I so appreciate it. In view of my quite serious bout of ageism which occurred yesterday when I really could not remember who I was nor where I was, I fear that my days on hootoo are numbered.

anyway, merci for having shared your lovely second meet in Hull such a happy one for me.

with affedtion to Mrs. G. and Les filles

Christiane
Alsoran80