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

Yes - I am one of those mad ones who actually took a plane to come to the meet last weekend. I flew in on the Saturday morning, arriving well in time for lunch. But, having left the cold and fog of the Rhine valley, I was knocked over by the heat of London. I'd taken the wrong coat again. So I dumped my stuff at the hotel and freshened up a bit before meeting Lucky Star and Dai, Milla and family for lunch.

We had an animated chat while the kids jumped on the wooden sculptures ouside the restaurant at Gabriel's Wharf; afterwards they stayed South of the river and went to the Tate Gallery, where we met Croz, and I crossed the river to make my way to join the party at Kew Gardens.

This turned out too ambitious a project in the end. I spent a good deal of time looking for chemists and cups of tea to soothe my tum which obviously didn't take to the food on the other bank (I was born in North London). I didn't make much leeway Westwards and rang Mazin Mad Fiddler in the end (after repeated calls to plot my progress and check how far round the gardens they'd all got) to say that it wasn't worth my bothering to find his flat, let alone Kew Gardens, any more - by the time I got there, they'd be leaving for the pub anyway.

Never mind - we all met up later at the Olde London. And a good time was had by all. Despite large amounts of clouding my memory, I will try and list everyone I met and spoke to, in the order I met them... Please don't be offended if I met you and don't mention you .. I'm sure I'll get plenty of reminders after I post this.

Bald Bloke, Jimster, Mr and Mrs Dreadful, Teuchter and Mr Teuchter, LiL Old Me, ReddyFreddy, B'Elana and Mr B'Elana, (Beginning to get vague now...) Then we convened for the quiz in which Paully and Jimster compered alternate rounds. Our team, consisting of Mazin' Mad Fiddler (in his special sweat shirt), Venus, Reef Girl, Mr B'Elana (B'Elana herself - in her special tee shirt - kept disappearing) and me .... WON!!! We all got s and badges and were very pleased with ourselves!!

Afterwards people seemed to be leaving already, but I got to say hello to Roymondo, and was so sozzled I pronounced his name wrong (something I NEVER do when I'm reading it all to myself here on line -honestly) and introduced myself to 2legs, and had a chat with Seraphina and Ged.

Milla and I walked back to the hotel together and I certainly had a good night's sleep.

The Mad Fiddler has since sent me loads of photos of the lovely glass sculpture exhibition that they had seen at Kew -



It was really good to have someone to sit with and talk to at breakfast -- I hope I didn't frighten or confuse your little boy, Milla.



The rest of the weekend I had fairly well organised - on Sunday after breakfast, I went to the service at St Paul's. Even if the service is no good (it was OK), the choir are lovely to listen to, and you get a chance to sit and look at the amazing interior in peace without being jostled by other tourists.

I met my friend outside the cathedral and we had lunch at Spitalfields. My recommendation: don't do likewise, at least, not in the only "indoor" restaurant there.

We went and looked at the winning photos in the National Portrait Gallery, about the top hundred of the over 5000 entries to the Schweppes competition. No idea why some of them did so well - we couldn't tell what made them stand out from normal holiday snaps, and a large number of them were boringly symmetrical in composition. Some had no composition to speak of at all.

Then we went to Camden to the Etcetera Theatre over the Oxford Arms and saw a brilliant production of a very funny play, The Rover, by Aphra Behn: http://classiclit.about.com/cs/profileswriters/p/aa_abehn1.htm

or http://web.utk.edu/~misty/Behnhandout.html

In fact the whole script seems to be available on line: http://drama.eserver.org/plays/17th_century/rover/i/#i1



I slept at my friend's that night and left for my parents' home in deepest East Anglia on the border of Suffolk and Cambridgeshire on Monday morning. The flight back was on Tuesday afternoon, and all went well, landing at 9.15 pm - earlier than scheduled. I was home just after 10, and had to go back to work this morning.

It's all over ... till next time.

Here's the first one I've forgotten - I spoke to Coelecanth. Rather rudely, I interrupted a far too serious conversation she was having with Jimster.

I knew *something* was going on on Saturday, but I couldn't remember what it was! I had that 'what am I missing' feeling. Now I know. Anyway, you seem to have had a great time without me . I do feel a twit.

sounds like it was a good weekend!

One question: how does everyone know who everyone else is at a meet?

I've always worn a name badge and encouraged others to do so, but I suspect that nobody does when I'm not around to badger them.

that sounds like a sensible idea to me.

I've only been to an extremely mini German meet (with TC as it happens) and she knew the others so she could introduce them.

A lot of people design and wear their own badges (look closely at some of the photos)...and the italics supply sticky labels and a felt pen for those without a badge.

RF

So, how did you enjoy the meet, RF? I take it you were there?

Don't worry TC, it wasn't *that* serious. I was just in such a rush to speak to people because I knew I couldn't stay long.

Yes, good meet, it's always nice to see people again (and sometimes even speak to them! )...also good to see new faces still taking the terrifying step of meeting a bunch of weirdos off of the internet, and realising they're just as weird in real life! I didn't see Coelacanth, obviously, as she could't make it, but I think I spoke to just about everyone else...

Looking forward to Germany now (after London mini-meet A8589801, and Fannit, and...)

RF

Fannit?

It's a sad fact of my life that I get out once a year...

I completely forgot about the badge and was glad of Jimster's offer of a sticky label. Didn't really need it though. With many people I didn't know if I'd already met them or just seen photos.