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

Friday 13th.
I'm not in the least superstitious, but Dai, who's actually been in a plane crash, was naturally a bit more jittery than me about flying. So to take his mind off things we went shopping for gadgets! The plane was delayed, so we had plenty of time to look at iPods, get my nails "did", and enjoy something to eat in the Paul Rankin winebar.

The flight itself was uneventful, although the delay meant that the "relaxing afternoon in the hotel" that had been on our agenda was totally eroded, and we only had time to drop off our bags before heading out for our dinner+ show package (courtesy of lasminute dot com). The meal in Maxwells was OK, if a little rushed, and Dai's steak wasn't very exciting, but we thoroughly enjoyed "The Producers". John Gordon Sinclair was superb as the neurotic Leo Bloom, and I loved the tap-dancing zimmer frames. Back to the hotel for some over-priced drinks and a soak up of the ambience in the Steam bar.

Saturday morning
Dai had rashly offered to pay for meals in the hotel, but was regretting that offer when he saw the price of breakfast delivered to our room . And I wasn't allowed to forget all weekend that it had been me wot ordered it

Anyhoo - met up with Milla and family at the Eye - always one of my fave things to do in London. I don't know why, but my usually v good sense of direction just totally disappears in London. Lack of mountains, I think. Plus the large amount of time spent underground. So anything with height and a view is good!. Strolled along the riverside walk, got coffees at Gabriel's Wharf (the Swedes marvelling at being able to drink it out doors in January Oh and wondering what a Swedish massage is, as they don't have them in their country apparently )

Lovely lunch at Studio 6 - I had gorgeous linguine with a crab and chili sauce , and we were joined by Trillians Child. After dinner, continued our walk to the Tate Modern, where we met Croz, played hide and seek among the boxes (Organised chaos? Giant sugar cubes? Spaces within spaces?)Lost the Swedes, had (another) glass of wine in the cafe (the view, y'see...)sniggered at the nude pics, bought The Great Bear for my design shrine.

Over the wobbly bridge, said cheerio to Croz, and love to all at the meet, and went back to change into evening attire, complete with feather boa and elbow length gloves . Into the Yard to meet friends, dinner at Waggamama, then on to the birthday party at Freedom Bar. The be-kilted birthday boy was suitably thrilled with his present (I couldn't possibly reveal ), and reported later that it had made him very happy.

We danced around the pole. Maybe a bit too energetically, as after a particularly tricky swoop'n'glide movement we managed to dislodge the top of the pole from its anchor Oooops! Sorry, rest of the club! Decidedly tipsy after midnight, we attempted to get home. Dai insisted on having a hot dog , despite my protestations about hygiene and food poisoning. Taxis are always impossible to find, there was no way I could work out what night bus to get, and it was waaaaaay too far to walk, even if I could suss out what direction to go in. So we took a bicyle powered rickshaw . Ridiculously expensive, but a fun way to travel, and anyway, we are tourists you know...

Sunday we spent recovering in Covent Garden - a bit of gentle retail therapy and some soothing street theatre.

So. There you go. We had fun.

Sounds like you had a great time

I'm so pleased you enjoyed "The Producers" as well.
Did you spot "Captain Jack" - the bleached-blonde singing & dancing in his SS uniform?

Bekilted eh?

Captain Jack? Was that in the movie version? We went to the stage show. But I do want to see the fillum!

I've only seen the fillum myself, but I'd like to see the show.

"Don't be stoopid, be a smahtie,
Come an' join da Nazi pahtie!!"

Funny.. Londonium is just about the only city i've been to where i don't get lost!

So many signs, maps and landmarks about the place That said, I do get around better in countryside. Hills are also good.. Down is usually the way out

I had already forgot about the massage! Can somebody please tell? Should I or proudly stretch my back???

Interesting burpday party...

We passed the Wagamama restaurant, on the way to Fish! restaurant - and might had stopped since we all like sushi - but such happens...

Somebody joked about where the name of our town (Lund) came from: Lunne Dundilundum - latin for 'Should we really camp for the night here?' What do you reckon Londinium means?

Perhaps this will help: http://www.roman-britain.org/places/londinium.htm

I've never really thought about it. "The town of Lugh" ... must read on and find out who Lugh was.

It says further down:

"London Londinium c.AD115. An ancient name often explained as 'place belonging to a man called Londinios'. From a Celtic personal name with adjectival suffix, but now considered obscure in origin and meaning." "

Sounds like it was a fab weekend, Lucky. I always love your descriptions of your experiences - makes me feel like I'm right there with you.

I'm also hoping to get to London again before too long - perhaps for the next summer hootoo meet? We shall see.

When I was living in Bristol I only managed to get to London a couple of times and I always loved it. Yeah, expensive as hell, but so much to see and do. And lots of walking, which is cheap enough.

Last time I was in London was during an eight-hour stopover (going from Seville to Toronto). I had to change airports (Gatwick to Heathrow) and an old boyfriend of mine met me at Victoria and took me out for lunch at Covent Garden, then a short walk over to Neil's Yard to buy some STUFF there, then off to Heathrow for the second leg of my trip. We took black cabs here and there, it was raining slightly; after our late lunch it was already getting dark (winter) and the street lights glistening on the rain-washed streets looked so pretty . . .


az

That's exactly how I feel, Az. I spent the whole of the Saturday afternoon unsuccessfully trying to get out to meet the crowd at Kew. I waited for a bus in the rain, walked around some wet streets, watched and listened to people and asked lots of people the way. It was totally unfruitful but not in the least frustrating. I enjoyed myself so much that when the Kew people came up to me in the pub in the evening and said "So sorry about your mucked up journey this afternoon" - I didn't know what they meant!

I hope you weren't arrested on landing in Toronto with a bag full of "stuff"!!!!

TC, I'd love an afternoon like that, it sounds totally relaxing.

Az: care to share when / where you lived in Bristol? I have spent a lot of time there in my past. A lot of which involved a poke-bonnet.

Actually my back and my feet are still suffering from the weekend's nonstop walking round London (thank heavens I had 2 days in the country at my parents' to recover a bit on Mon and Tue) but it was, in a way, relaxing. Mentally, so to speak.

that's why I so love our decision to take separate holidays twice a year. That way, the gruesomes generally get two trips to UK (with a parent, we've also instigated a 2 week holiday with my parents in summer, without a parent) to know each side of the family.

While takes them to UK for Easter (I take them for the Herbstferien) I take one or two days off for me-time. And usually I go to a nearby city to take in a few art galleries and just walk around.

Mine says "If we go away on holiday separately we might as well get divorced"

I wish he would see that if we went away on holiday separately it might improve things.

hi Sho,

I lived in Bristol winter 1990 - spring 1992. At first I was living just off Whiteladies Road (near the Dog & Duck) and later moved to Berkeley Crescent at the top of Park Street, which is actually a crescent-shaped listed building, not a street as such. Our flat was rather run down but the location was wonderful and we had gorgeous views.

Um, what's a poke-bonnet?

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Oh! So, how about coming here for a weekend? F119314?thread=786850&skip=0&show=20 I reckoned it would be impossible for you to get away with the kids at school and your husband's work schedule, but if you want to come on your own I'm sure you'd have a great time - so far there's about seven people booked for sure.



Have you managed to find flights, TC?


az

ohhhh that sounds very tempting. Unfortunately I have to go to London (well, not unfortunately, it's a hen-party and since I've never been to one,I've managed to persuade everyone that we have to wear fairy wings)

Let me have a think about it.

I used to drink in the Dog & Duck (among others, the Royal Oak was another in Clifton, and The King Dick,which was at the bottom of... ah, is it Whiteladies Road all the way down to the old town hall crescent thing?)

I was at boarding school there, and part of our uniform was a straw bonnet. The easiest way to describe them is... think of something out of Pride & Prejudice. I'll shufty around and see if I can find one. After school I lived in Bedminster () for a while, and worked in one of the gazillion pubs. Very rough area, but I had a lot of fun. Then I joined the army, and all that drinking practice was put to good use!

TC: we settled on separate holidays so that we could spend as much of the Gruesomes' school holidays with them. Also, if we take a week to go to England together, we never get enough time in one place (especially for me and my mum, we never seem to get together) so separate holidays make sense to

Just as well, because I really love having them all out of the house!

I know the Royal Oak too, Sho, but perhaps the King Dick is a nickname? Whiteladies Road changes to Park Street at the Museum and goes down to the waterfront, passing the town hall square thingy. My second flat in Berkeley Crescent was directy across from the Museum.

How bizarre that you had to wear a straw bonnet as a part of your school uniform. Yes, I know Bedminster? (well, that's how they talk there, as in most of Bristol, every sentence is a question).

I really enjoyed my time in Bristol, especially after we moved to Berkeley Crescent. There was a great snooker club owned by Iranians across the street which we joined and spent a lot of time (and money) in. Didn't like the pubs so much because I don't like drinking beer (and the wine offered at most pubs is garbage) but there was a fab restaurant/bar on Whiteladies (across from the D&D) called Rocinante, doing mediterranean food and with a very nice ambiance. I actually ended up working there before I left for Spain.

And I also loved the chippy at the bottom of Christmas Steps - the best fish&chips I've ever had.




az

No apology necessary! Drift is always welcome.

Sho - didn't you post a photo of yourself in said item of millinery?

Found it!!
http://hometown.aol.com/majclanger/images/sho13.jpg