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Published: December 21st 2008
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Friday morning was a real high point of the trip. I awoke in my hotel room but immediately decided that was my first mistake. Not feeling too clever, it was a ‘Nurofen and water’ morning, lying in a dark room. Mental note to self - Guinness and Curry is not a good mixture.
The only thing I really had to do was get to Bree’s office on Tottenham Court Road for midday to drop my bags off there before she headed out for her Christmas lunch. I got there at about 1pm and thankfully she’d prepared the receptionist for my arrival, so my bags got dropped OK anyway.
Coffee and breakfast, but once again the day was slipping away from me. Other than the ‘getting there at midday’ thing, the day’s main priority was xmas presents, I fought my way through the crowds and surprised myself by getting something for everyone. I’m seeing my whole family - albeit that’s 8 people apart from myself - on Sunday so I need to have Santa lined up for then.
Did some clothes shopping in Covent Garden, had a nice stroll and started to feel a bit more human. Wandered down
to have a look at the river, and decided to walk across Waterloo Bridge just for the sake of it - it was always one of my favourite spots.
A great view east, St Pauls, the City, the Gherkin, and west of the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye. Felt good. The South Bank was full of kids clattering around on skateboards and BMX’s, doing their best to drown out a little xmas market along the river. Pesky kids. So I just turned around and came back over the footbridge at Charring Cross.
Had a quick look at Trafalgar Square, too chilly for even the host hardy p!ssheads to be playing in the fountains today. Made me think of Dom Jolly’s suicidal artist, pretending to paint people’s caricatures but really lamenting his life and running away from the punters. Genius.
Onwards, Leicester Square looking lovely with fairground rides in the middle, Piccadilly Circus packed with tourists and bright lights. The most impressive festive display was at Carnaby Street where they had huge inflatable snowmen floating above the street. They looked brilliant - at least they did at first glance. The funny bit was when you walked
underneath them, as each had a giant freckle / date / starfish / insert pseudonym of your choice. I guess it was one of those jokes that the adults got and the kids didn’t notice, very funny.
From there it wasn’t far to the final scene of last night’s crime - the Carlisle again in Soho to meet Steve and Leda, then Bree and Phil (there you go girls, you got your mention). I swore off Guinness and stuck to an IPA - not sure who’s. The first couple weren’t easy but as usual I got into the swing of things, it was great to catch up with the girls who are both well. Bree had been at a boozy lunch so had a headstart, Phil was glammed up as usual (she likes her sparkly things), Leda got stuck into the wine with the 2 of them. I’d forgotten how busy these places get, especially on a Friday night before xmas. It was crazy in there, especially when a guy in a wheelchair suddenly decided he had to get to the toilet immediately and barrelled the crowd out of the way before jumping to his feet and running (bizarre).
Bree's garden gnomes
Gonna nick the 1 on the left..... I also made an arrangement with a girl called Tracey. She wanted to come and live in Australia, so was planning a divorce today so we could marry on Sunday morning. Another quiet night, we left Steve behind at the bar and headed off before closing time - after a quick, tasty burger we called back in at Bree’s office to collect my bag and a load of boxes of stuff she was stealing from work. I think we made quite a sight cowering outside waiting for a cab. Phil pointed Leda in the direction home, I hope she made it.
I thought we’d about had enough, but Bree and I sat up till very late putting the world to rights in her lovely house in Walthamstow. Here’s a picture of the gnomes in her back garden. She said I wasn’t allowed to take one on the rest of my travels, maybe I’ll nick it.
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