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Published: August 8th 2007
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Arrived at Sean & Izzy’s house just as the boys were being put to bed - they’re not quite sure who “that lady” is, but happy enough! Chilled out with some food, a chat and some TV (bit of
Eastenders and something strange, can’t remember what it was, but it involved the woman from the BT adverts).
Friday got up early to head into Birmingham itself, trusting that my GPS would get me to the
Thai Embassy at One, Victoria Square. It did - expensive parking there, £2.40 for one hour, but had been advised that only needed 10 minutes so went for that. Went in with £33, 2 photos, passport and my completed form, and 5 minutes later, one Thai Visa (apparently I need one as I go into the country without an exit flight within 30 days, although I will be leaving the country on my GAP trip), then took a few photos of the centre square, a quick wander round the shops for a few more travel odds/ends, then back to the house for lunch. Had gone past
Cadbury World on my way back, so decided to go there for the afternoon. £13 quite a lot to get in,
but I think pretty much worth it - there’s some interesting technology going on, and more than enough for the kids. Unfortunately the factory itself had suffered a malfunction an hour before so I missed that bit, and the exhibition at the end was closed for refurbishment, but got given quite a bit of free chocolate, and plenty of educational propaganda (I think is the best way of describing it). Tried to head back before the crowds, but car does not want to reverse, not sure what that is, but it suddenly goes, so I head back, get stuck in a massive queue which is trying to negotiate the ‘lake’ which has spread across part of the road, and we catch up with a bit more Eastenders over a takeaway, then chill out, and I spent some time looking through the Australian brochures I’d been given for
Ayers Rock.
Saturday, I managed to start catching up on my travelblog, sorted a few bits out, then got ready for John & Sarah’s wedding, which was what I’d come to Birmingham for. As my car was still misbehaving in reverse, Sean kindly dropped me off at the church, and I met up
with some of my Manchester house-group, and thoroughly enjoyed the wedding - good address (don’t expect people to change, but give them the space to change), before Danielle gave me a lift to the reception at
King’s Norton Golf Club - relying on a borrowed TomTom - we eventually worked it out and made it in time to take some of the photos in the garden (the rain stopped for half-hour - great timing), had some conversations, then sat down for a nice meal, some more great conversations, listened to some good speeches, then enjoyed a bit of a dance before John & Sarah disappeared at 10.45 (she doesn’t know where), and I waited for Sean, who’d been directed to a different golf range, but we got there in the end, and I crashed straight into bed.
Sunday, got up in time for breakfast and to make it to church. Interesting service with a missionary family visiting and explaining what life was like is . Back to the house for a beautiful roast pork dinner, then decided that 4pm was as good a time as any to head-off, and hope that my car would be all right… well, it was all
going forward. Pretty good journey - think everyone had been put off going on the roads after the chaos on Friday/Saturday (abandoned cars all over the motorways), and made it entirely safely, and even managed to reverse into the driveway (seems fine when car is warm). Unpacked for once (often it just sits on the floor for a couple of days), then decided was going to settle down and get this travelblog done. Internet is still not working at home - going to try dial-up, and will be back at my brother’s to borrow their broadband, as got lots of things to sort out this week!
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