Trimming The Bush

Tue 30 May

We spent the morning in Sue's garden trimming her bush and mowing her lawn. It looks rather tidy. After lunch we picked up Finn and Eddie from their nursery and prepared to walk to Sherwood to visit some of the people I met at Clare's party on Friday night.

We popped into Ken's to pick up 'The Rough Guide To England' to help us with our future jouneys, and then to Cathy and Andy's where Clare was surprised with a belated birthday present. We left there and outside on the street was a surprise waiting for us. I (finally) saw a (live) fox!

After our close escape from this carnivorous terror Clare showed me her allotment where she tended her garden, had a bite to eat in Sherwood and caught the number 59 bus to Arnold where Sarah and Gordy lived (some others from Clare's party). We had a few drinks and some laughs for a few hours before we spent our last night in the tent.

Bank Holiday

Mon 29 May

As Dot To Dot had taken it out of us, we were up around lunchtime. Mucked around playing with Finn and Eddie (Sue and Simon's children) until we were summoned to help Clare's friend Rachel move house. We walked there, lent a brief hand and then just chatted a few hours.

Home for delicious homemade pizza (which rivalled Myles') and a nice glass of wine.

Dot To Dot

Sun 28 May

We breakfasted and readied ourselves (me & Clare) for Dot To Dot, and then caught the bus to Rock City. It was absolutely packed at this venue (because it was all ages) so we had a bit of a looksie around the other venues to try and ease our way into the day. After a few beers and some chats with some locals, we decided to take some advice we were given and went to The Social to watch 'Casiotone for the Painfully Alone' as he was supposedly the 'must see'. After seeing him I would disagree. Big time. Ross off friends meets North-eye meets Postal Service. All in all the music was a big let down (save the antics of NZ's Die! Die! Die!, YSP!WSD!, and the set-ending performance by British Sea Power).

Once the music ended, we let our hair down. While Clare partied with Die! Die! Die! the other Claire and I hung out with (DJ) Tapes and his girlfriend until things closed at 4.30am. Claire went home, and I was left to follow Clare to some mystery house with a myterious guy she thought was in Die! Die! Die!. He was not, and his house smelt like corpses so we (finally!) departed to the tent for hailstorm interrupted sleep.

Yee-Ha! I'm A Cowboy

Sat 27 May

We had places to go and people to see...well, Clare's friend Claire asked us to help supervise her son's 7th brithday party (theme: Wild West). Luckily I have the gear to dress up as a cowboy in my backpack so I looked quite the part. Finger food was definitely a cure to the night before.

We were dropped back at Sue and Simon's place for a bit of a chillout session. We watch the cult hit 'The Wicker Man' and then headed to the tent for some sleep. Early night required because tomorrow is the Dot To Dot Festival.

Dirty Thirty

Fri 26 May

We woke up and gave Sandy a call in Sydney; we were eager to hear his side of the story re being locked all night out on the balcony by North-eye. He was surprisingly calm about the whole situation, but I am sure Richard will get his comeuppance.

It was a rushed pack-me-bag and a sprint to the train station. I honestly just caught it, sweating like anything and thinking I would have to wait an hour for the next one.

A fairly painful two hours later I was in Nottingham where I would meet up with my rocking friend Clare whom I met travelling in NZ. Her birthday (dirty thirty) was a few days earlier on Tuesday, so there was a joint party organised for her and Sue whose house we were staying at. Champagne and getting ready was in order, and we were out the door at 7.30 to join a party of 24 for a lovely dinner. Afterwards we cruised up the street to Bluu (a club) for some shots and dancing. There was an empty VIP area, so Clare very nicely asked if we could have it as it was her and Sue's birthday. They said yes, so that was where we were until about 3am when we headed home for some homegame revelry.

Tapes 'N Tapes

Thu 25 May

10am (when Si's lecture started) came and went and so did 2pm so we thought we better act like tourists and take a look around the city. We were a bit peckish so found ourselves a lovely Subway sandwich each. Quite a strange city is old Manchester, nothing too memorable to see just walking around.

There was a concert on the night that I wanted to go to (Tapes 'N Tapes) so we tracked down the venue (The Music Box) and was assured it wouldn't sell out. As it was 5pm we thought we better line our stomachs with some beer from a bar called Phoenix, where we also watched the second cricket test and played video quiz gaming machines (oh and cluedo). A brief visit home top freshen up was required, and we also gave Toby a call in Paris as it was his birthday. We picked up our tickets and grabbed some Chinese from the place across the road before heading in The Music Box for some rock and/or roll.

Tapes 'N Tapes were brilliant, despite aborting 'Omaha' because they ran out of time. You Say Party! We Say Die!, who I knew nothing about, rocked just as hard and it ended up that Simon was more of a fan of them the he was of Tapes 'N Tapes.

We got chatting with Krista (hot) and Bruce (crazy) from YSP!WSD! and ended up going to a metal bar next door with Bruce when things were closed up at the Music Box. We saw some crazy things there let me tell you (latex dressed nurses, girls dancing in bikinis and army boots). Home around 3am again, but no sleep in allowed - I have a train to catch to Nottingham tomorrow.

My Favourite Asian

Wed 24 May

So I woke up, got outta bed, and cruised into Wadebridge to pick up some rebel pasties for lunch (cheese and onion, steak and stilton, curried beef) and then headed to the airport bound for Manchester.

Once I arrived I caught a train to Oxford Road Station where my favourite Asian was waiting for me, ready for a beer at The Thirsty Scholar. We ditched my gear at his place in the ghetto and pub-crawled into the Student Union for cheap lager. A girl Simon sparked there recommended a local bar so we took her advice and it was rubbish (some terrible hip hop 'artists'!).

We followed our nose around the corner to 5th Ave where we drank cheap beer, listened to cool beats (including Cribs and The Futureheads) and Simon hit on unsuspecting girls with the unfailing line that he was a travelling NZer. Brilliant; with luck too I might add!