Mobile free New Year
Okay so I'm only just getting to type out the notes I made on the train (today is 4th Feburary) but hey tht means I'm getting through my things to do list doesn't it?! Anyhow back dated entry begins. Now.
I've never really got New Year, probably something to do with the fact my parents never really celebrated it until their grown-up kids started to! But, I've never been a big NYE reveller, I'm just too practical/boring*:
- Clubs are just too expensive
- Pubs are too packed
- Heading into London seems a nice idea but everyone says it's difficult to get served, bloody cold and virtually impossible to find a toilet (and I'm not peeing up an alleyway)
- You can't get a taxi home for love or money
Maybe I should just escape the UK for NYE? But then I guess the same problems will be in every city across the world. Hmm, well it might be worth a bit more thought.
Anyhow Glenn and I this year headed off to Leicester to David and Antz for a school themed NYE bash braving whatever train company nightmares lay ahead venturing north of Watford - eeek!
I'd managed to leave my phone charger in Brighton at Christmas so the battery is firmly dead until Tuesday when I go back to work. Cue quick phone calls to all of the family to wish them well for the New Year before departing on my travels. Typically, there was a last minute rummage through the wardrobe to find my old high school tie which was (thankfully) successful. Yup it was the fall works. Rob & Chris were there too, Robster, a lesbian wearing a huge pair of comed breasts and some other people who's names temporarily escape me.
The evening started with Melon Daiquiri which went to my head straight away, but took away the shock of so many people braving shorts (since when was that winter school uniform?!). The alcohol consumption was kept up with a glass of champage before David (complete with teacher flowing robes) served dinner - complete with cabbage and mashed potato with a scoop! We avoided a food fight although how we resisted temptation with the dessert (golden syrup roly poly and pink custard) I will never know. More champagne was followed before shots of sparkling vodka (not recommended) or some drink beginning with a (recommended) were distributed in a 'science lesson' with flourescent flowing glasses.
By this stage someone had decorated a skill with mini mushroom quiches, while in a impromptu 'art class' we had customised one of the christmas tree decorations by filling it with sweet wrappers - Linda Barker eat your heart out! Also someone was driving one of the cats** crazy by getting it to chase the light of a laser pointer projector.
Dance tunes replaces the traditional school disco anthems and I switched to vodka to protect my dignity. Official school photos followed, although here's a few unofficial ones in the meantime:
Left - Spencer (left) & Glenn (right) although Spencer hasn't quite mastered the art of looking at the camera. But everyone said this photo was cute...
Right - Spencer (back) & Glenn (front). And no we're not doing anything rude! Although what is that red thing?!
Eventually we crashed out sometime between 3 and 4am although the diehards kept going till 8am.
A slightly sleepy crowd emerged the following day with full-strength coffee being the essential ingredient. Following on from a much welcomed scrambled eggs on toast it was time to face the return journey home. Leicester to London was fine having survived a freezing cold station waiting for the train in the first place. Typically, the cross-London journey was more difficult as First Capital Connect had stopped running services to Streatham despite the fact it wasn't that late. Ahh well at least we got to see lots of cute police officers patrolling London Bridge Station as Millwall FC were playing at home.
* decide for yourselves ** no cats were harmed in this NYE celebration