Appropriate icon is appropriate... ;-)
May. 25th, 2010 08:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gothams3rdrobinSo this weekend I managed to do a passable impression of actually having a Life(TM), and went to London to meet up with some fellow fangirls! \O/
My original plan was for me and Rowan to travel down on the Saturday morning, and then come back home again Saturday evening. But![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
thaya_rayal very kindly said we could stay with her for the weekend - and I never pass up an opportunity to spend time with Mel *hugs her* So instead we headed to Aldershot on the Friday, after Rowan finished school for the day, with return tickets for Sunday evening.
Had to get Rowan's haircut before we left, 'cause not only was it a little too long but he also suffers with the most ridiculous bed-head. Thankfully there was enough time between school letting out and the train we were booked on, so we headed up to our usual hairdresser in Cathays. Unfortunately, the buses were not in our favour and we were over half an hour late for his appointment - good thing the owner's a family friend and okay about us phoning ahead to let her know we were on our way! The haircut didn't take long, though, and a taxi to the station meant we made the London Paddington train easily.
We had to change trains at Reading, and that's where the problems really started; there was apparently a steam train broken down at Winnersh (about three stops down the route we needed to go) and this meant our second train couldn't leave, preventing us from getting to our third and final train into Aldershot itself. They were anticipating delays of at least ninety minutes, and were shuffling their feet about alternative transport. Eventually - as anyone who has Mel on their Facebook will be aware - Mel and Will came heroically to the rescue, making the fifty minute drive from Aldershot to Reading in order to collect us. I dread to think what time we would have gotten to theirs if they hadn't!
There were no solid plans in place for the fangirl meet-up on Saturday, aside from descending onsuchthefangirl's hotel room. We were rather lazy about getting our arses in gear in the morning, so we didn't get to Waterloo till about one o'clock. I figured it was a good idea to feed Rowan before we ventured onto the Underground, save him whining about being hungry, so that delayed us a little more. Getting to the hotel was easy though, as Mel had already gone through the Underground route with me the night before, and once again we were incredibly lucky to be on fairly quiet trains.
It's always nerve-wracking to meet new people - even people you've been talking to online for years - but everyone was lovely.phoebesmum scored points with Rowan by supplying chocolates and cookies, which he helped himself to a couple of while we watched an episode of 'Sports Night'. We then took a walk down the street to Selfridges, since everyone else needed a bite to eat. Rowan and I had a cake and a drink too - we took every excuse we could all day to have a drink as it was a scorcher all weekend!
There was still a great deal of debate about what we would actually do, and we ended up getting a bus to the British Museum. We were there until closing, looking at Greek architecture, Egyptian Mummies, etc. We then got some dinner in a Wagamamas around the corner - which was an adventure, as I'd never eaten at one before. It was really nice though! We decided not to stay there for desert though, choosing instead to walk off the noodles by returning to the hotel on foot, via a coffee shop around Shaftsbury Avenue thatetcetera_cat suggested.
It was getting really late by the time we got back to the hotel, but Rowan was insisting he didn't want to leave! I thinksuchthefangirl won his heart, simply by attempting to impress on phoebesmum the reasons why getting a Wii is a Good Idea. Kid's obsessed with his Wii games, and he latches on to anyone who will geek out with him ;-) We were only back in the hotel room about twenty minutes before tiredness got to him, though, and - as much as he was having a good time - he was almost begging to leave! :-D
It was only a short, two-train hop back to Waterloo, but it was gone nine thirty before we got there - and the train back to Aldershot wasn't till almost ten! And it's almost an hour by train. I felt really guilty about dragging Mel and Will back out to collect us from the station just before eleven, but they wouldn't hear of us getting a taxi *hugs them* Needless to say, Rowan was in bed very quickly after we got in.
Sunday was a very slow, lazy day - but typically went too quickly! Mel made us all pancakes for breakfast (Yum!), and then Will made Egg and Bacon sarnies for lunch (Yum again!) We mostly chilled in front of the tv, and Mel showed me the photos from the wedding - they have a very sweet network set up in their house, which allows them to put the pictures up on the TV in the living room! I aspire to a similar setup eventually.
It was a fab, if extremely tiring, weekend, and it was such a treat to not only get to see my Mel and Will again but to also hang out with fangirls! *hugs them all* This really needs to happen more often. (Andcatwalksalone? I was really sorry not to get the chance to see you *hugs* This must be rectified!)
I have a couple of pics, taken on my DSi since I stupidly left my camera at home *facepalm* I may upload them at some point.
My original plan was for me and Rowan to travel down on the Saturday morning, and then come back home again Saturday evening. But
thaya_rayal very kindly said we could stay with her for the weekend - and I never pass up an opportunity to spend time with Mel *hugs her* So instead we headed to Aldershot on the Friday, after Rowan finished school for the day, with return tickets for Sunday evening.Had to get Rowan's haircut before we left, 'cause not only was it a little too long but he also suffers with the most ridiculous bed-head. Thankfully there was enough time between school letting out and the train we were booked on, so we headed up to our usual hairdresser in Cathays. Unfortunately, the buses were not in our favour and we were over half an hour late for his appointment - good thing the owner's a family friend and okay about us phoning ahead to let her know we were on our way! The haircut didn't take long, though, and a taxi to the station meant we made the London Paddington train easily.
We had to change trains at Reading, and that's where the problems really started; there was apparently a steam train broken down at Winnersh (about three stops down the route we needed to go) and this meant our second train couldn't leave, preventing us from getting to our third and final train into Aldershot itself. They were anticipating delays of at least ninety minutes, and were shuffling their feet about alternative transport. Eventually - as anyone who has Mel on their Facebook will be aware - Mel and Will came heroically to the rescue, making the fifty minute drive from Aldershot to Reading in order to collect us. I dread to think what time we would have gotten to theirs if they hadn't!
There were no solid plans in place for the fangirl meet-up on Saturday, aside from descending on
suchthefangirl's hotel room. We were rather lazy about getting our arses in gear in the morning, so we didn't get to Waterloo till about one o'clock. I figured it was a good idea to feed Rowan before we ventured onto the Underground, save him whining about being hungry, so that delayed us a little more. Getting to the hotel was easy though, as Mel had already gone through the Underground route with me the night before, and once again we were incredibly lucky to be on fairly quiet trains.It's always nerve-wracking to meet new people - even people you've been talking to online for years - but everyone was lovely.
phoebesmum scored points with Rowan by supplying chocolates and cookies, which he helped himself to a couple of while we watched an episode of 'Sports Night'. We then took a walk down the street to Selfridges, since everyone else needed a bite to eat. Rowan and I had a cake and a drink too - we took every excuse we could all day to have a drink as it was a scorcher all weekend!There was still a great deal of debate about what we would actually do, and we ended up getting a bus to the British Museum. We were there until closing, looking at Greek architecture, Egyptian Mummies, etc. We then got some dinner in a Wagamamas around the corner - which was an adventure, as I'd never eaten at one before. It was really nice though! We decided not to stay there for desert though, choosing instead to walk off the noodles by returning to the hotel on foot, via a coffee shop around Shaftsbury Avenue that
etcetera_cat suggested.It was getting really late by the time we got back to the hotel, but Rowan was insisting he didn't want to leave! I think
suchthefangirl won his heart, simply by attempting to impress on phoebesmum the reasons why getting a Wii is a Good Idea. Kid's obsessed with his Wii games, and he latches on to anyone who will geek out with him ;-) We were only back in the hotel room about twenty minutes before tiredness got to him, though, and - as much as he was having a good time - he was almost begging to leave! :-DIt was only a short, two-train hop back to Waterloo, but it was gone nine thirty before we got there - and the train back to Aldershot wasn't till almost ten! And it's almost an hour by train. I felt really guilty about dragging Mel and Will back out to collect us from the station just before eleven, but they wouldn't hear of us getting a taxi *hugs them* Needless to say, Rowan was in bed very quickly after we got in.
Sunday was a very slow, lazy day - but typically went too quickly! Mel made us all pancakes for breakfast (Yum!), and then Will made Egg and Bacon sarnies for lunch (Yum again!) We mostly chilled in front of the tv, and Mel showed me the photos from the wedding - they have a very sweet network set up in their house, which allows them to put the pictures up on the TV in the living room! I aspire to a similar setup eventually.
It was a fab, if extremely tiring, weekend, and it was such a treat to not only get to see my Mel and Will again but to also hang out with fangirls! *hugs them all* This really needs to happen more often. (And
catwalksalone? I was really sorry not to get the chance to see you *hugs* This must be rectified!)I have a couple of pics, taken on my DSi since I stupidly left my camera at home *facepalm* I may upload them at some point.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-05-25 08:56 pm (UTC)Unexpected!Sports Night was a bonus, too. It's been ages since I watched any, let alone with other fans.
Ah, so that's the other fangirl's online identity. Mystery solved.
no subject
Date: 2010-05-25 09:04 pm (UTC)Yay for unexpected!Sports Night! While 'Cliff Gardner' is not my favourite episode, it is one of the best of the second season, if only for Sam's speech.
I believe that's her, yes :-) I'd seen Em around the fandoms for a while, though never actually interacted with her before this weekend - it was nice to meet her too.
no subject
Date: 2010-05-30 08:53 pm (UTC)It was really kind of awesome to meet you (and childlet, who deported himself admirably considering he had to spend the day around Boring Older People). I would finger point at
no subject
Date: 2010-05-30 09:01 pm (UTC)It was really kinda awesome to meet you too :-) And yay for a new SN convert! \O/
I continue to be stunned how well Rowan behaved last weekend - he's rarely that good when it's not all about him *is proud of her boy* :-D