Sam Cook

Falling a bit behind with this since its now day 5 but doing my best.

Day 3 was quite relaxing compared to the non-stop of the previous 2 days. Lazy start and a stack breakfast at Ed’s before shlepping to the London eye to be a proper tourist. Queue was pretty decent Nd only took about 10-15 minutes to get on.

Lots of repetitive photos from the eye and then went to the London Eye 4D experience as it was included. Just as well because if they’d have tricked me into paying for an advert I’d have been displeased.

We had already learnt the day before that misconceptions of the 4th dimension being time or anything like that were completely wrong. The 4th dimension, to any not in the know, is water.

Went and had a big mooch down the river, watching all the buskers doing magic or juggling or for the majority just wearing a costume and hoping that was enough.

Went and got some coffee and cake and sat in a park by embankment. Then went back to hotel stopping into Ed’s for a peanut butter malt and some fries with various tummy dips, including “wet” as we’d enquired about it. Wet means gravy (day 3 was all about the education).

We got ready for an evening at a comedy club in Chiswick. MC was Martin Davis, then there was Simon Evans, Dave Johns (who I’ve seen a few times) and “very special guest). Every poster or web site said he could not be named but on the website selling the tickets they had no issue telling us it was Andy Parsons off of Mock the Week.

There were signalling issues on the line we needed to use which meant after much rushing om arrival we got there at 8.10pm, thankfully I’d wrongly convinced myself of an 8pm start when it was really 9pm so bonus. Relaxed in a proper pub drinking actual pints that didn’t cost more than at home. Win.

Comedy was funny, true to its name. With some very quirky audience members making the MCs job maybe too easy. A young woman from Arizona was over here studying torture for a PHD.

After the comedy to top off yet another great day the MC got on our carriage AND sat opposite us and then proceeded to entertain us for the 20 minutes or so back to our stop. Awesome!

Day 2 was the other half’s birthday. We started with tasty American Breakfast in Ed’s diner before heading to Madam Tussauds. Lots of pictures of that on Flickr.

While there we also got our hands frozen and scalded as is the process to make wax moulds of our hands. Sam chose the vulcan salute which almost came out whereas I opted for a hitchhikers thumb, sadly somewhere along the line this became a fist, stupid flaccid thumb.

After meeting celebrity waxy alter egos we had a nice lunch and coffee at BBC media village, although my lunch appeared to be wasp porn which put a slight downer on it as I was harassed by a horny wasp that didn’t understand no.

Then it was time for our tour of British television centre. First we went to the news area and saw a random news reader whose name means little to me, then off to studio 1 where they’d started to put together thy set for strictly. Then we saw studio 4 which was ready and waiting for the Michael Ball show, which explained the enormous congregation of old people outside. Apparently TOTP was a studio 4 production.

They showed us some random blue/green screen effects to explain the weather and then off to a “superstar” dressing room. Was alright, not amazing. Apparently one time when Prince was there everyone had to talk go his girlfriend and he’d decided he wasn’t going to use lifts or stairs so his bodyguard carried him up and down.

Then we got an interactive bit. A couple volunteered their kids to read the news and they wanted 3 people for a game show. They saw me and Sam avoiding eye contact and trying to talk the other into doing it. He picked me to do it so I played the ace up my sleeve “its her birthday!” Which thankfully I’d added to a comments box when signing up for the tour so he accepted and dragged her up. She nailed the quiz and won a BBC mug. Video to YouTube wheb I get home, its over 200mb.

While walking the corridors there was a picture of Peggy and myself and a random woman almost simultaneously said “get arta my pub”

Then as luck would have it wossy tweeted on day 1 that he and Mark Millar would be in WH Smith signing a new magazine. Woop. Sam’s birthday gets more win.

Ice bar for cocktails started off the evening. This is hidden. Away down a backstreet full of nice pubs, walls, floor, bar, seats, tables and glasses all made of ice. They give you a poncho with gloves attached on string like a child. Was pretty nice/different. Then down to its restaurant for some fancy foods. Reindeer sausage and quail amongst the tapas on offer. Was om nom nom.

That took ages so day 3 will have to wait.

Posting from my phone using an app and typing on a touchscreen so expect short posts full of typos and randomly replaced words (such as mustards and cynthias).

Yesterday was the first of a 5 day visit to London in aid of the other half’s birthday. We left the unusual Manchester sun in a rush which wasn’t the most comfortable. Arriving in London to discover it less hot, but more nice sun compared to Manchester mugginess.

After a brief back and forth trying to find our hotel we headed out to Leicester Square and snagged some decent seats for Avenue Q, before getting some much needed pizza hut for some relatively cheap food and drink.

Avenue Q made me do a LoL multiple times. Everyone loves puppets that swear and chat about real world things such as porn and being racist. I think I need me at least one bad idea bear of my own. They seem fun.

After the show we went back to the hotel to get a head start on sleep for long day today. Watched some random hotel tv which includes a German channel that was showing “Ladyrochers” a comedy sketch show. I understood random bits which made me smile, not enough to laugh at jokes but how likely is it that Germans have a sense of humour.

Can’t be arsed writing anymore. Little else happened and the internet doesn’t care.