Aug 23 2000, 11:30pm
New friends in Leicester (part 1)
I’ve come to Leicester in the Midlands (near Birmingham) to visit Amy and Charlotte, whom I met in Chicago. I had no reason not to come really. It wasn’t as far from Liverpool as I expected, and we all seem to get along like a house on fire. It’s great to catch up with them on their home turf. Amy has a nice little house, good friends and even the weather Gods are being kind to us.
It was Emma’s (Amy’s mate) birthday last night and it we had a laugh at the pub. Met up with Amy’s friends, Salty and Russ, Bec and Teal, Phil and Will. We (or just I) had too many drinks in too short a period of time before returning to Teal’s place. After a few more drinks there, Amy was terribly drunk but hilarious at the same time. We eventually got home some time this morning and I slept like a log.
Witty or funny? Who knows?
For some reason Amy’s mates think I’m really funny. Personally, I don’t see an obvious connection between myself and humour. Perhaps, it’s because I say what I think, or maybe it’s my wierd Aussie accent. I don’t know. It could just be that all Aussie travelers are considered witty or funny thanks to our outgoing and easygoing personalities. Whatever the reason, I must say I find them extremely fun to be around as well. That said, one point surprises me; they do swear a lot more than I expected and than Aussies do. Can’t explain that one.
Today we drove out to Twycross Zoo. It’s far from the worst zoological gardens in the world, but there did seem to be a monopoly on primates. It was still an enjoyable day with Charlotte, her sister Bec and Amy, who as usual was nursing quite a headache. We had an interesting experience with a young male monkey, who took a liking to Amy. Whenever she went anywhere near the cage he got excited and put on an impressive little show of climbing, swinging, jumping and self gratification.
Not sure what’s on the agenda this weekend. Think we’re going out Saturday night somewhere. I want to try and get a ticket for the football if I can. It’d be nice to catch a game at an old-school ground like Filbert Street (Leicester F.C.). Then I’m sure I’ll be back on the sauce and entertaining these lovely British ladies. Time has come for me to hit the sack. Good night.
Sept 10, 2000 6:30pm
New friends in Leicester (part 2)
Last night we met Amy and Charlotte’s old school mates or the girls, Sally, Cherie and Emma. Went to a place called “Mashed”, a cool little place despite the somewhat odd name. Had a few drinks there before moving onto a club, where we had a ball. Headed to the grand opening of Moneypenny’s, which is a nightclub chain in the UK. Not sure how many there are, I guess one in each major centre. Leicester’s was great, lots of giveaways.
Not a huge club by any stretch of the imagination, but pretty well designed (except for the tiny bar upstairs). Didn’t have to wait in line thanks to Amy’s gorgeous friends. Danced for a couple of hours, chatted with some local folk and had a few drinks. The only problem was the heat or excess of it! It felt like a sauna. I must’ve lost about 10 pounds. By the end of the night, I had sweat so much that I was sober when I got home. But, all in all, I’m really enjoying my new experiences and my new friends in Leicester.
Friday night was hilarious as Amy, Phil, Salty and I drank, watched Big Brother, talked about random stuff and laughed heaps. People always associate great nights with going out, but we proved that it’s just as easy when staying in. Thursday night we went to the famous Cove, an old quarry come dangerous diving/waterskiing site. It was another quiet night with a few beers, pretty standard really. No doubt it would be an awesome bar at the height of summer.
Quiet day and night in
Today is Sunday, and it’s been a real quiet one after a few big nights. Amy and I loved the 3-hour Dawson’s special this afternoon. As a fan, I’m glad that American TV culture extends all the way around the world. It means that no matter where you are, whether you’re nursing a headache or the weather is inclement, you always have US dramas to rescue your days indoors.
Just gonna watch a flick tonight with Amy. She’s pissed off with men in general and the customer service staff of the phone company. She should forget about guys for a couple of days and make a fresh start next week. Most of the girls here seem to go out seeking Mr. Perfect every night. It just doesn’t happen that way, well at least not to my knowledge. Anyway, gotta go. Helping with dinner and then realx in front of the telly.
