satisfiedWent to bed c. 3am last night, up 5:40, went to coach station, arrived by 6:10 for 6:15 coach. 6:15 coach already there and boarding. 6:15 coach fills and leaves. Second coach arrives at 6:40; I board and leave. Big double-decker, not TOO busy, I get 3-4 hours sleep on coach. Coach arrives 5 minutes earlier than scheduled 11:15 arrival despite late start. Traffic very easy.
Go for food in Victoria Place food court; my favoured Singapore Sam's Chinese place has been shut down by the health and safety inspectorate due to cockroach infestation, so I get a spudulike baked potato with chicken tikka, a titchy salad (!) and a not-that-big big drink for 4.99. (!) Shave and shower at Victoria train station (3 quid), catch train to Wimbledon (changing at Clapham Junction). Take taxi to synagogue as advised - "easy five-minute ride" costs GBP 6.80. (GBP 2.40 per mile at weekend daytime.) Unimpressed, I give 20p tip.
Jewish wedding service very nice. Meet up with lots of nice gamers, some of which I saw in March-ish, others last August, others years back. Get lift to Hampton Court where the reception is. Served lots of gorgeous canapés. Seating arrangements: very happily, am next to
ealuscerwen on one side all meal. Hooray! On other side are gamers - Tom Reusch and Adam Shapiro for first half of meal, Dan Lester and his lovely g/f Sinead on other side. Excellent meal: fishcake starter (not normally a fan, but this very good), chicken main, sticky toffee pud and great vanilla ice-cream for dessert. Very good speeches. Bride Becky gives untraditional bride's speech before main course, possibly best of night. Includes really good poem. All speeches pleasantly good-naturedly rude, despite very clean language.Leave early, catch train back - old-fashioned separate compartments on rolling stock, v. nice. Am at EasyInternet to fill a spare 15 minutes. Catching coach at 11:30, hoping to get to sleep c. midnight. Back at Manchester c. 4-ish, back to room, 3-4 more hours sleep, final day at MSO. (So much more sleep tomorrow night!) Rather worried about MSO day I missed and lots of very negative thoughts in general which I don't like. A stressful and difficult but very thoroughly worthwhile day, all told.
Lots of EasyInternet credit left, but cafe closes in 2 mins. Bye. :-)
