To Saltaire and ...Blip Meet up!!!

Although after the meetup it was ...and beyond, as we all had to walk home, no trains at that time, I don't do buses and certainly don't do taxis. Home wasn't that far really anyway although I had to re adjust my route as I was not happy with the grade of the hill, I wanted something hardcore to run up in my new vivo barefoot trail shoes and in my jeans? Well yes it had to be in my jeans as my tight boxer shorts could be mistaken for running tights, but are far too short and at that time of the night if was to be seen in those running around, I would definitely be perceived a bit crazy. Not that my spartan soul minds but...you know

So let me rewind to morning time...

I was excited for two things, meeting Alina and her family coming to visit me yesterday as they were here from Scotland, something that didnt happen as by the time she called me I was going out for a meeting with Channel four director to finalise the RunNAMIBIA episode and the second thing was the blip meet up. I love meeting people in real life!!!!! It's ironic that I studied Artificial Intelligence but I don't like virtual worlds.

The morning started with a powerful 5500 meter swim in preparation for swimming lake Windermere for a second time and then eating so so much food as I am trying to put some fat on to protect me from the freezing cold waters, got another marathon swim coming up in a very cold location, colder than the Lake district lakes but only half of it as apparently the second half goes into the earth's warm stream belt and waters become warmer. Decided that I am going to wear and settled for trail shoes as I knew I will be walking/running home after the meet up. I wonder why I didn't think of cycling there, I would be back home in no time. One pint I had though and I felt tipsy, don't drink much ...and it seems I can only tolerate ouzo.

...now I ll fast forward to ...me coming up from Saltaire heading to the little pub that I always remembered to be busy and noisy and amazing...haven't been for years...to find out nothing changed! That place is buzzing.

Arriving I thought that the blippers will be waiting outside and I started looking for them, but I could only see people in colourful outfits, bright coloured hair and if I remember right Hawaiian flower necklaces. I think I wasn't dreaming. Entered the World of the Pub and started my investigator wander around little rooms, I even went upstairs first, but the blippers were in a quieter super noisy corner. I though I recognised PaulFS first and then thought that the lovely lady in the corner that later on would be taking her camera out was Wendy.

Yaaaaahhh I found them! Two were missing, not for long though, Earthdreamer and sgwarnog arrived shortly after my arrival.

I was happy to be there and tried my best to direct all the voices towards my ears and process all the conversations. If i could playback all the words my brain registered so you could hear what I heard, haha...I am afraid you would not make much sense of it!!! Trust me you wouldn't it would be something like blah blah blah blip blah blip blah blah blah blip blipfoto...haha. I did faire well though on more isolated chats and things got better when we went for the traditional as Alicemaylara's sister would say 'Blackpool of the Yorkshire' 's curry. I must have been the one that kept on eating and eating...and I could have had a few more plates but this is not Greece where you can stay out all night, the hoover was hoovering in the background and I could even imagine the hoover song after a second drink, A COBRA, saying....'eat eat fast and make your way out of here...we want we want ooooo ooooo oooooo go home' There though restoring my faith to my hearing I could have a proper conversation with my new blip friends! I will here mention who the blip friends for the night were, I am not sure if they get a notification of me mentioning them, but I want to say it was lovely to see you and looking forward to more meet ups...ok here we go

Wendy, Corinthian, yearofhappy, SarahC, PaulFS, Earthdreamer and sgwarnog!!! All mentioned in no particular order.

If you want to see the evidence of our blip meet up...I urge you to read Wendy's write up and see some of us on Wendy's blip of the night! I am the guy with the bandana and the tired eyes? You can't see my green eyes though...I will wait for the St Ives photoshoot by Wendy to bring that out :-)

Alice of the Moor the Indian rickshaw man waited and waited and waited for you and Barney to come out, but the clock stroke twelve and he turned back into a famous grouse and flew back to the moor! This is my fusion of a fairy tale in the little blip meet up story.

Thank you all....waiting for the next one! By then I ll have a better camera too, a compact one to carry with me all the time. By the way my invite for tea and cake blip meet up at my Tardis...is there floating in the universe, jump in it any time!

I missed a great blip of the blippers blipping a blip after midnight but ooohhh well next time!

Spartan says now aaaarrrgghhhh...sea, sand, running on sand coming next.