Chopsticks and Baldness on a Seven Seat Cycle

Its been a busy few days here in sunny Cardiff. And London. And Merthyr Tydfil.

Friday, I was so tired I honestly felt like I was another person. It was a bit like an out of body experience. I think it was only about halfway through the evening at Emma's birthday do at the Glee Club down the bay that I kind of came back. It was very odd.

That said, due to all the dashing about and not feeling well, I hadn't eaten before we went out. And given my rules of nothing but water after 8.00pm, I got some odd looks sipping my pint of ice cubes while everyone else got hammered and rucked into large plates of burger and chips.

Now, comedy clubs just aren't my thing. Which for a comedy genius like me, may astound you. The acts we saw were funny .. but I did barely more than crack a smile. It was just all bit to hetero for me frankly. But I find drag acts too gay. Perhaps I am just a miserable old cnut.

Then of course, there was the obligatory (round here) valley boys who had to make fucking twats of themselves and try and look cleverer than the comedian onstage. Wrong for two reasons:

1) These people get heckled every day. Its their job and you'd be hard pressed to get one over on them

2) Valleys boy. By definition, you are genetically three rungs down the evolutionary ladder than the rest of the UK, if not the planet, due to millennia of inbreeding. Just sup your pint, guffaw in the right places, take your bird home and give her one before collapsing unconscious while she does the job properly with a battery operated appliance. Its the best for all of us that way.

So we left at 11 before the final act came on as we had a big day ahead Saturday.

And still managed to oversleep on Saturday.

Meaning we were late getting down to Mark & Andrew's. Late leaving Cardiff. Late arriving in London. Which then meant we were on the tube behind the one that broke down at Kinghtsbridge rather than the one in front of it. Which meant we had to leap off and walk overground from South Ken to Green Park to get down to Westminster to get on the London Eye. And were late for our arrival time of 3.00 for a 3.30 'flight'. And didn't get on the eye until 4.20. Which means we got off it at 5.10 ... when we were due to meet Frances in Victoria at 5.00... you can see the issues.

This was my third or fourth trip on the Eye .. but the first one on a really clear day. I have been on in the rain, when you get to the top and cant see the bottom due to cloud and fog. I have also been on in such hot weather that its too hazy to see far. This time, was perfect. We could see the new Wembley stadium, which impressed me.

I was shocked by the people who just let their kids run about wildly. You are in a small glass bubble, squillions of feet up with a door that while I am sure it passes all the health and safety gubbins, with one good kick would actually open. It even says don't lean on it... so to see children bashing into it, climbing on the hydraulics that operate it, when you are at the very top ... or maybe I am just an old woman when it comes to such matters.

We eventually got to Frances and then went around to a brilliant little noodle bar she knows, just across from Wicked as it happens. And I ate with chopsticks. Successfully. For the first time ever. Now, I am sure one could argue that I wasn't 100% a success as I dropped one bit of chicken on the floor, via my shirt and trousers ... but Id usually drop at least two bits of food with a knife and fork, so if anything I was less clumsy with the chopsticks.

One thing that did confuse us, was that the road at the back was about 6 feet higher than the front, so people going by the back windows appeared very tall ... or the cars were flying....

One quick jaunt across London later and we were sat on the south bank enjoying the water sculptures.... including a man vomiting and a woman peeing. Then we found a ..um .. water cage thing. The walls come and go, so you can get stuck in it ... and wet if you stand over the water lines....

Then it was off to find the IMAX for Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix .. with the climactic scenes at the Ministry of Magic in 3D ... well worth a view if its near you at any point.

Sunday was just a chill out and doss day. Well, apart from a trip to Asda and some ironing.

Monday I was back on Real Patrol and at Merthyr County Show. Signposted from the A470 according to the flyer's. Was it signposted? Was it Buffalo. Luckily we had been given a silly amount of time to get there and even with 20 mins lost time and a trip to McDonald's for breakfast (where I ordered a bacon bagel ... and was blatantly given sausage in a burger bun. I think bagels might still be a bit gauche for the residents of Merthyr, so I understand), we still arrived with a full 40 mins before the crowds arrived. And that was when we got to have a go on an amazing 7 seat tricycle. And because we were playing on it before the crowds arrived, we got a fair speed out of it ... and few screams as it turned a 90 degree angle and we all thought we were going to fall off.

We had a cracking day ... I am quite bronzed today ...and I don't tan easy .. didn't come back from Florida as brown as I am today!!!!! We managed to get involved in the Birds of Prey display, play on the bikes, play in the museum .... nobody can accuse us of not getting the Real brand out there!

One worrying thing though.... uploading the photos back in the office today I found one taken from above me ..... and no matter how much Dan tries to convince me otherwise ... I am thinning on top. 5 years ago, there is no way you could see this much scalp through my hair!

Also including some other pics from county show for you....