1 Topic by Amsterhammer (edited by Amsterhammer 2009-04-21 15:54:49)

  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Topic: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

Some time last year Eva posted about a prospective 'mini tour' but mis-typed it as 'mimi tour'. That name has stuck with me ever since and this seems like a perfect occasion to use it!

Lots of you are visiting 'Europe' for the first time and will be going to all kinds of interesting places as well as meeting up with forum buddies in the flesh, often for the first time. I thought it would be a nice idea to share plans, encounters, adventures, reactions, etc in one place.

My 'great adventure' starts tomorrow already, when I'll be meeting RICjunkie here in Amsterdam for some local liquid refreshment (I'm not a whiskey drinker).

Then I've got a few more days of serious cleaning and tidying to do before Cathy arrives on Sunday morning. Our 'Mimi tour' plans then look as follows -

Apr. 30 - Cathy's first Queen's Day in Amsterdam (lots of walking, drinking, listening to live music and just generally having wide-eyed fun).

May 1 - Drive to the south of Holland for the Moulin Blues, where we'll meet up with Eva, Marianne and Andre (anyone else from the forum attending please let us know so we can met up) and see James Hunter and Watermelon Slim before Joe takes the stage.

May 2 - Get home in the early hours with Eva, sleep a bit, then head for Calais - stop in a French town on the way to Calais so that Cathy can finally taste absinthe! - Cathy and Eva's first chunnel trip. Maybe have a look at Leeds Castle on the way to London if we get over early enough.

May 3 - Do some London sightseeing before heading for Camden, where the ladies can shop to their heart's content while the gents explore local drinking establishments. I also hope to meet up with my youngest son, who lives five minutes around the corner from Dingwalls. See Aynsley, find good curry. wink

May 4 - Head for Hyde Park, then just follow the crowd for the rest of our communal BIG DAY . cool

May 5 - Meet up with Ken, who'll be bringing a pram back in the car, replenish the t-bag stock at the mega Asda in Docklands and then head towards the Chunnel. Arrive back in Amsterdam late and shattered.

May 6 - Cathy and I head east towards the German border to see Little Feat, our final joint musical treat in the context of Cathy's 'birthday month', which will continue for her after she returns to the US on May 10 and then heads for the Chesapeake festival on the following weekend.

Phew! I wonder if us old folks still have the stamina for all this? roll

(edit - this topic is not meant to replace or duplicate the 'RAH side trips' topic in the 'General ' forum, but rather be a broad topic for all of our 'adventures' and travels related to the central great event.)

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • Registered: 2006-12-28
  • Posts: 3,742

Re: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

I'll have to let our tour guide Michael answer this one....all I've been told is me and Roy have to wear these dog collars....I guess he's worried about us getting out of control, mans threatened to have Patty and Rhonda spank us too!.....

"I wear my sun glasses at night........"

Shreddy

  • eva
  • eva
  • BONAMETAL
  • Offline
  • From: germany
  • Registered: 2007-03-15
  • Posts: 1,885

Re: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

YAY, Mimi-Tour ahead!! cool

I´d love to go and see the Feat too, but I guess staying in London until Wednesday is not bad either... big_smile
I hope to meet up with Michael´s crew on Tuesday if you haven´t got other plans then (I´m sure Michael WILL have plans, but we´ll see).

Get yourself some cheap sunglasses and get ready to roll ... Roll up, roll up for the Mimi Tour ... cool

Eva

4 Reply by BluesMan (edited by BluesMan 2009-04-21 20:52:51)

  • From: Wisconsin
  • Registered: 2008-08-15
  • Posts: 7,284

Re: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

Shredit wrote:

I'll have to let our tour guide Michael answer this one....all I've been told is me and Roy have to wear these dog collars....I guess he's worried about us getting out of control, mans threatened to have Patty and Rhonda spank us too!.....

Shreddy

Promise? lol

Joe is the Best!
  • From: Cliftonville Kent England
  • Registered: 2006-07-30
  • Posts: 2,150

Re: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

The 2009 Mimi Tour , ahh i like that George .... This up and coming 10 days out has been nearly another full time job, and of course i want to make my guests remember this trip for a long time to come, so i've been kinda busy (well .... mischievious  tongue)

Thurs April 30th ..... Head off to Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 at 05:00 roll to meet Patty, Rhonda, Roy, Bill S and Bill's daughter Jamie who are flying in from Chicago landing at 08:35 meet greet and hugs, chill out and talk for a couple of hours ( probably coffee smile ) and wait for Shreddy to fly in at 11:15 from Sacremento more hugs and happiness (cos the gang are then assembled and ready to Rock cool ) , then we all head here 2 hrs to Hotel Bonamassa
(Patty wink) in Cliftonville Kent , squeeze 'em all in , unpack , shower , show collection, Sharon comes in from work then we all head out to nice restaurant on cliff over looking sea , back and Sleep

Fri May 1st ...... Up at 05:00am (what !) for journey to Paris for 2 days (Bill & Jamie) not going on this trip , Me Sharon Shred Roy Patty Rhonda drive to Ashford International train station for 07:25 Eurostar train to Paris (2 hrs later) Paris , quick metro to Anvers station and check into hotel for 1 night , then it's Notre Dame , Mona Lisa, Arc de Triomphe & champs elysee then to a superb restaurant ? and then down to the river seine at night , back to hotel .... sleep

Sat May 2nd ..... Up early (not again) for a real Parisian breakfast and then onto Eiffel Tower
followed by Suprise #1 ? .... back to hotel pick up bags and train back to england, then travel back to here .....  cup of tea talk and sleep

Sunday May 3rd ..... Up early (he he yikes) for drive to Leeds Castle about 30 miles away , now i have never been here and it's regarded as "The Most Beautiful Castle In The World" will make a nice relaxing change of pace , there's a maze there and a moat surrounding the castle , sure Rhonda will be snapping relentlessly , drive back here around 6pm , just relax before the big day probably out in the garden having fun doing our own version of "Joe Idol" each singing a tune with #005 strapped to them pluggged into a 50w Marshall cranked up , that'll keep the neighbours awake , by the way i'm Ryan Seacrest , then watch the clock tick into May 4th
Sleeeeeeeep

Monday May 4th ..... the day has arrived up at 9 ish all pack our cases for 3 days , 2 nights in London to Margate train station , to London Victoria around 12 midday , tube to Bayswater and check into our hotel , unpack (maybe if time allows a quick trip to Abbey Road) back to hotel , get ready for RAH , over to Cocoon for last set up details with Tim , back to hyde park for meet and greet and meal by lake at Lido cafe over to RAH for 6pm then the build up and The Show Itself ,after show talks and chat then make way to Cocoon for aftershow party til 4am ,goodbyes to all forum members and back to hotel , sleep

Tuesday May 5th .... up early for a busy full day of London sightseeing , these plans are being kept secret , suffice to say that Buckingham Palace , Trafalgar Square , Big Ben , Oxford Street
Denmark Street and London's Best Record Store will be included on todays tour as well as
Surprise #2 & #3 ? , get your best walking shoes for this day peoples big_smile back to hotel sleep

Wed May 6th .....  Up early for breakfast and then head off to a full half day visit to The Tower Of London for some fine history , real interesting stuff there , and later head back on train to my place for a 2 days saving on London hotel bills , back for some needed rest , just chill out for the evening and chat of previous days events .... sleep

Thurs May 7th .... relaxing day, probably take a visit to the coast and take in some sea air plus
Surprise #4 , just an evening eating drinking chatting and some music too

Friday May 8th .... my guest pack their cases for leaving , train to London to Marriot Hotel Kensington for 1 night , arrive in London for around 2pm , then some last sightseeing of those important places (oh must visit The Royal Albert Hall for a tour on Joe's Birthday) plus there's one more surprise (oh i'l give this one away) London's Best Comedy Show lol at The Comedy Store  , probably take in Cocoon for one last drink and Piccadilly at night , back to Hotel sleep

Sat May 9th .... up early (oh come on it's the last day sad )  for the trip to Heathrow London Airport , tears and hugs as the bonamasses fly back to USA ...... Me home on train   SLEEEEEP

That's All Folks

........................ Michael

of course it's gonna be much wilder than that  tongue

Joe Bonamassa .......  His Greatest 3 Videos ... IMMHO   After Much Deliberation
3rd ...... Mountain Time / Rockpalast       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h01xa6NMsJo
2nd ...... Sloe Gin       /  Vienna            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRASS8O8ZnE           
1st ....... Blues Deluxe / The Borderline    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnl3E_KLxYg

6 Reply by BluesMan (edited by BluesMan 2009-04-21 22:58:56)

  • From: Wisconsin
  • Registered: 2008-08-15
  • Posts: 7,284

Re: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

Sounds absolutely smashing Michael! I was actually getting a bit weary just reading through the itinerary. Me thinks I had better rest my weary bones before next Wendesday! wink

One question: Why do people call London the "Big Smoke"? I've heard that term a couple of times now.

Roy

Joe is the Best!

7 Reply by Wooders (edited by Wooders 2009-04-22 07:24:49)

  • From: The East Coast of Nowhere, UK
  • Registered: 2008-02-11
  • Posts: 2,284

Re: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

Blimey Michael, I'm worn out just reading about your adventures. Sounds like it will be non-stop fun, though. lol

Roy, I've only ever heard it referred to as "the smoke" as in "I'm going down the smoke". I believe it comes from the London smog that we used to get in the days before smokeless fuel. A quick google confirms it. http://www.spiked-online.com/Articles/00000006DB93.htm

Looking forward to meeting you soon.

Phil

Ars Longa, Vita Brevis

“The guy who has helped the blues industry the most is Joe Bonamassa and I would say he is more rock than some rock stuff, so to me blues is whatever you want it to be!”
Simon McBride in my interview with him in Blues Matters! Issue #56

8 Reply by David A. (edited by David A. 2009-04-21 23:36:09)

  • From: Charlotte
  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 2,350

Re: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

Great itinerary George and Michael, you guys should have a blast.   We have ours pretty well laid out too.  Arrive on Saturday a.m.,  Windsor Castle in the afternoon,  hanging out with our friends in Royal Farnham on Sunday.  London, Monday and Tues.  Daytrip on Wednesday to Bath, Stonehenge etc.   Thursday fly to Dublin for two nights.  Sunday a.m. leave to York, Monday at Aberdeen, then Tuesday and Wednesday in Edinburgh.  Then Thursday we head down to Manchester to catch Clapton at the Arena.  Then Friday back to Royal Farnham and maybe catch the train to Paris that afternoon and back late Saturday.  Sunday packing day and Monday back to the states.   Got the Heritage Pass, some 2 for 1 vouchers (thanks Lee), called my bank and credit cards.   As I told my wife and friends, we can sleep when we get home. 

Hope everyone has safe travels...

Music is good for the Soul...
  • Registered: 2007-01-29
  • Posts: 569

Re: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

EUROTRIP!!!!
I'm so jealous of all of you who are going...have fun!

Mary

LOL-ler-tastic.
  • From: Acworth, GA
  • Registered: 2006-05-13
  • Posts: 339

Re: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

Well the day has finally arrived...We leave tomorrow at 6AM Dayton, OH time for the vacation of our lives:

4/22 Arrive London
4/23 Windsor Castle, Bath, Stonehenge
4/24 Beatles tour in Liverpool
4/25 Arrive Edinburgh, castle and Royal mile
4/26 Highlands and St.Andrews (I'm getting teary eyed just thinking about it)
4/27 Arrive in Dublin, sightseeing, pubs
4/28 More Dublin sightseeing and pubs
4/29 Waterford, Ireland
4/30 Killarney, Ireland
5/1 Shannon, Ireland (Dromoland Castle)
5/2 Arrive back in London, sightseeing, Wicked at the Appollo
5/3 More sight seeing, Aynsley Lister pre-Joe Party
5/4 THE DAY, THE SHOW, Cocoon party
5/5 More sightseeing and some rest
5/6 Back to the real world

See all the Bonabuddies soon...

The Other Joe B./Bizzer

It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me...and, I'm feelin good
  • From: Massachusetts
  • Registered: 2007-10-23
  • Posts: 1,929

Re: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

Don't have a lot of definite plans yet.  We arrive on Wednesday the 29th.  I want to go to Hampton Court, Tower of London and Westminster Abbey for sure.  Our big train trip on Saturday was CANCELLED!  My son is "investigating" alternatives for that.  Sunday at Camden Locks sounds like fun - shopping is always an excellent way to pass the time waiting for the Aynsley gig - and then Monday?  I'm sure I can find something to do - but won't travel too far that day - with my luck I'll get stuck in a subway or elevator somewheres.  Walking distance sounds fine for that day.  We don't leave until Wednesday the 6th so plenty of time.  I haven't been to London for so long I probably won't recognize the place.  I'm the type that doesn't like to plan trips anymore than is necessary - always seem to find plenty of interesting things to do anyways.

Very much look forward to meeting everyone!

Excitement is building!

Sandy

"There's a lot of people that are in so much of a hurry to be, I guess, to be famous or that they don't want to take the time to learn to play and do all that.They'd rather just knock it down off a computer and maybe get on a game show and get famous..That's fine if that's what you want to do.
"We're more old school than that. We like creating the sounds."  - Tom Petty
  • From: Wisconsin
  • Registered: 2008-08-15
  • Posts: 7,284

Re: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

Thanks Phil, I thought that might be it, but wanted to make sure.

And Joe, how cool that you'll be in Scotland. Any chance of playing golf on the Old course at St. Andrews? And then on to Ireland; what a trip! See you somewhere over there and at least at the after-party! smile

Roy

Joe is the Best!

13 Reply by eva

  • eva
  • eva
  • BONAMETAL
  • Offline
  • From: germany
  • Registered: 2007-03-15
  • Posts: 1,885

Re: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

Sandy - we could all meet up in Camden on Sunday if you like ... just give us a call (let´s exchange phone nbs per mail...). Dingwalls is very close, so we can just spend the time before the Aynsley show there. smile

Eva

  • From: Crystal Lake, Il.
  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 5,120

Re: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

Plus One (my daughter Jamie S) and I are hanging with Michael and the crew with a few exceptions:
When they head to Paris for Friday and Saturday, we're headed into London. We'll meet back up on Saturday night at the Hotel Bonamassa.
The Wednesday after the show, Jamie and I take the train to Paris and spend Weds, Thurs, Fri, and part of Saturday in the City of Light. We fly home on Saturday May 9th.
We'll be hitting as many tourist destinations as we can squeeze in!

"Excited" would be a major understatement!

"Rock ON & Keep the Faith"
  • From: Wisconsin
  • Registered: 2008-08-15
  • Posts: 7,284

Re: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

Bill S wrote:

Plus One (my daughter Jamie S) and I are hanging with Michael and the crew with a few exceptions:
When they head to Paris for Friday and Saturday, we're headed into London. We'll meet back up on Saturday night at the Hotel Bonamassa.
The Wednesday after the show, Jamie and I take the train to Paris and spend Weds, Thurs, Fri, and part of Saturday in the City of Light. We fly home on Saturday May 9th.
We'll be hitting as many tourist destinations as we can squeeze in!

"Excited" would be a major understatement!

It's called "Living Large" Bill and that's just what we'll be doing. A trip of a lifetime! One week from about now, we'll be touching down at Heathrow Airport. Can't Wait!! smile

Roy

Joe is the Best!
  • Registered: 2006-12-28
  • Posts: 3,742

Re: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

michael*lynch wrote:

The 2009 Mimi Tour , ahh i like that George .... This up and coming 10 days out has been nearly another full time job, and of course i want to make my guests remember this trip for a long time to come, so i've been kinda busy (well .... mischievious  tongue)

Thurs April 30th ..... Head off to Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 at 05:00 roll to meet Patty, Rhonda, Roy, Bill S and Bill's daughter Jamie who are flying in from Chicago landing at 08:35 meet greet and hugs, chill out and talk for a couple of hours ( probably coffee smile ) and wait for Shreddy to fly in at 11:15 from Sacremento more hugs and happiness (cos the gang are then assembled and ready to Rock cool ) , then we all head here 2 hrs to Hotel Bonamassa
(Patty wink) in Cliftonville Kent , squeeze 'em all in , unpack , shower , show collection, Sharon comes in from work then we all head out to nice restaurant on cliff over looking sea , back and Sleep

Fri May 1st ...... Up at 05:00am (what !) for journey to Paris for 2 days (Bill & Jamie) not going on this trip , Me Sharon Shred Roy Patty Rhonda drive to Ashford International train station for 07:25 Eurostar train to Paris (2 hrs later) Paris , quick metro to Anvers station and check into hotel for 1 night , then it's Notre Dame , Mona Lisa, Arc de Triomphe & champs elysee then to a superb restaurant ? and then down to the river seine at night , back to hotel .... sleep

Sat May 2nd ..... Up early (not again) for a real Parisian breakfast and then onto Eiffel Tower
followed by Suprise #1 ? .... back to hotel pick up bags and train back to england, then travel back to here .....  cup of tea talk and sleep

Sunday May 3rd ..... Up early (he he yikes) for drive to Leeds Castle about 30 miles away , now i have never been here and it's regarded as "The Most Beautiful Castle In The World" will make a nice relaxing change of pace , there's a maze there and a moat surrounding the castle , sure Rhonda will be snapping relentlessly , drive back here around 6pm , just relax before the big day probably out in the garden having fun doing our own version of "Joe Idol" each singing a tune with #005 strapped to them pluggged into a 50w Marshall cranked up , that'll keep the neighbours awake , by the way i'm Ryan Seacrest , then watch the clock tick into May 4th
Sleeeeeeeep

Monday May 4th ..... the day has arrived up at 9 ish all pack our cases for 3 days , 2 nights in London to Margate train station , to London Victoria around 12 midday , tube to Bayswater and check into our hotel , unpack (maybe if time allows a quick trip to Abbey Road) back to hotel , get ready for RAH , over to Cocoon for last set up details with Tim , back to hyde park for meet and greet and meal by lake at Lido cafe over to RAH for 6pm then the build up and The Show Itself ,after show talks and chat then make way to Cocoon for aftershow party til 4am ,goodbyes to all forum members and back to hotel , sleep

Tuesday May 5th .... up early for a busy full day of London sightseeing , these plans are being kept secret , suffice to say that Buckingham Palace , Trafalgar Square , Big Ben , Oxford Street
Denmark Street and London's Best Record Store will be included on todays tour as well as
Surprise #2 & #3 ? , get your best walking shoes for this day peoples big_smile back to hotel sleep

Wed May 6th .....  Up early for breakfast and then head off to a full half day visit to The Tower Of London for some fine history , real interesting stuff there , and later head back on train to my place for a 2 days saving on London hotel bills , back for some needed rest , just chill out for the evening and chat of previous days events .... sleep

Thurs May 7th .... relaxing day, probably take a visit to the coast and take in some sea air plus
Surprise #4 , just an evening eating drinking chatting and some music too

Friday May 8th .... my guest pack their cases for leaving , train to London to Marriot Hotel Kensington for 1 night , arrive in London for around 2pm , then some last sightseeing of those important places (oh must visit The Royal Albert Hall for a tour on Joe's Birthday) plus there's one more surprise (oh i'l give this one away) London's Best Comedy Show lol at The Comedy Store  , probably take in Cocoon for one last drink and Piccadilly at night , back to Hotel sleep

Sat May 9th .... up early (oh come on it's the last day sad )  for the trip to Heathrow London Airport , tears and hugs as the bonamasses fly back to USA ...... Me home on train   SLEEEEEP

That's All Folks

........................ Michael

of course it's gonna be much wilder than that  tongue

WOW!!!!!....I'm ready for anything, bring it on....I just showed Deb, she's overwhelmed with joy for us....says Michael, and friends will get the same treatment when they comes to California in the future...I'm going to start building on to the house right now, we may have a ton of forum peeps for this stay! smile

"Mi casa su casa" 

Mr and Mrs Shreddy wink

  • From: The Gates of Delerium
  • Registered: 2008-05-07
  • Posts: 1,412

Re: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

I had great fun in Amsterdam with a good friend an follow whisky hound, Alan from Tacoma, WA. We met up with George and an internet friend from the whisky world, Ras.  It's such fun to actually meet people from the other side of cyberspace!

Now comes the big question: For the RAH weekend who would care to volunteer to be the reponsible adult? cool

Anyhow this pre-mimi event www.whiskyfair.de on the continent is getting 4 May into the proper perspective. Sixteen hours of organized dramming over two days, plus the windups tonight and tomorrow. Whew!

Major Tom to ground control...

18 Reply by steve_strings (edited by steve_strings 2009-04-23 17:23:32)

  • Registered: 2009-04-13
  • Posts: 78

Re: RAH related travels, encounters, etc aka 'The 2009 Mimi Tour'

Amsterhammer wrote:

Some time last year Eva posted about a prospective 'mini tour' but mis-typed it as 'mimi tour'. That name has stuck with me ever since and this seems like a perfect occasion to use it!

Lots of you are visiting 'Europe' for the first time and will be going to all kinds of interesting places as well as meeting up with forum buddies in the flesh, often for the first time. I thought it would be a nice idea to share plans, encounters, adventures, reactions, etc in one place.

My 'great adventure' starts tomorrow already, when I'll be meeting RICjunkie here in Amsterdam for some local liquid refreshment (I'm not a whiskey drinker).

Then I've got a few more days of serious cleaning and tidying to do before Cathy arrives on Sunday morning. Our 'Mimi tour' plans then look as follows -

Apr. 30 - Cathy's first Queen's Day in Amsterdam (lots of walking, drinking, listening to live music and just generally having wide-eyed fun).

May 1 - Drive to the south of Holland for the Moulin Blues, where we'll meet up with Eva, Marianne and Andre (anyone else from the forum attending please let us know so we can met up) and see James Hunter and Watermelon Slim before Joe takes the stage.

May 2 - Get home in the early hours with Eva, sleep a bit, then head for Calais - stop in a French town on the way to Calais so that Cathy can finally taste absinthe! - Cathy and Eva's first chunnel trip. Maybe have a look at Leeds Castle on the way to London if we get over early enough.

May 3 - Do some London sightseeing before heading for Camden, where the ladies can shop to their heart's content while the gents explore local drinking establishments. I also hope to meet up with my youngest son, who lives five minutes around the corner from Dingwalls. See Aynsley, find good curry. wink

May 4 - Head for Hyde Park, then just follow the crowd for the rest of our communal BIG DAY . cool

May 5 - Meet up with Ken, who'll be bringing a pram back in the car, replenish the t-bag stock at the mega Asda in Docklands and then head towards the Chunnel. Arrive back in Amsterdam late and shattered.

May 6 - Cathy and I head east towards the German border to see Little Feat, our final joint musical treat in the context of Cathy's 'birthday month', which will continue for her after she returns to the US on May 10 and then heads for the Chesapeake festival on the following weekend.

Phew! I wonder if us old folks still have the stamina for all this? roll

(edit - this topic is not meant to replace or duplicate the 'RAH side trips' topic in the 'General ' forum, but rather be a broad topic for all of our 'adventures' and travels related to the central great event.)

Hehehe  you guys are going to be KNACKERED after all that travelling ..  I'm going for the more leisurely approach as I know how tiring travel + London can be....    flying into Gatwick on the 2nd...  (hopefully not 'literally' ...) then visiting friends in Brighton.

Up to London on the 3rd and will probably end up finding a show to go to in the West End (Waiting for Godot looks interesting!) ..might even see if there's any decent Opera on at the ROH

4th..... long breakfast and the 'obligatory' trips to Chandler Guitars in Kew (+ a wander around Kew Gardens if weather is good) , and most likely 'window-shopping' Denmark St. too  ...(last time I was there I bought FOUR windows! wink ) ..  then will probably find a suitable Nando's for some nuclear-hot chicken and a few beers, then head to the RAH.  Assuming all OK and I'm able to go to Cocoon...I will be the first one out of the door, as there's is ALWAYS a STAMPEDE getting out (and beware everyone..the South Kensington Tube Station entrance nearest the RAH has a nasty habit of being locked when gigs empty out...)

I'm heading west to Bath on the 4th for a spot of culture and meeting friends, then up to Liverpool on the 7th..meeting more friends and possible seeing a few bands...

(this is all assuming I sell one of my prized guitars on ebay..if not I'm sleeping on a  park bench  wink )