Friday 22nd April 2006

Friday night knee's up and the adventure of Sam's Jacket...

Managed to hire a groovy little Toyota people-carrier – split between 5 people it’s less than 100 bucks each – easy! Very comfy as well and nice driving position – the only chew was that the car was a mite underpowered for my liking and wallowed a bit in the corners but guess that was to do with the weight in the back – there was this lass Donna….!!

Enjoyed the drive up, turning off at Cessnock to get into the Lower Hunter Valley. The area is nice and when you get into the Hunter, you start recognising all the farm names as you’ve drunk them in the past! Cool huh! The thing that got me was how small they all were – I mean, it seems amazing that they sell as many bottles as they do considering the sizes of the vineyards that I could see. Never mind, nice wines one and all!

Left - Michael - the fireplace...?!

The digs I’d booked with Nathan were awesome – our own bathrooms, fully stocked kitchen and even a working fire-place bless! I could bring a girl here, it's very romantic. Ben - nice one mate – I see how poor Bianca fell for ya mate!! ;-0)

Nathan I hadn’t met yet but Ben had assured us both we’d get on – I’d had a chat with Nathan over the phone and e-mail, so seemed a nice lad – but for his alter-ego – ‘John Knox’, but more of that in a while!

L-R - Sam (green t-shirt), Ben and Bianca. Lot's of random other punters who were at their wedding....!!

Our first port of call was the local (only) boozer. I gamely volunteered to drive down, but once I’d determined that taxi’s were available, the car keys were forgotten and it was beer o’clock!! The only downer was that this place was an Irish theme bar – I’m sorry to all (you too Aine and Irene!) but when I’m abroad, I try to avoid all UK and Ireland-themed boozers – seems such a shame to be in another Country and going to a bar like that. I’ll confess that being in Tomsk (Russia) and finding that all the expats insisted on hanging out in the ‘Firkin’ there really has coloured me! Just think, if the Chechen’s drank, they’d know just where to find some juicy targets!!

Troods caught in the act of downing the Captain's pint. In the background, the ubiquitous Johnny Knox!!

On a plus note of course, they do serve beer in pints …. Wahey! You can imagine my consternation when I went to the bogs only to return to an empty pint – downed by Trudles of all people! She did kindly get me another, which Neil then skulled!! Notice a theme here?! The thing was, the orchestrator was none other than John Knox – my erstwhile roomie – Nathan! He’d been on a scout around the pub and discovered the local bus driver’s convention (don’t ask me!) – finding a badge of one of the drivers… I even believe he managed a free beer!! It was, needless to say, a pretty boozy evening and was nice to meet people, old and new, over a few sherbets. Mind you, as the ‘official’ wedding crasher, I can say that there were a few funny looks from some of the family when I was introduced! After a while, I’d decided to stretch the truth a wee bit and when asked, told people I didn’t know anyone here but that I believed the couple getting married were called Ben and Bianca and confided that I just got swept along by smiling and being jovial…! I think that a few poor people were on the verge of believing me when Ben and Bianca spoiled it all by coming up and hugging me and speaking to me! I mean REALLY!!

Neil, doing what he does best - skelping people's sherbets! Little did he know that I'd put a litlle pressie in there as I didn't have time to get to the toilet! That's him hearing it from me as he's downing the beer...! I wasn't quick enough to get the violent expulsion on camera!!

It also turned out that ol’ Johnnie was up to more mischievousness as well - as we later discovered that Sam, the Best Man, had left his jacket at the boozer. It turned out he’s rather fond of the jacket because he rang the pub asking for it – why didn’t he phone his friends? Hmmm, check the next instalment for ‘The Amazing Adventures of Sam’s Jacket….!!’