unfortunately Im home in Ireland whilst on summer break from uni.... sometime soon tho!!Another meet
Ashleigh
British LOL meeting 26/06/2008
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helen nightingale
- Posts: 4717
- Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 7:23 am
- Location: London, UK
everyone that missed it should argue between themselves for a date that would suit most people for the next one, then hopefully more people could come.
Graeme, would it be any eaiser if you were be blindfolded at all times within the shop, to prevent you from temptation? at least then you wouldnt be able to see which football team's mug you are drinking from
Graeme, would it be any eaiser if you were be blindfolded at all times within the shop, to prevent you from temptation? at least then you wouldnt be able to see which football team's mug you are drinking from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT ... 1&index=11 spam spam spam
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Martin Thoene
- Posts: 11186
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 5:38 am
- Location: Toronto.....Actually, I've been on LOL since September 1998
Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
What a great day! I've enjoyed every second!!! BUT... it didn't start the way I thought.
I know how easily I get lost. In fact I even manage to get lost with a GPS navigator. Thus I have set up the cell-phone alarm at 6:30. When it rang I realized that I didn't adjust the phone according to the UK time and it was in fact 5:30.
I decided to lay down for a little. When I checked the time again it was 8:30 UK time #@&%**
This explains the unshaven beard in the pics. Got in the car and started heading towards Peterborough. It seemed a straight line from Oxford. But there is not such a thing like a straight line in UK. In order to confuse tourists (lochaholics in particular I suspect) they filled the country with millions of roundabouts.
Roundabouts are specifically designed to add chaos to the world. You know where you are and where you're going when you enter one but once you are in the chance to get out at the right exit is the same for a roulette ball to fall on your number on the wheel. Absolute random.
I understood this vital concept heading toward Northampton I eventually read: "welcome to the land of Shakespeare". At first I was surprised to learn that Brits didn't know where their most famous writer was born but then I more realistically understood that I was nearly in Birmingham and I was approaching the exit towards Stratford-upon-Avon.
As a respect for the writer I swore in all languages I knew except English.
U-turn and back towards Northampton managing to miss a couple of roundabouts in the meantime. I then decided the take my laptop from the boot (trunk) as I had previously downloaded the itinerary from Google-maps. But obviously I was rushing and forgot to take it.
I phoned Emma's shop where a nice chap informed me that Emma was not at the shop and Steve went to another one. At this stage I wondered whether it was the right day and the right country. In fact I started to doubt my identity too.
On principle I don't ask for directions. Dunno why but possibly because I have those genes missing. But I decided to stop at a petrol station and ask for directions. I listened carefully, very carefully. Yet I couldn't understand a single word of what the woman said except that there were more roundabouts involved. So I called Emma on her cell to check if at least she really existed and was not a cyberspace by-product of LOL.
She was real, with a real voice and the meeting was in place. I simply had to choose the right exit at the three trillions roundabouts I had to negotiate before reaching my destination. I failed of course and drove up and down the same road for half an hour before finding my way.
Finally I got there and boy it was worth the trip. I couldn't contain my excitement. I planned to pretend to be a normal client but that if I wasn't nearly three hours late. Instead I walked into the shop and started hugging everyone I met whether they were LOL's members or not.
Many words have been said about the shop and in fact the place is run by sheer passion and it's impossible not to stare in awe at the number of tanks and species. It is our Mecca. No doubts about that. Fortunately you don't have to through stones.
With LOL's people was love at first sight and I really felt as I was among long time friends even if I never met them before. This the power of internet I suppose.
The pub nearby is also beautiful. My biltong was welcomed with the same enthusiasm that is normally reserved to the appearance of an anal pile and in fact it returned home basically intact. Only Les showed some interest. Trust the Brits. Next time I'll bring fish & chips....
For the records I didn't drink the coffee in the mug. After the pic I surreptitiously poured the content in the barracuda's tank. Interestingly they turned into limpets. I supposed it can be called the Maclaren effect
Marge is in itself worth the visit. She's just like a Hollywood's star. She totally ignored the fish food just to annoy us and when we were accustomed to some heavyweights she eventually appeared for a round of honour enjoying the camera flashes and the standing ovations. I'm sure she knows that and has great fun.
I took some pics which I'll download when I'll have a serious connection.
I just want to take this opportunity to thank LOL's people for the warm welcome and making this meeting possible and for the inventor of roundabouts I wish a long illness and a painful death.
I know how easily I get lost. In fact I even manage to get lost with a GPS navigator. Thus I have set up the cell-phone alarm at 6:30. When it rang I realized that I didn't adjust the phone according to the UK time and it was in fact 5:30.
I decided to lay down for a little. When I checked the time again it was 8:30 UK time #@&%**
This explains the unshaven beard in the pics. Got in the car and started heading towards Peterborough. It seemed a straight line from Oxford. But there is not such a thing like a straight line in UK. In order to confuse tourists (lochaholics in particular I suspect) they filled the country with millions of roundabouts.
Roundabouts are specifically designed to add chaos to the world. You know where you are and where you're going when you enter one but once you are in the chance to get out at the right exit is the same for a roulette ball to fall on your number on the wheel. Absolute random.
I understood this vital concept heading toward Northampton I eventually read: "welcome to the land of Shakespeare". At first I was surprised to learn that Brits didn't know where their most famous writer was born but then I more realistically understood that I was nearly in Birmingham and I was approaching the exit towards Stratford-upon-Avon.
As a respect for the writer I swore in all languages I knew except English.
U-turn and back towards Northampton managing to miss a couple of roundabouts in the meantime. I then decided the take my laptop from the boot (trunk) as I had previously downloaded the itinerary from Google-maps. But obviously I was rushing and forgot to take it.
I phoned Emma's shop where a nice chap informed me that Emma was not at the shop and Steve went to another one. At this stage I wondered whether it was the right day and the right country. In fact I started to doubt my identity too.
On principle I don't ask for directions. Dunno why but possibly because I have those genes missing. But I decided to stop at a petrol station and ask for directions. I listened carefully, very carefully. Yet I couldn't understand a single word of what the woman said except that there were more roundabouts involved. So I called Emma on her cell to check if at least she really existed and was not a cyberspace by-product of LOL.
She was real, with a real voice and the meeting was in place. I simply had to choose the right exit at the three trillions roundabouts I had to negotiate before reaching my destination. I failed of course and drove up and down the same road for half an hour before finding my way.
Finally I got there and boy it was worth the trip. I couldn't contain my excitement. I planned to pretend to be a normal client but that if I wasn't nearly three hours late. Instead I walked into the shop and started hugging everyone I met whether they were LOL's members or not.
Many words have been said about the shop and in fact the place is run by sheer passion and it's impossible not to stare in awe at the number of tanks and species. It is our Mecca. No doubts about that. Fortunately you don't have to through stones.
With LOL's people was love at first sight and I really felt as I was among long time friends even if I never met them before. This the power of internet I suppose.
The pub nearby is also beautiful. My biltong was welcomed with the same enthusiasm that is normally reserved to the appearance of an anal pile and in fact it returned home basically intact. Only Les showed some interest. Trust the Brits. Next time I'll bring fish & chips....
For the records I didn't drink the coffee in the mug. After the pic I surreptitiously poured the content in the barracuda's tank. Interestingly they turned into limpets. I supposed it can be called the Maclaren effect
Marge is in itself worth the visit. She's just like a Hollywood's star. She totally ignored the fish food just to annoy us and when we were accustomed to some heavyweights she eventually appeared for a round of honour enjoying the camera flashes and the standing ovations. I'm sure she knows that and has great fun.
I took some pics which I'll download when I'll have a serious connection.
I just want to take this opportunity to thank LOL's people for the warm welcome and making this meeting possible and for the inventor of roundabouts I wish a long illness and a painful death.
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helen nightingale
- Posts: 4717
- Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 7:23 am
- Location: London, UK
i got away with the biltong gags 
Andre it was great to see you
Andre it was great to see you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT ... 1&index=11 spam spam spam
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Emma Turner
- Posts: 8901
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 5:07 pm
- Location: Peterborough, UK
- Contact:
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helen nightingale
- Posts: 4717
- Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 7:23 am
- Location: London, UK
Sadly I'm back home. It was an eventfull holiday and I'm going through the hundred pictures taken. Below are some taken at the shop:
This is the Mecca:
Jaynie and Helen in religious admiration. Hel's shirt is real I didn't manipulate the picture with photoshop Emma in the corner seems to be admiring the "wet floor" sign instead
Emma in action.
This is the Mecca:
Jaynie and Helen in religious admiration. Hel's shirt is real I didn't manipulate the picture with photoshop
Emma in the corner seems to be admiring the "wet floor" sign insteadEmma in action.
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Mark in Vancouver
- Posts: 14252
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 12:41 pm
- Location: British Columbia
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Jim Powers
- Posts: 5208
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 6:15 pm
- Location: Bloomington, Indiana
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Emma Turner
- Posts: 8901
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 5:07 pm
- Location: Peterborough, UK
- Contact:
Whilst that wet floor sign is sooooo interesting, methinks I was showing one of the others the 80 Schistura balteata that came in the week before (I got stitched up with double the quantity..... 
).
I wish the garden centre hadn't changed our big entrance sign though - we actually hardly sell any fancy goldfish these days and our logo is tiny in the left hand corner.
I am glad that when Andre took that pic of me catching out Les's fish, that he did not show I was stood on a stool.
Emma
).I wish the garden centre hadn't changed our big entrance sign though - we actually hardly sell any fancy goldfish these days and our logo is tiny in the left hand corner.
I am glad that when Andre took that pic of me catching out Les's fish, that he did not show I was stood on a stool.
Emma
East of the Sun, West of the Moon.
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helen nightingale
- Posts: 4717
- Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 7:23 am
- Location: London, UK
Hemel hempstead is the place to go for the roundabout(s) from hell.
i found it on google earth, but i cant work out how to post it. i will get Tom to help me another day. I was glad he was driving that day, as between me not doing left and right, and him map reading, that roundabout would have caused a big arguement
i found it on google earth, but i cant work out how to post it. i will get Tom to help me another day. I was glad he was driving that day, as between me not doing left and right, and him map reading, that roundabout would have caused a big arguement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT ... 1&index=11 spam spam spam
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