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.
unfortunately Im home in Ireland whilst on summer break from uni.... sometime soon tho!!
).