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Saturday 8 September 2012

Julia and Oscar

How many friends have you made on Twitter with whom you interact with but have never actually met?
Well, in the case of Ishbel and myself we have around 400 followers between us and a fair proportion of those that we interact with.  The ones that we haven't interacted with is not to be judged, we hope, as rudeness on our part or we trust on their part.  It's just that you get 'talking' to and engaging with some and you and the ones that don't always interact are following each other hopefully because we like what they say, and how they say it, and again, hopefully, sooner or later we will each catch up with the other and have a bit of chit chat and really get to know each other.

But, how many of them do you personally know and make real, rather than virtual friendships with? Well, obviously we know family members and close friends. But for many of us we may have 'friends up and down the length of breadth of our country and many many more all over the world.  A large proportion of them we might be fortunate enough to meet in the country and we may even get to meet and get to know a few more across the world if we are fortunate enough to be able to travel to their country of origin/ residence.

If you do get that opportunity, will you worry that when you actually meet that you might not 'click' in person. Or that on meeting you, or they might take an instant dislike to the other, it happens in real life sometimes, you meet someone for the first time and there is just something about the other person, you don't know what it is, you can't put it into words, but there is something there that you don't like. Or you meet up and invite them back to your home and they don't like it for whatever reason and they can't hide a hint of disappointment and that serves to make the visit a little awkward, it happens, I'm sure......

But no worries on any of that score when Ishbel and I met the totally gorgeous and beautiful Julia Barrett and her equally handsome other half, Oscar.  They had planed a trip to do a bit of trekking in Wales but couldn't get a fight to Manchester which would have been a better airport to fly into and then a short trip to Chester before meeting up with their guide and starting their trekking from their tomorrow. So they flew into Heathrow and we offered them a bed for the night and duly met up with them at Heathrow Airport.

Surprisingly, it didn't take them long to get their baggage and get out onto the concourse to meet up with us, with everything we hear about arrivals and the time it takes them to clear customs after landing at 11 AM they were out and clear by 11.45, so well done to Heathrow for that.  And then knock me down with feather but the M25 was surprising fast moving and with no hold ups or delays going round clockwise and we were back in the house in an hour.  One can only assume that the Olympics and Para Olympics have had such a positive effect on the country which has even been embraced by road users, it'll probably be back to being Europe's biggest car park on Monday tho!

As soon as we met we met and introduced ourselves we were chatting like long lost friends who had just got reacquainted, and that was the theme throughout the short visit.  Interestingly we also found out that we share the same wedding anniversary, we each have three kids of similar ages to our own; girl, boy, girl and their youngest is a Jennie too, who knew we had that much in common, we like similar TV shows but like me in the past, their faces contorted on learning that beautiful smart Ishbel likes WWE wrestling, although I suspect it is the hot ( or so I believe) sweaty muscular bodies more than anything else that attracts her, the only question is why when she has me?

Last night, not worrying about the effects of jet lag we had booked tickets for The Jersey Boys about Frankie Valli (with an 'i' and not with a Y as Italian names must end in a vowel, as we discovered) and it was a great show thoroughly enjoyed by us and the rest of a very appreciative audience.  Before the show we went for a meal in a Thai restaurant at 42 Rupert Street overlooking the Gielgud Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue before heading round to The Prince Edward Theatre on Old Compton Street

After the show we meandered back down the street and went for a PINT in The Duke of Wellington which was loud noisy and very very busy both inside and out with the 'doormen' continually trying to keep the large number of drinkers on the pavement off the road! It was only later that Ishbel informed us that it was a GAY bar, she does know these things, but hey who cares!

A quick stroll round Piccadilly Circus and then it was back on to the underground, the train and home by midnight before we all turned back into pumpkins.  Julia and Oscar were by then beginning to feel the effects of their long flight but clearly Oscar has less stamina then Julia as I had, eventually to prise both her and Ishbel's death grips from their wine glasses and send them off to bed at 1.30 AM, gosh, even when knackered women refuse to stop talking, WHAT!

We were all up around 8 AM today and then had a nice leisurely scrambled eggs and salmon with a glass of bucks fizz and more talking  before heading back in to London for them to catch the train to head of on their trekking and hiking ( no one will mention the fact that I missed two turn off's and we missed the train they were to catch - No one will mention that - and any way the women were still gassing while me and Oscar on the other hand were having some intelligent conversations, WHAT!)

SO a great time was had by all and Ishbel and I had a fantastic time with our new REAL friends and hope that it is not to long until we meet again.....







15 comments:

  1. I AM SO JEALOUS!!!!!! Boo hoo hooooo!

    OK, I'm over it. ;^)

    I am tickled you are all drinking and talking and having a wonderful visit. And you had a PINT in a gay bar! I am extremely, extremely sorry I missed that.

    LOVE the photos! Enjoy the rest of your visit!

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  2. I am jealous, too! What fun was had by all.

    So you refrained from joining them in wandering up and down Wales, eh, Tom? Staunch soul.

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  3. Gay bars are the happening bars - and the bartenders are efficient!
    We've had such fun, seems like we've been here for a week - and Tom and Ishbel are the most gracious lovely people you can imagine. They are like us - no pretense, what you see is what you get.
    Thanks so much, seriously. We cannot thank you enough.
    Oh, and Tom, the station in Crewe? The Englishman who announced the trains spoke with such an odd accent he sounded like a Monty Python character. Couldn't understand a bloody word he said and they had the wrong track listed. But we did make the train thanks to an elderly man in hiking shorts.
    Much love and thanks to you both!

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  4. Dear Penny and Jaye, you know you guys are also more than welcome to visit if coming over. Do what our kids do, use it as a hotel stop 30 mins from London by the local train, and save on hotel fees. We had a great time with Jules and 'Oscar' it was just a pity it was so short. The only problem was that there was just a hint of jealousy as they look so bloody great and healthy, I really must start exercising again and no Jaye, a weeks worth of hiking is way off my radar at this moment in time LoL xx

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  5. Jules, station announces in this country are a breed apart, few of them can be understood by anyone!

    We had a great time and wished you were here for longer
    Loved you guys and I am now a SFD fan, official, I shall check out the highlights on MLB on Netflix

    xxxx

    PS: you be careful out there in the wilds I see the weather is on the change

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  6. Tom, you may not want to hear this, but this is one of your most beautifully written and touching posts. The wonderful time--and friendship--you two couples share is evident in every sentence. It was a joy to read.

    Julia, you missed an opportunity when you didn't take at least one picture. God Save The Queen from Americans and open urinals!

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  7. I've made a couple REAL friends from blogging (no twitter for me) and it really works out! I think it is officially no longer taboo to meet someone "on the internet" ;) Lucky for all of you to have found each other. Julia's whole family is the best!

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  8. Very bad weather, Tom, but we aren't complaining!
    Miss you two!

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  9. thats so nice a story to read Tom, wonder if many people do this... I live in Chester and know that Crewe station well enough theyre always getting the platforms wrong! And sad to say, its raining in Wales, (when does it not!)

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  10. sorry there, got jittery fingers and I commented twice !

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  11. Marylin, you are such a sweety, of course I don't even mind when Ishbel calls me a TiT, I know it is said with affection(!!) so receiving praise from you is icing on the cake xxx

    And Ishbel and I just wished the visit could have been longer

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  12. Jules, if it is any consolation glorious sunshine with fluffy white clouds here today, loves ya babes xxx

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  13. Morig my sweet, not to worry, I sometimes get a stuttering finger too.

    I know Crewe station used to travel regularly by train to Glasgow and for some unknown reason, Crewe and Carlise seemed to be interminable stops in the middle of the night, mind you that was when the journey between Euston & Glasgow used to take about 10 hrs. Jules & Oscar are regular hikers so they are well used to the rain, even if from Sunny California

    xxxx

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  14. Reading about Julia's trip made me envious for two reasons.
    I would have been thrilled to take this vacation!
    Making new wonderful friends as an adult in a rare gift and it's a great reminder of how new people refresh our lives.
    You're all lovely to share this experience with the rest of us.
    XXOO Kat

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  15. Katalina, thanks for dropping in and leaving your comment. If Julia's comments are an indication, I'm sure many people would enjoy their visit to Wales too.

    We have made so many friends on Twitter and to meet some of thm was such a delight. One of these days we are going to get over there so I can hug one of the 4 Redwoods in her back yard and go and watch The Dodgers too...

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