Well, the day started with yet another delayed flight to Stansted last night - again, the pilot, as we were about to take off, was apologising and muttering about lack of ground staff there. See, that delays the flight out, which can hardly pick us up until it's arrived and disgorged the other set of passengers. Funny then, how they managed to spare two to block our entrance to the terminal (at 1:20am), asking to see our boarding passes! First time in my remembrance - anyway, the general attitude was of belligerence, and WTF? Cheek. In short, 2 can hardly stand up to about 200, and whatever was said to them - and whoever said it - it wasn't long before they stood sheepishly aside and let us stream in.
Maybe my complaint about the 45-minute wait for our baggage to arrive worked, because since then the belt, at least, has been announced by the time we get there. Last night, it did take another 10 minutes for my bag to pop out, but hey, that's acceptable - hardly any queue at the bus ticket machine either, in comparison with a biblical queue for taxis. (Have they never heard of cab apps?) And would you believe, not only was my bus pulling in as I joined the queue, but I even got on it, rather than have to wait for the next - now that's unprecedented. End of story, I got in at the unusually early time of 3:15am.
I was still tired today, though - not a good start. Then I had to traipse all the way out to Stepney Green to pick up the key - where they gave me a form to fill out, then left me dangling for so long that I had time to read a chapter of my book. Terrible waste of time. Then - on the hottest day of the year, it felt like - I decided it would be an excellent idea to drag some of my stuff from Flat A to Flat B, within walking distance. And missed my scheduled meeting, on account of that taking so much longer than expected. And before I knew it, it was after six - and the show starts at the unusually early time of seven!
Plus, I'm that bit farther away now. I did my damnedest - looked up the quickest route, made it a bit quicker by taking a bus to the Tube. But I missed a bus, and had to wait for the next - then missed a Tube, and had to wait four minutes for the next. And then scuttle down the road, on the brink of seven, consoling myself that things in London never start until about five minutes after time. Parched, and exhausted.
The security guard didn't see the need for a check, my bag was so small. I approached the stalls - and that's as far as I got. For goodness' sake, it was literally two minutes past! Nope, she said it had already started - and then stared at me. Someone should really teach these people better customer service. So, I said, I can't go in? No. Someone else came to corroborate. So, I said, there isn't a screen anywhere? No. So I left. Let this be a warning - arrive on time, for this show if for no other. Instead, I took a bus back to my old place to pick up more stuff - and watched a young, foreign-sounding lady take a nasty tumble as she was coming down the stairs, thinking the bus had stopped at the stop. The driver - who was prone to sharp braking anyway - decided to lurch forward a bit, and she went flying. To be fair, she wasn't paying due attention - let that be a warning, too! Dangerous business, sitting upstairs on buses.
Tomorrow, back with Up in the Cheap Seats, at Sadler's Wells. It's the Nederlands Dans Theater again - I remember good things about them from before. Seeing as I'll be in the office - which is much easier than moving house - and this one, I can walk to: I might make it!
As I say, the boss is now in the office this week - well, he'll just have to manage without me, these two nights. I'm keeping Wednesday and Thursday free, just in case - our team lead informs us that they're not staying past Thursday though, so I've booked with the London Jazz Meetup, for only the second time ever, for Friday! A Polish one, this - Alicja Smietana is a violinist who combines classical and jazz, which to me sounds like the best thing happening that night. It's in POSK Theatre, which seems to be associated with the thriving local Polish community - I must have passed it when I was living out that way.
On Saturday, I don't know whether I missed it before or just didn't consider it, but now I'm off on the Dark Side of Docklands Street Theatre Pub Tour - courtesy of Walking in London. Usual 10% discount codes apply. In the evening, so I can get the keys to my old place handed back earlier - I booked the major removal for Friday, and will work from home again for that - I've sorted internet access. On Sunday, I'm thinking film, but the listings aren't out yet.
And next Monday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats, at the Gielgud Theatre for Imperium I - Conspirator. The first part of a double-bill, but viewable independently, it is told from the point of view of Cicero's secretary, as he watches how his master's work is used to bring about an end to the Roman Republic. I should probably have booked the second part at the same time - there's a discount for that - but well, my schedule is generally so packed..! I see the same group is going to the double-bill on Saturday - ah well, I've booked this now.
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