Back in Dublin tonight. Was supposed to be Cityjet, but they've now ended their flight schedule - so I came with Ryanair. So Stansted, whoopee. Of course, the Stansted Express app behaved perfectly right up to when I needed it, when it logged me out and wouldn't let me back in to view my ticket! Good job I screenshot them these days.
Stansted, at least, wasn't as crowded as I'm used to on Fridays. My first time going priority, what with Ryanair's new rule that states that is the only way to take on a trolley bag for free. It just kicked in this month, and this is my first time to avail of it. Happily, they refunded the extra priority charge for those of us who had already purchased flights, and had now added priority. The numbers choosing priority must have increased- a staff member kept trawling the long priority queue to check that everyone there was really a priority passenger!
It was quite nice to board first, and not have to wait. Well, except for someone to unlock the door so we could leave the building! I'm going to be much fitter, carrying this trolley bag onto flights again.. at least it fitted this time! I was nicely up front, which was handy for turbulence- and we were soon back in rainy Dublin. Also nice to sail past baggage reclaim.
This time, I availed of the cheaper Airlink tickets on DoDublin - printed out the voucher in the office, and presented it to the driver, who was, mercifully, letting people on out of the persistent rain. Handily, it stops just before the bridge near the hotel.
Back to the same hotel as before- and an identical-looking room. However, this one is on the fifth floor, and faces an interior courtyard- it's so much quieter that I might get away without earplugs at all!
I'd have loved to have stayed in, but I was hungry now. At this hour, my best hope was Chinese, so I researched what was closest, still open, and not closing at 11, since it was now after 10. Closest I found was The Good World, which was advertised as being open till midnight. A bit of a trek, but I remembered it being good, so off I set.
A miserable night for a walk, and something of a long one too. And as I trudged on, I remarked to myself how Dublin rivals Belfast in making you cross so many wide roads with so few pedestrian crossings. I finally arrived at 10.50..
And was told that they were closing in 10 minutes! They'd want to get their stories straight. Anyway, she clarified that I needed to order within 10 mins, not finish my meal! So I agreed, knowing my favourites in the Chinese. Besides, I was hungry, and wasn't going anywhere after all that effort..
I ordered a starter of satay chicken skewers, but was told I'd have to have them at the same time as the main. Ok.. and I had kung po chicken as a main course, with fried rice and a glass of sauvignon blanc. Unusually for a Chinese, they have a choice of two house white wines. Tap water was also provided.
The only other problem, of course, was that I was soon the only customer! I felt very self-conscious, as the staff passed me on their way home, one by one. Bless him, the one who stayed to look after me was adamant that I shouldn't rush, wanting to know whether I wanted anything else. Jeez, if they'd just corrected their website, I'd never have arrived so close to closing!
On Monday, I booked for Macbeth, at the Wanamaker Playhouse. And then Let's Do This (LDT) finally posted that date for the Shirt Tail Stompers at Wilton's - well, I couldn't miss that! Funnily enough, London Social Detours have now advertised the same thing (and are charging more, as usual) - there's a terrible rivalry between the groups, with the leader of the latter group thinking she has prior claim to the floorspace. Sparks might fly. Meantime, anyone want a spare ticket for Macbeth?
On Tuesday, we have our monthly team outing - probably just the two of us, but hey.
On Wednesday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) at last for Love Lies Bleeding, at the Print Room at the Coronet. Got my ticket from London Theatre Direct.
Next Thursday, I'm going to try the Seven Deadly Sins Pub Naughty History Tour. Walking in London again. And it being a Funzing event (like all of Walking in London's) I scoured my old Funzing discount codes, and discovered that Funzing_Fb20 seems to be working again - for all of them I've recently booked! So, a 20% discount - better than any recently offered on their Facebook page. Then I'm back to Ireland again for the weekend.
On the 19th, News of the Strange, from the Crick Crack Club, at Soho Theatre. The club does have a Meetup group, but it seems to have gone dormant, and is no longer advertising upcoming events. Not that that stops the organiser from attending - I'm sure I saw her at a recent event! I've actually asked whether they're now defunct - we'll see whether I get a response. None yet.
On the 20th, back with UITCS for Pinter at the Pinter - Pinter plays at the Pinter Theatre. Two long ones on this occasion - this is Programme Four: Moonlight & Night School.
On the 21st, back at last with The London Jazz Meetup, who are off to the London Jazz Festival for a concert by the Faraj Suleiman Quartet at King's Place. UK premiere, apparently!
On the 22nd, with UITCS at the Garrick for Don Quixote. The only cheap tickets left for this were terrible, so I went a bit upmarket. A bit - I'm still behind a pillar!
On the 23rd, I'm on a Paranormal Activity Tour - ooh! Now, for this one, we get ghost-hunting equipment, which could make it interesting - I don't fancy the dowsing rods, myself, but we'll see. Walking in London, again. Discounted, again. And this was after my loyalty discount - so I got it at better than half price! which is good, considering the price.
On the 24th, I'm off on my own to see A Small Place, at the Gate.
On the 25th, back at last to Winter Wonderland! That evening, I'm off to Cirque Berserk - an annual tradition for me. The latest show is the cheapest, so that's the one I booked.
On the 26th, I'm back with UITCS for Programme Three of Pinter at the Pinter - Landscape / A Kind of Alaska / Monologue.
On the 27th, I'm going to see Company, by Sondheim, at the Gielgud. No tickets available for the upper levels on the official site - they must all have been bought up by resellers! Cheapest I found was with OfficialLondonTheatre, run by See Tickets.
On the 28th, I'm with Walking in London again for the Haunted London Pub Tour.
On the 29th, I'm back with UITCS at the National for Hadestown. Then back to Ireland again for the weekend.
On the 3rd, I'm back to the National for I'm Not Running.
On the 5th, LDN Talks @ Night and London Speaks Sessions (both Funzing) advertised a "Winterville" talk on The Science of Santa, where we get the scientific explanation of how he does it. Taking place at The Windmill. However, seems they meant the day before, when of course I'm busy. So instead I'm going to True West, with Kit Harington, at the Vaudeville. Cheapest tickets from the venue.
On the 6th, Hazel of Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts, London Guided Walks (and, indeed, Walking in London) has a Christmas Carol Tour. Now, the last two events I booked with her turned out to be no-shows.. the first might not have been her fault, as she was advertising someone else's event, but the second, she just missed the ball on and left three of us standing on a street corner. Whether this event happens is anyone's guess! Now, it's technically more expensive if you book on Funzing - but if you have my discount ;-) it comes down to the same price she charges on her own site, without the booking fee! So I did it that way. But then Henning, with the London European Club, advertised a Happy Xmaths evening at Imperial College, the same night! Festive fun for maths geeks - sign me up. Plus it's free - you just have to register with Eventbrite. And it'll be great to get back with this group. And since I booked the walk with Funzing, I've cancelled and will get a full refund. And I feel no sadness at missing an evening with Hazel, after what's been happening.
On the 7th, back with UITCS at the Royal Court, for The Cane. Got the very last ticket, phew!
On the 8th of next month, with them again at the Orange Tree Theatre for The Double Dealer.
On the 9th, the Crick Crack Club is back at the British Museum for I Know Not, an afternoon of Sufi legend.
On the 10th, I'm off to the Bridge Theatre for A Very, Very, Very Dark Matter, by Martin McDonagh. Starring Jim Broadbent, this is a dark take on Hans Christian Anderson!
On the 11th, I'm going with North London Friends to The Convert, at the Young Vic. Discounted top-price seats, it seems!
The 12th is our office Christmas party, but LDT has now advertised a Christmas dinner- which sounds a more attractive prospect. So I'm doing that instead.
On the 13th, I'm thrilled to be going to Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, at Sadler's Wells, with UITCS. He's a fantastic choreographer, but I've never before gotten around to seeing this all-male version. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
And on the 17th of next month, the Crick Crack Club is performing Gilgamesh, at Soho Theatre. With Ben Haggerty in the spotlight, this will be a treat!
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