I woke up about 11:30am on Friday because although my train wasn't until 3:45pm, I didn't wanna be rushing around, especially when I had to get the camera from my cousin as well, which meant I had to get off the train and then get back on another one.
Somehow it managed to get to around 2pm already and I packed my ag with what I could remember, had something to eat and drink and by this time it was already 2:50pm and my train was at 2:58pm! Plus, I had to go the Post Office to get money out before I even got on the train. I decided that it would be best just to get a cab to the post office, get my money and then go straight to town in that cab. At least I wouldn't be late for my train, although it did mean that I couldn't get the camera from my cousin because I wouldn't of had time.
Thankfully, the cab driver got me there with 10 minutes to spare.
I waited for the train, but I seem to always forget that although it says '3:45pm' on the arrivals/departures board, it actually gets in a lot sooner than that, and I almost missed the train because of this.
It's amazing how much a shop can charge for a drink just because of where it is. I went into a shop for a bottle of Sprite...�1.09! If I were to go to a shop a little further away from the station, it'd cost me no more than 65p. I reluctantly paid, since I did need it.
I went through the boarding gate at around 3:43pm to see my train which already had peple on it so I paniced and ran for it. It's a good job I did as well because after I'd sat down on it, it began to move after about 30 seconds.
I'd packed the MP3 CD Player in my bag so after a little while I got tht out my bag, but then realised that I'd forgot to pack headphones :(. So I was sat there for 5 hours without anything to do and it went over very very slowly.
Finally, I got to Stanstead Airport Train Station at around 9:25pm and I went to the arrivals gate to meet Natalie. Her plane was supposed to land at 9:15pm so I thought I'd be late and she'd be waiting there for me, but she wasn't and on the board it said that it was still due to land.
I waited until around 9:45pm and then I seen her coming down the ramp. The arrival doors open and close though, and you're not allowed to go through them, so I had to wait until she'd collected her bag which took another 10 minutes.
Finally, she came through the door and it was lovely seeing her again :). We went down to the train station again where we had to get another train to get into London and find our hotel.
I was knackered at that point. 5 hours on a train doing nothing makes you so tired. Thankfully, we weren't on this train for 5 hours. More like 45 minutes.
When we got off the train, we weren't really sure where we were going, but amazingly, we got to Swiss Cottage hotel at about 12/1am.
The hotel was really nice. It felt warm. The hotel hosts were helpful and they told us where our room was. We went up and managed to find it after a bit of getting lost.
The room was also nice. It had a hall into the main room where there was a study desk, one of those chairs where it has an arm on one side, and two chairs and a table.
I just wanted to go to bed though because after travelling for over 7 hours altogether I was very tired.
The next day we went out to Madame Tussauds. We found that it was best to get a weekend travel card each which meant we could travel most places in London after paying one fee of �6, and it proved to be very useful.
Madame Tussauds was very cool. They look so real! They had celebrities along with politicians and historic figures.
There was a model of Arnold Shwartznegger (probably spelt wrong) and someone was taking a picture of him so me and Natalie waited while she took her picture of him. We waited for about a minute while she took her picture and then I said to Nat "Is she gonna take this picture or what?". We waited for about another minute and then realised...IT WAS A BLOODY MODEL! LOL.
We'd been standing there waiting for a wax sculpture to take a picture of another sculpture lol. I found that so funny. Thankfully it wasn't just us two who fell for it...everyone did! They all waited while she took her picture of Arnie and they all looked at her as if to say "Come on, take your picture!" and then only after minutes did they realise it was a model lol. It's so funny to watch people's reactions once they find out they've been waiting for a model to do something lol.
After we'd visited Tussauds, we went to the Planetarium which is next door. Now this was *really* cool. I loved the Planetarium.
It's set in a supposed space ship and we 'boarded' it through a short tunnel. The 'space ship' itself was circular with around 150 seats in it and the ceiling was (obviously) a dome shape, which was in a dark shade of purple which looked really cool. It already looked like it was dark outside and we were looked at the sky, and the show hadn't even started yet!
Once everyone was in, the operator of it turned the lights off at the entrance and started the show. At first, the dome was just lines meeting at the top of it, but then it suddenly opened up in a spiral action to reveal the stars! This was just amazing to me. I've never been in a Planetarium before. I wasn't bothered about what the commentator was saying, I was just amazed at the effects of it. Unfortunately, it was only 20 minutes long, but it was well worth it.
We ordered Room Service Delivery that night which is a company that you ring and then they go and get whatever for you from a restaurant for you. The delivery alone cost �4.50! The final total came to �33.50! Still, it stopped us being hungry. The delivery guy looked a bit angry. I think it's cos I didn't give him a tip or something hehe.
Sunday we went London Aquarium, and I saw the London Eye and Westminster Abbey. They look bigger on TV lol, but still, the London Eye is huge.
From there we went straight to the Rammstein concert. The queue was HUGE! We didn't know where we going exactly, but there was that many people on the tube with us that looked like they were going to see them too that we just followed them. There was loads of buyers/sellers of Rammstein tickets, all shouting at all of us to buy/sell tickets.
As I said, the queue was huge. We followed the start of the queue back and we kept walking and walking. We ended up back where we started lol. Thankfully, we didn't wait too long outside and the queue eventually moved along. Again, there were people trying to sell us stuff. Rammstein T-Shirts, long sleeves and hoodies. I don't think anyone actually bought anything from them though because by the time we got in, those people were looking a bit depressed because they still had their merchandise in their hands lol.
Once in we put our coats in storage (which cost �2...just to store a bloody coat!) and then went in. After a while, a band called 'ClawFinger' came on. I was expecting it to be loud, but handleable. I was very mistaken! It was SO loud. I couldn't even understand what they were saying and they were speaking English! They were on for about 30/45 minutes and then after another 15 minutes, Rammstein came on to a cheering audience. Even though I couldn't understand what they were saying (they sing in German), I liked them. Their show has a lot of pyrotechnics in as well which made it even better. For example, Till (main singer) wore a jacket that was on fire for a song. The microphone stands were on fire. 6 afterburner-type flames were located at the front of the stage and even though me and Natalie were quite a far way back from the stage, the heat could still be felt a lot.
Flake (Keyboard player), went crowd surfing in a dinghie lol. It took him 5 minutes to get back to the stage, less the dinghie and most of his clothes lol.
Oh, and btw, I wasn't in the mosh pit, I was in the seated area above the pit. Every now and then I'd look down and see someone being carried to the front og the crowd on their back which looked fun lol.
Their show was very very good and I liked most of their songs (even if I don't know what their saying). They played for a good hour at least. I think they done about 16 songs so you work it out. I didn't really 'bop' but Natalie certainly did lol. She was jumping up and down and bopping her head to each of the songs. She called me a lemon for not doing so with her!
When we got back the hotel, my nose was black inside from all the gunpowder and flames that had been used in the show. It was a cool night :). Natalie wanted to go back :). In all, I don't think i'm meant for concerts. I mean, I didn't really do anything there. I liked the concert, but didn't join in jumping up and down or bopping my head lol. I did enjoy it though :).
Monday we had to get up at 9:30am, because we had to be out the room at 11am. We got up though around 10am and reluctantly got ready.
We were gonna go the cinema for a few hours, but then we didn't really have time. We went to HMV where I bought Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman, and Kosheen - Resist. Both good albums I think. Natalie bought ClawFinger's album and a Rammstein one as well and some others.
The good thing about shops that are nationwide is that their prices are regulated and whatever you pay in Liverpool, you pay in London. Whereas, if you buy something from a shop that's only in London, you're likely to pay double for it.
We got started the long journey home (or at least I did) at around 1:30pm and my train was at 3:22pm. There was a security alert on the train that we were suposed to get to the station to take us the airport so we had to get a cab instead. It's so hard to get a cab in London! We waited for about 15 minutes and all of them were full. Finally, we got one that was empty and he took us the station.
We were on that train for about 45 minutes and then I waited with Natalie while she booked in for her plane and then we went down for my train which was already there so I said goodbye to her and ran for my train. Unfortunately, it was delayed about 15 minutes and then it set off. The ticket inspector/train driver on the train was really nice and there should be a person like him on every train. He wasn't just stiff like most of them he actually looked like he was enjoying his job. When we were arriving in Stanford (or somewhere like that) he was walking through the carriage and said "hands up who wants to go home ready for their tea" :).
He was also very helpful when pulling into stations, as he told us what platform we were going to be arriving into and what trains to get should we need to change there.
At Birmingham New Street, he said about how they might need to 'change the unit'. I wasn't sure what that meant so I just sat there. My boots had been hurting so I'd unlaced them after about an hour on the train. He then announced that we all had to change trains so I had to fasten my boots up quick, grab my cd player, headphones (which I'd bought at the airport...�10!) and cd's and my bag as well and find the other train that was going to Liverpool.
Thankfuly, there was a seat without someone sitting next to it. I don't think anyone actually likes sitting next to someone they don't know.
I got into Lime Street around 10pm, which wasn't too bad. I mean we were supposed to be there for 9:45pm, and at one point we were running 20 minutes late so we did make up time.
I was stopped by a guy who looked rough as I was walking out of the station. He asked me did I have any change to spare so he could get a train home so he didn't have to sleep on the streets. At first I said no, but somthing just doesn't let me keep to my decision and in the end I stopped and gave him my copper. He asked me was I looking forward to Christmas and just talked while I was getting the copper. I gave him it and he said thanks and I went on my way. I know he'll probably use it to buy weed, but I couldn't help but give him it.
One thing I'd like to do is if someone where to say that to me again, the whole story about how they need to get home is actually buy a ticket for them and watch them get on the train. I think it'd be funny to watch them go somewhere when they probably don't even live there. Ah well, it was only copper.
I waited for a cab and he took me home. He went 20 miles over the speed limit almost all the way home. He got me home in 15 minutes when the journey should take 25 lol.
My weekend was great and I really enjoyed being with Natalie, going to London and going to a concert.
All in all I spent a LOT of money. Over �300 in total. The train ticket alone cost �50, then I went half with Natalie with the hotel so there's another �100, then there was train tickets, travel cards, food and drink and places to go which all added up to a very expensive place to go for a weekend. It was still cool, though.
I must buy a long sleeve Rammstein T-Shirt from somewhere. I was tempted to buy one of one of the sellers in London, but if they're selling them for �7 who knows what kind of quality they are.
It's nice to be home and have my own bed :).
Madame Tussaud's pictures:
Arnie
Nicholas Cage
Billy Connelly
Adolf Hitler
Whoopi Goldberg & Patrick Stewart
Me and Morgan Freeman
4:35pm
