Catch Up with Maria in Copenhagen

I also wanted to catch up with Maria while I was in Copenhagen, a friend I met on a bus trip from Oslo to Copenhagen some months back, as I probably wouldn’t get the chance again for a long time. So we set a time & place, & I took the train into the city.
We talked & talked all day (over coffee, cake, & lunch) until we realised it was getting quite late & I had to head back. But before I left, she bought me a reminder souvenir of my time in Copenhagen – a Little Mermaid magnet.
I got down on my knees to receive this most precious offering. Then we said our goodbyes at the train station. A lovely day out filled with laughs & good company!

Impromptu Sled Ride

When Marie & I were out on one of our forest walks one day, we came across some kids playing on their sleds on a hill. There was quite enough snow to get a good ride down the hill. I urged Marie to come take a look with me, then said I’d love to have a go at doing it. So, she asked a mother that was there if I could borrow a sled for a ride. The woman agreed. Like a big kid, I grabbed the sled & ran to the top of the hill. It looked a bit steeper from the top. Even though I was a wee bit nervous, I took off on the sled. I was going fast, so put my feet out to slow it down a bit, which resulted in me being covered by snow. It was sooooo much fun!!! Marie took a photo of me with her mobile.

Home Away From Home

As usual, it was lovely & relaxing staying with Marie & Mikael at their place in Espergaerde – a home away from home, not that I have anywhere I could call a home nowadays. Marie & I went for walks in the forest & chatted a lot. She’s so easy to be around – we must have known each other in a past life.

Rendevous at Delmonicas

Finally I arrived in Glasgow - a few hours late, but better late than never. Margaret & Don (who I met in the Ice Bar in Stockholm) met me at the airport &, after a quick tour of a couple of local sights, ferried me to their home. Without a bag, there really wasn't much to unpack.
After numberous texts back & forth to arrange a time to catch up, Paul (lovely friend from Sydney who flew in to Glasgow the previous day) & I finally set a time & place to meet.
And meet we did, after several delays, at Delmonicas which I realised when I arrived there before Paul, is a gay bar. My 20 min wait was, therefore, an interesting one.
Then he arrived. After big hugs & kisses (purely platonic ones, I assure you), we headed in to the bar to start our catch up. Time whizzed by & after a few drinks we headed to another bar (quite swish really) to chat some more & have a few more drinks.
I really didn't have anything planned for that eve, so decided to head out with Paul & some Glaswegian friends of his for an asian meal.
So, a good feast of old friendship & goss was had that night. It was truly wonderful to see a friend from Sydney!

Bloody British Airways!

I checked my bags through from Schiphol Airport (Amsterdam) to Glasgow, even though I had a connecting flight at Gatwick. But by the time I reached Gatwick & turned my mobile on again, I'd received a text message that my flight to Glasgow had been cancelled. Bugger!!
I was really looking forward to catching up with a dear friend from Sydney in Glasgow that afternoon. BA said they could put me on a flight in to Edinburgh - no thank you! So a wait of a few hours & a coach transfer into London Airport & I finally boarded another plane to Glasgow.
Unfortunately, they either forgot or lost my bag, & after numberous attempts to get them to deliver it that eve, I was stuck without a bag till mid-morning the next day.
Thankfully, Margaret who I was staying with in Glasgow lent me some undies & a lovely long girlie nightie to sleep in that night. My friends would have loved seeing me in this nightie!!
I did get to catch up with Paul & received all the goss & more than a fair share of hugs. It was great to see a Sydney friend again. He even offered to lend me one of his g-strings. I had to decline - just couldn't see myself filling it out.

Drinks & Dinner with Rob (& Sjors)

Rob, a lovely guy I met when out with the boys drinking on Sunday, invited me out for a drink on Monday afternoon. We met at a cafe next door to where he lives, which is right smack bang on one of the main canals & streets in town.
Our afternoon drink turned into drinks (plural), going from non-alcoholic to mohitos to white wine. And Rob suggested we get some bitteballs (think that's what they're called), which were deep fried balls of gravy - deliciously addictive!
He invited me for dinner then called Sjors to see if he was available for dinner to - he was. Rob whipped up a terrific dinner, & we ate, drank & talked into the eve.
Then I walked (partly inebriated) with a smile from a lovely night.