Away Weekend Saturday

The whole group before the run

In the morning I finally got out of bed at 8 AM, because there wasn't much point to staying in it.  It had been a restless night, sleeping in a room with 7 girls, some of whom snored lightly, and all of whom seemed to need to get up and make repeated trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night!

I went into breakfast, where I couldn't find an open space at a table, so I just sat by myself at a new one.  When other people commented that I was sitting by myself, I laughed, "Ah yes, this is entirely what my childhood was like, sitting at the lunch table all by myself..."  That got such an "Awwww, oh no!" reaction from people, I found myself having to reassure them all, "It's a joke!  Don't worry, I was not shunned in my childhood!"  Although I think one guy felt so bad, he immediately got up and came over to sit down with me!

We then changed into our swimsuits to go to Splashdown, an indoor water park nearby.  It was strange, because I'd never been to an indoor water park before, but it made sense that in England, the weather is generally so rubbish that if your water park wasn't indoors, it would only really get to be open two weeks a year.

I started out by going on the rides that looked a bit more "tame", without sudden drops or things that would cause your stomach to fall out from under you.  Of course, this made me a bit embarrassed that there seemed to be 5-year old children with swimmies on their arms who were more brave than I was when it came to choosing rides!

On the beach with The Blonde

I went down a two rides that required inner tubes to go down them, walking up past Roofie and his brother who were going on other rides, and they always called out to me every time they saw me.  In fact, it was kind of a running joke throughout the day, how every time they spotted me whilst they were standing on line for another ride, they would always call out to me or chat with me using hand signals, or otherwise somehow take notice of me.  Which was strange to me, since they didn't do it for anybody else, but I suspect that they both have a great deal of affection for me that they don't have for anyone else.  (Well, Roofie's Brother does anyway, I think that Roofie just likes me because he knows how fond his brother is of me!)

I then came inside and went down the lazy river, went down one that was fast and scary, and then found a few that were right about my speed.  I kept running into others, but didn’t really bother to try and go on rides with people, I just went with whatever took my fancy.  A few other girls were even more nervous than I was about “scary rides” and were always going in groups, which was kind of funny.  I ran into Sister Fister at one point, who was having an absolute panic meltdown about the fact that she didn’t know where Roofie or his brother were.  Which was so strange to me, as why did it matter?  Just go on the rides and have fun, don’t act like you’re their babysitter!  I really don’t get that girl at all...

Showing off our shirts with The Blonde

Finally when it was time to get the crowds together, it took ages to round everyone up, as it was like herding cats but worse.  My hair was a mess after being washed in the shower, but there was nothing for it I suppose…  Kind of a shame that we had to spend so much time standing around instead of going on more rides, but such is the nature of things with large groups, I guess. 

We got back to the hotel, changed, and then we went on our run.  It was hard and quite hot out, with Roofie seeming to have chosen every possible steep hill and set of steps he possibly could to climb.  At one point he actually chased me up a long set of steps, yelling behind me that I’d have to do a shot of tequila if he caught me.  I was absolutely wheezing when I got to the top, it was such a hard and fast climb! 

I was so worn out from that one, that at the next set of steps (after we’d been running for about 40 minutes), I took a shortcut with All Fours, who graciously bought me a water at a beachside stand when we found one.  It was so lovely and cool on such a hot day, we stood there for a bit drinking our water, and then to our surprise, the group all came running right up to us.  We had taken a shortcut right back onto the trail! 

We must not have been the only ones who were hot, sweaty and out-of-breath, as everyone spontaneously decided to stand around for a bit catching their breath, I shared around my water, and everyone just generally had a breather.  Too soon we had to keep running however, and so continued on uphill in the heat. 

At one point Roofie told us it was all downhill from that point, which we found it was downhill and then a very looooooong jog along the marshes of the marina back to the beach.  So I ended up walking and running with Roofie’s Brother and Mile High all of the way to the beach.  Both were good company, although I mostly talked with Roofie's Brother about the area. 

With The Blonde, dressed as hula girls

When we finally arrived on the beach, all hot and sweaty, some people just dove right into the water.  I debated waiting for the car with our swimsuits to arrive or to walk back to Roofie’s flat to get mine, but then decided to join in the idea of a few others and just strip down to my underwear and dive in.  After all, I was wearing black cotton knickers, which when paired with my black cotton sports bra might look something like a bikini, right?  

The ocean was perfectly refreshing, just what I needed after that long hot run.  Definitely worth the swim!  Although when I got out, I found after much wandering around that the car with our bags had not arrived (despite that those who had not been running had hours to take care of this) and they were just scrambling to arrive with food, much less bags.  Too much faffing about, apparently.  

So after a while, it did occur to me that I was just wandering around in my knickers, and so I put my shirt and shorts back on, uncomfortable as it was on my salt-encrusted skin.  Those who hadn't been running at least had managed to bring their swimsuits with them, although I was rather surprised by what people chose to wear.  Lots of bikinis on women who maybe should have reconsidered that idea...even I have flatter abs!  

Food finally arrived, and I mostly spent my time just lounging on the beach, gossiping with The Blonde.  She asked if the Tall South African ever slept in my bed, and I told her that he did sometimes when we were just too tired after coming home late to bother setting up the air mattress.  Yet she seemed entirely disbelieving when I told her that nothing ever happens between us, that our relationship is about as close and platonic as it can get.  I think she is so used to men always trying something in bed (perhaps because they know she'll usually give in), that she seemed surprised at the idea that we would sleep together and just sleep.  I know most people don't really believe that we don't have a sexual relationship, as we are so close to each other and spend so much time together.  Yet, after I'd talked to The Blonde for a while, she seemed rather convinced that I was telling the truth.  Although let's face it, I don't really care if she believes it or not.  The one nice thing about the Tall South African is that the two of us are utterly clear on what the deal is with each other, even if the rest of the world doesn't get it.  

She then asked about what was going on with myself and Roofie's Brother, and I explained that we still had *whatever* it is that is going on between us, but that for me at least, it was just a little bit of entertainment and amusement value.  The attention is nice and he amuses me from time to time.

We then just started gossiping about everyone around us (dangerous game!) and she helped me put my finger on what it was that I don't quite like about the South African Rugby Player.  Just like Nobby's Nuts was before he got married, he's just a little bit too desperate.  Too much into too many women, without being really clear about who he likes and doesn't.  Just one of those guys about whom you think, "He really needs to get laid", but his general overly enthusiastic pursuit of women turns them off.

Admittedly when we got onto The Blonde's own romantic life, she started puzzling with me over the fact that with all the guys she had dated in the past year, nothing had worked out.  And so it did make me realise that the both of us are quite a pair:  Me the girl who barely dates anyone, and she the girl who dates everything that comes along, but we both still remain single.  Of course, I have my own ideas about why things don't work out with the guys she dates, but I'll leave those for another time.

With all the hula girls

We then heard a bunch of shrieking nearby from a bunch of runners, and when we got up to investigate, we learned that two of them had gone off for a walk down the beach and gotten engaged!  I was a bit surprised, given that I knew it was exactly this time last year when the same girl had been moving in with a different guy, she'd only been with this latest one for six months.  Although when I chatted to them both later, she told me about how they'd actually dated before when they were younger, but it hadn't worked out due to distance.  And now that she was the ripe old age of 31, she was wanting to get married, and they were living together already and had talked about it, so here you go.  Admittedly I have a hard time imagining knowing anybody well enough to marry them, so I'm probably not the best person to judge when the time is right.

Tired of being all salty and sticky, I found another girl who had gone swimming, and suggested we sneak off to Roofie's nearby flat to take showers.  She seemed mildly reluctant, but once she got out of the shower there, she exclaimed, "This was the best idea ever!"  Well worth walking several blocks along the road completely barefoot!

We soon after changed into our fancy dress costumes, and when I returned to the beach, a slightly inebriated but very enthusiastic Scottish Lawyer Guy exclaimed with surprise, "You look absolutely gorgeous!"  It made me laugh, particularly when he felt the need to clarify, "No really, you're really beautiful without looking all slutty like the other girls."  Realising that his drunken comments were only making things worse, he eventually gave up after a few more comments when I was just beside myself with laughter.

We hung out on the beach, made a BBQ, and as the sun was setting, Roofie suddenly pointed at me and exclaimed "You!  You'd be perfect for this!"  What was this now?

Being the MC for the talent show

Apparently I had suddenly been volunteered to be the MC for a talent show, with everyone showing off their costumes.  Not sure what the acts were (none, really) or who wanted to do a show (nobody), I just did my best to be witty and funny and pull people out of the audience to put on acts.  I did my best with no rehearsal, no clue and no idea what I was doing, but everyone told me later that I did a great job and was really funny.  I suppose it's really handy that I just love speaking in public, have a loud voice, and am good at thinking on my feet!  We had such a good show going that we even had a guy who played guitar asking if he could join the talent show, where he did a brilliant little act.  And everyone just seemed to laugh themselves silly in the moonlight on the beach.

Everyone in costumes

Finally it was 11 PM and it was getting quite cold and dark out there on the beach, so we called a bunch of cabs to take us back to the hotel where we could change.  It took forever for the cabs to arrive, and matters weren't helped by Blunder loudly playing music and just acting like the slightly retarded individual who has been dropped on his head a few times that he always is.  Which got him into a fight with Hairy Helmet who turned into an aggressive rage machine, not helping matters at all.  His girlfriend kept trying to calm him down, making me think that she must be really desperate to have a boyfriend to put up with him...

As we waiting for drinks, the Scottish Rugby Player and two others invited me to join them inside for drinks, but I was just too tired after a such a full day, and I kind of didn't want to give any encouragement to the Scottish Rugby Player.

Back in the hotel bar

When we finally got back to the hotel, I just wanted to crash into bed, but was somehow dragged back out to the hotel bar, which then led to being dragged out to some nightclub in Bournemouth.  It was like I had been talking to the Irish Boy, about how we hate nightclubs, but always seem to get dragged out to them about once a month or so.  I guess this was my night this month.

After £1.50 for the taxi, and a £6 entry fee to the club I was feeling a bit tapped out, so I didn't drink once I was inside.  I really just wanted to go home almost as soon as I got there, but I figured I might as well dance enough to make it worth the entry.  Roofie's Brother never showed (although he explained it all to me while we ran together the next morning).  Finally at 2:30 AM I'd had enough, and luckily The Blonde read my mind and was trying to find me to leave at the same time I was searching for her.  Sometimes she really is a great friend, coming through for me when I need her!  We got get her some dinner at a local kebab place, and then managed to catch a cab back to the hotel for £7.  It had been a long day, so I was flat in bed by 3 AM!