Mazovia

Woke up at 6.20am despite my alarm being set for 8.00am. I went down for breakfast, then returned to my room to pack up my gear. We checked out of the hotel at 10.00am.

After a 30 minute drive north outside of Krakow, I went to look at my phone. It was not in my pocket, not in my coat. Someone rang my phone number, but it did not ring, although I feared that my phone was on silent. Reluctantly, I asked the driver, Red, to please pull over. I frantically rummaged through all the bags in the back, but to no avail.

Priscilla rang my phone number again and on this occasion it was answered by someone at the hotel. We had no choice but to turn around and return to the hotel. The return journey seemed to take an age, not helped by relentless mickey taking from those in the back, whilst I died with embarrassment.

We eventually arrived back at the hotel and I retrieved my phone from reception. We then headed back towards Warsaw on the same roads for the third time that morning. After an otherwise uneventful journey, we arrived at the Hotel Gromada in Warsaw just after 3.00pm, over one hour later than the other bus.

Priscilla and I went for walk, in the afternoon sun, into the Old Town of Warsaw. It has been faithfully restored after being bombed to the ground during the Second World War. I leant that Priscilla was head of an IT department for the Maltese government and that prior to meeting up with the Magic Bus Tour, she had been in the UK following The Editors.

At 5.00pm, we went to the Nameste curry house, the designated eating place. I had a Chicken garlic masala, rice, butter naan and 2 pints of beer. It was very nice.

As soon as we had finished eating, JP, Irish Lindsey and I rushed to an Irish bar to watch the 2nd half of the England - Ireland rugby match. It was an exciting finish with England winning by a single point with the last kick of the game.

After 3 pints of Guinness, we walked to the Palladium arriving just 15 minutes before New Model Army were due on stage. By now my stomach was gurgling & the thought of bouncing around felt quite daunting. As luck would have it, they opened the balcony up at the last minute, Lee and I bagged ourselves a very spacious spot right at the front of the balcony. This was after he had tripped up a step and gone down like the proverbial sack of….. It took the help of a bystander to assist me to get him back on his feet.

It was another enjoyable gig. The encore was ‘51st State’, ‘Poison Street’ and ‘Get Me Out’.

Lee and I missed the obligatory photo because we couldn’t make our way through the crowds leaving. Instead we met up with everyone in the bar. Drummer, Michael Dean came out and chatted for ages with some members of our group who clearly knew him well. I joined them to listen to the conversation and Michael was talking about his shoulder problems. He apparently wakes up in absolute agony and is having to take strong painkillers to get through. On one of their coming days off he is flying back to the UK to see a consultant with a view to having an operation between tours.

Ceri Monger also came out and was happily chatting with the group. I finally relented and had my photo with him. My phone ran out of charge at that very minute, so Lee took a photo of Ceri and I on his phone. Ceri was already aware that some idiot from the Magic Bus group had left his phone at the hotel and he was told it was me. He shook my hand.

It was at least an hour later, when Lee ordered an Uber back to the hotel, despite me telling him it only a 4 minute walk. Lee, Priscilla, Ramon and I walked to the meeting place, then took the Uber all of 300 metres to the hotel. We had actually walked further to meet the Uber! Apart from Lee, the rest of us were uncontrollably crying with laughter. Lee was charged £2.78 for the Uber, which was well worth it for the comedy value.

We all had a nightcap beer with some of the group in the Tap Bar that was again further away than the Uber ride. I got to bed gone 12.30am shattered.

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