Giant Elephants and separated people at Trafalgar Square

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Sat May 06, 2006 2:01 pm

Oh, tell us all, Arnold...................

*sitting down for the whole story*

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Sat May 06, 2006 2:41 pm

I hope everybody had a lovely day, sorry the sun did'nt shine for you. :-6

minks · Post by **minks** » Sat May 06, 2006 3:03 pm

Well it happened, we all managed to find each other, time and time again. Despite "engineering" issues and over sized "elephants" . The pub didn't know what to think when all 15 of us showed up and had to order at the bar. We hit the "eye" in style. Loads of laughs and antics, hey who laid hands upon who???

Well gang it was fun, and we have had food and drink and could all go to sleep but are having a great "gab-fest" We shall keep you all posted and will eventually figure out how to post pics soon.

Cheers

Minks

weeder · Post by **weeder** » Sat May 06, 2006 3:30 pm

I arrived at Heathrow at 6;30am Saturday.... Couldnt find Spot and Open Mind..so I was forced to pin on my Weeder tag......Once we found each other,it was hugs all around, and the beginning of a wonderful and emotionally fufilling day. Breakfast and chatter until the second wave of our Forum Family arrived to meet Minks plane. And then what a group we were!!!!! Raven and VooDoo... Rapunzel and |Fred.... The kids.. Theia, Bez, Betty, Minks,Arnold,& Chris... off for our first day in London. The heck with the rain....we had a ball. Getting to know each other...laughing our pants off... some ass grabbing going on... rendevous arranged for future clandestine meetings.. Love was all around. Im quite English now... I think the group over here feels I fit in quite well, and Ill have to keep you posted on wether Ill return or not. Cheers!!!! Weeder PS... Pics to follow

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Sat May 06, 2006 3:40 pm

What else can I say?:yh_bigsmi It's been one heck of an adventure! (The bum grab was great!) And I'm not saying another word! :yh_rotfl

BabyRider · Post by **BabyRider** » Sat May 06, 2006 3:45 pm

Oh, more, please!! I wanna hear it all!! I'm so friggin jealous....I've said that before haven't I? More stories guys.....PLEEEEEZE.....

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Sat May 06, 2006 3:48 pm

Raven wrote: What else can I say?:yh_bigsmi It's been one heck of an adventure! (The bum grab was great!) And I'm not saying another word! :yh_rotfl

I could say a lot, but I'll keep you guessing....I'ts been a very 'touchy , feely' day

theia · Post by **theia** » Sat May 06, 2006 3:54 pm

Gosh

Post by **Betty Boop** » Sat May 06, 2006 4:08 pm

WOW, what a trip

Sheryl · Post by **Sheryl** » Sat May 06, 2006 4:18 pm

:wah: come on share with us, who was grabbing who. :-2

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Sat May 06, 2006 4:18 pm

Would someone please give Laura a big hug from me please. :-4

Post by **Betty Boop** » Sat May 06, 2006 4:29 pm

abbey wrote: Would someone please give Laura a big hug from me please. :-4

Will do!

Night Night all we're all turning in after our exhausting day.

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Sat May 06, 2006 4:42 pm

Sheryl wrote: :wah: come on share with us, who was grabbing who. :-2
You'll just have to see the pic!:wah: Will be posted you can bet!

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat May 06, 2006 4:52 pm

This is a big hoax ! You guys arent even in England, I know it. Good one

sunny104 · Post by **sunny104** » Sat May 06, 2006 4:56 pm

Can't wait to see your pics!!!

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Sat May 06, 2006 6:55 pm

It sound like so much fun, I can't wait to see the pictures what as great trip this must be for all of you... I jealous to wish I could have gone...

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Sat May 06, 2006 7:13 pm

Have fun everyone! We are so glad you are having a grand time! Pics, pics, pics when you can!

Post by **spot** » Sat May 06, 2006 9:47 pm

Well. Dooby-doooby-doo, as old blue-eyes would have so eloquently put it. Venerunt viderunt vicerunt. They came, they saw, they conquered.

Wandering around Terminal 3 was simple enough. Fifty yards away in a permanently busy arrivals hall, there was OpenMind as obviously OpenMind as he'd have been had he a two-foot placard held above his head saying so. Which he had. Hi, I said. Hi, he said. Fancy a coffee? I said. Great, he said. Never had a chat-up gone so smoothly, I'm in there, I thought to myself.

By the time the last of Weeder's flightmates had passed us, it was clear that the two foot sign should have been six foot with flashing lights on, with built-in sound if possible. Weeder had walked straight past it and was quite possibly well into London by now. The only obviously unclaimed baggage flaunted a huge straw hat, high heels and was a walking definition of "ditzy". Fair chance, I thought, give it a go - I don't often get to talk to strange women. I walked over and invaded her personal space, which extended at least six feet. "Are you Weeder", I asked. "If I weren't looking for my driver to get me to a wedding, sonny, I'd say yes" she said, with the most winning smile imagineable. Bloody hell, I thought, this aftershave works just like the ads said. Phwoar.

So. Readers, I paged Weeder. At Heathrow. I never thought such things would happen to me, I normally lead such a humdrum existence. There she went, over the Tannoy. There she was, twenty seconds later, wrapped around OpenMind with both feet off the ground. I queued. It was well worth it. Several male strangers waiting for still-airborne friends and relations perked at the sight and queued too.

Ten minutes later we gathered ourselves, counted to make sure all six feet were back on the ground, and headed for fresh air.

Some while later, OpenMind speed-typed into his cellphone and magicked up an entire troupe of familiars for Weeder's entertainment. More feet left the ground, some several times. It was like watching A Midsummer's Night's Dream, OpenMind as Oberon, Weeder as Queen Titania, and the most fey bunch of South Downs fairies and Cornish Pixies strutting in stage-right to make their curtseys and flutter their eyes alluringly (Rapunzel seems to have practiced this to perfection, she could flirt for England if it were an Olympic event). By the time Minks And Her Very Pink Hat showed up, most of the arrivals hall had kissed Bez who was consequently in Overload with her eyes tight shut A head-count at this point would have totalled 15. It was one of the few moments of the day when that happened. You've seen fast pointy planes release sparkly chaff when their missile alarms go off? The ForumGarden Outing was very like that, lots of bright things headed for the horizon fast in every direction imagineable.

We coached, we undergrounded, we changed at Holborn, we escalatored, we exited, we finally saw London. Well, the offices of the Prudential Assurance Company at least. Had anyone listened I'd have pointed out Maxwell House, the old Mirror building from which pension funds evaporated, but fortunately nobody paid me enough attention. I didn't even get to mention Edith Nesbit and "Five Children and It" which may or may not have been partly set in an office in the Pru. You know what happened instead? They all went into the nearest pub, that's what happened.

If you imagine to yourself an 80 foot bar along one wall, and a dozen dark partitioned nooks - it's the only word I can come up with for them, and you can see where "nooky" came from - the following 80 minutes involved a succession of pairings and dissolute disappearances. I made a list, as we emerged, of whose clothing was oddly buttoned or (in two cases) not what they'd gone in wearing. PM me for details.

Now began the surreal phase of the day. Days like this don't happen often, believe me. We're in Holborn, right? Fifteen of us. We're walking to the London Eye. Fourteen of us are facing Liverpool Street. Fourteen of us about-face. We're off.

By Shaftesbury Avenue we're straggled out over a quarter mile, so deep into conversations that there is no way any of us is noticing what route we're taking ourselves much less where the others are headed. I lure Rapunzel's bright and possibly impressionable young lad into Chinatown thinking I might turn a profit on the day. Others walk widdershins thrice around Eros which I could have guaranteed even if I'd not been there to see it. I show Minks the alley round the back of the National Gallery and her hat's askew for the next ten minutes. We turn left into Trafalgar Square and The Elephant happens.

One can plan for most contingencies, but this is a three-times-lifesize elephant rigged to a trebuchet. This is so huge an Elephant that Trafalgar Square has been declared Impassable by the Metropolitan Constabulary. We're down to five out of fifteen at this point. and we are about the only five you could permutate that doesn't have a cellphone between us. Minks adjusts her hat, gathers her composure, sends me off to circumnavigate Trafalgar Square to check we're all reading from the same script, and watches the strange antics of the English.

In retrospect, we seem at this stage to be in five groups. My route to the Eye involved the back of the National Gallery again, St Martins, a fountain, Canada House, a quick look down the Mall to see if Chris or Arnold had hared off to Buckingham Palace with the remaining womenfolk, and the famous Doctor Who approach past Big Ben. If Bez hadn't been nibbling Arnold's ear, she and I could have done the hand-in-hand run over the bridge, but she was elsewhere and besides there were far too many tourists to do it safely. There is at least a refreshing drizzle by now (which has set in for the day, and what trip around London would be complete without it?)

Between the end of the bridge and the Eye is County Hall, currently hosting a Salvador Dali exhibition. I walk slowly along. I pass a two-ton Dali bronze which I recognise from pictures. I pass a second two-ton Dali bronze that's so iconically famous that I stop dead in my tracks and stare at it. I turn, having spent a couple of minutes looking round it, and practically walk into Salvador Dali himself.

I'm sure that in time I'll rationalize this into "a performance artist made up as Salvador Dali" but that's not what my brain told me. This was beyond an uncanny impersonation, this was the stuff of dreams. I now have a lifelong recollection of walking along the South Bank and saying "Buenos dÃƒas, seÃƒ±or" to Salvador Dali, having lost an entire international party of visitors that I was supposed to be safely herding between landmarks. If anyone wonders how I got this way, it's that life plays these tricks constantly.

Twenty minutes later and we were all reunited. Theia and I ended up - I have no idea how - telling Weeder all about Enoch Powell, while the others rocketed off on the stratospheric half hour portion of the day's sightseeing.

So, Rapunzel and her fairy tribe are back on the south coast by now - she so looks like she carries a wand somewhere about her - Arnold and OpenMind are presumably at their own keyboards, Chris is wrapped up with the Essex Girls and I'm getting ready to raid the Tower of London when the day properly starts. More, presumably, follows.

Up to the moment when we said our first hello, little did we know love was just a glance away, a warm embracing dance away. Dooby-doooby-doo. Well.

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Sun May 07, 2006 12:40 am

Spot, that was fantastic. :-4

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Sun May 07, 2006 12:49 am

Just in case folk are wondering about the giant elephant have a look at the link and watch the video,

its fantastic the way the elephant moves.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/4977870.stm

cars · Post by **cars** » Sun May 07, 2006 3:58 am

What a fantastic event, sounds like a blast is being had by all! Enjoy, & as others have already said: Pictures, we want pictures, pleeeeeeze!:)

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Sun May 07, 2006 4:19 am

Thanks for the link, Abbey. The giant elephant is cool!

OpenMind · Post by **OpenMind** » Sun May 07, 2006 5:50 am

chonsigirl wrote: Thanks for the link, Abbey. The giant elephant is cool!

Hi, guys. I got home just over an hour ago.

What a brilliant time. But Spot has recounted it very well, very succinct.

I haven't done my pics yet. But I'll be onto that soon.

Thanks for the Elephant link, Abbey. That was quite a spectacle to witness, especially as none of us had foreknowledge of it.

But everyone, it's been so great to meet you all. I really enjoyed the day. It would be great to do this again. We'll have to tie ourselves together though, in future.:wah: (No, stop it. I'm not trying to be pervy. Or maybe I am!:sneaky: )

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Sun May 07, 2006 2:06 pm

All I can say, is that this has exceeded even my expectations. I have been privledged to share a weekend with some of the most fantastic people I have ever met!

The pics will be forthcoming, so you all can share the experience too! :-4

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Sun May 07, 2006 2:10 pm

Oh boy, pics! We all look forward to them, and am glad you are having a wonderful time!

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Sun May 07, 2006 3:22 pm

abbey wrote: Spot, that was fantastic. :-4

DITTO!!

:yh_clap :yh_clap :yh_clap

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Sun May 07, 2006 3:33 pm

Spot brilliant writting felt like I was there..!!

mominiowa · Post by **mominiowa** » Sun May 07, 2006 3:59 pm

How woderful! I felt if I was there with you after reading this!!! So now where do we all meet here?? IOWA is in the middle?? I am game and have a lovely HUGE house to share with you all...and Wolvie will greet you as you get off the plane as he lives near by!! What do ya say?? LOL:guitarist :-6 ohhhh I am sooo jealous!!:D

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sun May 07, 2006 5:42 pm

Aahhh I wish I were there with ya'll, instead of doing it vicariously.

That was one great story, Spot. :-6

Rapunzel · Post by **Rapunzel** » Mon May 08, 2006 1:21 am

It was SUCH an absolute delight to meet you all!!! :-4

We had a wonderful time and simply loved chatting to you all!

Spot, that was an incredible write-up! I hope my son didn't bend your ear too much talking about games - he's a fanatic I'm afraid!

Poor Weeder, what must she think of us? Spot talked to her about Enoch Powell..............and I talked to her about the Magna Carta! She must think we're mad!!! :wah: However, she did manage to rename Mr. Rapunzel as Fred! hehehehehe He was going to call himself Trollslayer, but I think Fred suits him! Bwahahahaha!

Weeder and Minks were heroes - trotting around London when they must have been exhausted! Poor Minks said she hadn't slept since Thursday!

A big round of applause for ArnoldLayne who stood the first round of drinks in the pub! What a nice man! I tried to introduce Pimms to Raven and Minks, as a truly 'English' drink - especially when decorated properly with lots of fruit - but sadly the pub had none in stock. I hope they get a chance to try it soon. Don't forget guys, Weeder said she strips if she has too much Vodka! So if she gets drunk, take photo's! *wink, wink*!!

Although we all got split up, we managed to reunite in Trafalgar Square. I was told we were going to pat the lions and throw stones at Nelson - a perfectly fun and reasonable thing to do, I thought! But sadly, Nelson must have heard we were coming and he was shrouded in tarpaulins to protect him from those with a good throwing arm! However, we did see the chap who did the voice of Gollum in Lord of the Rings, stroll past with his wife and baby! And we managed to find each other, (well, everyone found us!), not bad going considering there must have been thousands of people elephant-watching over the whole of Trafalgar Square!

Then off to the London Eye, Londons 5th tallest structure. The Eye moves slowly but constantly, meaning you have to jump on and jump off; but it moves so slowly and without rocking that even this height-hating scaredy cat loved it - and didn't feel in the least bit scared! And that's saying something!!

And so finally ended a wet but wonderful day! I felt SO sad leaving everyone!

Minks kindly gve us all a tiny brooch of the Canadian flag, which I will treasure! Thank you hunny! I had SUCH a wonderful time and I was SO sorry to have to say goodbye to everyone! I REALLY hope we can all get together again next year.... and hopefully with some extra Gardeners!

Thanks to everyone who came and everyone who sent their love. I hope the US has a get together too because it was just SO fantastic to meet everyone whom I've been talking to on the internet for so long!

And finally, a big hug for Raven and Voodoo, who started this whole thing off and who were absolute gems! Big hugs to you all!!! XXXXX

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Mon May 08, 2006 2:51 am

IIts me Weeder.... posting on Ravens computer. We have had a most incredible 2 days. It feels like Ive been here for two weeks, because we have cramed so much in. Weve walked a zillion miles together.... constantly looking for each other to keep our group together. For me , this adventure is sort of like The Wizard of OZ... Because I have fallen in love with Spot.Open Mind, Arnold and VooDoo. They have been my Lion, Tin Man, Scare Crow, and Wizard for the trip thus far. Gentlemen, the likes of who I have only read about in books until this point in my life. Lugging my 50 lb suitcase all over London in the rain..... staying with me and sharing the history of their lovely country. The girls are all of the munchkins.. one cuter than the other.. each so individual in their own special way. I am here with them all and will be so sad to leave them. Bye Bye to sweet Rapunzel on the first day. Lovely Bez(my roommate) this morning... in a few minutes we leave Raven and Minks. Theia, Betty and I are off to Cornwall. The next time I write will be from Theias computer.. Love to you all.... Weeder reporting from the UK.:-4

minks · Post by **minks** » Mon May 08, 2006 2:57 am

And then there were 4. We are saying our good byes to weeder, thiea, betty and Bezzy. It feels rather sad. Perfectly it is raining....

We are wishing them happy trails and safe journey. And await their posts from home.

Cheers girls We miss you already

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Mon May 08, 2006 3:40 am

Hey Weeder, you'll be passing through some of my old stomping grounds. Great times, great memories. Yell something appropriately inappropriate for me. :-6

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Mon May 08, 2006 4:36 am

Hi everyone! We love hearing about your adventures! We miss you!

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Mon May 08, 2006 5:32 am

minks wrote: And then there were 4. We are saying our good byes to weeder, thiea, betty and Bezzy. It feels rather sad. Perfectly it is raining....

We are wishing them happy trails and safe journey. And await their posts from home.

Cheers girls We miss you already

I'm Here !!!!!! :yh_wave

Back home safe and sound (bit waterlogged) surely the drought is over !!!

Miss you guys already :-1

Robin, Voodoo, Minksy, and Chris....I wish you loads and loads of sunshine :-6 from now on and enjoy the rest of your precious time together.

Betty, Theia and Laura...hope you had a good journey...hugs

Arnold, OM, Spot, Rapunzel (& family)...it was so fantastic to meet you all...the day just went too fast, but we'll make up for lost time NEXT TIME...sooner rather than later though.....then we'll REALLY get to know each other even better.

Back with some detail on the weekend later....mind you...Spot's already given you more than a taster. We all sat round Ravens computer and had a good giggle when we read your post yesterday Spot.

Sheryl · Post by **Sheryl** » Mon May 08, 2006 6:51 am

Ok you guys keep missing the most important thing, who was grabbing who? :wah:

Oh and how many strange looks did Minks get in her cowboy hat?

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Mon May 08, 2006 7:10 am

So much fun reading everyone tales of the day..

pina · Post by **pina** » Mon May 08, 2006 8:07 am

I'm so jealous after reading the events that took place, I wish I could have been with you all. :yh_sigh Enjoy the rest of your time together. :-4

You never know maybe next time.

pina · Post by **pina** » Mon May 08, 2006 8:15 am

ArnoldLayne wrote: Then make sure you are there for the next one

I will do!!

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Mon May 08, 2006 9:34 am

Adventure at the London eye...

Openmind, Rapunzel and family, Arnold, Bez, Raven, Chris, Betty.

Anyone who comes to London ....DO NOT MISS this attraction...it is fantastic

You can see the 'Eye' in the background of the 'elephant ' picture

Rapunzel · Post by **Rapunzel** » Mon May 08, 2006 10:59 am

Okay guys, here it is......the Forum Garden WildLife video!!

My son was given a camcorder by his grandmother for his birthday and this is the first time he's used it! He filmed a bit on the coach, a bit in the pub and some on the Eye. Hubby has cut out all the blur and the wavy bits and the ducks! Lol! And what we have left is a brief clip of the Londinium FGers!

I haven't added music (I'm not up to Sixes standard!) But if you turn up the sound you can hear us chattering and laughing, and maybe pick up on a couple of our accents, which is fun! I hope you like it!

Just Click on the Picture to play!!!

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Mon May 08, 2006 11:13 am

Hi Rapunzel. I couldn't watch the video. I was asked for a password....HELP !!!

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Mon May 08, 2006 11:17 am

Fanbloodytastic...:-4

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Mon May 08, 2006 11:26 am

Gottit...brilliant !

pina · Post by **pina** » Mon May 08, 2006 11:44 am

I want to know who belongs to that wicked laugh in the background. :wah:

Great to see everyone enjoying themselves. :-4

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Mon May 08, 2006 11:50 am

pina wrote: I want to know who belongs to that wicked laugh in the background. :wah:

Great to see everyone enjoying themselves. :-4

I'm sure that 'wicked laugh' had a US accent

theia · Post by **theia** » Mon May 08, 2006 11:55 am

pina wrote: I will do!!

Now Im on Jackies computer down in Cornwall...... Id Love to go to Spain!!!!

Weeder....