Fireplace

It is a week tomorrow that we are due to go to Magic Weekend. Last night it came to our attention that Brian has accidentally booked us into the Wrong Hotel. There are three Holiday Inns in Newcastle, and instead of the decent-ish one we stayed in last year we will be in the "Express" version which is more "budget" and in the party area of the city. There are good reviews online, mostly from people on hen/stag weekends. There are less good ones from families and non-party animals. I'm looking forward to our time away considerably less now.

In a way I feel like I'm getting it out of proportion, yet at the same time I can't shake the disappointment. Many of the rooms have sofa beds rather than proper ones! The air-cons are noisy (When they work!) but if you don't use them it is like a sauna. The breakfast is OK, but not very warm, pretty basic and often sold out. It is also self service in a small room separate from the dining room, so everyone all scrambles in together to get stuff - there is no queue system. Oh, and it costs at least £9 a day for parking and you have to get to the car park at 8 AM each day to pay or risk a fine! (Many people go by train as it is close to the station!) It is near busy roads and all the nightclubs etc. so noisy outside and at times inside! These are all common factors mentioned in reviews!

I have been to town today. I took my camera but had quite a bit to do. Nothing jumped out and said "Photograph me!" and consequently I was still without a blip this evening, so here's the view from the sofa! 

Grace and Sophia should be here around 10 PM - ish. and they will go back around midday tomorrow. Shame they are not staying longer, but it is this weekend that they move into their new place! They'll be taking the stuff Grace didn't take last time when they go.

We are meant to be going to watch Rugby on Sunday too - the tickets for that have still not arrived...