I think The Beatles were right all along.

The only solution that I could come up with was a trip down south and a meet up with some friends and a few solo activities that would help restore my mojo a little. Looking back now it sort of sums me up really, a mash up of activities covering different things, crossing off one of the list, but all in all it definitely did it's magic in the end.

The British Museum is one of my favourite places in the world and I could spend hours there and not get bored. Yes it is morally questionable whether or not some of the artefacts should be there, The Elgin Marbles, The Benin Bronzes there is a moral argument to be had that we should return them as a nation to the lands where we acquired them from. That being said it is one of my happy places and I spent a very happy couple of hours. I've spoken before about my love of history and particularly British history, so the main focus of my viewing this time was the Sutton Hoo collection, it's amazing to think that these Anglo-Saxon finds date back to the 6th / 7th century when the world was so much different to anything we could picture.  Then it was onto one of my other passions, a West End show, now I could list all of the previous ones I've seen in the past but that would be a long list, this was a new one for me The Producers, based on the Mel Brooks film. now I'm not going to spoil it, lets just say it's a brilliant comedic show but it should come with a warning, if you're sensitive about giant pigeons with multicoloured swastikas on then maybe it's not the show for you. After a late night trip to China town and some of the best Dim Sum that the place has to offer.

It might seem strange but I love wondering around London, as a country boy, I love the hustle and bustle of the place feeling the energy coming through, I even like the tube, the characters you see from all the different walks of life going about there everyday lives. Now one of the bug bears of my ex wife was just wondering around with no aim. Now that I'm doing my travelling on a solo basis I get to meander at my own pace and go down fantastic little rabbit holes including checking out some amazing graffiti art in the Spitalfields area. This isn't a slight on her, it just wasn't her thing but I love doing it and I could myself relax the more I did it, also helps with getting my steps in! Pottering around Camden and finding possibly the best mothers day gift I've ever seen and maybe a snack or two in the famous food area. 

Sometimes it's nice to just let loose isn't it? Forget about all your problems (don't worry I'm not going to break into The Cheers theme there). That was what Saturday night was all about.  Meeting up with Kev and Dave and for once making new memories on top of remembering the ones from the past. I'd visited St Albans before for footballing reasons and a trip to the Roman Amphitheatre but I'd never been out out there.  It wasn't supposed to be a big drinking session just a meal and maybe a drink or two but what unfolded was slightly different to those expectations.

We met up and jumped on the train down to St Albans and a quick pint before we headed down into the restaurant, The food, wow is all I can say, I was disappointed with the bagel I'd had earlier that day this was on a whole new level for me. Teriyaki salmon,  cauliflower covered in a spicey sauce with toasted sesame seeds, paneer covered in spices and roasted and they were just the starters! My lamb biriyani was amongst the best Indian meals I've ever eaten .

We then ventured into the town centre and decided on Weatherspoons first. It's a weird feeling being the oldest group somewhere, we were sat there for an hour or so having a few drinks, a few cheeky shots. getting more merry as the night went on, trips to several other places and more drinks, cocktails and shots and a random place that was closing down and the toilets flooded, it reminded me of a Wednesday night in the SubClub. It was where the night also becomes very hazy and the drunkness starts to take over, which wasn't a bad thing, I needed to let off some steam and it felt good to be able to just cut loose and behave like a teenager again. Alas all good things come to an end and we had to get the train back, so after a random stop off in a very local pub for local people we ended back in Luton and one of our old haunts that's still standing The George II. Now this is what I would call a proper Luton boozer, not very classy but does the job and at 1am on a Sunday morning we were the only customers in there, so to relieve our glory days properly there was only one song that could be played........The Hindu Tiimes. After a drunk goodbye it was time to head back to my hotel.

The next day was also very much needed, a catch up with Emma, we message each other on an almost daily basis about anything and everything but it's always great to catch up in the flesh and time just flies by when we're together. She's also very much on my wavelength and gets me in ways not many people do, apart from my love of wrestling which she can't get her head around! A short walk, because of the weather, a trip to the cinema to see Cold Storage, as side not isn't it weird that Liam Neeson, who took on one of the biggest roles in cinema history in one of the most dramatic films ever in Schindlers List is now in these sorts of films? I find it a bit random to say the least! Right I'm back in the room, a beautiful carvery at a small pub and that was me done.

So lets examine it, something history based check, theatre show, check, wonder around and potter about London, check, Good food, check. Great conversation, check.....what more could a man ask for?

It was exactly what I needed and the batteries are well and truley recharged ready for the scans and medical stuff that are coming up, since I've been back people have said how happy I appear and I am. Knowing that I've got some great friends who if I'm ever feeling down I can count on to drag me through it and perk me up no end. So that's the moral of this entry, The Beatles were right you'll get by with a little help from your friends. Trust me I know.