Get woken up from a deep slumber in me bunk by the TM.
"We're flying to London"
It's 05:30 AM, that's in the morning like! Stick my head out of the bunk curtain to look out the front window of the bus. We're still at T in the Park. Our tour bus is broken. Bollocks! And that was the best 4 hours kip I've had on that bus too!
Jump out of the bunk, OK not quite jump, more fall out, and start to get dressed. Des and Gor are retrieving the stuff from the trailer that the band need in Thailand. Danny's helping. I pull on my fleece and go and assist.
A 16 seat minibus appears. There's 16 of us, band and wives and crew, all our bags, and 3 guitars, and two IEM briefcases. Mmm, tight. So off we set to the airport. What's going to happen next to the intrepid crew!
It's 07:30 AM, still in the morning. We're at Glasgow station, dropping of Rick and pregnant Jo for a train home. Gary, the ever caring TM, disappears into the station to see them on the train. He's gone for what seems like ages while we sit and wait in the minibus. Gary reapears, running!! Much too energetic for this time of the morning! Onwards! To the airport!
07:40 AM, very much still in the morning. Glasgow airport. We do the checkin malarky thing. Up north crew and band are on the 08:10 to somewhere up north. The London crew and band are on the 09:30 to London. I'm part of the London crew, even though I live over 40 miles out side. Oh well. Time for the morning dump, and then some brekkie!
Milky get's a "Travel Bar" as we finish breakfast. Milky, Milky, you ARE old fashioned and that information is NOT required. Boarding occurs at abot 09:15. Gary falls asleep as soon as we are airborne. Poor dear has been up all night. Head forward on the seat back in front, he dribbles slightly from the left hand side of his mouth. He dreams about Danny's ears exploding when the In Ears are too loud in Thialand. Gary's the only crew member going with the band on the jaunt down east. So that'll be TM, FOH, monitors, lamps, AND guitars then. Have fun.
10:30 AM. Disembark. Gary mentions that my bum looks really good in my jeans. Milky immediately gets another Travel Bar. Gary starts to dribble again. I leave the real London contingent at the luggage carousel. Gary looks like death warmed up. I'm expecting a call from Thialand when he needs some IEM advice. That's if Gary's mobile works out there, as it doesn't anywhere else. Have 20 minutes to wait for a bus to Woking. That's Woking, 30 miles outside London.
11:25 the bus is 5 minutes late. 11:30, the bus is 10 minutes late. 11:35 the bus is 15 minutes late. 11:38, hurrah, the bus arrives. Next stop Woking. Er, next stop the carpark that is the M25. Get a few odd looks from the other passangers on the bus. Must be something to do with not having had a shower since Saturday morning, and my boots being covered in mud from T in the Park.
Woking station. 12:09. Next train home is 12:16 platform 4. I wonder if South West trains are going to be better at keeping to their timetable than RailAir busses?
12:14:39! Wow, early.
12:43 Home at last. I had expected it to be raining on the 5 minute walk from station to house, but no, the gods of rock and roll kept it sunny so my trusty Embrace poncho wasn't required.
What a glamourous live style us crew types lead, eh! |
