CMBuckley.co.uk :: Blog :: Nights Out

I went on holiday this weekend to Pickering with my parents and Geoff and Gwen. Okay, it’s not that far away — one might argue that it’s not a holiday if the Coastliner goes past the camp site — but we had a really great time, despite the rain on Friday!

While we were there, we went to the Dalby Forest to check out Bridestones, a small set of bouldering problems about 5 minutes’ walk from the forest drive. We didn’t even try to get Geoff on Go Ape, having failed at getting him to go on the jet boat out of Whitby harbour!

View pictures of the holiday

We got back yesterday, and in the evening I went over to the Angel. A large number failed to turn up for a number of reasons; shame on you! Congratulations to Caitlin for turning up for once! We had a rather feeble go at the quiz, and after the Angel shut we went over to the Queen — the first time I’d been. Imagine a Wetherspoon’s about as large as a living room and you’d be pretty close…

Well, that’s it. I’m back for good. It feels very strange to think I won’t be going back to Durham again! That’s not entirely true; I’ll be back for the start of next term to sort out the changeover of the HBMC, and then there’ll be Claire and my graduation in January, but it won’t be the same!

So much has been going on since I last posted — in fact, that’s why I haven’t had chance to post. Since then, we’ve had the Summer Ball, which was a bit of a washout, but still managed to be a great laugh if only for the people there; there was a rather drunken Going Down Formal that ended up in Walkabout; also paintballing and, of course, the respective graduations.

It took me three car trips to get all my stuff back home. For those of you who couldn’t believe I have that much stuff, remember that I took up a trailer in second year, and have since taken more and more stuff each time I’ve gone back. Take a look at the photo if you don’t believe me!

Now that I’m back, it’s time for the usual — Angel? Check! Jinnah? Tonight!

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me…

Helen, Caroline and I went to see the third film this evening. If you didn’t like either of the first two, don’t go see this one. Mind you, that’s because you’re a lost cause; they were both excellent, and this one was a great finish to the trilogy!

Convoluted? Difficult to follow? Pah. If you know the characters well enough, then the complexity only makes the film better. There’s not as much comedy in this as there was in the previous two, but it had its moments: from the recoil of Marty’s gun to Jack’s miniature pirate ship, this film is everything I could have wanted!

I want to be a pirate!

Best couple of days ever…

Nick spotted return flights to Dublin from Ryanair for 1p — how could we miss out on that! Andy, Pete, Nick, Jay, Mark and I went over from Newcastle on Tuesday evening, stayed at Isaac’s hostel for a night and spent two of the best nights out around Temple Bar! A night out over there is a little expensive, but for the transport and accommodation costs we couldn’t complain!

The second morning, having vacated the hostel and dumped our bags at a 24-hour Internet café, we went over to the Guinness Storehouse — the brewery and museum with the best view of Dublin, from their panoramic bar five floors up! And a free pint of Guinness included!

I’ll need to steal Pete’s pictures, though, as my camera battery failed on the plane over there…

So much stuff going on!

We had Aimee’s birthday last week, then I went down to Norfolk for my Dad’s birthday, and when I returned Vinny came up with his bike, I managed to break mine, and we’ve been out for a number of end-of-exam drinks! We had the end-of-term party at college, then there was poker, and yesterday was the annual Bacchanalia beer festival at college, then there’s either Caroline’s house party tonight, or there’s cheap entry at the Grosvenor in Newcastle tonight!

The only problem with so much going on is that I always have to feel so bad for missing so much stuff!

This weekend, Hannah and JC have been up to Durham — JC to disturb his brother’s revision, and Hannah to return a book to our library. We met up in the Swan & 3 (where else) on Friday, JC having made it down this time; last time having not gone so well!

We headed from there to Jimmy Allen’s, where Andy almost managed to trick me out of a tenner on a drinking bet… thankfully he didn’t specify the rules well enough and I avoided the loss! After JA’s we went to Lloyds, where I apparently bought JC a “bad pint…” That’s his excuse, at least!

View pictures of the evening

The plan for the next day? JC spent hours of Friday night repeating Saturday’s plan to Hannah, and then he forgot! We watched the rather disappointing FA Cup Final, although it was good to see a packed new Wembley Stadium (89,826 to be exact, less than 200 vacant seats)! In the evening we planned to go to Shaheen’s, our usual haunt, but even after booking it was so busy that we decided to try out a Chinese restaurant we’d never even seen before (New Kwai Lam) — it was very nice!

Some good food and a few Tsingtaos later and we headed to Wetherspoons to finish off a top weekend!

We went to see Spider-Man 3 for Jay’s birthday today. I’ve seen the second, and really enjoyed it. This one, I must admit, was no different — despite warnings from critics and friends alike that “there’s too much going on.”

One thing, though — I’m sure it’s tongue-in-cheek, or at least I hope it is — but I did find it rather daft that when ol’ Spidey wins back the public, there’s a huge American flag? I’ve read that the same thing was done in a more subtle way in the first film, and apparently so much more so in the second that I don’t remember it. But was that necessary? Come on!

In addition, the symbiote seems to turn him in to Gerard Way. Anyone else notice that? Oh, apparently they did.

Always a great day, and this one was no exception!

Not wanting to start with the provided champagne breakfast, as it was a little early, we had our own — much better in my opinion! Pains au chocolat, croissants and éclairs were among the breakfast, as well as the obligatory champagne and Buck’s Fizz!

After the food, we headed to Chase for a a drink before the bar and marquee opened. Just time for a bounce on the bouncy castle though — including a joint effort that saw me somersault over the back! Wish I’d managed to film it! Once in the marquee, the buffet was huge, and had some great choices — had to go hunting for the prawns though!

No-one was drinking the red wine, so it was left to me to be “forced” into downing a number of glasses (very elegant). Then the white dried up and everyone was made to join me!

We all relaxed after lunch, mostly to let all the food go down, and then a quick play on the inflatables again before we headed into the bar for some drunken pool…

And to finish off the evening, I went up the Bailey to find a few of the old Gables crew in 24’s! A great day, and a salute to the best college!

You can also view the pictures.

It’s good to be back up here. When I got back we went for a drink at Wetherspoons, where Reg showed off his new back piercings — and Lara managed to slap them as she left! Then Monday night: the first day of term, Collingwood’s fund raiser at Walkabout, and St George’s Day — so many reasons to have a few (many) drinks! And tonight, some live metal/harcore music at Bar19, thanks to Helen and Chris! All in all, a great few days.

View pictures of Monday

The weather was just right for the party (mainly for Rob’s 18th, but not far from Tex’s 21st). A couple of 9-gallon kegs from Wold Top Brewery and a hi-fi up on the banking topped off the afternoon! A game of killer table-tennis gave me my (apparently) inevitable injury as some of the garage clutter collapsed while running round…

A few more beers and it was time for the Grand National. Pretty much everyone had money on it in some form or other, even if it was only the sweepstake organised at the party. Tex’s mum came off best, placing a tenner on the 34–1 winner Silver Birch — I ended up with somewhat less…

It later cooled down enough for a few games of five-a-side out back, and then back in for me to show how awful I become at pool after a few drinks!

See the pictures for more of an idea.