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 Liverpool
Weekend - Grand Birthday Bash
Date: 22-24 January 1999
Location: Liverpool, UK
Written by Jan Berrington
 Well
what a weekend! Originally scheduled
to be the second Gary Barlow Fans Convention - lack of interest, apathy
and generally no Gary around meant that we had to cancel! However,
several fans decided "well let’s have a weekend away anyway!”.
We realised later that we
should have just altered plans instead of fully canceling because
fans who we had told we were canceling said that if they had known
we were going ahead with a weekend away then they still would have
come!!
Anyway, 6 “up for it” fans,
plus one Jan Berrington decided to come along, including Trine from
Denmark and Inge from Holland. This is our story!
Thursday, 21 January
1999
Yep, I know this is the day
before but that is when Trine arrived from Denmark! Having been
duly collected from Manchester Airport by my long-suffering Alf,
we took Trine along to my rnum's (GB FANS hostess with the mostest).
where Trine would be staying along with Inge and me, leaving Alf
and the kids to fend for themselves!
Trine is one of our Co-ordinators
in Denmark. It was the first time we had met, though we correspond
regularly, and also phone each other up! We got on really well and
knew we were about to have a great weekend - she has the same mad
sense of humour as me and my family!! LOL
Friday. 22 June 1999
Trine and I left spent the
morning looking round local shops. Trine sampled the delights of
a Sayers sausage roll (sausage in flaky pastry) and a hot Eccles
cake (currants in flaky pastry). We then went along to Liverpool
Airport to meet Inge off her plane.
We arrived at the airport
at 1.30 p.m. (Inge's plane was due to arrive at 1.45 pm). However,
as is always the case when Berrington is involved, something happens
to cock things up! Inge's plane was held up at Amsterdam due to
fog!!! We waited at the airport for another two hours (partaking
of sweets. fizzy drinks. more sweets) and finally the plane arrived.
As neither Trine nor I had ever met Inge (nor even seen a picture
of her) you can imagine the scene at the airport!
 We
were looking at all the girls coming off that flight, one or two
we thought "Oh God, we hope that’s not her! ". Finally, she
came through the doors and said "Hello", then burst into conversation
which continued during our journey from the airport back to my mum's!
Now people have said that
I could chat for England, but Inge - Boy, she could talk for the
UN! (hehehe, only joking Inge!). All three of us got on really well
- no language barrier whatsoever as both girls spoke English very
well, much better than me in fact! The only time we had problems
was when 1 spoke!! LOL
Having settled Inge in the
twin room willi Trine, we all sat down to a hearty meal prepared
by my mum (I really do have a mum in a million). After dinner we
sat around and watched a video Inge had compiled of Gary in Holland.
Pretty soon it was 9.30 p.m. and time to watch "Parkinson". All
three of us were glued to the tv screen. with a video tape in the
VCR (I also had Alf at home taping it and my two sisters too,
so that each of us had a copy).
Gary came on towards the end
of the programme (last guest) and performed his new song (later
to be his new single) called "Stronger". We thought Gary
looked really well and the song was excellent. After the show we
played the video back a couple of times and chatted about how we
thought it went
Saturday, 23 January
1999
Early start to the day. beginning
with cooked breakfast - again thanks to my wonderful mum (Betty).
After breakfast we headed for the delights of Liverpool and
SHOPPING!
 We
went to Albert Dock where we all had our picture taken with
heart-throb Fred the ITV's Weatherman's Map in the background ("This
Morning with Richard & Judy" fans will understand, though
it beats me!). We then went in and out of all the little
shops along the dock, stopping for a fish and chips lunch in one
of the cafes - very nice it was too! Inge and Trine decided
to have their palms read in an automatic machine and then bullied
yours truly into sitting with them to have a cartoonist draw us!
While we were at the Dock
we called in at the Tourist Information shop and bought three tickets
for the Magical Mystery Tour Bus (thank you Trine for my ticket).
Having lived in Liverpool all my life I had never sampled the delights
of the Magical Mystery Tour, but I now know a lot more about my
city's famous sons than I did before. At 2.30 p.m. we mounted
the coach and were promptly introduced to our driver (Eddie) and
our Tour Guide (Ted) - I think those were their names, Inge could
tell you better, she really got on very well with one of them (old
enough to be her grandfather Hehehehe .... Only joking again Inge).
The tour was excellent and
we can really recommend it, though don't take me along with you
because it turns into the Life Story of Jan Berrington on the way,
round! It turns out that a lot of things regarding the
Beatles happened right on my door step and I never knew. Places
I knew and had been to, so had they. We finally turned
up at Paul McCartney's old home in Forthlin Road (about 5 minutes
walk from my mum's).
 We
told Eddie and Ted that we would not go back to the city with them
cos we only lived around the corner and time was pressing on - it
was 4.30 p.m. and we had to get ready to be out of the house and
back in Liverpool by 6.30 p.m. to meet up with the others for our
night out! We said our farewells to all on the bus and began to
walk back. As we walked the bus went passed and honked at
us!! We turned round and there were our fellow passengers waving
to us!
We got back and got washed.
dressed and made up very quickly. We were out on time and got the
bus back to Liverpool, arriving at The Antrim Hotel to meet Juliet,
Wendy, Lesley and Jackie (all from Manchester). We had a quick
drink in the bar and then left for Bucca di Bacco Restaurant.
where we all enjoyed freshly cooked Italian meals.
The girls from Manchester
and I already knew each other, having attended the November Dinner
in Manchester, but it was the first time Trine and Inge had met
such strange folk but they all got on really well. The girls
from Manchester are a great gang, full of fun and hide their age
very well (all over the age of 30 by the way). We had a great
meal and Wendy won the signed picture of Gary.
After
the dinner we went on to THE CAVERN Club, which is built on the
site of the original CAVERN, where The Beatles started. When we
arrived it was pretty quiet but there was an excellent DJ and disco
so we all grabbed our drinks from the bar, planted them on a table
and boogied away on the dance floor). We even got him to play
Could It Be Magic and Relight my Fire.
Pretty soon the Club started
filling with all the young ones in their very skimpy outfits, it's
a wonder they didn't all get pneumonia! (hehehe, I'm only jealous!)
There we were dancing amongst all these young ones, who were
looking at us as though we were mental! How right they were!
Inge was amazed that I knew the steps to all the BSB, 5ive
and other bands songs .... Well I do like all sorts of music and
I love to party and dance!
 Trine
was getting tired by this time, poor baby ....... She was the baby
of the party (as she kept reminding us), the majority of us being
over 30 except for Inge who is 20 something, Trine is 19! At
about 11.45 p.m. Juliet decided she had had enough and wanted to
get back to the hotel for a late drink in the bar! Juliet
is younger than me!! Just hasn't got the stamina that girl. So off
we went, walking through the streets of Liverpool city centre, some
of us singing (I think that's what it was) and some admiring Lesley's
Winnie the Pooh tatoo on her shoulder!
We got to the hotel only to
find the bar closed, so no nightcap. A taxi was called for Trine,
Inge and I, and we said our farewells. We had a great night and
we were all looking forward to meeting up again sometime in the
future. We will all be meeting again on the December Tour.
Sunday, 24 January 1999
Trine, Inge and I again went
to Liverpool, this time for some last minute shopping. Inge
almost emptied Tesco's shelves of all the Bachelors Noodles Can't
get them in Holland apparently. She is a big shopaholic too!
In and out of stores like mad! Big stop at Virgin Mega Store and
HMV to see what Gary or TT videos they could get!
 We
had lunch in St John's Precinct (do you get the feeling we seemed
to eat a lot over this weekend?) Inge was still busy taking
photos of us. Trying to get some incriminating evidence we think!
Just look at my face!! Then it was back out to the shops.
We soon had to be heading
back to my mum's because today was the day when Trine was to go
home.
As our car couldn't fit us
all Alf took Trine to Manchester Airport. Inge and I waved
her off from my mum's driveway and hoped she could come back soon!
In the evening Inge and I
went to the cinema. We saw "Meet Joe Black", starring Brad Pitt.
I am now a really big Brad Pitt fan, oh what a hunk!
However, Inge didn't agree, her comment was "he hasn't got as
good a set of pecs as Jason though has he?". "He'll do for
me though Inge," I said! (hehehe) Inge was a bit disappointed
that the film did not have English subtitles!?'.'? I quickly pointed
out that as the film was in English (or America's version of it)
and that we were actually in England, this was hardly surprising!!
(hehehehe. poor Inge).
We both agreed it was a very
good film though and we highly recommend it folks, just make sure
you take a box of hankies with you!
Monday, 25 January 1999
 Unfortunately
1 had to go back to work on the Monday. Inge's flight wasn't
until the afternoon. so my mum very kindly stepped in and offered
to take Inge around the cathedrals and museums during the morning.
The picture you see here is Inge sitting on a sculpture of travel
bags and the window on the left hand corner of the building behind
her is my office. Inge, having no sense of time or urgency
was very nearly late for her plane ride home! However, mum saw she
was alright and packed her off in a taxi to the airport!
Thank you so much to all who
attended the weekend, I certainly had a wonderful time. Trine
and Inge, thank you for coming so far to spend a great few days
together. I am really looking forward to us meeting up again
in December!
Juliet, Lesley, Wendy and
Jackie - thank you once again for coming - what a great night
we had!
Special thanks finally to
my mum, Betty, for letting us stay over and for putting up with
our madness - You are the best!
Jan xxx
End
of Report
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