One for Al

Review: Liverpool vs Bolton | Premier League | by LFCInRussia

Big Brother is Watching

Right let's see if I can master this blogging malarkey as it appears Hodges has embarrassed me by being able to post both a comment and a picture - although I'm beginning to get worried if that the kind of thing he looks at on the Internet!

So in an effort not to be out done I've decided to try and post our daily whereabouts via Google Earth - the first one, and it could be my last one depending on my level of success, is the proposed hotel The Excelsior


Now I'm informed that this is one of the better hotels in HK although having seen some of the comments on other sites I'm still to be convinced - then again a bed, shower, bar and restaurant is all that we need.

So that's it the first attempt over and done with - thank god I have just over 1 week to master this!!!!

The Hodge returns!

Back in Blighty after 2 weeks of sea, sun and greek lager. Managed to get down the gym a few times between beers so all pumped and tanned ready for HK....

Warm down in Liverpool

The Liverpool warm-up is now the Liverpool warm down, and it didn't go without incident for our HK bound personel. Meister mis-read the train time on his ticket with the result that at the time his carriage of choice left Euston he was still finishing his final lunchtime pint in the City. He did at least make it the same day though, unlike our errant Kiwi. John lost his ticket altogether only to find it too late to catch the train up on Friday. Using a series of unused return tickets, short hop tickets, and going via Bradford and Manchester John finally made it to Liverpool about an hour before the big game was due to start.

Probably the less said about the football the better. Expecting a goal fest and an easy three points against newly promoted QPR, the Everton fans were soon feeling their season was over after watching Rangers go one up in the first half then failing to convert a number of chances themselves. The ironic taunts of "That's why you're going down" from the QPR supporters elicited some quite graphic Anglo Saxon from the chaps around me.

Spirits were not however dampened too much and, after a meal and some misguided investments at the casino, the guys headed out for their third night of clubbing and dubious dancing emporiums. Old stagers as we are, Meister and I were a little more choosy, prefering a few pints in a proper pub and getting back to the hotel before cock-crow. For oldest teenager in town Kiwi it was a different story, as he joined the youngsters on the clubbing trail until the early hours. I had to politely decline when at 4.30am he phoned me to ask if I wanted to go back to the casino.

So along with Meister and Kiwi I have to thank Greg (our stag), Doug, Pete, Lars, Franny and Howard* for an excellent weekend in Liverpool as a warm up for HK.

*Please note that names have been changed in order to protect the guilty.

Warm up in Liverpool

Indulge me while I highjack the blog for a post, or maybe more, as Meister, Kiwi and myself are having a bit of a warm up at a mate's stag weekend in Liverpool. Unfortunately he's an Everton supporter so we're being dragged up to Lons country to see Moyes' boys take on the might of QPR, at least there should be some goals. The stag and the advance party arrived Thursday whilst I'm travelling Friday morning. Meister is coming up Friday afternoon and exactly what Kiwi is doing is anyone's guess. I guess he could be on this train, although I wouldn't know as I'm luxuriating in First Class, of course, taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi. It's a little annoying that we have a screaming kid nearby, clearly it's mother hasn't heard of the adage that children should be seen and not heard. Just seen a sign for a baby change facility, I might suggest she uses it and changes hers for a quieter one (joke courtesy of the Guinness & Gold Cup Blog) .
　

Introducing Don

With arrangements now in place I’m finally able to introduce you to an extra member of our party, Don (or Don the Donkey to give him his full name). Meister has dragged himself away from his butterfly collection and been down to Brighton beach to negotiate a pass for Don to join us in Hong Kong. Lons has been tapping up his underworld contacts in Liverpool and has come up with the industrial-strength laxatives we’ve been searching for. The final piece of the jigsaw was 100ft of strong rope with which to attach Hodge and our supplies for the Birthday Treat are complete.

Alan’s local knowledge will be invaluable in deciding which particular part of Hong Kong’s Main Street we send this delightful tableaux marauding down. There is still some debate over whether the recipient of the laxatives should be Hodge or Don, or indeed both.

 Clearly we are hoping that Hodge will see this as a ridiculous diversionary tactic to distract him from what we really have planned - don’t you just love double bluffs!

NB - Please note that TheHodgeBlog fully conforms with IFAW guidelines in respect of the use of animals for gratuitous entertainment activities.

A Wee Dram

Time for a further up-date from the Meister and very appropriate too given last night’s opportunity to engage in some decent whisky tasting. Albeit not a heavy session (for me), the Laphroaig (think that was a 12 year old?) was particularly smokey and went down very well after a few pints of the Landlord. Kiwi played his usual part in getting the barman to pour-out several ‘examples’ for us to sniff but which Clive took to be ‘tasters’ – thanks Clive! Hopefully, publication of Kiwi’s forthcoming book ‘Techniques for Getting Free Tasters’ will be delayed until after the boys hit the specialist bars in HK - we don’t want to give away ALL our secrets!

Butterflies & Beer

Bin an interesting day so far at Meister Towers and at last I have managed to 'get on the blog' - or is that 'on the beer'?

P.B.S.P.M.

Last night we braved the London riots and met up in the Cross Keys for an important Pub Based Strategic Planning Meeting (PBSPM). Well 5 of us did, Lons couldn’t make it. He claimed to be on holiday in Spain but I’m sure I saw him buying a new balaclava recently. Wonder if he could pick me up a new TV. It was a shame that Lons wasn’t there but they say it’s the thought that counts, and we all thought that even if he hadn’t been on holiday we probably wouldn’t have invited him anyway.

The PBSPM didn’t get off to a great start as none of us could be absolutely sure which day we were arriving in Hong Kong, or indeed which day we would be leaving. It’s this sort of organisation that could bring this venture to its knees quicker than the Klitschko brothers fighting a one-armed man.  No doubt everything will become clearer once we’ve been able to check the flight tickets.

We were however cheered by the news Alan had sent through that it was easy to arrange a trip to Macau. “We’ll just go over on the afternoon ferry and catch the 6am one back” he said, with the air of a man who had done exactly that many times before. I think I may have to step up my intensive conditioning programme for this trip. I’m already limiting myself to 10 pints a day, not sure how much further I can go.

Kiwi John shared his betting strategy with us and the usual debate ensued regarding his interpretation of the laws of probability and the fact that the house always wins. You don’t build somewhere like Macau or Vegas on punters winning! We did decide that we would probably adopt John’s betting strategy, but only if we were planning to get the 9pm ferry back and eat at McDonalds for the rest of the week. Otherwise we’d just trust to luck. 

what, a title< wonder what this does.

this is too bloody difficult, much easier to go out a grab a new pair of trainers or a tv.

The Magnificent Seven

The sad news reaches us that Paul isn't going to be able to make the trip. So, as pointed out by Lons, we will be the Manificent Seven (although I think we may need the wide angle lens to get us all in shot).

We will actually be seven and a bit as Don will be with us. I'll introduce you to Don later when we have finalised plans for Hodge's birthday treat.

Meet the Players

Let me introduce you to the intrepid travellers who will be setting out on this adventure around the 9th September.
　
Hodge - Our raison d'Hong Kong. Whereas most of us chose to celebrate our 50th with a few beers down the pub or a weekend away, Hodge has decided to do it in style. A frequent business traveller to Hong Kong so knows his way around.

Meister - When he celebrated his own 50th we went .....down the pub for a few beers. Specialist subjects whisky and Caribbean butterflies, usually in separate glasses.

John - His Kiwi roots give him his walkabout tendencies, unfortunately they haven't given him the same sense of direction and ability to stay awake. Least favourite place in the UK, Winnerish Triangle at midnight.

Pete - Elder statesman of the group and hopefully a calming influence. A veteran of the area having worked in China for a couple of years. We're relying on Pete to know where all the dodgy bars are, so that we can avoid them of course.

Alan - Will be our local guide as he's been working and living in Hong Kong for a number of years. We're relying on Alan to know where all the dodgy bars that Pete didn't find are, so that we can avoid them of course.

Lons - Professional scouser with an impressive hubcap collection. The baby of the group so he'll be the one running to the bar and back for the drinks. One of life's great mysteries is how Lons managed to amass enough brownie points for this trip.

Paul - Brother of Hodge and splits his time between the UK and Spain following the sun, so spends most of it in Spain. There's some doubt as to whether he's going to make it to Hong Kong but we're hoping so, if only to keep his younger sibling in some sort of order.

Clive - Me, myself and I at various points throughout this blog. Celebrated my own 50th last year, with Lons and Meister in Liverpool ....with a few beers down the pub. Beer lover and amateur travel writer, preferably writing about travelling to drink beer.

So, introductions over and we can now start the blog. You'll hopefully be hearing from most or all of the above over the coming weeks, well you might if I can work out how to give them permissions on this blog thing.