Two Person Lock-In

Is I beautiful?

Ooooh, what a hangover I had this morning.

Last night was Lies' hen night at SoleLuna but I was meeting up with Cathryn beforehand so that we could go together.

I met her at the Goat & Gorilla, which is the pub inside the British Embassy. It's open every Thursday but you have to be on 'the list' to get in - i.e. know someone who works there. I'd never been on the list before, so this was my first time and I was extremely curious. Managed to get Jane to put me down - very kind of her.

So, you go into the Embassy grounds and it's right round the back. You wouldn't know it was there. It's a lawn with an under-cover bar, a BBQ, and a small seating area. It's fab. You buy tokens for either FRW 2,000 or 5,000 but the beer is incredibly cheap! It's FRW 750 for a small draft Mutzig (so I guess 1,500 for a large - it's 2,000/2,500 elsewhere) and whisky for FRW 500! And if the guy behind the bar likes you, the token never seems to run out. I think there may be room to park a tent on the lawn...

Really lovely atmosphere, very relaxed, and they even ring a bell for 'last orders' like back home :op The brochettes (fish and goat) are outstanding, too.

Giudi, Anja and Alicia's sister Sarah (who is here doing research) were there, and so were Kieran and his lady, Jane, and a few other faces I recognised. We drank rather a lot and then headed to SoleLuna.

Loads of people were there including Meg, Isadora, and Lies' friends and sister. Not often you sit down at a table surrounded by people you don't know and have such an excellent night. I was talking to Karen, who works for the UN department that Isadora's with, Brittany, who is one of Meg's volunteers, and another lady who used to work for Meg and now works in Uganda. They were a really good laugh and much fun was had by all.

When they eventually left, Cathryn and I decided to stay for one last beer and a catch-up. We were the only people there by this point and weren't sure if they'd serve us. But they did... and then left! All the staff went home :op

About twenty minutes later the lights went out!

So, we sat and finished our beer in the dark and then let ourselves out and got motos home! Really weeeird.

Today, I suffered slightly. Not as much as Cathryn, who had to get up at six to go to work. I just had to go to the bank then swing past Lies' for a final dreading session. Her family were all there and, whilst I took care of her hair, a guy gave her a manicure and pedicure whilst two women were drawing mendi patters on the bridesmaids' hands.

Afterwards, I came home and met up with D who had the Single Parents Network banner from Kampala - it's fantastic! Seriously excellent banner, can't wait to put it up at the stall and take some photos for the website :)

He's also got 500 flyers printed. Not bad, great to have something to hand out, but a few spelling and content issues I could have done without. Even though I'd given him the content he still changed a few things and there hadn't been time before he left to print a draft. It's really nothing major - I'm just a bit of a perfectionist with things like that. We'll correct it for the next batch. As I say, it's just excellent to have something to hand out. Not folded yet though, so I'll be busy each evening doing that until the event.

So, after he left I've just been prepping myself for tomorrow. Cathryn and I will be helping out with 'protocol' at the reception. We get to wear Rasta coloured mushananas! But it does mean being at Saint Paul's for 8am. Hence the face mask. Setting my alarm early to be ready for it. It's going to be an excellent day - the Deaf Intore troop will be performing. Hope to have some pictures eventually. Really looking forward to it.