King’s Lynn Plus

April 2008, and a record number of Kings Lynn Plus members headed down to sunny Weston-Super-Mare (Brean Sands) for the second-biggest Plus party weekend of the year. Second-biggest, but no less fun certainly.

Bands, disco, caravan parties, real ale trip to Bath, murder mystery – Brean 2008 had it all. Sleep – well I certainly didn’t get much of that! Being the first big Plus event of the year after the AGM, it was also a great opportunity to catch up with people we don’t get to see very often.

What a great start to the party season – here’s looking forward to the KL Plus mid-summer party, and WASH 25, amongst others – and preparations are well in hand for both. Not long to go now (frighteningly!!)

Christine T

Its been a while since we last updated the blog, and Christmas has come and gone.  The Christmas meal at Freebridge Farm was a success, most enjoyable with some interesting “secret santa” presents being unwrapped – I’m sure Glyn was thrilled with his present of some ladies’ toiletries!!  Likewise the New Years Eve party, this time at Dawn and Paul’s, was quite an event.

Group and WASH AGM/elections are now both completed, and the job of planning both the 2008 group summer do, and WASH 25 will shortly begin in earnest.  The monthly walks have already resumed in January, with a quick blast round Glinton in Peterborough finished with a pretty good sunday roast at the pub.

Greyhound racing was the event last week, with several people leaving the track slightly poorer than when they arrived, although our usual main entertainment in this regard had a previous engagement and couldn’t make it – never mind Keith, think of the money you’ve saved!

We have also welcomed a couple of new members in the last few months, Lucy joined us totally afresh, although it turns out she knows a previous member about whom we were pleased to hear news, and Nikki has defected from Redbridge group after meeting our Phil at WASH last year.

Programme planning is the current activity, and hopefuly I will be able to post a new programme onto the website shortly, to include such events as the National AGM, Brean 08, more walks, and details of our normal weekday meetings. 

All in all, lots to look forward to in 2008.

Christine T

OK, so its a bit late to be blogging about WASH, as it was at the beginning of November, but better late than never!

Personal Highlights (as many as I can remember!):

Everyone (almost) dressed up for “formal Friday”.
Getting chance to relax and watch a video in the chalet in between booking-in duties!
Mulled wine on the land-train (and making every single trip!)
Chris & Lara’s caravan party.
Fancy dress on Saturday – such a variety of costumes!

The quiz on Sunday , first time we’ve run it ourselves and it seemed to go down well – particularly the “knob” song titles.
Singing “it must be knob” whilst Badness where performing.

The blackjack game in Andy & Emma’s chalet on Sunday night.
THE COMPANY OF FRIENDS ALL WEEKEND, some of whom we don’t see too often.

Looking forward to next year, WASH 25, and reading the comments in the suggestions box on Monday .

Bad Points:
erm………….going home on Monday?!!

I’ve no argument with the name of the event, they don’t come much madder than this one!

The weekend started for us on Friday night, heading over to MK after work. After checking in, the rest of Friday night was spent in the bar next door to the hotel chatting and making acquaintance with some of our fellow “mad” weekenders.

Saturday started with a good breakfast in the pub, although we were careful not to eat too much as the first activity was “Airkix”, the indoor skydiving experience. The last thing you want re-circulating in the wind tunnel is your bacon and eggs (or in my case porridge)! The Airkix was the least physically demanding of the activities over the weekend but one hell of an experience and the bit I was most nervous about. After some instruction and, a dry run to practice our positions in front of an audience which caused some hilarity, we each got two one-minute “flights” in the tunnel and experienced the feeling of freefall with the assistance of an instructor, remembering to smile for the camera occasionally. The outfits we were given for the session were not exactly the most flattering ever, Stephen made the point that we spend years trying to get rid of the “handles” on our hips, and then they go and give us a suit with them sewn in! Half asleep when I went in, I found it was the perfect way to wake yourself up on a Saturday morning!!

Lunch was a quick bite at the KFC, with the National Karting Competition scheduled for the afternoon. I’m not a karter, so I opted to book an extra-curricular ½ hour on the climbing wall in the Xscape centre instead. This is a 43 foot high wall made to look like a real rock-face, with bolted on holds. The wall area has a 1st floor viewing gallery but there is something distinctly odd about being halfway up a climb and still be at the same level as the spectators! After finishing there we headed off to the karting track where we were just in time to watch most of the semi-finals and the final of the competition.

Saturday night and most of us had a table booked at a tapas bar in the Xscape centre where Kirsty did her best to get us thrown out by blowing bubbles everywhere with the bottles of bubble mixture she’d brought with her!  Moving on from there the next stop was a pub with a live band who were pretty good. People drifted back to the hotel at varying times, we gave up at about 12.15, but apparently some stayed and went on to a nightclub, not getting to bed until around 2am. Nutcases!

Sunday morning and an early start to get to the Sno-Zone for some ski-ing lessons, indoors on real snow – how cool (literally)! Breakfast had to wait to be sure we got there on time, and at a hour at which I would normally hope to be still laying in bed thinking about getting up, I was on the ski-slope trying to stay upright! I’ve not been downhill ski-ing before, so was booked in for the beginners’ lesson. I only fell over once in the hour long session, unfortunately that was actually while I was standing still waiting for my turn to come round. The biggest challenge for me being trying to get off the travelator back onto the slope which is much easier said than done! All too soon our hour was over. Breakfast at Wetherspoons followed and was very welcome after working up a good appetite on the ski-slope.

After checking out of the hotel and some relaxation time at the pub next door, we headed off for the last activity of the weekend, the Aerial Extreme. For me at least, the most taxing activity of the weekend physically and mentally. Basically it is an assault course (think along the lines of the Krypton factor) but at a higher level – rope swings, seesaws, climbing walls and balancing logs in the air. You are on a safety line at all times so in no danger of falling very far, but somehow that doesn’t make it much less scary. Jumps from one platform to another at a distance that wouldn’t bother you if they were at ground level, suddenly become much more difficult!  Once the first level was completed we had to make the decision whether to carry on to the next, higher and slighly more difficult level, I joined Stephen, Tim, Matt and Rich on that one.  At the end, the others opted for the quick descent by jumping off the tower on the end of a rope with a speed restrictor. I went for the slower method of the stairs, strangely enough needing an instructor to accompany me for safety reasons!

That just about wrapped up the weekend for us all. Despite the aches and pains, I am already looking forward to next year.

I’ve lumped both of these events together in one blog as they happened in very quick succession – the railway day on the Sunday, followed by an evening meeting in Hunstanton on the Monday.

What can I say about the railway other than what a great day out!  I may be slightly biaised though as railways (steam or otherwise) have always been “my thing” although not quite to the train spotter extent you may be pleased to hear!

A combination of pubs, walking and trains – with a chinese meal on a boat thrown in for good measure.  The train even had a bar – result – although the effect on the beer of being driven up and down the track for some time was quite interesting…

Some of us did the whole trip from one end of the line to the other, some got off at Wansford station to look around the gift shop/tea room/yard.  A mixture of steam and diesel trains pulling a set of carriages that takes you back to your childhood!  The only downside being the weather (slightly warm/muggy but dry) which changed drastically when we reached Ferry Meadows.  The idea was to indulge in either a bit of walking or a kite flying session there but the heavy rain put paid to both those ideas and about an hour was spent sheltering in/around the tea rooms instead!

Hunstanton on Monday evening continued that theme of being extremely wet – fish and chips in the car for some (and we even tried a deep fried Mars Bar for the first time), others went in search of food at a more undercover venue!  On to the arcades, where it was a close thing between Stephen and myself for the highest score at the “Bowlingo” (sort of a cross between 10 pin bowling and skittles) until Keith pulled a storming last frame out of the bag and trashed the lot of us!

Fruit machines, and the two penny “pushers” (my favourite) were the order of the day after that, and when everyone had had enough (or run out of money) we adjourned to the Ancient Mariner for a J20 or two.

And I don’t believe it stopped raining for one second of the evening….does anyone really believe it is August?

Christine T

Its a bit of a misnoma ‘Ten Pin Bowling’, as this insinuates that all TEN pins are meant to fall, which simply not the case, with one or two notable exceptions!

 9 of us gathered about an hour or so before kick off to take on food for the evnings events and amazingly the rest sauntered in on time.

We had a total of 17 bowling on three lanes and 3 watched, so there was lots of healthy competition (and heckling!)  The ‘dark horse’ of the evening was Alan, who is the complete opposite of the archetypal American bowling expert.  I suspect it may have something to do with the fact that he has a sound technique and does not drink.

It was nice to see our three potential new members taking part and enjoying ourselves.  We have always been proud of how we make newcommers feel welcome and we are obviously doing something right as they are all joining.

 Paul C – Activities Officer

A bit of a mouthful as a title for an event goes, but for a party planned to start on Friday the 13th, the Halloween bit seemed appropriate!

The weekend started around 2.30ish on Friday afternoon, with the pitching of tents and unloading of cars, somehow the afternoon just flew by and suddenly it was time to do the fast food order.  Amazingly the local chinese didn’t flinch at nearly a £100 order, and had it ready in just 1/2 hour – with a further £60 being spent at the pizza house!  Karaoke, a bit of a dance, and then the party games started!  Pass the parcel with “trick or treat” forfeits, giant jenga, giant twister, apple bobbing………..I think all helped along with a little alcohol……!!!!!

Saturday saw a trip to the largest beer warehouse in England, which was just down the road.  They stock an amazing variety of beers, largers and ciders, along with a fairly good selection of spirits and glassware.  A discount had been negotiated, but even with this I think a fair amount of money may have been spent there! 

Some headed off for the National Rounders Competition in the afternoon, held at The Walks in the town, others stayed to sample the beer and prepare for the evening Barbeque.

Drinks were drunk, BBQ food was cooked and eaten, we had visitors from all over the place, including Cleethorpes, the West Midlands and Hampshire and it was a good chance to meet some new faces, and catch up on all the gossip with the familiar ones.

Karaoke followed barbecue, disco followed karaoke, and more jenga was played – did I mention the fancy dress?  No, well I think the photos will speak for themselves – amazing how rough you can make yourself look with a bit of make up and some funny teeth (who said I usually look that rough!).

It was all over far too quickly, as these things usually are.  Roll on next year!

Christine T

On a Tour de France theme this year, due to it being on the same day as the start of that event, several teams headed off on foot around London answering questions and looking out for landmarks that we had briefly (60 seconds?) been shown at the start!

Well I’ve never been a particularly fast walker so the pace of this one came as a bit of a shock – the timescale left us no time for dawdling around sightseeing, but we did visit some particularly scenic parts of London, taking in St James’ Park and Palace, The Mall, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, The Strand, to name just a few, plus some interesting parts that you wouldn’t normally see if you did the normal tourist type routes.  We saw the English home of tea (Twinings in the Strand), a strange white cube shaped building (aparently a work of art in its own right) somewhere near the London School of Economics, and the fountains at Somerset House (home of the dreaded Inland Revenue).  Actually when I said we saw the fountains, we actually walked right through the middle of them – most refreshing!! 

The treasure hunt began and ended on a boat on the Thames opposite the London Eye, which was most scenic as dusk fell and the lights came on.

The results of the Treasure Hunt, as far as our team went were disappointing, but that certainly didn’t spoil the day.  No-one quite had the energy for the nightclub on the boat afterwards, however!

Christine T

So who fancies themselves as a would-be Robin Hood?  Well that would be just me then!  Despite my only experience of archery being a couple of taster days, one while I was still at school and another on a Plus holiday years ago, I headed over to Sutton Coldfield to try my hand in the competition.

Most of the afternoon was spent in tuition, and practice, and just as we thought we were getting the hang of things the competition started and they replaced our nice big targets with something half the size!!  Needless to say, my score wasn’t exactly impressive, but I thoroughly enjoyed the day and somehow despite my low score our team actually walked off with the trophy - in no small part due to Adam’s expertise with a bow.

Christine T

Bit short notice this one, as most of the best parties are, but Dave & Sherrie invited everyone to a pudding party at their place in Necton on the early May Bank Holiday Sunday, with a walk beforehand to work up an appetite and a sleep-over to recover!

Well of course when we found out it would clash with the Monacco F1 Grand Prix, arrangements were made to arrive slightly early so we could catch the action before using up too much energy.

The day came, puddings were made (some of us got a bit carried away trying out new recipes), overnight stuff packed and…….down came the rain!  Off I went to Swaffham, one less for the party already as my partner Stephen had to work, watched an extremely uneventful F1 race with a predictable result.  Phone calls were made and received as the day went on with the more sensible people not fancying walking in the rain!  Four of us were left by the time the walk started – it was ok, just a little light rain, right?

Wrong!  We got drenched!  Four miles in the pouring rain, trying to avoid the larger puddles – luckily on the whole our waterproofs held out, but thank god I packed a change of clothes anyway!  We soon all dried out, and the puddings were revealed with a few drinks to help things along!

Definition of heaven?  Well it could be going to a party where there are more puddings than people!!  We were certainly going to struggle, from memory I think we had a sort of parkin thing, a cherry sponge, a steam apricot pudding, rhubarb cheesecake tart, eton mess, lancashire cheese & apple cake – thats all I can remember but I know there were more, plus a pineapple and some chocolate – and of course Dave’s home-made custard – yum!!  Washed down with a good desert wine.

Certainly a small but select party, but one of the more memorable ones!

Christine T