We arrived at Londons Kings Cross a minute EARLY, three cheers for British Rail. A quick trip to the subway and we found our way on to the tube. Good news awaited us as they were undergoing repairs on the circle line, right where we wanted to go, so we had to start hopping about on and off trains. We soon got confused AND lost.
At this point Geoff and Dave were getting a little bit worried cos the Tower demo was due to start in a little over ten mins time and WE were somewhere under ground AND we couldn't even find Kensington High Street let alone the venue.

At last we found the venue and walked straight in (Geoff knows the management y'know). With no time to look round we headed down to the basement and Geoff and Dave got their tools out (calm down you rude people). While they got ready to do the biz, I headed orf for coffee.
As part of our involvement, Dave and Geoff were supposed to show the millions how to rip open a 1200, Unpack a tower, and throw in the motherboard and floppy. Everything else was to be done by someone else. As it happens, we all had ago and put the whole lot together. It didn't go as planned and took two days instead of one. Still the guy from Preston who won it went home happy.

At around 1400 Chris, Bob, Dianne and myself left the show to go and check into the college. London is a big place innit? We went right instead of left. Back instead of forward. Lost again. After calling at a hair dressers and Dixons we found ourselves in the right area. Lost again we flagged down a taxi and asked for directions. A bit pissed that he didn't get a fare he told us where to go. Check in and back to the show. This time we go by tube. You would think after going by tube we'd know the way wouldn't you? Nope. Got on the wrong train again. Well it was hot y'know.
As day one of the show draws to a close we get ready for the seminar. Geoff and Chris have popped back to the college. The rest of us head up to the seminar only to be told by a jobsworth "No passes. No entry". After a long and frantic search we finally get the required pieces of paper and get in. Geoff and Chris arrive and along with what must have been 100+ people are left waiting for the seminar to start in the hallway. Sweating. Finally the doors open and we all fly in. It was my full intention to make notes and post them on here. However, it lasted for nearly two hours and my shorthand is not that good. Still if you buy Amiga Format next month you should be able to here the transcript.

After throwing the bags back in our rooms we head out to explore South Kensington. Food is first on the agenda. Either we are unlucky or someone really hates us, but we find a burger and chicken place with staff from another world.
Food over with we look for a pub. There ain't that many round here. Still we find one that does Guinness, so Daves happy.

Day 2.
To say I didn't get much kip on the Friday, and I was up till after 0100 on the Sat/Sun, I'm up and about at 0700 looking for coffee. The rest finally surface around an hour later and we head off for food. Well, I thought the offering was first class. "help yourself" said the man. So we did. Two of everything!! Paul even went for more.
Show starts at 0930 and we are supposed to be doing part two of the tower, still got part one to do mmmm, so it's off to the tube again. We must have mastered it by now cos we didn't get lost. Tower one finally gets done despite a few cock ups, Paul blew up an interface, and the sodding hdrive wouldn't prep. Still it got sorted in the end. The other one went as is. To Italy. Shows over and we head off back North to play with our newly purchased toys.

The trip was totally satisfying, if not tiring. Roll on next year and we can do it again. I've already got �10.00 saved towards the Ateo bus and gfx card. Anyone else going?