Road Trip Day 5...Don't Post when you are Pi**ed

Picadilly Gardens

Last night was the last night on this course for the entire surviving 23 Mediation Trainees; and predictably we started drinking as guests of our lecturers at 5.15pm. 2 pretty large glasses of wine later, and after a quick shower and change, and via a further stop in the hotel bar we headed out to sample the delights of Manchester's night life.

I have concluded that I'm probably too old for a night out like this particularly on a Monday. Our little band (actually there was about 12 or 14 of us) were aiming for some swanky trendy restaurant, but hey this is Manchester so no sooner had we got out onto the street then the heavens opened. We couldn't possibly get wet so we dived into the nearest doorway which just happened to be a Wetherspoons bar (how did we manage that?) We couldn't shelter in there for free so a further round of drinks was ordered.

We made a dash through the rain soaked streets to some  (allegedly) Danish restaurant where for some bizarre reason we all ordered Italian dishes and of course more drink......When we eventually paid the bill and left the restaurant I diverted into the loos,  there's only so much beer you can take really, now maybe I encountered a temporal anomaly in the toilet because I emerged to discover I was Billy no mates and everyone had buggered off. (There was undoubtedly a subliminal message to me in this but I was too thick skinned for the penny to drop)

A quick skirt of Picadilly gardens yeilded no sightings of a large group of mainly middle aged (sorry Dan and Graham) drunken lawyers, so I made my way back to my temporary home, via the course hotel bar, as I arrived back at my hotel I received a text asking where I was and with the assistance of technology (an Iphone and Google maps) eventually met up with the crew in a very trendy bar in Deansgate. I was a bit concerned that British Gas Flip Flops would be acceptable dress code footwear but I managed to persuade the bouncer that they were an essential 2011 fashion item.

So to cut to the title, we were eventually thrown out of the bar and on reaching home I decided that it would be a good idea to post this morning's blog (which of course by then was yesterday morning's blog.) I merrily tapped out my thoughts and eventually fell into bed.

On returning from training this morning, I sat down and read last night's ramblings which were completely incomprehensible and made even less sense than I normally do. I was forced  to do some serious amending to retain what journalistic integrity I have (and it all sounded so good last night.)  So if you are one of the 49 people who managed to read yesterday's rubbish, I can only apologise and say sorry and it does make slightly more sense now.....and I have learned the lesson that you shouldn't post when you're pi**ed.

A second gentle paddle and recovery set saw me through a very leisurely 2.4 kilometres this morning.

3 x 400 @ 7 mins up swim breath  every 6 strokes, down drill

5 x 200 @ 3.45 pull with paddles breathing every 6

200 swim down

2400 total