Saturday 27th June 1998 - Martin R's birthday
Liz and Ed wandered into Bussum in search of breakfast and water. It was
a long, long walk: did we really go down these streets the night before? The rest remained
crashed out, but eventually dragged themselves into the pool - this time with swimming
costumes on!
Several shopping trips into Bussum ensued, for nosh, beer & water, not to mention Helen's ongoing search for clogs. After a dive into the local supermarket for bananas and something for the following day's breakfast, the big kids among us disappeared into a large toy shop to stock up on essentials like aerobies, but a lack of communication and timing between the various shopping parties meant we ended up with two of them. Given the combination of Chris, two aerobies, a rugby ball and a fenced-in campsite fringed with trees, we should have foreseen the troubles that would lie ahead . . .
|
We spent the next hour amusing the Slovenians by spending very little time playing with the aerobies and the rugby ball, and a great deal of time trying to get them out of the trees, tents, nearby fields and indeed any other obstruction within range. |
Eventually, it was time for us to get into tournament mode, although Rob's continuing
non-appearance was now causing serious alarm. We called Rob, only to find that he had got
on a fast train out of Amsterdam instead of the slow train, and had overshot Bussum Zuid
and was now in Hilversum, the last point on the line. More instructions ensued . . .
Sara and Liz made up a revolting pink brew for all to imbibe, while the captain did his usual stint of inspiring the troops. Rob eventually arrived in the middle of the team talk, claiming a nightmare journey but looking pretty fine all the same, and proceeded to erect his tent with haste.
Ed,
meanwhile, was declining fast, and warned us all that his hangover wouldn't even allow him
to get the 200 yards to the pool, let alone actually play! However, the pink brew lived up
to its claims, and despite a rapidly darkening sky, it was a slowly brightening Ed who
made his way across the field with the rest of the team into the pool for the afternoon's
combat.
Chris, Rob, Mark, Sara, Liz, Ed, Andrew, Martin F
Martin R (captain), Helen
| The Octopush tournament - what we actually came to do (i.e. smokescreen for drinking and general merriment!) - was less than successful as there seemed to be a battle of wills going on somewhere in the midfield (Liz: "Know-it-alls take note!"). The battle of wills was later moved to the back, where it created a little more success for the rest of the team, but not enough to prevent us from losing every game. We can lay a claim that we did at least score in every game, but very little more than that. |
Martin R, reffing the Putney/Slovenia game, sent out a Slovenian player
for a blatant double-footed kick to the head of a Putney player, and then realized that
Chesham were playing Slovenia next. 
Fortunately, the offender didn't get a chance to exact revenge on the
referee . . . However, this incident paled into insignificance next to the third-place
play-off between Astacus and Aquamoenda, which was abandoned at 1-1 after literally
turning into an all-out fight.
After Helen had dunked Martin F for not scoring enough goals - or maybe just because she felt like it - we all got changed and made our way outside to where the evening's entertainments were to be held. The main points of focus were an enormous beer tent with a fully-working upright bar, and two large barbecues, with various sets of tables and chairs distributed liberally around.
The darkening skies of earlier had produced
torrential rain for the
whole duration of the tournament, but the rain had miraculously stopped a scant few
minutes after the last game had been played. However, this left the not inconsequential
problem of how to light the barbecues when everything was completely sodden. Problem? No
problem! To the amazement of the onlookers (well, this one, certainly) two oxy-acetylene
torches were produced and the barbecues literally blasted into life. No messing!
Max waved his magic wand and our three meal tickets turned into two beer tokens and a package of various meats, which we then cooked over the barbecues. Andrew declined his plate of meat as he claimed he didn't know how to cook any of it, and wasn't interested in learning! (This is a barbecue we are taking about, not nouvelle cuisine!!) Martin R left his meat on the barbecue for far too long, thereby giving himself the option of either eating it or having it made into a shoe. Tall Paul was much more sensible - he got Sara to cook his for him, while she was cooking hers. Gullible or what!
 So many men, so little time! |
 Paul and Ingrid. Cool shirt, TP! |
 They went thataway! |
 Who knows! |
Chris and Sarah went off into Amsterdam to be tourists and see a bit more of "the
sights" - this time properly: by night! - as they were going to be driving back the
following lunchtime, and would not have another chance.
Back in Bussum, the rest of us kept the beer tent busy. Sara, not being a beer drinker,
had half-filled her "World Championships '98" water bottle with vodka. She then
proceeded to try to pour some orange in, only to find that the carton she had bought from
the supermarket that afternoon was filled not with orange juice, but with orange yoghurt!
Ed came to the rescue with some apricot juice, so that was Sara set up for the evening.
Our hosts at first thought that Sara was being wimpy and not drinking, until they took a
whiff of her water bottle. After that, the "vodka woman" - as she became known -
was very popular!
Paul took possession of Martin's camera and went round taking photos of the proceedings. As he was much taller than anyone else, he was able to use this to full advantage and get a cleavage shot down the top of Sara's UK Barbarians rugby shirt! Andrew retired early to the tent, taking his uncashed beer tokens with him, while we continued to pound the beer tent. Rob's enthusiasm knew no bounds in this pursuit, and was seen at one point with seven beers in front of him!
 Martin F, Liz, Helen, Mark |
 Rob, Ed, Helen, Sara, Mark |
Booze eventually became
free when the bar staff went home, although by that point the exertions of the day had
claimed Sara. Chris and Sarah came back from Amsterdam around midnight with some herbal
refreshment for Ed. Sarah was complaining of a sore shoulder - acquired, apparently,
because she kept walking around looking at the "sights" rather than looking
where she was going!
Sarah went straight to bed, while Chris and Martin R sat up and provided some company for Rob and his table of beer. Rob eventually conquered the beer mountain and followed in the direction of the others, while Chris and Martin sat up and put the world to rights until it was once again broad daylight.
