Monday, June 13, 2005

Day Off in Manchester, UK


Manchester Piccadilly Gardens
Originally uploaded by bd58.
After getting in my bunk at 4:30am, I'm up at 5:45 to check everyone in to the hotel. Meet Big Bob Bender (our venue security guy) for breakfast, then off to bed again around 8:30am. Get up at 11:00am, because I'm meetiing Mike Amato (tour manager) for lunch. Also have to give him the videotape and CD of last night performance. The band did a "runner" (straight from the stage to the warmed up and waiting buses to beat the crowd away from the site), so he couldn't stick around to take possession of the recordings. Considered uploading the material to the Web for a minute (just kidding, Serj, really), then decide I like getting regular paychecks in this business.

Mike cabs over from the band's hotel, and he and I have fish & chips nearby. Afterwards, he heads back and I'm back to my room for a long soak in the tub, followed by my first shower of the day. Afterwards, I go for a walk. Do a little shopping – HUGE mall right down the street from the hotel. Run into some crew dudes. We head for Starbucks for my first fix in 2 weeks, maybe more.

Wander around, take some photos, then back to my room for blog work.

Take another shower. Four days between showers and you really feel like scrubbing your skin off.

Get a few phone calls about meeting in the pub across the street and/or going for Indian food. I decide to chill alone. Walk down the street for a jacket potato with beans and cheese, which I wash down with a pint of John Smith's Original Bitter. Stop for another J.S.O.B. at the C-store on the way back, and plan to finish my evening by surfing, blogging, and believe it or not, one more soak in the tub. I'd love to sleep for 7 hours tonight. Now where did I put that Ambien?

Follow the Bobzilla's Photos link at the right to see photos of my travels.

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