0

Home
Concept
Biography
Journal
Gallery
Project
The Route
FAQ

Guestbook
Sponsors & Sponsorship
Links

Contact


Leaving the US, Christmas and New Year

Dave and I quit the US on a big jet plane, Christmas at home in Canterbury and away in Hamburg. Hectic Christmassness and an excuse for a rogues gallery of Walking the States European supporters...(nb. check the red eye, you can see why Dave takes the pictures)

Mr David Toolan flying the only way he knows how - World Traveller. Previously Dave had been kind enough to tip an unruly porter at Dulles Airport and follow me around as I was wheelchaired through various checkpoints to the British Airways posh lounge. Great sandwiches to be found there, all with the crusts cut off.Was the operation worth it? Free champagne and almost long enough seats with British Airways World Traveller...First in a series of heroes from Christmas Eve...every year we assemble at the same pub and the same thing happens. Step forward Bec, know you loved this photo...Simon Measures, long time Herne Bay hero and future defender of the poor and meek in the countrys courts.James (AKA Colonel) rocks it, WorldCupGermany style...Ma Sis. Bless.Two old men and a pint. Old man on right: Simon Poole, evil media genius.Yours truly and (Dave) Poole the Younger. Drinks flowing quickly now...Bec and Richard Chambers compare notes on something.Fully inebriated, it was time for a group shot. Back row, l-r: Jen, Mark, Rich, Simon P, Simon M. Front Row, l-r: James, Bec, Dom, Carla, Dave
A New Year, a new country and a new set of rogues to reveal. Hamburg was the location, Max Motor and Bjorn Blech the fine hosts and new year party organisers. Dom and I flew over to meet Mikkel (Mikkel was present at such moments as Nearly Arrested in Cincinnatti and Breaking Into Mike Nicholais Apartment) and brought loads of records with us, most of which we didnt play. Above you can see Max, and his amazing bionic eye.Mikkel, getting his Blue Steel on at the party itself.Mikkels girlfriend, the lovely Julie - now to be found dancing on youtube and also www.myspace.com/monkeydickmusicHamburg native Katja, queen of all things heritage at UNESCO Germany and reliable guide to bars open after 7am on the Reeperbahn...Fun breaks out: Moritz and Dom gnash and roar.Dom glowers and I shudder.Crew posing Hijack-style - l-r: Andrea, Stu, Julie, Mikkel, Moritz, Dom, the one and only Bjorn, our other fine host in HamburgBack at the party - some dude gets up and goes off. The fireworks in Hamburg at midnight were the most blatant disregarding of health and safety regulations I have ever experienced, and were all the better for it.Moritz provides lighting and pouting, while Bjorn and Max rock the machines...Very messy at this point, about 10am on New Years Day. This was the third bar that Team Special Ops (l-r: Femke, me, Katja (slightly asleep), Dom) hit since we left the party at 5am...Hamburg appears to offer unlimited early hours drinking opportunities, and we were not shy to avail ourselves of them.
Unable to comment on this, for fear of retribution.Hearty partyers need a hearty breakfast. Max and Bjorn were happy to oblige, European style...Two approaches came into play on New Years Day, the first one here modelled by Julie: take it easy and relax, wait for a gigantic bowl of coffee......while the second approach is here modelled by Dom: despite no sleep to speak of, stay in close contact with Mistress Booze and Master Fags...      

E-mail: stu@walkingthestates.com and dave@walkingthestates.com | Phone: (00 1) 301 538 0308