Woke up this morning and my first thought was, night out tonight in Leeds. Plus I get to see my amazing friend, Wendy.
Bags are already packed. Open car, thrown bags in the boot and place dog on back seat. (tyre screeching) drop dog at dog sitters for the weekend, (more tyre screeching) and off to the train station.
The initial plan was to stop at Manchester and have lunch in the village but alas because the train service in this country is still stuck in 1890, I ended up getting straight onto my connecting train to Leeds!
Trains from Stoke running late, again equals no time for anything in Manchester. Late trains should not be happening on 21st century England. Unfortunately, the train system is stuck in this country are absolute wank and i’d never rely on them if I had to be somewhere on time.
Now, having said that, I do love travelling by train as it gives me time to watch the world go by and download my thoughts or write articles like this. The trains are weird things these days with social distancing and the like. Over half the seats have little red tickets on them “Corovavirus, don’t sit here” and the ones you can sit at have little green tickets on them, “sit here’.
I sit and look out the window and watch the world go buy while listening to a bit of Goa trance. Wish I had a joint to smoke while I watch the scenery rush by.
I arrive in Leeds about 3pm and Google maps directs me to the Cosmopolitan hotel but I’ve for it set to car mode so end up walking about half a mile not 0.2 of a mile!
I check in and retire to McDonald’s for a bite to eat as I missed lunch thanks to the trains.
Food troffed and back to the hotel.
One of the things I havent had to time do this week was colour my hair. Yes folks, shock horror. I’m not a natural blonde.
Time to do my roots (hair) as they’re getting a bit brown. I had booked into the hairdresser’s but despite making a booking 2 weeks before, they called me on the day of my appointment to tell me they needed to do a patch test and I couldn’t have any work done until 48 hours afterward, impossible as I’m on holiday then. Okay, you had two weeks to tell me this so, very very unprofessional of you Wilson’s in Macclesfield. Never shall I darken your doors again!
So, I’m sat in my hotel room with a £5 hair bleaching kit and doing my roots with a glass of wine.
Kit used and hair all tied up, time to shave….. Everything. Dysphoria treatment time. I hate my body hair with a passion. I absolutely hate being hairy and it’s one of my biggest issues! So thirty minutes of shaving and all is shaven and hair dye is ready to be washed out.
Time to get ready now as Wendy texts to say, “meet up in reception at 8pm”.
Its the hottest day of the year so probably wont be sat in my hotel room until then as its warm in here.
I get dressed and sweating I head for the air conditioned bar.
I’m ready!
I’m ready long before 8pm and after a cold drink in the bar I decide to go for a walk round to the off license to get some cigs.
On walked past a bar on Assembly street I get my first compliment of the night off two ladies stood outside said bar.
“Ay up my love. You look fantastic in that dress and I love your shoes”
We chat for a few minutes and then I set off to walk back round to Viaduct where I end up stood chatting for about an hour before I go meet Wendy.
Those who know me well know I’ll chat to anyone these days and the girls sat outside viaduct shouted “hello gorgeous” and offered to buy me a drink.
Who am I to refuse when beautiful women offer to buy me drinks?
Back to the hotel to meet up with Wendy. “You eaten?”
“Well I had a McDonald’s does that count as eating?”
So off we proceed to find food!
Not much choice for a quick bite to eat and we end up getting a sandwich from Sainsbury’s. This lack of proper food was probably where my alcohol problems started as I hadn’t had much to eat that day and I got drunk very quickly that night.
However it could have also been the Pina Coladas in Tiki Hideout 😀
First place we go for a drink is a bar down a little back street behind the Viaduct. No idea what it’s called but it’s full of middle aged men drinking pints. I took great pride in photo bombing a couples selfies something they only noticed when one partner showed his photos to his partner. At least he had a sense of humour about it and I ended up having my photo taken with them later on in Viaduct. I dont remember rightly but I think they bought us drinks!
We were going to go in Viaduct at this point but the queue was moohasive!
Across the road to Queens court and, yeah, Hmmm.
We stood outside while the door person said “it’s booking only but we’ll see if we can fit you in”. Great sounds like their busy? No, empty as a eunachs ball sack inside.
One drink “let’s go some where else?” says Wendy. So back across the road to Viaduct which now has a slightly smaller queue than before.
Great chatting in the queue with folk. Bit of Dunkirk spirit in the queue, bit of banter and the third compliment of the night from two ladies stood behind us. They looked ace as well <3
So we enter Viaduct.
Wow! What a great bar and I want to go back here when social distancing has gone away. Very, very friendly place this, the staff and the customers all very chatty. Got chatting to a young lass in the smoking area about life, the universe and a few other things. Told her she looked ace and she said she wishes she’d got dressed up as she felt underdressed compared to me. “Yeah but I bet your not sweating your arse off”. She laughed.
Very trans friendly venue and the place was full of all types of people. Loved the maître d’ who’s outfit was a sparkly purple blazer and bowler hat trimmed with a pride flag coloured tie.
I don’t recall how many drinks we had here but it was a few!
From here we stagger down the road to Tiki Hideout. Again amazing atmosphere and best of all they do cocktails!!!!
Pina Coladas for me please and they arrive in a hollowed-out frozen pineapple! Lush!
Several cocktails later and it appears to be 2 a.m.
“I can barely walk straight” says I
“I can barely stand up mate” says Wendy.
Next thing I remember is waking up to my phone ringing at 9:40am. I’m still fully clothed and laid face down on the bed!
One shoe is on the bed and the other is in the bathroom.
We’re supposed to be going shopping! Well thats what we’d arranged!!!!
Shopping in Leeds
Wendy has sent me a message saying she needs till 11 to get ready. Yes mate, me to!
I fall into the bathroom and by 11 o’clock i’ve managed to make myself look decent!
I decend the straircase and meet up with Wendy who looks rougher than me. “You eaten”, “How? I’ve just woken up”
First port of call is somewhere we can get sustenance, so across the road to the Bridge restaurant for a full English breakfast.
Best hangover cure in the world. While sat at the side of the River Aire. Delightful location and brillian breakfast.
One of the hottest weekends of the year why did we decide we would go shopping round Leeds, but alas bearing the heat was worth it.
Leeds is an amazing place to go shopping in my opinion and i’ve come home with a fantastic set of trousers and woollen jacket from M&S for less than £50 and two fab dresses from Roman.
Again, Wendy. Thank you for an amazing evening and a great days shopping.
Love you my friend and let’s do it again.
Soon!
