De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da

On Saturday was the last concert of the European leg to The Police reunion tour. We had got tickets and come Saturday evening we made our way to Wembley Arena in time to even watch the entire performance by the warm up band.

Nicely settled into our seats I noticed how empty the place looked. I put it to the big Rugby match which seemed to interest more people than a 80's band. The seats next to us filled up in the next fifteen minutes .. and to my dismay and surprise it was a family with two kids - who looked 4 and 8 or thereabouts. I couldn't believe that they had actually spent all that money on a ticket for a little kid. Apart from feeling like I was at a west-end Lion King show, it was fine. The first group started - ok music, more people coming in, drinks being bought .. and slowly the people next to me start pulling out chips, biscuits and whatever else. Did they think they were on some Sunday picnic at the zoo? The kid next to me looked fairly bored since she could hardly see beyond the tall man in front of her. To make it worse everyone kept sitting .. and the thought of sitting still and watching a rock show was too much of a disappointment.

Group 1 done, off the stage, hall nearly full now and anticipation building. Family decide they want some other seats .. so they thankfully leave. Not before they left some sticky syrupy drink all over .. which kept making my shoes stick to the floor. No more rock shows in London!

Then The Police came on. Instantly all 15,000 people in Wembley Arena stood up. Message in a Bottle and Sting looking absolutely amazing (don't they all look so much better now than when they were younger?). Lights, sounds, visuals .. its was perfect. Except that my shoes kept getting stuck so I decided to ask the steward for some newspaper .. and instead he moved us towards the front. It could not have been better. I loved every moment .. did not sit for the two hours .. even 'Every breath you take' sounded great. There were two - three encores .. all the favourites played .. though it started badly.. it turned out perfect. Now, U2!

Where's the light?

It feels so strange to leave home after dark and then return after dark too. My only glimpse of daylight during the week is through my office windows. I had heard about this, but didn't think it was a big deal. Its not as yet.. but it does feel so strange ..where did the daylight go?

Realities of a work trip

Who was I kidding when I thought I might actually get time to pack in some sight seeing with a work trip. All I got to see was the sea from my hotel room ..and the rest of the city from the cab window as I whizzed from one end to the other to attend some meetings.

All the days I was there I was sleep deprived, waking up really early, sleeping late and hooking up to the Internet to log-in to my work network. And to think I actually had a Lonely Planet in my bag, SLR camera, charged battery .. well I did take some photos of the hotel room and the view .. just because I had carried the camera all way, I somehow felt it was my duty to use it!

All that I missed in terms of 'fun' was made up by the work aspect of the trip. There were people from other parts of the business and some fairly senior. Through the various meetings I got to learn a lot about how things work, all the tiny aspects of a large projects and so on. It doesn't make up for not managing to get out even for an evening .. but then I can always go back on a personal trip.