My son David and I left for Blackpool Thursday morning,
and we were due to return Sunday so that he didn't miss any school. The journey was
uneventful, and we met up with Hilary and her friend on board the train, so we all shared
a cab to the Norbreck.
I'd heard a lot of adverse comments about the Norbreck before I left and many of my
friends were staying in alternate hotels. I didn't want to do that as I knew David would
be in bed first and I didn't like the idea of him not being in the same building as me.
It's a comfortable hotel, it was clean, the breakfast was huge, the reception were very
friendly and helpful but yes the place is a little threadbare, wallpaper peeling, David's
bedspread had a hole in it, but I can't say there was anything about it that spoiled my
weekend.
After checking in, we went on a tram, the ones that go to Starr Gate! To have a walk
around the town centre and get some dinner. Saw all the seaside stuff, rock and postcards
and I thought no I won't buy anything now have plenty of time over the weekend to come
back...we never did!
We waited till it was dark before we returned to the hotel so that we could see the
Illuminations. By now it was very cold and windy and we were very glad to return to the
warmth of the hotel. David had a slight cold and wanted to have an early night so he got
into bed about 8.30pm I was going to read but decided on an early night too, knowing how
tiring the convention would be!
Friday the sea was a lot rougher and we began to hear the reports of stronger winds due to
hit Sunday. After breakfast I met Vid and his family and spent most of the morning
chatting in the bar with various people, David wasn't impressed and went off to watch
videos in the Hotel's small cinema. Throughout the day I was getting phone calls and texts
from friends en route, train journeys were ok, but the people coming by road had a very
long journey.
We checked out the local parade of shops and got some drinks and rolls for lunch and while
eating those in our room I had a text to say Squeezy had arrived and was in the bar, well
where else? ;-) She was in the pub not the bar it turned out and I didn't immediately
recognise her, but once we started talking she was exactly how she is online :-)
The registration opened at 3pm and I joined the queue, could have waited till it went down
but it was a chance to talk to people, easily spotted Meesh as she was stewarding at the
door, again she is exactly how she is online :-)
On my way out, I saw Steve in the queue, and gave him a big hug :-) We chatted for awhile,
then I saw Simon queuing which meant SG9 and SG5 from London had arrived ! Also met Eralc
and Dean around this time :-)
Found David and while we had some dinner, Simon came over and found us, The Colonel had
arrived and they were all in the other part of the bar. I saw Steve trying to hide in the
corner and went over to see he was talking to someone and I have to say to my
embarrassment I didn't immediately know who she was but it was Canny Devil :-) I'd texted
her earlier to see if she had arrived but had no reply. I called Simon over and we got her
to join the rest of the group!
David and I had to go and get changed for the cocktail party, then we queued for the main
hall to see the opening ceremony. At this point David was getting a bit restless still not
sure what all this convention lark was all about!
Wolf had a fantastic stage set up, as usual we had a huge video screen on the right and
the working Stargate on the left, but this time it was all inside a Goa'uld mother ship
and in the centre of the stage was a *working* sarcophagus.
The convention opened with the wormhole journey video clip and then the UAV *flew* through
the corridors of the Norbreck and across the hall!
The guests came on stage one by one, the gods emerging from the sarcophagus! Peter
Willaims, Gary Jones, JR Bourne, Garwin Sanford, Marshall Teague, Jay Avacone, Chris
Judge, N John Smith , executive producer and Lynn Smith Locations Manager and the two
surprise guests Jacqueline Samuda [Nurti] and Dougie Arthurs [Heru'ur].
The cocktail party was Ok had some fun moments but the room it was held in was too small
and hot. There were free glasses of wine but nothing for David, he was bored and in the
end we left early.
David did enjoy having his photo taken with Chris though!
All the seats had gone by the time we arrived, so Squeezy Meesh, David and I sat on some
steps in the corner, with a couple of others and a new friend Bob the pot plant! Dougie
saw us and sat on Squeezy's lap then pulled Meesh on top of him! There are photos
somewhere of us all!!
David didn't want to stay at the Friday night party so after putting him to bed, I joined
the others and the party. The DJ wasn't the normal one from the previous Wolf Events and
it took him a little while to get the music right and he didn't have a lot of the con
songs. Steve saved the evening with his CD which has Star Trekkin'' on it! We even got
Steve on the dance floor and doing the Macarena! And Dougie was there all night never
seemed to be off the dance floor! He was still there when I left just before 2am and the
slow tunes started!
Saturday was the start of the talks and every guest was fun and interesting, I missed the
behind scenes with N. John Smith as we went off to get Chris' autograph and find the ATM
machine and stock up on some more drinks etc. Gary Jones was hilarious, our favourite, he
did a wonderful impression of William Shatner!
One advantage of having Cocktail parties tickets, i.e. a low number, is that we got to do
the autograph session on Saturday. After the talks they showed Armageddon on the video
screen as Marshall Teague is in that film...a good reason to see it again! Having David
with me helped with the juggling of the pics and stuff I wanted signed, between us we got
all the guests to sign the con brochure as well, which is a lovely souvenir, I also got
some autographs for friends that couldn't make it to Blackpool.
Saturday night is the fancy dress, David and I were some of the first in the hall from our
group and we held on to two tables but even that wasn't enough, still needed extra chairs
for the UK-SG1/SG5/SG9/LOTNA group, we must have been the largest! I felt very proud that
my mailing list was the catalyst that brought us all together and also a little sad that
this was the last Wolf convention and I don't know when we will all meet up like that
again.
SG9, Corinne, Sue and Will all wore dress blues and they looked awesome all together :-)
Another party, more dancing, more fun, photos were taken, tables were danced on...
Sunday morning I began to be concerned about the weather, it had been very windy all
weekend but now up to hurricane force winds were forecast for the south of England.
David and I were supposed to leave late afternoon, at first it seemed that the worse of
the winds would be over by then. I was in touch with Mac throughout the day getting
updates, at lunchtime it was announced that Virgin trains weren't running. I phoned
Railtrack and discovered that there weren't ANY trains at all. So did we take a chance we
could travel later?, which could mean getting back to London VERY late or did we stop at
hotel another night and then have the whole of Monday to get back somehow. I didn't have
to worry about getting David to School as a teacher training day had been tacked on to
half term. At 4pm I made the decision, and booked a room, we were staying! Turned out to
be the right one, no trains ran till the morning.
If we'd left when we were supposed to we would have missed Chris' second talk which was
hilarious and included a very unusual auction, a squeeze of his backside for over £300,
and that was per cheek!! Of course he couldn't let JR or Garwin get away with that and
they were dragged up on stage too, the winner of the JR auction, swapped hers for a kiss!!
The closing ceremony ran late as the autograph session went on, but that meant everyone
got their signatures. A third party... Though I was getting tired by now and didn't dance
much just sat and talked. I said my goodbyes about 1am and went to bed.
Monday we left the hotel about 9am, and began the long long journey home. It was chaos,
got to Preston fairly easily, then we joined the scrimmage on the platform to get on a
train to Euston. luckily the train arrived empty it hadn't come down from Scotland or
somewhere or we would have been in real trouble! Got a seat but we were stuck there once
the train filled up and lunch was a tube of Jaffa cakes and a packet of polo mints!
Finally got home at 6pm!!
Even with the inconvenience of staying another night and the travel horror it was the best
convention yet :-) 5 days away from real life and spending time with David and my friends
was fantastic. David was whooping and clapping with everyone in the talks and he had a
great time as well.
© Katana 2002
For another report with photos check out....