So last Thursday I got on my last outbound flight from Alicante which came with a return ticket. Madness. I mean more people will probably call it madness that I booked a week home on the last month of my year abroad but yolo when Taylor Swift is involved who cares. Chelsea somehow managed to get us tickets for the Sunday of Radio 1's Big Weekend being held in Earlham Park, Norwich - essentially the back garden to UEA, our university. I could have only flown back for a few days but knowing my pals' time living together is drawing to a close, I decided to spend a bit more time there since my classes here in Alicante are over (yaaaaaaay). I did have a bit of a panic on the Monday thinking I shouldn't go and having a meltdown but after talking it through I decided not to cancel my tickets which was a great decision.
Aye so anyway I flew ALC-STN on Thursday and one bus, one plane and four trains later, I was in Alicante Way, Norwich instead of Alicante Alicante. What also arrived to Alicante Way on Thursday was my new laptop. I'd always been planning on upgrading my laptop this summer and had put the money away to do so but last week my old one was just not working and kept crashing as I was trying to write my essay for UEA so I took the plunge and spent a ridiculous amount of money on a new macbook. That's the problem with Apple. Once they get you they get you for life. Since I didn't get in til Thursday night we didn't do much but chill and catch up and all that good stuff.
Friday was a James and Katy day because the fool was buggering off to be a dead fancy journalist at Silverstone so we got to have some quality time. Full of top notch banter. We did what we always do and just walked around Norwich because why not when it's so bloody lovely. We decided to go visit where I will be living in September to check the area isn't too dodgy and prepare him for finding his way when he comes to visit, then carried on wandering some more and ended up on Unthank Road where we had a few drinks in the Mulberry and tried out a very nice bakery where I had a pork and stuffing sandwich and a strawberry hot chocolate and James did his best Ed Miliband impression whilst eating a ham and cheese panini. It really was an amazing sight. I wish I had a picture to show you.
After James left Beth came home and we decided to make fish pie because we are the only two that like it so only ever get to make it together. It really is one of the few meals other than curry that always seems to turn out really well and I had been craving proper home cooked food that wasn't pasta so it was dreamy. We also were drinking whilst cooking because those are the kind of domestic goddesses we are. Do love a pre-mixed Malibu can.
On Saturday I was up early as Cameron had planned a 'surprise day trip out' for the two of us and I was totally clueless as to what was going on. I was told we were spending the entire day somewhere indoors with somewhere to nap so I had no idea but just went along with it. We left the house at 8am which is very very early but so worth it. The first stop of the day was Gregg's which was perfect for this northern soul. The day could have ended there and I'd have been happy. Next stop was the cathedral before actually ending up at the train station and on a train to Cromer. That boy is very sneaky. We spent the entire day there, walking from Cromer to Sheringham and back again. There was a lot of climbing and falling and adventurous things that I never normally do but it was all okay in the end. And there were pretty cliffs. And nice ice cream. And fab company. We spent 11 hours together with nobody else for company and that's when you realise you've found one of your best friends because it didn't feel like a long time at all. Not to me anyway. Cameron was probably sick of the geordie wittering on in his ear all day. Soz mate.
After checking the iPhone's new health app thingy we found out we'd walked almost 24km which is more than a half marathon and is utterly ridiculous. Basically what happens when Cameron and I spend any time together is he makes me walk forever and then tells me off for wearing stupid cheap shoes that make my feet hurt. One day I will learn.
After we finally got back home 11 hours after leaving the house, I facetimed home for a bit and then just had a bit of a chill evening because I had lost the ability to move my legs.
Then Sunday was another massive day because it was BIG WEEKEND WOOOOO. I went back in 2011 when Radio 1 came to Carlisle so I knew it would be a fab day. Chelsea and I headed up to Earlham Park around lunch time looking like the coolest chicas in Norwich in our new wellies and started queueing. We were like central in the main stage crowd for Olly Murs who gave a cracking performance as ever. Then we went and sat down for a bit whilst Clean Bandit were on and had a wander to the In New Music We Trust tent when it started raining and saw an angry American man called Raury. It was absolutely chucking it down but we got a cider from the bar and headed back to mainstage to see Catfish and the Bottlemen. They'd been bumped up to mainstage after Sam Smith had to pull out and I was interested to see why they'd picked this lot and not James Bay to upgrade and was pleasantly surprised. The main singer guy was very humble and apologetic the entire time for taking Sam Smith's slot, as if it was his fault! Bless him. I enjoyed their set a lot. After they finished we took some time to get some food (a disgusting £9 pizza, do not recommend) and use the loos.
We watched Rita Ora do one song but headed back to the INMWT tent quite early. James Bay was on at 6pm but we headed over around half 4 because I knew he'd bring a huge crowd and I wanted to be in it! We watched Jungle who were on before James and they were actually really really good. After they finished we headed further into the crowd and ended up probably in like the fourth row of people for James Bay. It wasn't til afterwards that I realised the tent was closed off at its 10,000 capacity and there were people stood outside trying to listen so we were very very lucky to be so close. It was so so worth the wait though - James Bay is a recent favourite for me but his entire album is such a winner and it makes me so happy. Cannot wait for him to do a new UK tour so I can see a full show because half an hour was not enough. He was definitely my highlight of the whole day. HOLD UP THE RIVER LET ME TRY ON YOUR HAT. I just want James to be my bae. He finished at half 6 and George Ezra started on mainstage at 6:45 so we headed straight over there. George is such a beaut. It's so unfair because him and James are doing a show together in Canada later this year and that is my dream. Sad sad. We were basically set on the mainstage from this point on because next on was PRINCESS TAY TAY. We were packed like sardines down by the frontish but had the best time. I feel like she should have been on for longer though because she only did 7 songs but it was still magnificent. Now I want to go to her show even more. Basically days like big weekend teach me that me spending all my money on gigs is the best because they are what makes me happiest. We escaped the crowd after Taylor and sat up at the top and I had a very very weird moment because we were sat next to Tanya Burr and Jim Chapman who are like YouTube celebrity type people who I've been watching for about 4 years so to have them next to me was very surreal. And then Foo Fighters came on and I look to my left and there's Jack Howard, another YouTubey type deal person. Like I could have touched him. But I didn't cos that's weird. The Foos put on an amazing show and despite me knowing no words, I can appreciate when a band is good and is entertaining a crowd. Also quite a lot of their set I was watching Greg James air drumming on his own in the treehouse. What a cutie. Anyway it was a fabby fabby day and I am very grateful to Chelsea for letting me be her plus one. Thanks pal x
Monday was very much a chill out day. After a very big weekend (lol) my batteries and legs needed a bit of recharging. We went food shopping and let me tell you, wandering around a big Tesco is still as exciting as ever. I could probably spend an entire day just going up and down those aisles. After we came home Cameron made us waffles and turkey dinosaurs, a classic, for lunch, before we got down to doing some work. I was actually dead productive and pretty much finished my essay which was fab. Then Chelsea made enchiladas for tea which is the best thing on her cooking repertoire so I was very happy.
On Tuesday I woke up very very early and had an early morning wander to Tesco with Cameron before deciding to clean their house because I am a massive weirdo who gets a kick out of things being clean and organised. Also their landlord was visiting but everyone else was busy revising and working etc so being Mama Bear and the best housemate in the entire world I did it for them. I think it was more helpful for me than them though. Sometimes you just need two hours of monotonous housework to calm the mind. After that I finished my essay for UEA (ish) and then we went out for a wander so as not to be in the way when the landlord was visiting. After waking up at a ridiculous hour I had a nap in the afternoon then we went to a less than great Chinese buffet on the street we used to live on. Soz James but it was bad.
(This was Cameron and James' attempt at helping me write my essay. Needless to say it hasn't ended up in the final draft.)
Then it got to Wednesday and my train was at 2pm and I was dead sad. Well, sad is not the right word. I was basically just panicking and freaking out the entire morning but lying down and listening to Einaudi got me through. As well as the Strawberry Daiquiri I had at Spoons for our farewell lunch. And then I waved my lovely pals off at the train station and sat down on the train and cried for twenty minutes ha ha ha what a soppy loser.
Basically though, this week was the healing trip I didn't realise I needed. Last time I was in Norwich I didn't really get any quality time in with Beth or the boys cos me and Chels were up and down the country on various modes of transport and just like a whirlwind were away back to Spain before I'd had a chance to cry about Phillip Schofield. This time around I actually got to sit down and have big long existential chats and listen to John Mayer and just appreciate being in the company of my favourite people all together for what will probably be the last time until we do our reunions in 5/10/20 years time. I'm really sorry guys but you're stuck with me now. Friends for life and all that.
I wrote this in my notes as I was bawling on the train and I don't know whether I should put it in here but I'm going to anyway.
It's such an odd thing to say but I feel so valued and loved after this week. Like obviously I always knew my friends liked me but this time has been different. I spend a lot of my time thinking and worrying whether people remember who I am or care that I left or want to speak to me and am usually so insecure about whether my friendships are only one way which is so irrational and daft but it's honestly the total opposite. I know I have absolute true friends who enjoy having me around and like my company and we have a really nice time together. I don't want it to sound like they never express any of this because they do all the time but in actually improving my own mindset and the way I think about things and how I process the reasoning behind other people's actions, I can see how genuinely lucky I am. I don't need to send texts every three hours to remind people of my existence. I feel very secure in my friendships right now. Nobody is using me or just tolerating me or doing wrong by me. We are all friends because we like each other and that's it.
This suddenly got very deep for what was initially just meant to be a post about Big Weekend. Basically I am feeling all the love right now and needed to share/have this written down for me to come back to on a bad day.
Beth, Chelsea, Cameron & James, here's to you lot. You massive massive weirdos.
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