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lupestripeThis past weekend saw me travel to Cambridge to attend my 25th anniversary matriculation dinner. Considering there were no plus ones allowed, it basically was a huge slice of reminiscence, without anyone's partners or kids. It's incredible to think that it has been 25 years since I started university, but of course it ties in with the 25th anniversary of 9/11, which was the day that I got my first full suit to attend the institution.
I flew into London late on Friday night, feeling somewhat downbeat following another difficult week of work. I am caught between being overworked, underpaid, and still trying to find a full-time job, but there was some good news on Thursday when one of my former clients came back to me asking for work. The problem was they needed it ahead of the weekend, which saw me scrabbling to complete it on Friday. I just about got it delivered on time then headed to the airport, travelling with a suitcase which only contained my business suit, a change of clothes and a few other random items. At least it wasn't too tricky to drag around, and I made my way over to the UK fairly easily. British Airways wasn't too bad and I even got some Hob-Nobs on the plane, while I used the downtime at the airport to apply for two jobs. Indeed, I brought my laptop with the thinking that I had a good chunk of Sunday free, but that turned out not to be the case.
Immigration at Heathrow was straightforward but baggage claim wasn't. They seemed to be loading the bags at about one a minute, meaning I missed my bus to Woking, which was where I needed to be. Complicating matters was that I thought I needed a train, so I went to the Elizabeth Line platforms first. Upon realising it would take me over two hours to get to my sister, I somewhat panicked, heading back to the terminal. There, a man did at least let me buy the full ticket for my journey - one bus then one train - which I was happy to accept despite the rip-off £5 booking fee that was associated with it. Alas, with the bus being hourly, I head about fifty minutes to kill, meaning I had to sit with a sorry and soggy bacon sandwich in a Cafe Nero just wasting time.
The bus, at least, showed up on time and soon we were trundling along country roads to Woking. I was surprised there wasn't a direct route, but we did get to the train station on time. Here, I had to wait about fifteen minutes for my train to Godalming, where my sister was waiting for me. I hadn't seen her for 15 months, since my father's 70th birthday, so it was good to catch up. We strolled through this rather picturesque town and I couldn't help but think how it was a world apart from the industrial misery that categorises much of Northern England. I toyed with the idea of grabbing some cans from a craft beer bar that was just about to close, but my sister said she had cans of Northern Monk's Faith in, so we went back to hers. We chatted a while, but by 2am I was getting somewhat tired and we went to bed. My sister has been down in Surrey for something like eight years and this was the first time I had ever been to her place. I was reassured to note the walls were painted Berlin beige like our place here is.
The next morning was beautifully sunny and after a breakfast of avocado on toast, with some avocado salt sprinkled atop it, we headed back into the town to have a look around. It was very busy, while it was worth noting the sheer number of independent shops. We went for a walk in the park, who is named after Jack Phillips, one of the crew who lost his life in the Titanic disaster. He is local and the park is beautiful, sitting as it does on the bank of the river. On the other side there is common grazing land, while the Godalming Bowls Club and the war memorial are both contained within. We then headed towards the vicarage and church, exploring ginnals that not even my sister had explored, before walking along the canal for a short while. We ended up in local bakery Loaf, where we grabbed a Millionaires' Shortbread to take back to the flat. We had a cup of tea, flavoured with oddly-tasting oat milk, then I had to head back to the station to catch my train to Cambridge. I wished I could have stayed with my sister longer, but it was good to see her, even if was brief. Hopefully I can head there again soon.
The trip to Cambridge was two and a half hours, and had I realised this, I may have just booked a hotel. The train into London was fine, but the Tube was exceptionally busy, making travelling with my case somewhat difficult. At King's Cross, I had about twenty-five minutes to kill and had the choice of going common at Greggs or going posh at Gail's next door. You know which one I went for. I then boarded the train to Cambridge, bumping into my university friend PM as I entered my carriage. He was going to the dinner that evening and indeed was staying in the same hotel as I - the glamorous Cambridge Central Travelodge - so we sat next to each other and chatted. He filled me in on all the goings-on with my university friendship circle - a circle it became evident I really should see more often as he filled me in - while we chatted life stuff in general. Once at Cambridge, we checked in and showered/shit/shaved, before reconvening in full black tie ensemble shortly after 5pm. We then took a taxi to college. I could have had a tour around the new college library, but alas I couldn't get there on time.
I had mixed feelings about wearing black tie. It set off gender alarms while, even in Cambridge, it singles you out as something of a twat. As we approached Magdalene Bridge, we saw another one of our friends, AT, standing upon it wistfully looking down the Cam. We approached, and as there was still an hour to Evensong, we decided to grab a drink at a local bar. This was a blonde Vedett, which was very refreshing on a warm early autumn day, while again we reminisced about the past and chatted about the present. It was all rather pleasant and a good prelude to the evening's festivities. At 6:15pm, they headed to Evensong in the college chapel while I decided to check out the places where I used to live as a student, which were both just around the corner. While doing this, I phoned my mother just to pass the time, before heading back into college for the pre-dinner drinks.
This event was one of three meals the college puts on for its alumni - one for the 10th anniversary matriculation (which I missed), this one for the 25th, and the final one for the 50th. Therefore, we had people who had matriculated in 2011, 2001 and 1976 with us and it was clear that the 2011 class were far less heavy drinkers than we were. The pre-dinner drinks were in Second Court, with a table of champagne-filled flutes awaiting us. I was on my own for a short while and was approached by MF and SG, two very religious people who I knew but did not know well. The former is now a fully ordained bishop and was in suitable garb, and I did enjoy chatting with them albeit briefly. As the gloaming set in as the sun descended, my eyesight went really blurry for some reason, but the lack of light was a good prelude for Formal Hall. This is always better in the darker months as it's candlelit, so the atmosphere was spooky yet exciting. The dark green panelling made it feel straight out of another century.
Dinner was served at 7:30pm, and we were sat as per the seating plan. We could choose two friends to sit with and I was sat next to both of my choices, but the reality was all of our friendship group was sat together. There was six of us, about half of the group, so it was a good opportunity to catch up. It was a four-course dinner, with a wine pairing each. Like with outside, the wine was frequently topped up, making for an increasingly messy evening. I'll admit I felt very emotional when the Master of the college read our traditional grace in Latin, while the post-dinner speeches were surprisingly touching too. This world is quite far removed from my furry existence and so it was strange being back. Indeed, I wasn't out as gay during my university days either. Most of my friends knew I'm furry, and this alongside gender identity were the main topics of conversation I had with my closest friend JB. She had requested to be sat next to me too, which was very touching, not least because I hadn't seen her since we attended Brighton Pride together in 2017. I probably confessed a bit too much, but she's always been pro-LGBTQ+ and politically we are very aligned so it's all good. On the Sunday afternoon, we went for a drink together in central London where I gave her my furry business card so the cat... or maybe that should be the dog... is out of the bag.
The meal itself was very nice. It was a fishy starter of some kind, followed by roast beef and vegetables. Dessert I honestly can't remember, but the cheese board that followed was exquisite. Like with all cheese boards though, it didn't come with enough crackers and I never know why they skimp on the cheapest ingredient. The fellows stayed long into the night and after the speeches, we started to drift away, to the college bar which was open specially for us. In an ideal world, I probably would have gone to the local pub on the opposite side of the college, but it is closed for three weeks for renovation. I remember the college bar being a bit plain, while £2 for a pint of Carlsberg seemed pricey even in 2001. However, they have changed it now, reducing the lighting and placing a pink neon sign on the wall. They also serve Camden Pale and Camden Helles at the not unreasonable price of £5.80. Anyway, we stayed here for the next two hours, buying each other rounds and chatting. Some photos were taken too, but hopefully I am not in them. The conversation was varied, but there was far more AI talk than I would have liked. Many of my friends work in either academia or banking, and AI has its tentacles in here too, although it was interesting to discover its positive uses, particularly when it came to research. My friends seem to have mixed feelings about the technology, but I suppose it was good to learn about some good real-world uses, even if I do hate much of what AI is and represents.
The suit was starting to get annoying by this stage, not least because it was Wolfie's and about two sizes too big. The 40" trousers were particularly frustrating, but I soldiered through it. People also started to drift away - I was particularly sad I didn't get to speak much to my ex, KST, but hopefully we can meet up at some point soon. After last orders, we headed to the Baron of Beef, further down the street. I don't think I had ever been here even as an undergraduate, but it was the only place that was open past midnight. Another two pints here and we tipped off to the main square in the city centre, where many of my friends purchased food from The Van of Life (there are two takeaway trucks in Cambridge, this one and The Van of Death and which one you went to was quasi-religious). I didn't have anything, largely because the food had been so substantial, but I did end up having two bags of crisps and a bag of Skittles in the hotel room later. After food, MT and I shared a taxi down to the Travelodge, with PM having departed earlier that evening. MT was staying in Homerton College nearby and initially had wanted the taxi to take him, but when he was told of a surcharge, he decided to walk the five minutes instead. I ended the evening watching Angela Rippon visiting Bamberg on a cruise - both at 2:40am then one hour later on the +1 channel. I love Bamberg and had been to the specialist smoked beer bar where she was sampling it. She said she wasn't a fan of beer, but gave it a bloody great go.
I was meant to ring my uncle on Sunday to discuss a project we're working on, but through my hangover I forgot. He frantically rang me about forty-five minutes later and I did at least speak to him. By this point, I had checked out of the hotel (the housekeeping were very insistent, knocking on my door fifteen minutes prior to checkout when I was naked after having a quick shower) and was walking up to meet JB and JW in a cafe called Chili 2. En route, I picked up some crumpets and paracetamol, and eventually we found ourselves in Greggs. I grabbed a vegan sausage roll, making me eligible for a free pasty through the Greggs app, but alas I didn't claim it and now it'll expire before I get back to the UK. We couldn't find an open Greggs in London and JB and I tried before we had our drink. JW was interested in seeing Placebo in London - having seen them perform in Warsaw with me back in 2003 - but alas the dates had sold out. We then decided to grab a fast train to London, which sat there for an hour and then was cancelled, necessitating a trip on the very crowded next service. I did find a seat though and there was a train doggo - a sweet black lab who wanted her owner's cake and was shocked later when her owner accidentally dropped a bag on her head. She was very apologetic.
At King's Cross, JW departed and I went with JB to Farrington, where I showed her the TfL labyrinth then we tried to find our Greggs then get to the pub. We chose Farrington as she could get back to Brighton easily from there and I could get the Elizabeth line straight through to Heathrow Terminal 5. This I did, arriving two hours and fifteen minutes prior to my flight. Check in and security was all fine, and I had time for a tasty Five Guys in the terminal. There, I also did my Delay Repay for the cancelled train, and boarded the flight on time. I got back to Spandau at a half past midnight, tired but happy following a great weekend. Most of my uni friends urged me to visit them more, and considering many are in London, this shouldn't be difficult. I did feel an overwhelming pull of emotion to be back in college with them again, far more than I expected to, and I am glad I made the trip. Hopefully, we can all see each other again soon.
I flew into London late on Friday night, feeling somewhat downbeat following another difficult week of work. I am caught between being overworked, underpaid, and still trying to find a full-time job, but there was some good news on Thursday when one of my former clients came back to me asking for work. The problem was they needed it ahead of the weekend, which saw me scrabbling to complete it on Friday. I just about got it delivered on time then headed to the airport, travelling with a suitcase which only contained my business suit, a change of clothes and a few other random items. At least it wasn't too tricky to drag around, and I made my way over to the UK fairly easily. British Airways wasn't too bad and I even got some Hob-Nobs on the plane, while I used the downtime at the airport to apply for two jobs. Indeed, I brought my laptop with the thinking that I had a good chunk of Sunday free, but that turned out not to be the case.
Immigration at Heathrow was straightforward but baggage claim wasn't. They seemed to be loading the bags at about one a minute, meaning I missed my bus to Woking, which was where I needed to be. Complicating matters was that I thought I needed a train, so I went to the Elizabeth Line platforms first. Upon realising it would take me over two hours to get to my sister, I somewhat panicked, heading back to the terminal. There, a man did at least let me buy the full ticket for my journey - one bus then one train - which I was happy to accept despite the rip-off £5 booking fee that was associated with it. Alas, with the bus being hourly, I head about fifty minutes to kill, meaning I had to sit with a sorry and soggy bacon sandwich in a Cafe Nero just wasting time.
The bus, at least, showed up on time and soon we were trundling along country roads to Woking. I was surprised there wasn't a direct route, but we did get to the train station on time. Here, I had to wait about fifteen minutes for my train to Godalming, where my sister was waiting for me. I hadn't seen her for 15 months, since my father's 70th birthday, so it was good to catch up. We strolled through this rather picturesque town and I couldn't help but think how it was a world apart from the industrial misery that categorises much of Northern England. I toyed with the idea of grabbing some cans from a craft beer bar that was just about to close, but my sister said she had cans of Northern Monk's Faith in, so we went back to hers. We chatted a while, but by 2am I was getting somewhat tired and we went to bed. My sister has been down in Surrey for something like eight years and this was the first time I had ever been to her place. I was reassured to note the walls were painted Berlin beige like our place here is.
The next morning was beautifully sunny and after a breakfast of avocado on toast, with some avocado salt sprinkled atop it, we headed back into the town to have a look around. It was very busy, while it was worth noting the sheer number of independent shops. We went for a walk in the park, who is named after Jack Phillips, one of the crew who lost his life in the Titanic disaster. He is local and the park is beautiful, sitting as it does on the bank of the river. On the other side there is common grazing land, while the Godalming Bowls Club and the war memorial are both contained within. We then headed towards the vicarage and church, exploring ginnals that not even my sister had explored, before walking along the canal for a short while. We ended up in local bakery Loaf, where we grabbed a Millionaires' Shortbread to take back to the flat. We had a cup of tea, flavoured with oddly-tasting oat milk, then I had to head back to the station to catch my train to Cambridge. I wished I could have stayed with my sister longer, but it was good to see her, even if was brief. Hopefully I can head there again soon.
The trip to Cambridge was two and a half hours, and had I realised this, I may have just booked a hotel. The train into London was fine, but the Tube was exceptionally busy, making travelling with my case somewhat difficult. At King's Cross, I had about twenty-five minutes to kill and had the choice of going common at Greggs or going posh at Gail's next door. You know which one I went for. I then boarded the train to Cambridge, bumping into my university friend PM as I entered my carriage. He was going to the dinner that evening and indeed was staying in the same hotel as I - the glamorous Cambridge Central Travelodge - so we sat next to each other and chatted. He filled me in on all the goings-on with my university friendship circle - a circle it became evident I really should see more often as he filled me in - while we chatted life stuff in general. Once at Cambridge, we checked in and showered/shit/shaved, before reconvening in full black tie ensemble shortly after 5pm. We then took a taxi to college. I could have had a tour around the new college library, but alas I couldn't get there on time.
I had mixed feelings about wearing black tie. It set off gender alarms while, even in Cambridge, it singles you out as something of a twat. As we approached Magdalene Bridge, we saw another one of our friends, AT, standing upon it wistfully looking down the Cam. We approached, and as there was still an hour to Evensong, we decided to grab a drink at a local bar. This was a blonde Vedett, which was very refreshing on a warm early autumn day, while again we reminisced about the past and chatted about the present. It was all rather pleasant and a good prelude to the evening's festivities. At 6:15pm, they headed to Evensong in the college chapel while I decided to check out the places where I used to live as a student, which were both just around the corner. While doing this, I phoned my mother just to pass the time, before heading back into college for the pre-dinner drinks.
This event was one of three meals the college puts on for its alumni - one for the 10th anniversary matriculation (which I missed), this one for the 25th, and the final one for the 50th. Therefore, we had people who had matriculated in 2011, 2001 and 1976 with us and it was clear that the 2011 class were far less heavy drinkers than we were. The pre-dinner drinks were in Second Court, with a table of champagne-filled flutes awaiting us. I was on my own for a short while and was approached by MF and SG, two very religious people who I knew but did not know well. The former is now a fully ordained bishop and was in suitable garb, and I did enjoy chatting with them albeit briefly. As the gloaming set in as the sun descended, my eyesight went really blurry for some reason, but the lack of light was a good prelude for Formal Hall. This is always better in the darker months as it's candlelit, so the atmosphere was spooky yet exciting. The dark green panelling made it feel straight out of another century.
Dinner was served at 7:30pm, and we were sat as per the seating plan. We could choose two friends to sit with and I was sat next to both of my choices, but the reality was all of our friendship group was sat together. There was six of us, about half of the group, so it was a good opportunity to catch up. It was a four-course dinner, with a wine pairing each. Like with outside, the wine was frequently topped up, making for an increasingly messy evening. I'll admit I felt very emotional when the Master of the college read our traditional grace in Latin, while the post-dinner speeches were surprisingly touching too. This world is quite far removed from my furry existence and so it was strange being back. Indeed, I wasn't out as gay during my university days either. Most of my friends knew I'm furry, and this alongside gender identity were the main topics of conversation I had with my closest friend JB. She had requested to be sat next to me too, which was very touching, not least because I hadn't seen her since we attended Brighton Pride together in 2017. I probably confessed a bit too much, but she's always been pro-LGBTQ+ and politically we are very aligned so it's all good. On the Sunday afternoon, we went for a drink together in central London where I gave her my furry business card so the cat... or maybe that should be the dog... is out of the bag.
The meal itself was very nice. It was a fishy starter of some kind, followed by roast beef and vegetables. Dessert I honestly can't remember, but the cheese board that followed was exquisite. Like with all cheese boards though, it didn't come with enough crackers and I never know why they skimp on the cheapest ingredient. The fellows stayed long into the night and after the speeches, we started to drift away, to the college bar which was open specially for us. In an ideal world, I probably would have gone to the local pub on the opposite side of the college, but it is closed for three weeks for renovation. I remember the college bar being a bit plain, while £2 for a pint of Carlsberg seemed pricey even in 2001. However, they have changed it now, reducing the lighting and placing a pink neon sign on the wall. They also serve Camden Pale and Camden Helles at the not unreasonable price of £5.80. Anyway, we stayed here for the next two hours, buying each other rounds and chatting. Some photos were taken too, but hopefully I am not in them. The conversation was varied, but there was far more AI talk than I would have liked. Many of my friends work in either academia or banking, and AI has its tentacles in here too, although it was interesting to discover its positive uses, particularly when it came to research. My friends seem to have mixed feelings about the technology, but I suppose it was good to learn about some good real-world uses, even if I do hate much of what AI is and represents.
The suit was starting to get annoying by this stage, not least because it was Wolfie's and about two sizes too big. The 40" trousers were particularly frustrating, but I soldiered through it. People also started to drift away - I was particularly sad I didn't get to speak much to my ex, KST, but hopefully we can meet up at some point soon. After last orders, we headed to the Baron of Beef, further down the street. I don't think I had ever been here even as an undergraduate, but it was the only place that was open past midnight. Another two pints here and we tipped off to the main square in the city centre, where many of my friends purchased food from The Van of Life (there are two takeaway trucks in Cambridge, this one and The Van of Death and which one you went to was quasi-religious). I didn't have anything, largely because the food had been so substantial, but I did end up having two bags of crisps and a bag of Skittles in the hotel room later. After food, MT and I shared a taxi down to the Travelodge, with PM having departed earlier that evening. MT was staying in Homerton College nearby and initially had wanted the taxi to take him, but when he was told of a surcharge, he decided to walk the five minutes instead. I ended the evening watching Angela Rippon visiting Bamberg on a cruise - both at 2:40am then one hour later on the +1 channel. I love Bamberg and had been to the specialist smoked beer bar where she was sampling it. She said she wasn't a fan of beer, but gave it a bloody great go.
I was meant to ring my uncle on Sunday to discuss a project we're working on, but through my hangover I forgot. He frantically rang me about forty-five minutes later and I did at least speak to him. By this point, I had checked out of the hotel (the housekeeping were very insistent, knocking on my door fifteen minutes prior to checkout when I was naked after having a quick shower) and was walking up to meet JB and JW in a cafe called Chili 2. En route, I picked up some crumpets and paracetamol, and eventually we found ourselves in Greggs. I grabbed a vegan sausage roll, making me eligible for a free pasty through the Greggs app, but alas I didn't claim it and now it'll expire before I get back to the UK. We couldn't find an open Greggs in London and JB and I tried before we had our drink. JW was interested in seeing Placebo in London - having seen them perform in Warsaw with me back in 2003 - but alas the dates had sold out. We then decided to grab a fast train to London, which sat there for an hour and then was cancelled, necessitating a trip on the very crowded next service. I did find a seat though and there was a train doggo - a sweet black lab who wanted her owner's cake and was shocked later when her owner accidentally dropped a bag on her head. She was very apologetic.
At King's Cross, JW departed and I went with JB to Farrington, where I showed her the TfL labyrinth then we tried to find our Greggs then get to the pub. We chose Farrington as she could get back to Brighton easily from there and I could get the Elizabeth line straight through to Heathrow Terminal 5. This I did, arriving two hours and fifteen minutes prior to my flight. Check in and security was all fine, and I had time for a tasty Five Guys in the terminal. There, I also did my Delay Repay for the cancelled train, and boarded the flight on time. I got back to Spandau at a half past midnight, tired but happy following a great weekend. Most of my uni friends urged me to visit them more, and considering many are in London, this shouldn't be difficult. I did feel an overwhelming pull of emotion to be back in college with them again, far more than I expected to, and I am glad I made the trip. Hopefully, we can all see each other again soon.
