Mardi Gras 2000 (01/07/00)


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Ok so again my parents really didn't want me to go and said they hated Stephen etc etc and how stupid I was - but I wasn't going to miss the chance to try and see him again so I just took the abuse and worked out how on earth I was going to get to the train station to get to London so I could go and see him. As my parents had forbidden me to drive my car (did I tell you I got a KA? - its silvery blue and is really cool) and they couldn't take me as they were going to Durham to pick up my brother Steven from Uni - not that they probably would have anyway. But anyway so I figured out how I could get a bus from Wimborne to Poole (where the station is) but couldn't get to Wimborne unless I walked (which I would have done : ) but it's a long way). But I rang a friend who lives quite close to see if she'd drive me into Wimborne and then she offered to take me into Poole which was really nice of her and so cool as it made everything so much easier! I also had to work out when/ where I was meeting Helen and Karla - but couldn't do that until Friday when Karla could find out Steo's flight times. So anyway I managed it all in the end [cos if his flight was too late I'd have to miss either seeing him at the airport or at the Mardi Gras, but it was perfectly timed in the end ; )] I left the house at 10:30 in the morning, got the 11:32 train which got in to London (Waterloo) at just past half one. So I went and bought a permanent marker so Steo could sign my photo if I asked him (which in the end I didn't). Anyway so then I got the tube out to Heathrow managed to find the right terminal and the departures bit and the Burger King we were meeting at. I got there a bit late (as I said I would meet Helen at about 2:30) but I got there about ten to 3 and gave Hel the money for the ticket to the Mardi Gras concert and also for the ticket to see Ronan's tour in November, and she gave me the tic for the MG - but she couldn't go with me anymore : ( . Then about 5 mins later Karla, Sara and Helen (yes a different one) arrived - so Hel left to go home : ( but only after we all sat and chatted for a bit. So the rest of us went downstairs to arrivals and watched for the screens to say Steo's flight had landed. It landed at 3:43 (I think) but it was about another 15 - 20 mins before he came out through the doors into the main airport bit where we were. We didn't think Eloy was coming over as when Karla checked she said he wasn't, anyway so as loads of other people were arriving on that and other flights too there were quite a few people around and coming out. But then I saw a very tall guy who looked suspiciously like Eloy...hmm - thought he wasn't coming. Anyway it was him and when the people in front of Steo moved I saw him too. Stephen was wearing his funky trousers and biker jacket and Eloy was in jeans and a denim jacket. Anyway so Eloy kinda kept walking ahead and walked to the car with Jamal (the tour manager blokey) but he kinda waved and said hi on the way past. But Stephen walked over and said hi and then walked with us to the car. So he said hi and how are you and I said ok or fine or something and asked him how he was and he said the same. Then Helen showed him her copy of OK magazine with Shane on the front at his sisters' weddings - so Stephen was like 'oh right - who got married?', so we told him and he went oh right great or something like that. So we got to the pick up road you have to cross to get to the car park and he nearly got the lot of us run over hehe. Well actually he was going to save me! I'd better explain that hadn't I! Ok so we all just walked straight across it but there was a car coming, only slowly but even though... so Nina moved a bit to avoid it and sort of kicked Stephen's foot in the process, so he kinda budged into me. Anyway so as the others were between Steo and the car they said as a joke later that he was trying to get them killed - so I said that as he was between the car and me he was obviously going to try and save me! Hmm anyway... then we had to walk up this narrowish ramp thing (only wide enough for two people hehe - so guess who walked up it next to me). Karla and Sara and Helen were walking ahead and Nina and Claire behind so I walked next to Stephen. And as we were walking he said something to me - but it was quite noisy with cars and planes etc so I didn't hear what he said stood there walking next to him with this stupid smile on my face and didn't say what? or huh? or pardon? or anything. I just smiled at him and nodded doh! He must think I'm such an idiot hehe - but he did smile back. When we got to the top of the slopey thing I asked him if he was going to tour soon but he said he didn't know and shrugged his shoulders. I told him when you do you've got to come to Bournemouth. And he said ok then and smiled hehe - so he'd better now! Then we walked to the car - oh yeah all this time he had my card in his hand - I gave him a thank you card for meeting him at the signing which I gave to him in the airport. We asked him if he was flying home that evening (which they obviously were as they had no bags). He said he hoped he was but wasn't sure. We talked to him for a bit by the car, then I asked him for a picture and he said yeah sure. So I got Karla to take a pic and I got a hug from Steo too. Then not long after he had to go so he got in the car (where Eloy had been the whole time) and said bye and gave me a wave and a smile before he shut the door. Then they drove off to go to the Mardi Gras.

The picture:


Once he'd gone, I went with Claire and Nina, who Karla knew but I'd never met before - but they were nice so that was ok. So we got the tube all the way to Finsbury Park (on the other side of London). It took us hmm...about an hour and a bit. So we got to the Mardi Gras and by that time the grass had all kinda been walked into mud so we kinda walked slowly so we didn't slip over. So we found the main stage, walked down the side right to the front and made our way towards the middle a bit - but not too far as we were stood right in front of the backstage bit where I noticed about 5 mins after we arrived Stephen and Eloy arrived - and Steo spotted us and waved and smiled. So I watched him walking around a bit and talking to Jeremy (the organiser bloke) and some others and also to Eloy. Then about 10 mins or 15 mins later or something like that, Kylie who was presenting the show introduced Stephen - YAY! So we saw him go on stage - then cos I was almost in the perfect place I had a great view of him on stage too - cool huh! So then he went straight into Wanna Be Where You Are, which was great and he did all the little dance moves etc like he does. He was wearing the same but now had his sunglasses on. So I got a few smiles and waves from the stage too hehe - aww. Then he introduced New Beginning by saying that thanks to us it went straight into number 3 in the charts and then he sang NB.



Then he said how he was going to do one more song before he went and he took his jacket off as the song started to reveal a kinda black long-sleeved t-shirt / jumper thing (good at descriptions aren't I!) And I've got to say he looked great - as always! So he sang Do Without Me - aww I love that one (actually I love all of them really).



And then he said thanks and went - or nearly did but was called back to talk to the presenters and give them a hug - aww. Then he went - and so did I - I wanted to go back to the airport to see him again but I had to go home : ( - but it was a great day and so amazing seeing him at both places - I can't wait for a solo concert!

But after having the whole train journey to smile to myself while listening to the album - I got home - and got yelled at again! Oh well - and my parents went mad as they had heard on the radio about what the Mardi Gras was for oops! But hey I got to see Steo - they can go mad I don't care, they always have a go at me about him and going to see him...grr!
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