It’s 12:30 and I’m making my way to Kings Cross, heading to Leeds to meet up with a lot of people I’ve never met before.

I spent most of the journey looking up and down the carriage trying to work out if anybody was going to the same thing. I’d only met Morlspin 3 weeks before at the MKOP so the rest I’d only ever met online.

I got to Leeds about 4pm to realise that I had forgot to print off the name of the Hotel, mobile in hand I tried to ring Morlspin, only to get “The persons phone is switched off”….Bollox

I then spend 20 minutes on the phone to the wife trying to get her to spark up the ‘ole PC and find the post with the Hotel details. I had more chance of pissing in the wind and not getting wet. Bless her, she even suggested going into a few Hotels to ask if I’m booked in…. I probably would have got a bed for the night…. In an 8 by 4, stainless steel bog in the corner.

As it happens I managed to get hold of Morlspin who told me what the name of the Hotel. I found the taxi rank outside the station and got a taxi. The driver told me it would be cheaper to walk…WTF, most of the cabbies in London would have taken you 100 yards to get a fare.

Anyway I arrived at the Hotel and pissed myself laughing, you could almost see the taxi rank from the Hotel. Still I booked in, got my room then went to find anybody from PL. The lounge and bar were deserted…. Bollox again…good April fool this is!!

I found a bookies just down from the Hotel, had a look at a couple of races, found a horse I liked the look of then my mobile rang…Morlspin was pulling up to the Hotel in a taxi. I met Robbie, Pauline & Pene. They booked in and we went for something to eat. On the way back I popped into the bookies to find the horse I was gonna have a bet on came in at 9/1.

Back at the Hotel I finally met Paul Ross who promptly told us that Sparti had turned up all the way from Slovenia. Couple of drinks later and we went off to the Hard Rock Café where the rest were only to be confronted by the incredible tattooed waitress.

After more drink and food we made our way to the Bowling Alley where the fun began in earnest. I have never met such a bunch of nutters in all my life. Aliando using his shoe as a drinks holder, Meatman doing a fantastic impression of a dynorod engineer (cleaning the gutters), KOTP, Big Gaz & Gripper doing champagne shots. I was beginning to think I was in the wrong place. KOTP then getting 3 strikes, spinning around to celebrate only to promptly fall arse over tit on the lane.

After the first team games it started to go down hill will so many pissed punters about, cheating was rife but all in good fun. Best moment of the night was watching a ball slowly rolling back to the start. Back at the Hotel I think the lady behind the bar was about to shut up shop until us lot walked in. Gripper convinced chala to have a Red Bull & Vodka, after much persuasion he drank it and couldn’t keep off them for the rest of the weekend. I gave up and went to bed at about 3:30 only to find out in the morning Jeffers had broken his leg after Gripper sat on him.

Off we went to York races by coach where the drinking started as soon as we got there. I went to find where the bookies and food were. York Racecourse has been done up a bit and looks very nice.

I didn’t seem to be able to pick a winner until Carl came to the rescue with Collateral Damage in the 5th race to put me in profit.

Massive thanks to Carl for that one.

Big Gaz had a very good day seeming to pick all the winners and a couple of forecasts.

I came out about £15 up so it wasn’t too bad.

I somehow got separated from the others but managed to bump into KOTP who was well on the way to being off his tits. When we did find the coach KOTP gave us his version of Frankie Dettori’s winner that afternoon on the gate to the car park.

Back at the hotel things were getting underway for that evenings poker. Me and morlspin went off to get something to eat and just made it back for the poker.

The poker went well but managed to knock out Mrs Morl :o(

It ended with Alinado and Morlsin cutting a deal for the prize money with Aliando winning the game. He just managed to win wearing the magic hat that he was wearing all night.

Massive thanks to Valliant and Pocket Lady for a very well organised tournament

We played quite a few STT’s all night only stopping to go for breakfast at 8:30, not before Alinando found that Frosties are more than just GRRRRREAT.
In the early hours of the morning…

Me and jeffers playing poker.....

The time - about 3:30am
The venue - Hotel Conference room
The scene - both ratarsed

jeffers - "I raise"

galronix - "what you got there"

jeffers - "A 4 off"

galronix - "I meant how many chips you got"

galronix - "ok I'll fold"

The breakfast was of the funniest, maddest things I have ever encountered. Pene having to ring her sister to make sure she could still speak Danish. Aliando taking confession. I don’t think I have laughed so much in all my life until the waitress asked “How do you like your eggs?”

Complete uproar!

After break fast those of us that were going to Newcastle for a poker tournament arranged by Slik Mick. Aliando offered me and Laidbackbloke a lift so we set out and was treated to a guided tour of Leeds before we left.

When we got to the hotel we were met not long after by Paul Ross, Pene and KOTP.
We were treated to one of the funniest things I’d ever heard.. Sparti had imagined that Paul was going to offer him a job, sports tipping. He even thought that Paul was going to provide a house so he could bring his family over as well.

Paul, in the end left him with the transport police. Whilst he was telling us the story Big Gaz rang Paul pretending to be the immigration service. Brilliant

The poker tournament in the casino was very good. Very first hand I was dealt AA, raised 3x the BB to be called by KOTP and re-raised by Paul, I called and KOTP called.

The flop was all rags and Paul put in a healthy bet which I immediately raised, KOTP folded and Paul pushed all in. I sat for a moment and then called. Paul turned over KK and KOTP admitted to folding QQ. My A’s held up and took the pot. As I’m sorting my chips, I’m thinking, I’m gonna get banned for this. Paul took it well and we had some banter afterward. I can’t remember much as the booze from the last 2 days overtook me. I vaguely remember winning a couple of STT’s and showing Rosie the art of roulette.

God did my head hurt the following morning. I managed to get a breakfast down me then chilled in the lounge for an hour before getting my train back to London.

I may have missed a few things, but thats what alcohol does to you.

It was one of the best things I have ever done in my life and hopefully do it again.

Massive thanks to Paul Ross for organising this.

I would like thank everybody I met for making it such a brilliant couple of days.


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