Lucky I had made arrangements to meet up with someone, in London, later that evening. I had decided as early as Saturday, that I was going to the city once more for another major round up of what was happening down there..Garage House wise!!!

After I had put on my glad rags, and managed to gather up various bits and pieces for any serious notes for my own personal Knowledge. I was off on my way, via a car trip via my Brother, Ian Brown to the local RAILWAY STATION.

After about a 5 minute journey, we reached the station with a few minutes to spare. He left soon afterwards, as he was needed at his household. I had 20 minutes to spare there. I made sure that I got to the ticket booth and got my tickets for the journey sorted out. There I was informed that some of the journey was to be completed by Coach. This journey was going to take 2 hours from Ipswich Station to Liverpool Street Station in London..

At first it didn't register, 2 hours wasn't that important at this stage of the journey so far. I still hadn't got to be at the Ministry of Sound , in Gaunt Street, London to at least 10.00pm. I was expected to reach Liverpool Street, at 8.30 pm!!!

Travel on the Underground, and the walk to the club from the tube station would take 45 minutes at least. So I had plenty of time. Or so I thought.

The journey, I learned, would comprise of 3 stages. Ipswich to Colchester, by Train. Then from Colchester to Romford by Coach, and then finally from Romford to London by train again.

All was going fine, until we were informed of signaling faults at the next station which meant that there was to be a delay in reaching Colchester. This brought a huge groan to all of us that were travelling.

"We are sorry for this delay, A signaling fault has occurred at Colchester and the station at Manningtree. The estimated time of delay will be 30 minutes." came the announcement booming from the station loud speakers.

I turned off. I didn't want to hear any more of their excuses. I caught a youngish girl's look of annoyance at this delay. Her face screwed up, as the announcement went out over the Tannoy.

I took this opportunity to freshen up a bit, and maybe grab a few refreshments in the station cafeteria. Also whilst out the Carriage I tried to contact the person that I was supposed to meet at Liverpool street that night. But no one was at home, so I left a message on their answering machine that I was going to be at Liverpool Street at around 9.00pm that evening.

10 minutes later, after queuing within the large queue, that had come from the motionless line of carriages that we had all come from, I managed to make myself comfortable and scoff at my packets of crisps that I had brought. I noticed that the girl was annoyed by this sudden stop to the journey.

"Where are you from? I quipped
"Me, or I'm travelling from Bury St. Edmund's" (Suffolk, England).
And you?
Oh me… Well, I 'm coming from Ipswich, and hopefully heading to London! And supposed to be going to a club tonight.
Well, I'm supposed to be heading to Watford, which is only just outside London….

And that was it. For the next 1 hour at least we were throwing questions at each other trying to find out about one another. What we liked about each of our countries, and what we hated. Were we had been in the world, and what we hoped to be doing in the future .We didn't even notice when the train restarted.

I found out from her that she was from a South Africa, from a small village that was just outside Cape Town. Her name was Melissa, and she was in England, taking exams of some kind to allow her to get on within her career which was doing beauty therapy on Cruise boats!!!!

By this time we were in the reaches of the last part of our journey, which was the coach journey from Colchester to Romford.

And from Romford to London, Liverpool Street part of our journey. We were smiling and laughing at some of our experiences that had happened to us in the past.

The train journey, which now didn't seem so long and laborious was over. We had finally reached Liverpool Street.
The time read 9.05 pm, on the huge station clock above us.
I said my good-byes to Melissa, who was in a hurry to catch her connecting tube from Liverpool Street Station that would take her to Euston station and beyond.

I myself was to meeting a girl called Sonia Meggie, from South London. We had agreed to meet each other after she had surfed onto my Web site. She herself was a confirmed Garage nut. And liked what I had to say on the Web site. So now the rest was history, so to speak.

But me being so late, I was in a panic. What if she was there already and, after waiting for half an hour, had decided that I wasn't coming and decided to call it a day?
I had to find a phone! I was panicking. Every phone booth that I went to it was already in use. To make matters worse I managed to read the dial meters over the shoulders of some of paying uses, and some of them read..( English Pounds) 8.50 pence.

Yes, £8.50 pence!!! Were these people going to talk all-night? What about us, the people that only wanted to make a quick 2minute call?.

Then I saw a spare booth about 20yards away in another bank of phones. I rushed to it like bees over a honey jar. Feverishly, I started patting my pockets so I could hopefully hear the sound of coins jingling in my pockets.

Ah hah!!! Out came 3x10 pence pieces, 3x50 pieces and 2x1.00pound coins….

As I started to place the coins in the money slot I notice that the dial message had changed to read…Card Phone only…. Card phone only…. Card Phone only..

I really was in a state now. I felt like kicking the machine, but I kept my cool.

Eventually, after what seem like a an age, I managed to get onto a working telephone system.
However, I was met by a softest voice which sounded very surprised indeed

"You there already" I thought that you were going to be at the station at 9.20pm at the earliest. Its only 9.12pm. Stay there, I will come ahead and meet you. Just stay there…."

Whew!!! I thought. I hadn't missed her!!!!
However, the high jinks weren't over yet. 10 minutes turned to 20 minutes, then 20 to 30 minutes, then 30 to 45 minutes…..
I was getting cold and worried. I decided to call again. This time I tried her mobile and I got though first time…

"Hi, what's happening Car broke down?
"No just a few things. I'm at Aldrigde, (London), which is about 5 minutes from Liverpool Street, Please wait outside…..Sorry for keep you waiting like this…..We will be there…"
"Okay, then, I was getting worried that you were going to come in the long wrong.. Okay I'll be outside."

Eventually, a small Pontiac car pulled outside the station with 2 girls who appeared to be sisters. Sonia greeted me with an outstretched hand. Her sister Natasha also shook my hand.

After about 1 minute of remaining stationary within the Car we sped of towards various places within London, which I cannot remember, to pick up items like chewing gum, soft drinks and even a McDonald's..

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(This article is the permission of Carl Brown. Permission to use any part of it must gained the approval of him.This work is copyrighted.)