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Lots of fun on the beach at Lowestoft today in the spring sunshine. We met up with friends with older kids and they were happy to play with our nippers, so we didn't even really have to do childcare. What a result.
At lunch the waitress told me that she listened to my podcasts. I thought maybe we'd all get a free lunch out of it, but no chance. Instead of course I had to leave a decent tip. I didn't want it getting around that I was a bad tipper. Being recognised cost me money. Because I am a bad tipper, except in situations when I am recognised and don't want people to think that I am. God damn my mild success.
Lowestoft was surprisingly quiet, given the loveliness of the day - but I guess it's a long way from everywhere that isn't Lowestoft. I thought I remembered playing Lowestoft before and of course I had.
It was quite a controversial gig. The fact I remember absolutely nothing about this at all (aside from vaguely recalling Ian Paisley's son protesting against me - but I don't recall meeting him) does worry me slightly. Apparently I was on the local TV news at the time too. I know I have lived an eventful life, but how could all this stuff have slipped my mind?
Also I would have remembered the journey took ages too (though that was from London).
Lowestoft beach is rather lovely so I was surprised that more people weren't there. Southwold maybe gets all the attention from tourists, but it's right in the shadow of a nuclear plant. Lowestoft may be full of fundamentalist Christians (I suppose most of the ones I upset are dead by now) and have a local reputation for being a bit rubbish (and that's just in Lowestoft), but we had the time of our lives here.
Perhaps the most Lowestoft thing I saw was a mobility scooter for sale in the window of a charity shop.That's a poignant sight isn't it? But I assume there's a lot of mobility scooters that have gone through several owners. I expect that scooter is in the window of that shop every couple of months. Maybe they should just rent it by the hour.
Our flat was really nice though and right opposite the pier, which meant that we were able to pop back to it to use the loo or get changed, which is a great bonus. Like having a very big, slightly off the beach beach hut.
Even though they're threatening to hit us for a £30 charge because Ernie had a nose bleed on the sheets (it hangs in the balance - as I have pointed out that washing the sheets has worked for us recently)
I am still going to recommend it as a good place to stay if you fancy a trip to a town that loves Jesus, even though he won't cure them and allow them to walk.
