Clare & Ryans Wedding Part II: Saturday

A wedding is never without it's hitches and we certainly gathered a fair share lumped into the category of "travel and transportation". After getting up at 8am and making our way to Aldergrove, we made our way through the departure gates. It is only within the last year or so that I have set off the metal detector but it is happening every time now and I am subject to an obtrusive patting down by security. I'll certainly be happy when they introduce those machines from Total Recall and save everyone the embarrassment. Nevertheless, after boarding, the take-off and landing went A-OK and we arrived in Glasgow after a smooth flight and took the bus to Buchannan Street station to get a connecting bus to Aberdeen only to find that the stations computer system was down and they couldn't sell us any tickets, beside which, they told us that the 12.30pm bus was full and the next one wasn't departing until 3.30pm. After deliberating for a quarter of an hour and paying £6 to store our luggage in some lockers, we asked the bus driver out of sheer frustration if there was any possibility of getting on the bus. "No problem, that'll be such-and-such for a return, on you get." Sweet Jesus. So while Lou grabbed two seats, I ran the minute mile back to the lockers to retrieve our luggage and sprint back. Crisis over.

We arrived in Abderdeen around 4pm and checked into the Station Hotel which is, coincidentally, just across from the bus station. From the reception area, it looks old and rustic,
like a stately home. However, the receptionist was some whack-job with a bizarre take on humour and direction and sent us off on the wrong way to our room. After another bizarre conversation and second attempt, we found our room and it wasn't something to write home about. Location - 5/5, Decor, 1/5. I've stayed in better hostels. In Eastern Europe.

After resting ourselves and catching the first half of Germany vs Sweeden, we made our way to the Wynd bar off Union Street for pintage and sent off a message to hook up with a buddy from
school who was now living in Aberdeen. After watching Germany stick it to Sweeden and hooking up with Ian, we headed to a nice little bar/restaurant which is a converted church, for
dinner. I had a delicious crispy haddock which went down a treat and set me up for the rest of the night which involved playing some pool, of which I was truly awful, and ending up sitting outside a bar in the early morning having a final Guinness before eating the dodgiest pizza in human history and sneaking it back into the hotel with Lou which probably looked very obvious and hilarious.

Tune in tomorrow for my almighty hangover followed by hair of the dog and wedding extravaganza!