2geonomads

Cardiff

Wednesday 23rd September 2015.

The day of our one and only Rugby World Cup match!

Another fine breakfast and then it’s back to the main road to Cardiff.

A combination of normal early morning peak hour traffic and the crowds here for the rugby made for a very slow trip into the city but we eventually arrive at our accommodation, Clayton’s Hotel. As we cannot check-in yet we leave our suitcases at reception for collection later.

Before driving to our car park nearer to The Millenium Stadium( the hotel has no parking) we stop off at Cardiff Bay. In line with what has happened in many cities this waterfront area has been totally redeveloped and now has some fine buildings such as the Millenium Centre and is well endowed with restaurants and cafes.

We opt for Bill’s coffee house for a quick snack and after a quick stroll along the waterfront we set off on what is meant to be a very straightforward drive to our car park. Gail has received some excellent instructions online from NCP as to how to get to Dumfries Car Park and all seems to be going according to plan until the last minute. We can both SEE the car park but the entrance is proving to be very elusive. After a string of expletives ( mainly from me) and an interesting tour of some very narrow streets we do finally reach our destination. Tom Tom is proving to be more of a hindrance than a help in the cities  and we are getting used to the now familiar ” turn around when possible”.

A leisurely stroll back to the hotel to check-in to a room on the tenth floor. Fortunately this well-known vertigo-sufferer is saved by the fact that the one very small window is tucked away in the corner of the room so I’m saved from the embarrassment of having sleep with a parachute on!

Time for a quick drink at the bar and a short break before we walk down to the Stadium and the hordes of supporters crowded into the many pubs. Gail buys a Wallabies beanie and yours truly a gold cap with the ubiquitous bloody Union Jack in the corner. More on this later.

Good seats in this magnificent stadium which will filled to the capacity of 67,000 by kick-off time.

A very entertaining game with the Wallabies winning 28-13 but not before the Fijians gave us a hell of a fright. They must have felt that they were playing in Suva as the crowd support was far greater for the Pacific Islanders than the Aussies. I never realised there were so many Fijians in Britain but a kind England supporter explained ( as if I didn’t know already) that thousands of England supporters were merely here to cheer on an opponent of their main rival in Pool A of the WC.

This is made all the more galling as I’m sitting here with the Union Jack on my cap. I pledge to myself that this little corner of the flag will be blotted out on my cap for the remainder of the WC.

At least we now have PM who is a Republican!

Back to the hotel bar to watch France beat Romania fairly easily and they are looming as a real threat in the Cup.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret.