Gratulerer Stockholm, I am in you.
Uncharacteristically I am the first of the On Europe team to arrive this year. “What’s with the early doors?”, I hear you ask, dear reader. Well, it’s because I’m only here for half of it this year. A real work commitment has come up back in the UK so I’m only in situ for the first week this year. I’m heading back on Monday 9th, but my time at home will involve a swanky do (at the same time as the second semi final, mind) and a sizeable cheque for an Award we’ve won so it’s worth cutting it short for. But that’s over a week away yet, I’ve nine days to go. Make the most of me.
I’m settling in to my waterside residence for the week. This is the view over the City Hall that I would have had were I able to afford a posh room, but I’m stuck on the other side with a view of a wall. That’ll get me out and about. I’m considering a chilled evening, catching up on much-needed sleep before it all gets going but some bugger’s pointed out a homosexualist discotheque playing schlager later on this evening so check back tomorrow to see how that pans out…
The astute amongst you (there must be one of you at least?) will notice that I am sans my partner in crime Rosé West this year, who is having a year off. I feel like my left arm has been cut off but frankly, stuff him; I’ll find somebody else to play with if he can’t be arsed and then he’ll be sorry. What a topsy-turvy year it is for the pair of us. I do hope you’ll cope without him. That Phil arrives tomorrow.
There’s little to report as yet to be brutally frank. I’ve managed to go to the supermarket for supplies: dill flavoured crisps and a bag of Åhlgren’s Bilar, all the traditional Swedish foodstuffs. There was a disappointing lack of Eurovision related ephemera at the airport or on the Arlanda Express. I do hope they’re going to bung up a dead dandelion in the baggage reclaim before next week and make it a bit more welcoming. Accreditation opens tomorrow and if we get to the EuroClub by 4pm we can have a sneaky peak inside before it opens on Monday, when rehearsals begin at 10am local time. We’ll have it all for you here. I’m looking forward to getting a glimpse of the first round for the first time.
Monty x