Philip Watling's Page

Well I’ve gone and done it now; I think my brain injury is finally having an effect. I willing went and paid for an ankle chain… You know the ones: they have a big iron ball on the end. I then merrily attached it to my ankle, clipped on a padlock and closed the hasp with a merry click…

It all started on Wednesday: Meg and I packed up out bags and checked into the 5* Shangri La Hotel in Hangzhou. We were going to relax, have a swim in the pool, maybe even have a massage – Chinese, Thai, the full works… The choice was ours. Btw, if you don’t know what I mean by the full works, I am not gonna explain ;) First though, check out the wedding dress. Too small :) Oh my Go… giddy aunt! Instead we spent all afternoon dashing around the neighbourhood seeking alternatives. A semi-success by the evening, but we were tired so after a slap-up buffet we turned in, sleeping in an uber-Queen size bed about 10’ by 6’. Of course Meg and I still only occupied a 3’ width section!

So it was, Thursday, January 21 2010 Meg and I were up early and went downstairs (in a 5* hotel) to the Coffee Garden for the most enormous breakfast buffet you will ever have seen: kippers, cereal, bread, rolls, jams, cheese, Japanese breakfast food, Chinese breakfast food, full English, freshly cooked eggs however you want them, fruit, fruit juices… On and on, till one was stuffed. We had more shopping to do though so off we waddled to the taxi, and - taking with us our documents – we headed in the direction of 杭州市市民之家 (Hangzhou shi shi min zhi jia) to make sure that we could get married. In we went: sign here, sign there, smile for the camera, and that was it. With Meg wearing a dark blue top she had bought the night before and me wearing a red shirt and jeans, we became husband and wife. Not our dream, maybe, but the dream we can celebrate with family later in the year. For now I am beaming with sunshine and I have never seen Meg quite so happy. We are married :)

Now, can someone tell me where they key to the padlock is…