Day 8: Sun 2 Sep – Glasgow

12-16 degC

Even though I was not required to be up at any special time today, I was awake at 6am, so got up, completed the morning routine then rang Greg. Met the others for breakfast at 7:30am and did not get back to my room until 8:30am – a long breakfast spent chatting and catching up. Met a couple of Jane’s fellow Kiwis and new MEPS members – Andi and Simone.

Spent the rest of the morning sorting stuff out and getting ready for the FIP First-Timer’s meeting, Opening Ceremony and Welcome Reception. I misread the time for the FT meeting and realised it with only 30 minutes to be there. Jumped into my suit and hot-footed it to the SECC and made it with many minutes to spare and then it did not even start on time (as usual).

From the FT meeting it was off to the Opening Ceremony which was good and bad. Good from an entertainment point as there were only two lots and they were very different form each other. The first set was a dance group who made shapes using their bodies and told a story about international travel. They were really good. The closing entertainment was a civilian pipes and drums band and they were EXCELLENT. We were instructed to follow them out of the room to the Welcome Reception and that we did. The bad bit was the endless stream of awards, with each awardee introduced with much the same spiel as to why they were being awarded! And, no, it was not just me who thought it boring.

The Welcome Reception was much better organised this year than it has been in a long time; there was plenty of room for everyone and lots of tables to stand or even sit at. Unfortunately, I neglected to take photos as I was having such a good time meeting new people and catching up with those oldies. No need for dinner tonight as there was enough nibbles at the reception.

Traditional Scottish Pipers and Dancers