Edinburgh bound

Today I venture four hours north to Scotlands capital city of Edinburgh, and a fairer, nicer capital city you could not wish to have - I like Edinburgh.

Which is more than can be said of the current Mrs JerryChicken as three days ago she threw a tantrum and informed me that she would not be accompanying me on my voyage north, and nor would our daughters.

For nearly five minutes I was almost pitched into a fit of depression at the thought of the wasted family room at the Holiday Inn, a fooking expensive family room at the Holiday Inn as August is Edinburgh Festival month and hotel rooms are top whack - and paid in advance - I paid for this one back in June.

I say I almost pitched into a fit of depression and I almost set off down the path of trying to persuade her to change her mind, but then Plan B kicked in and the devil sat on my left hand shoulder whispered in my ear and reminded me of just how many extra shows I could get to see when I'd just be paying for one person and not four - I concurred with the devil and these past three days I have not tried to swing the vote at all - I'm on me tod for four days of music and comedy clubs from lunchtime to late at night - how fookin good is that.

The Edinburgh festival is three weeks of high-faluting opera and drama at the posh joints in what is quite a posh city, but thats not what I'm going for, oh no.

"The Fringe" is an alternate festival which tagged itself onto the high-faluting festival a few decades ago and now consists of literally thousands (2000 + I think) of acts performing across the city anywhere where there is a public space with some seats and beer on tap.

Anyone can perform at The Fringe and often anyone does although many of the acts are professionals and there is a great tradition now of comedy acts making The Fringe there own - the catalogue of events is over 150 pages thick and to be quite honest its overwhelming but I'm informed that there is a daily newspaper issued giving timings and locations of all the events that day and I'm looking forward to making full use of each hour.

Most of the acts do just one hour maximum meaning that a single venue can host several events in a day and I've already got two locations pencilled in for attention - mix in some lunch, beer, an evening meal or two and more beer and I'm bloody glad that these sulking females aren't coming with me.

I can't wait to get started.

So the next time I post it will either be to test the hotel wireless connection or it will be Friday when I return, this is like the moment when the Apollo command modules went behind the moon breaking radio contact, and the world held its breath to see if it would re-emerge - I may be gone for some time.