UK PonyCon 2018, Monday: One Last 'Spoons · 6:46pm Oct 28th, 2018
Saying goodbye to Nottingham
I got plenty of sleep on Sunday night, since there was no need to get up early on Monday morning. I'd arranged with Hawthorn that we'd go to the 10am farewell breakfast that had been advertised at the Company Inn. You can guess who runs this pub, can't you? 
I finished tidying up my room and checking for anything I'd left behind, then said goodbye to it and went to check out. The staff member on the desk was excellent and apologised for Saturday night's noise even though it wasn't his fault.
I lugged my bags down to the lobby and looked up to see that Ialyrn and Bearpaw were coming down the stairs. I hadn't seen them much during the weekend as they'd been doing other things, so it was really nice to run into them now. A couple of minutes later Hawthorn appeared with his (much lighter) baggage and the four of us decided to set off for the pub together. Sadly this was another day of thin, cold rain, and although the walk only took 10-15 minutes it wasn't a pleasant stroll.
Derpy at Derby: Muffin Horse looks out at the rain-soaked platforms
The Company Inn is housed in an old canal warehouse, but inside it looks like most other 'Spoons, though a little roomier than some. There were several people there already, including Jowy – who was, as he tends to be, drawing! Sadly Daft Night and a couple of others weren't able to join us before catching their trains, but Alliminaro and BBQ did make it, as did Hawker Hurricane, who I hadn't met in person before. Being the unoriginal person I am, I ordered a straight-up fried brekky and coffee.
We chatted away about this and that for a while, and I even got to talk fanfic briefly, having an interesting little discussion with BBQ on the subject. I didn't really want to leave, as this was the last truly social con experience I was going to have this year, but as the clock ticked around to noon I felt I had to get a move on and catch my train. Alliminaro came with me and we found our way through the gloom (it was still raining) to the station where we parted company.
The Last Muffin (of con weekend)
My journey back to Birmingham was pretty uneventful, and I spent most of it listening to EileMonty tracks on my phone. I didn't see anyone else who'd been to the convention, or at least anyone else who cared to acknowledge the UKPC 2018 T-shirt I was now wearing. At New Street, I made sure the piano got a few bars of the Crab Rave tune, then headed for Muffin Break one last time. It was tempting to go for their regular apple and cinnamon flavour, but orange won me over.
I walked through the by now rather harder rain to Moor Street station, smiling slightly at the trams I saw, which probably made anyone who saw me think I was very, very odd. (They weren't wrong!) My bags were too bulky to allow me to do any real shopping, and combined with the weather and my much lighter wallet than on Friday I decided not to pick up any pony plushies at Tokyo Toys. Once again my train journey was smooth but uneventful, and I was home by late afternoon.
Britannia is not allowed to let you back into the building
And that was my UK PonyCon 2018. It felt odd to be going back to my own house, rather than to a hotel room, even though I'd only been away since Friday. I was tired, and the first signs of con crud were making their presence felt, so I did only minimal unpacking of my purchases that evening. Still, I felt satisfied. This had undoubtedly been a hugely enjoyable and successful convention overall, with a few small niggles not detracting from the overall experience. If I can make the 2019 con, I very much want to.
Next time: Merch Haul and Final Thoughts
Apart from the odd clue popping up on Twitter, I didn't really know about the Monday goings on, so this was an enlightening and enjoyable read.
Aww, glad you guys were able to meet up and enjoy the morning together. Plus all the people you met at breakfast of course.
*Waves from the far distance*
I know this can be a rarity, so nice you got the opportunity. I wouldn't complain if you made us talk about fanfics more at the Worcester meets.
That's actually quite impressive as I've no idea how the actual 'tune' of Crab Rave goes! All I know is there's lot's of bass pumping and.. crabs.
I'm not quite sure how you found trams in between New Street and Moore Street, unless you go completely different way to me. You weren't tempted to go the whole hog and catch the tram to Snow Hill then?
Now that would've been a surprise addition to the merch haul photo!
It definitely feels different coming through one's front door after a weekend like Ponycon. A mixture of sadness, contentment, relief (tiredness) and inevitability.
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Thanks. It was totally unplanned and unexpected -- I'd thought it would just be Hawthorn and me -- so it was a big compensation for the horrible weather.
Heh, I wouldn't want to make anyone talk about it, though I'll hardly object when it arises. It's certainly nice when the topic does come up -- when say you, Somerset Cider and one or two other people are in the mood to talk ponyfic I enjoy it a lot -- but I'm not sure everyone would appreciate a mini-panel on the subject!
Don't tell anyone, but neither have I! I just played something that sounded vaguely right and had the correct rhythm.
Like this! I usually prefer to walk out of the top floor of Grand Central, and down the ramp where McDonald's is. The tram line runs just to the left of that. Then I walk along the pedestrianised bit past the Odeon cinema to the Bullring, and thence to Moor Street.
Yep, that's a very good concise description. To which I'd add hope -- as in hope that I can do it all again next year!