Mode City – Paris (4th – 9th August 2009)

04/09/09 Friday – Wake up at 5.30. Neha drops me at Oakwood. We came to this station coz of lifts but they wont working. Trains to Paris. Taxi to our hall in Mode City. Man my muscles were already sore from hauling all those litter bags but we hooked up the stand. Was kinda hard coz I could bend my right knee after the bike accident. Meet with friends from previous shows while we set up. Cecil and intros us to Rebecca… she’s come and help tomorrow. Over to the hotel. The moon was shining again… literally brilliant. And through out the weather in Paris was mostly hot and clear skies apart from night with it got kinda cold but not too bad. Check in at the hotel. Go out for pizza. Pretty ghetto area… the buildings reminded me of like 5 star projects. So we’re eating and a bunch of Indians walk in. Through I might as well talk guju to let them know the cashier will be back in a bit… and there we go… usual questions… where you from, what you do, surname and roots etc. Funniest was soon as we said Kenya, they heard India (always happens to me) and one of the uncles was like ‘work permit, work permit’. Which got on Neha’s nerves. Lol was kinda refreshing coz usually Neha’s the one chatting away in foreign languages and this was one time I was doing the talking… her guju is nearly as ‘fluent’ as my French. Hotel. Watch IAAF… that Ussain Bolt is one cocky dude! But he earned it. Duvet was so hot and a hot sleep meant weird dreams. And the snoring didn’t help. Reminder: TAKE EARPLUGS! Usually I just click my fingers and it does the trick but this time it made it worse. So next approach was to tug on the duvet but it uses too much energy and that wakes me up more… so the new system is raise your hand and let it free fall for impact. Even in sleep you learn something!

05/09/09 Saturday – Ok I use a lot of tissue for my nose but the tissue I got this time actually smelt like already wiped ass. Like it didn’t smell of poo or farts but there was that whiff of bum aura. Rebecca joins us. One busy morning man… so many folks interested or making orders. At one point all 3 of us were busy and first time I was taking orders too… so yay thats another step up since this is my year of action. But the lady was being so difficult. She just wanted Neha’s help and after making me take down the order, cancelled and walked! Khuram visits us. Find out Rebecca is into Naruto too!!! Man I was so happy… finally someone who knows what I’m talking about. Note: Lots of models in bikinis but like once you see it… it’s like been there done that but Rebecca and I agreed that the model opposite our stall had the best figure. Her facial structure reminded me of my bhabhi (Sags wife) so I was more interested in her shoes. In fact I was more interested in the model/translator/sales girl in the stall to our right. Very plain but very cute. Show ends and there’s an after party with some wicked hors d’oeuvres (wow I just spelt that with out correction, don’t think I’ll be able to do that again). Now our buddy from Bia Brazil was meant to ditch his ‘baby boss’ and come for dinner with us but couldn’t make it. Link with Khuram, Teresa, Kashif, Sundas, Valentina and Alyson for some sushi at Kaiten. We didn’t have reservations but after some pestering we got a table. If you’re ever in Paris you best order some of that stuff with crab wrapped in avocado… or even the cream cheese ones. If you don’t know from the menu it’s cool they have a photo album. Walk around. Gypsies get on Neha’s nerves coz she saw some documentary about how badly they steal and end up raking in millions a year. Photo op at Arc du Triomphe. We always have a blast with Khuram, dudes jokes, dudes got a wicked life, attitude, business. Basically oozing Alpha Male traits. Walk around till this magician dude. The floating the cigarette bit and turning torn paper into an egg and then cracking it to reveal a mouse was amazing. Hagen Daz. Finish mine and then Teresa and Alyson tempt me with theirs… oh and theirs had like cream and cereal and syrup. Neha and I agree Alyson is a beautiful girl… like a little Madhuri lol. All the features match but for me I loved her hair. I want hair like that!

06/09/09 Sunday – Though I’d check out my French AOL crew. So trains to their centre. 2 hours early as always so kill time in McD’s ;o) Buy some expensive lip balm. Kill time. Walk on a street full of muslim gear and wear. Meet French crew and find out there’s no Kriya. Damn it! Or could I say dame eet! Their centre was wicked man. Chill and chit chat for a bit. But if they wont gonna do a full moon meditation or satsang or something I don’t wanna hang around listening to friends catching up, without the subtitles. Speaking of which… been practicing my French. Rebecca was a great help thought I made her laugh with pronunciations. And also instead of just smiling and giving one liners to folks interested in our stall I was diving into sales pitches. It’s been a while since I tooted my own horn… where is it… ah before it gets rusty… HONKY TONK BIATCH! Back to Mode City, Caroline (French sales) and Silvio (Italian sales) were there. Practice more French with Caroline. Catch up with Silvio. Silvio’s side kick didn’t know English that well so he was like a clingon just hanging around. He gets on Neha’s nerves coz he wont even bother help put back the stuff in the stall! While I was just floating around all day. Go over to Pret a Porter where Khuram’s set up (Unze – shoes and bags). And what lovely shoes and bags they have. Love the diamante stuff. Float. Man the Bia Brazil stand while Sergio and crew go to see their stuff on the catwalk. Float. Check out stalls and shoot the sh*t as they’d say. Float. We’re meant to link with Sergio and bump into him at one of the stops. Over to Cecile’s place for some good old French style dinner. Bread, cheeses, meat, du vin ou de la bier! Ear ache but I don’t care… there’s food! Cecile was such a big help for my future plans. Don’t wanna jinx it so not saying too much. Boy has she lived an interesting life… def gonna hang with her. Neha was talking a lot about work or stuff I’d heard already so I’d zone out or take in the other stuff happening around me until she said something which made me feel so fortunate and reminded me of the life I left behind. Not having time or resources or something or another stopping us from learning what we want to learn etc. I def have to big up an ex for making me want to live her life and experience it coz if it wont for that I’d have given up and would be in the wrong place doing the wrongest things. Always good to get a reminder.

07/09/09 Monday – Ah finally some good sleep. Drop by the American Church as Cecil advised. Wanted to post something too but we were all waiting so long. Get a crepe. Not my usual egg, sausage, ham and cheese one though. Back to Mode City. Cecile drops by. Get a migraine. Sergio hooks me up with some tablets that look like Maltesers so I had to chew one. It’s the last day so lots of window shoppers. Pack upping. While we talk to the hotel one taxi driver in his Merc bumped into this oriental dudes taxi and there was a bit of drama then the Merc dude just grabbed orient dude, hugged him and gave him a sloppy kiss on the cheek. So it looked like peace was made but then went on again. Hotel, freshen up and out again. Dude in a motorbike was pumping Islamic choons. It was those bikes with music system, air conditioning… but still open bike. Some old men playing bowls in a not so green park-ish area. Over to link with Casa di Stella group. Bump into Elena (Mousy mousy) and Heurigen (Slim slim) on the way. Meet with Ed and Stella. We all get down to some dinner. Lots of work convo so Heurigen was like coding Elena and sometimes me so I coded back I feel you but it’s obvious so I wont be joining the coding lol. I loved the guys humor. Ed and Stella are one very amazing couple. They tell us their stories of how they met and the things they did for work and Stella’s mom who is 99. Ed was full of jokes after a few drinks. I loved the Polish one where 2 Polish guys come to England and one says I’m here to Polish my English so the other one says I think your English is Polish enough. Ed talks about some weird breakfasts he had to have and even though it was after finishing dinner it made me feel sick. Rewind note: You know there’s times when you end up saying something and straight after you say it you’re like … oh no! Come back! Rewind! Well I brought up being a sanyasi/recluse and it was funny coz when I said it I even mentioned how my other friends get on my case about it. And just as I said it, Neha got on my case about it. It’s not even a case of ‘hard to explain it to you’. It’s more like a case of if you’re not in my head or MJ’s or any other recluses… you just wont get it. Recycling bin note: There was talk of me having a girlfriend when we’ve just been out like 4 times. I was like no thats dating. But apparently dating is an American thing? My head felt like a computer about to crash man… command not valid, the system does not understand instruction. I mean not dating and being serious boyfriend/girlfriend just like that? Wow! The alcohol and fatigue were like send it to the recycling bin before you let it ruin a wicked night.

08/09/09 Tuesday – Brekkie in the hotel this time. Some silly ass chunks of cheese and meat. Some lovely Nutella like spread and cereal. Taxi. Station. Gypsies really get on Neha’s nerves. I really wanna see this documentary now. Cecile comes by to pick stuff and say good bye. She’s really cool. Trains to London. Busses home. Man it was so hot today… hell eet woz sow oot een Paris olso. Home sweet home. Thomas and Ali come by… don’t know if it’s just me or did Ali grow a few inches. She’s like I got invisible heels. Genie was so glad to have me back she didn’t even knock… gave me a big hug. At first I was like noooo not more chit chat but if you resist it persists so I shall have my Sabbath day tomorrow! Plus told me not to bother helping her for dinner. Even brought me the plate. But her servings were huge so I had to sneak some stuff back in the pans. Ah and Tasha comes by too. Knocking at me like she’s a headbanger in some rock concert. Oh and there was a French market at Stratford so Genie spent money on goodies. We had a little fudge session. Rum and raisin fudge, beer fudge, mint, dark chocolate, strawberry and cream and classic fudges. Spend the night with Tasha hunting for my hands… 3 weeks away she def wanted some decent petting. So yeah this year is meant to be my year of action and the last 30 days have definitely been Juggernaut stylie. Checking of major stuff off my cheap thrill list and more importantly my main objective list. Facebook Status: After all the love with Angels in Caterham, Hippies in Small World and Hotties and good friends in Mode City Paris a hug would be nice… lucky Tasha’s here to bug me ;o)