Oct 09/10/21 - Claremont Showgrounds & Marketgrounds

I woke up early for a Saturday to make sure I was on time for my first COVID vaccination. Arrive at the Showgrounds by 10am, not knowing what to expect, park my car nearby and head in with the rest of the crowd. It is pretty busy and am ushered into one of the undercover pavilions and sit at the back of maybe 20 rows of chairs. Must be a few hundred people sitting down and some more on the other side who have already received their vax. I am tired but kind of enjoying being here as I don’t get out in public that much outside of work, gym, shops etc and Saturday nights... it is kind of nice. I keep moving forward through the rows of chairs and eventually get vaccinated. The whole ordeal takes maybe an hour and I am home by 1130.

The next few hours I eat and sleep and don’t wake up until 1630 or so, I am kind of f*cked. Jas msgs me to see if I am keen to go out, the plan was to meet at Reveley to celebrate JC’s Bday and I am expecting a big crew but turns out Kiel has pulled out so it’s only going to be Jas & Vesper. I’m like “Damn, where is everyone?!?” Such is the life of adulthood and when responsibilities kick in... anyway, I am def going to support my friend. It is about 6pm and I drive to work to use the bathroom (it is en route to the gym 🤣) and then quickly go to the gym to do some weights. I make it home just before 8pm, get ready and head to the train station about 9 o clock - good by my standards. I make it to Marketgrounds by 930.

Marketgrounds

I had totally forgotten about this but it was the night of Oktoberfest and the city was seriously hectic! I am having to line up outside by myself and there are a lot people like me, either in the line or standing around deciding if the line is worth it. Like people from 18 - 60, everyone! Some people find the line tough, especially if they’re not drunk or with friends, my line experience is strong and I am good solo so I wait the 30 mins and make it in, 1010pm.

JC and Vesper are sitting down in one of the booths near the entrance, we all talk and start drinking, a lot of young and drunk people in tonight. We see my rival or anti-thesis, “Anti Dutch” - the skinny guy with spiked blonde hair who Jas & Kiel recognise from Mint 5 - 10 years ago, and this time he has a new male partner, slightly younger than his usual accomplice... I’m sure it won’t be long until Anti-Dutch gets kicked out again for being too theatrical or a similar misunderstanding, always such drama 😂. Anyway the night goes on and we keep drinking upstairs and eventually on the dance floor.

We keep drinking, Vesp is being social and maybe has found someone he likes, a fiery blonde haired lady. The crowd is a little hectic, many drunk young people, some getting kicked out, and wide cross section of other people. I am struggling a bit from my COVID injection earlier on, I keep drinking (by my standards anyway), it is definitely a classic first Saturday of October kind of vibe, where people are getting loose like there’s a full moon, two girls are kissing hard, like right in front of us on the dance floor and everyone is just looking at them and thinking “what the f*ck is going on?!”.

JC confident as always, MB msging Vesper the whole night, eventually after 1am MB rocks up, also looking extremely confident as always. I am there until just before closing, we are outside in the middle of the sitting area. I say goodbye to MB, JC by using fight moves, hug Vesper and then head past the security guards at the entrance, head up Wellington St towards West Perth and walk home. This will be my last city Saturday mission for nearly 3 months.