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YES MY DREAM FINALLY CAME TRUE … I WENT TO LONDON AND MET MY IDOL … DAME JULIE ANDREWS!!!
Let’s start at the very beginning (a very good place to start! lol). On Tuesday night, November 29th, 2005, my best chum Jenny came to my place and we took the train to Brussels, where we had to catch a Eurolines bus (at 10.45pm!) to London. Of course, as usual, it was impossible for us not to get lost. So we got lost in the 50 meters that separate the train station from the bus station lol. But we managed to arrive on time, we even had to wait for 30 minutes in the lounge where it was FREEZING … and we eventually set to London! The bus was full, and it was stinky. But the reward was at the end of the journey … London! Though the hardest was yet to come: to go through Customs! For Jenny and I there was no problem,,, but it took time for some people! Entering the UK isn’t as easy as entering Belgium. The crossover by boat went well, despite seasickness … Jenny had forgotten the pills lol. But that didn’t prevent me from drinking a big banana-flavoured milkshake at about 3am (the best time, no ants! Lol). After the crossover, there was still a one-hour drive … and Jenny slept! And I couldn’t stop looking out the window, England is so breathtaking! We were due to arrive at Victoria Coach Station at 6am, but we arrived at 4.30am. And of course, we got lost again, while looking for the underground station, which happened to be 100 meters from the coach station lmao. We eventually found the underground station, and went to the hostel … where the reception wasn’t opened yet! Of course, at that time in the morning. It would only open at 8am. So we put our luggage in the lockers, and decided to go to Piccadilly (the playground of the gay hehe) and we had a delish breakfast at Starbucks. Hot chocolate with whipped cream and a croissant for Jenny, and a hot chocolate with whipped cream and a giant cookie with chocolate nuggets for me. We then head back to the hostel, where I was supposed to meet Kymmy, a fan I’d talked to on the Internet. Her friend Chantelle accompanied her. So, a few moments later, in the lobby of the hostel, I finally hugged my dear Kymmy! And I met her crazy chum. Jenny and I then changed, and we all set off to Harrods, so I could buy my “Simeon’s Gift” book. Harrods is heaven for shoppingaholics. But we didn’t mind, only Julie was important. The signing was due to start at 4pm, and we started queuing at 11am. At about noon, Jeny went outside Harrods to have lunch. What a mistake … the burrito was the most disgusting ever lol. We then went back to the queue. Some time later, we found out that Julie would also sign copies of the dvd of “The Sound of Music 40th anniversary edition”, so I rushed to HMV to get it. And the endless waiting started … Thank God it was a bookstore so we had books to keep us occupied lol. After having suffered on the floor of Waterstone’s Harrods for five hours, THE big moment came. They announced Julie’s arrival with the loudspeakers! While Jenny and Chany were keeping our emplacements in the queue, Kym and I went to the store’s entrance to see Julie’s arrival. It was very crowded. I remember, at some mment, a lady said “She’s late”. And Kymmy and I simply said “A Queen is never late. Everyone else is simply early.” (quote from “The Princess Diaries 2”). Ten we saw saw a zillion camera flashes … Julie was there, a few meters away from us! But because of a stupid bitch who pushed me at the last second, I couldn’t see her. But Kymmy did see Julie and she was in shock. We got back to the queue, I was number 43. While we were waiting, a lady came and started talking to us. She was speaking French, and I even didn’t notice lol. She told us that her daugher Celine is a huge fan of Julie. But unfortunately she was at the end of the queue coz she’d been in school all day, and so she might not be able to meet Julie. So the lady asked us if her daughter could join us… We immediately agreed, but the guards didn’t. So Jenny, with her golden heart out in her hand, gave Celine her ticket. I was so sad that Jenny wouldn’t be able to meet Julie, but in the other hand I was so proud of her! And Celine was so happy, I thought she was about to faint. One of the store’s employees noticed that we were very anxious and excited (especially Kym and I lol). She came to us and said: “Just calm down, everything will be alright”. Calm down??? How could we? We were going to meet our idol in a few minutes. We kept on talking and then, all of a sudden, Kymmy said: “Look! That’s Julie! We can see her!”. Indeed, we could see Julie, a few meters only away from us. I got very anxious, and it became even worse when I heard the sound of her melodious voice. Everything seemed so unrreal. Yes she was there, my IDOL, my QUEEN. Chani went to see Julie, then Kymmy, then Celine. And then my turn came. I walked to a store’s employee to have my items checked. She saw how anxious I was and told me that everything would be just fine. Then I walked to the guard, who would tell me when I could go and talk to Julie. *HEART BEATING A ZILLION TIMES A MINUTE*. After some time, Julie’s assistant, a very kind guy, walked over to me and asked for my book and dvd so he could have them signed. And he said: “You can go and see Julie now”. NOW? NOW? I’M NOT READY! My head started to spin, I could hardly move, my whoe body was shaking and my knees were buckling, just like Julie’s during a love scene with James Garner lol. I slowly walked to Julie (all my life I’d thought to myself that the lucky day I’d meet Julie, I’d run to her … but I simply couldn’t lol, my body wasn’t responding anymore), I was about to pass out. She was there, about one meter away from me. Here’s the main part of the conversation I had with Julie. I can’t remember all the details since I was in 4th dimension lol.
JULIE, smiling: Hi, thank you for coming.
ME: Hi. You’re welcome.
Then her assistant gave her the letters I had given, one from Marie and one from me.
JULIE: Oh cute, and really coulourful! Thanks, I promise I am going to read them later.
(she really did read them, coz I got a signed pic a few weeks later)
ME: Thanks a lot. There's one from me and one from my friend Marie who couldn't be here today because she lives too far away.
JULIE: Where does she live?
ME: In Montreal.
JULIE: In Montreal? WAOW. Are you from London?
(I took this as a compliment lol coz my accent actually sucks)
ME: No, I travelled all the way from Belgium just to see you.
JULIE: Belgium! You are a few people from Belgium here today. Did you travel through that tunnel?
ME: No, I prefer the boat.
JULIE: So do I.
(I think it’s damn funny coz I’ve just got a job as a hostess aboard the Eurostar trains, so I have to go through that tunnel twice a day lol)
Then her assistant gave me my signed books and signed dvd. I had a treasure in my hands! Julie kept on talking to me, always smiling, so warm, welcoming and sweet.
JULIE: When did you arrive?
ME: I arrived this morning.
JULIE: Oh this morning ... and when are you leaving?
ME: We're leaving tomorrow night.
JULIE: Have a nice stay in London.
ME: Thanks, it's gonna be great now my dream has finally come true.
JULIE: Oh really?
ME: Yes. (I was about to cry)
Then she smiled at me, the most wonderful smile ever and we said bye. We talked about some other stuff as well, but I can't remember exactly coz I was shocked. Just mind you being in front of such a goddess! While crossing the room to reach Jenny, Kymmy, Channi and Celine, I was still all shaken up. Jenny smiled at me and wanted to know how it went and stuff, but I just couldn't speak (stunning, isn’t it? lol). I burst into tears (really burst!!!!). It was the first time in my life I was crying because I was happy. And it's such a good feeling! Kymmy, whom was crying too, hugged me and then Jenny started crying too and hugged us. Since she's not a Julie fan, I asked her why she was crying and she said "because you two are crying and it's so moving". Haha Jenny is def unique! Then Kimmy and Channi had to leave and I asked Jenny if we could stay till Julie leaves because it was IMPOSSIBLE for me to leave her. Of course Jenny said yes. I told you she's the greatest friend ever. And we had a great view, just a few meters from Julie, right in front of her. Of course I cried again, coz just looking at her was a great feeling. She signed more than 800 items!!!! While I was there just looking at Julie, her relationist came and started talking about her plans and stuff. I didn’t ask any questions (tho I had tons to ask!!!!) coz I was still in shock and so could hardly say a couple of words. Anyway that was great, didn’t know Julie was THAT busy.
The time for her to leave had come, so she stood up and put some hydrating lotion on her hands. I guess her wrists and hands really did hurt, after all those signatures in less than 2 hours! She waved at us (there were only 15ish people left) and we all applauded, she got such a huuuuuge ovation! And then she left, disappeared like an angel ... And of course I was there crying lol. I'll never EVER forget it. I had dreamed of that meeting a few nights before, but for once reality was way better. My dream had come true ...
After the signing Jenny and I went back to the hostel to pick Kymmy and Carl, my friend who had joined us. We went to Piccadilly (in the daytime you meet lovely brunettes but in nightime oh God save the King they're wrecks!!!!) to have dinner. We had wok fried chinese noodles with chicken. Mmm delish! But Carl ate Donald Duck sniiiif :( BTW thx Carl for the bill, you're the greatest guy. Then we went to HMV, where there's a huuuuge TSOM poster. Kimmy and I posed next to Julie so Jenny could take a picture of us with our best pal lol. Then we went to see the theatres, including, of course, the one where "Mary Poppins" is running. Then we got back to the hostel and got some rest.
The day after we went to Covent Garden, to find the London's Walk of Fame. Of course we got lost lol, but we found the Museum of Theatre. So we visited it, it was great. All the stuff we like and, of course, a part dedicated to Julie. After asking a zillion people, we finally found Julie's star on the Walk of Fame. Then we went the Mc Donalds accross King's Cross station to meet Megs, another fan, but we got lost again so we missed the meeting. Then we went to Oxford street, Regent's street etc ... to do some shopping and of course to go to the Disney store. There we lost Kimmy and Channi who were supposed to take the bus back home at 7pm so Jenny and I ran to the station and arrived right on time to say goodbye. I already miss you loads Kimmy, we had such a great time together. Then, Jenny and I went to Harrod's again, to enable me to take a picture of Waterstone. Gosh it looked so different without Julie. Then we ran to the hostel to pick our luggage and went taxi-hunting because we would have missed the bus if we had used the underground. The bust was due to leave at 9pm and we arrived at 8.57pm lmao. After all those emotions, we finally could sit in the bus and then in the boat, already missing our beloved London. Of course I cried again on the way back, but they were tears full of happpiness and great memories. It was three months ago, and I still can't believe I have met THE one and only Julie Andrews.
