The credit must go to Sharon for coming up with the idea of an "Aussie Orphans' Christmas" and spending all day at our flat (while we were at work) cooking an absolutely stupendous meal - THANK YOU SHAZ!!!
Step 2: On Saturday morning, collect unmet (but now met) friend, Rachael, from Trev and Sharon's place after they have already gone to work. Assume she is actually unmet friend rather than a random burglar in their house. Become acquainted whilst driving to Hove (behind schedule) to collect Len and Theresa.
Step 3: Realise en route that one has left one's phone at home and no one else has Len and Theresa's number. Also realise once on their street that one has no idea of their flat number, and only a vague memory of seeing Theresa disappear into one of the many doorways to choose from after dropping her home one night. Park in middle of street due to no free parking spaces. Beep horn. Check for familiar faces peering from behind curtains in one of the many flat windows in the three stories of connecting apartment buildings stretching as far as the eye can see. Start ringing doorbells with slight feeling of trepidation about doing so. Experience great relief as one sees Len and Theresa walking up the street, Starbucks coffee in hand! Discontinue doorbell ringing and scramble around back seat of car trying to find centre seatbelt. Find previous back seat sitter's chewing gum. Find seatbelt. Get all five occupants of car safely belted in, then drrrrrrive back to Crawley!
Step 4: Find markets on High Street. Browse stalls. Listen to vendors sing and shout about bananas. Eat strawberries.
Step 5: Find shops. Shop shop shop!
Step 5 and a half, for Rachael only: Witness enormous protest march pour into and then out of the town square – hundreds of marching people waving signs about a whole conglomerate of issues, police in attendance and all – whilst waiting outside a shop that the rest of the group is inside. Once the rest of the group meanders back outside, not having seen/heard a thing, try to convince them that this actually happened.
Step 6: Talk to a balloon man.
Step 7: Discover an absolutely fantastic Chinese restaurant, share a variety of interesting and superbly tasty dishes, and emerge some time later feeling very contented.
Step 8: Take group back to flat. Hang out. Drop Rachael at train station in time to board train to London. Have tea at flat with Len and Theresa, teach them Rook (which they are impressively good at due to having played similar games at home), then drive them back to Hove at the end of a VERY enjoyable day.
Step 1: Discuss with spouse that takeaway sounds like a good idea (verbally, not via instant messaging – even we aren't that sad!). Decide on Indian food.
Step 2: Google “indian restaurant crawley” and find a restaurant one recalls seeing in real life: http://www.tajmahalcrawley.co.uk/index.php. Peruse takeaway menu on website.
Step 3: Choose dishes by looking up unfamiliar words on Google – eg. bhuna, do piyaza, madras, keema and peshwari. Browse resulting recipe websites to gain idea of ingredients and deliciousness potential. Simultaneously expand knowledge of Indian cuisine.
Step 4: Decide on lamb madras curry, garlic chilli chicken, and plain naan. Phone restaurant and place order for pick-up.
Step 5: Use http://www.multimap.com/ to view route map from home to restaurant. Ascertain it is only 1.06 miles away.
Step 6: Plug address into GPS and drive to restaurant following TomTom's directions. Then tuck in to a scrumptious Indian meal!!
*Optional* Step 7: Post details and photos of meal to blog! :D
