Win or Lose – Shoot the Booze

The Big Day finally arrived, and the weather was perfect for cricket, curry, drinking and talking bollocks all day long. The finely turned out RCCC wolf pack had the fillies of all ages swooning as they as they assembled outside of the Hagley Oval Beer Festival aka the 2nd NZ vs England 5 day test. While the rest of the punters dressed up in silly costumes like peasants on a day off, the RCCC gentlemen looked the business – who can resist a man in a blazer.

The Maharajah had organised lunchtime curry from our most recent Golden Poppadom winner – Saket Prebbleton and the lads were soon knuckle deep in the fragrant creamy goodness. Made even better by the fact that Suraj from Saket had dropped off the curry on his way to play cricket for his local team – absolute curryfection! Our choice of lunch attracted many envious stares and given the volume of food we probably could have fed a couple of them. But we wisely chose to hoard it for a second lunch around 4pm when the beer munchies set in. Despite the eye watering beer prices, the amber ales were going down like homesick moles and when the sun finally bested the clouds the supping pace really picked up.

With the cricket ending on an unsatisfying whimper for home supporters and the braying cries of the Barmy Army still ringing in our ears, we set off for Punky Brewster instead of the planned Afghan Restaurant. After managing to lose one member along the way, the now tipsy throng perused the quite fantastic beer menu and tried to make a decision on dinner while marvelling at the spectre of about 200 randoms doing the cycling equivalent of a flash mob. No sure about the black dildos but anything goes after a skinful in the sun. The food was bloody brilliant at the pub and warrants a revisit at some stage.

The elusive CoTM had made a triumphant return via its sheepish owner SC earlier in the day amid much grovelling. There were many award worthy actions during the day but by the end it was awarded to KS to go with his FOMO trophy from the November visitation. As the sun set, last beers were had and cabs were called, one of the lads summed up the day best – A day I didn’t want to end.

One for ages that harked back to our original RCCC Annual Outing 7 years ago. We may be slightly older, probably slightly wiser but we still love a curry and beers session with great mates and lots of stories – In saecula saeculorum RCCC!

Service: 5.0/5

Curry: 5.0/5

Total: 10/10

Punky Brewster, 22B Tyne Street