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Hi Everyone, So, let me tell you about our very recent promotional trip to Europe. It all started when Darren and I flew into Paris. It was an unfortunate day to arrive in France (for us, at least.. I dont think the French would have quite agreed). We checked into our well appointed hotel right on the Champs Elysee. This was the first time we stayed at this particular hotel, due to the fact that our regular hotel was fully booked out. We didnt really think about this location change, or why the hotel was even sold out. We were just pleased with the fact that we were staying on the famous Champs Elysee. We had a wonderful view of the Arc de Triomph and you couldnt have found two happier, more smug and self satisfied people if your life depended on it. Oh yes.. we were going to hit the streets like the two Parisians we had swiftly become, to shop, soak up the atmosphere and to drink hot chocolate in fabulous little sidewalk cafes. While I was spending time in the mirror repositioning my new beret, Darren decided he would brave the streets and do some solo exploring. This turned out to be an example of decision making at its finest hour, for within a few minutes (and without so much as a get ready here we come!) the ENTIRE NATION had poured out onto the Champs Elysee. They came from EVERYWHERE! Oh.. sure, if you were up on what was GOING on in the sports world you would have KNOWN that France had just won the European Cup. Who knew that the European Cup was a football game, and not just a part of some imperial dinner setting? I couldnt even begin to fathom it, let alone envision the magnitude of the ensuing street party. I was safely tucked away in my hotel room, when I heard the first car horn and the first, of what was to become many, many... many Woo Hoos!!! Darren, on the other hand, was sitting in one of the aforementioned fabulous little sidewalk cafes enjoying a traditional bowl of French Onion soup. When one decides to dine alone, one is leaning towards the melancholy. Im not talking in a sad way, Im talking in an Oscar Wilde / struggling artist / crazed poet / Im getting ready to write a new song kind of way. The sight of thousands of naked people (his words.. not mine. I find it hard to believe there were that many people naked. Im never quite up with the whole lets really celebrate.. lets take ALL of our clothes off in public and walk around chatting to people about such and such and so and so, vibe. I suspect that there was probably ONE naked person and this was multiplied in Darrens minds eye. Lets face it.. he does tend to have a flair for the dramatic), dancing in the streets, piling onto and into cars, including the trunks, was a little more than he was bargaining for. It took him two hours and countless victory signs later before he was able to make his way back to the hotel. I, to my regret, missed out on this experience and must now live vicariously through his.... From Paris, we went on to Dublin in Ireland. This was my first visit there, but Darren had been there a few times before and he had been raving about it to me. I must say, on arrival, I was immediately struck with the colour green. Obviously, whoever deemed that Ireland should have green as its national colour, took their job very seriously.. EVERYTHING was painted green.. even the lamp posts!!! But.. what a beautiful, beautiful city. I just fell in love with it.. and it was at this point that Darren and I shook off our French attire and welcomed home our Irish roots. He and I both have Irish blood in our backgrounds and it was so strange being in a country surrounded by people who had the same skin and eye colouring. By the time we left (exactly one day later)... we really were Irish and I found myself speaking in that endearing sing song lilt that they have. Not too sure how it is going with the broad Aussie accent.. but Im working it! Darren thought it best that we stay at The Clarence, which is owned by Bono and The Edge.. because, after all, when in Dublin... this is the only place to stay. The hotel was great, but for Darren it was even more exciting as he had the opportunity to meet Daniel Lanois (U2s producer), who was in Dublin working on their new record. In both Paris and Ireland, Darren was there to do some press and promotion for the upcoming European tour (and yes, I know, I know.. you are all desperately waiting to get some tour dates.. but please sit tight.. they are coming.. I promise you!). We departed Ireland to meet Daniel and the rest of the band in London, where we stayed for four days. London is always great.. its always fun.. but this time the weather was horrible!! Its such a shame. We had a really busy time there with Darren, Daniel and the band performing AFFIRMATION on Top Of The Pops (where Robbie Williams performed his new song.. Rock DJ.. which we think is fabulous) and CD UK. Darren also did a slew of tv and press interviews and really did not stop the whole time we were there. It was so great to see so many of you guys at MTV and at all the other tv shows. I know that Darren in particular always talks about the loyalty of the UK fans.. especially as the UK is not the biggest market for them.... oh, allright... he always talks about the loyalty of ALL the bbs fans!!! Actually, we had a meeting with Sony and they were talking about what a bunch of troupers you guys are... so the word is out!!! To end off our week long promo trip.. how could I fail to mention PARTY IN THE PUDDLE?? I know.. I know.. its Party In The Park.. but for those of us that were there.. lets face it.. it SHOULD have been renamed Party In The Puddle. So, I shall now ONLY refer to it as so. Most of the bands there had sooo many problems with sound, that we were really glad to see Savage Garden go on early and get out of there (a) before the sound desk blew up and (b) before the storm hit. I, personally, thought they were the performance of the day (but.. then we knew Id say that!). But .. hey.. it really makes a difference when you are outdoors and you are experiencing everything the outdoors brings with a real live, walking talking, Im truly playing my own instrument style of band! Dont you think? I hope you all get a chance to see the performance. I know that the guys got a complete buzz out of performing to 100,000 people.. I certainly got a buzz just being there (PLUS.. I got to stand 2 feet from David Beckham.. who really is, and Im sorry to join the bandwagon here, quite divine!) That was it for the European promo. It was all pretty low key, and in fact, Darren and I saw very little of Daniel and the band as we were staying at different hotels.. so we all only really hung out at the tv shows. On our last night in London, Darren, Nina, myself and some friends of ours went disco dancing.... which is something we really need to do at LEAST once every couple of weeks to just go crazy! Whoo! (okay.. I agree with you, I cant believe I just wrote that either, but Im feeling a little delirious at the moment). So, as I write this, I am in San Francisco getting some stuff together for the USA tour, while Darren is languishing in a hotel room in New York City. He was due to do a day of satellite television to promote the US tour, but at the last minute laryngitis set in and his doctor made him cancel. This was a shame.. but hopefully it will be made up at some stage over the next few weeks. Tomorrow I get on a plane to meet everyone in Augusta, Georgia for the first show, which will be held at an Army base. But, lets just touch on another subject that is causing me great joy at the moment. I am SOOOO excited about the tour bus.. I cant tell you. I feel giddy! Just think.. we all get to leave our gorgeous beds for two months for a cot, a bunch of people conducting their own snorefest wherever we look, countless bad moods, the same stories repeated on a daily basis and Darrens DVD collection of Classic films (all circa 1985). I tried to explain to him that when we describe a film as a Classic, it is generally of the Casablanca, Street Car Named Desire ilk.. but he completely disagreed with me and has now bestowed this title upon such treasures as Gremlins, The Goonies, Romancing The Stone and Battlestar Galactica. (By the way.. Im not that unexcited about the tour bus.. I actually AM excited, but a friend of mine told me to always use reverse psychology.. apparently it works.. so this is what Im doing!) Oh.. and dont think I havent noticed that this is the second time Ive mentioned the tour bus in as many updates... not hard to see what is on my mind! Ill speak to you all again from the deep, deep South and let you know how the first show (and the first night on the bus!) goes. Bye... Leonie |