Cardiff, Wales

Up, bags packed and out earlier than last night's frolics should allow. The Newcastle hotel is so comprehensively lame that the only thing I need to get is out. Breakfast or simply coffee is out of the question so, I wandered down the block to a great,little cafe called Blake's for a large plate of fresh scrambled eggs atop four pieces of thickly-sliced and buttered white toast. A large cup of very strong espresso with milk and a section of The Guardian to wash it all down. Heaven for the princely sum of 5 quid. Back to said hotel in time to check out. Everyone down in the lobby extra early to make a hasty exit from our dog-friendly boutique hotel.

Legacy to Cardiff and a pleasant ride as always with Eike to the venue. Our catering heroes outdid themselves with tonight's dinner entrees; succulent lamb chops, Chicken Kiev and a staggeringly delicious fish pie plus the usual assortment of several vegetables. I didn't eat on the plane and that plate of eggs from this morning had long ago served it's purpose. I couldn't decide what I wanted for dinner so had some of each. To top it off Angus prepared a stunning treacle sponge that I hereby enter as a finalist for the best dessert of the tour. Golden, buttery, hot, high and drizzled with thinned treacle....it was the kind of cake one reads about. Even those who generally avoid dessert nailed this one. No meet and greet so after a meal like that it was a pre-show power nap.

Tonight's show was our seventh in a row and we're all a little tired, but once we took to the boards the set took on a wonderful life of it's own and we had a great gig. The Cardiff audience was grand but I cannot say the same for the venue security who absolutely stifled the vibe. They did not allow anyone to come to the front during encores even though they are instructed otherwise. Sadly, it had a bit of a repressed vibe in the end.

We flew immediately back to London for a day off tomorrow, much needed.

So long,

Richard