We had made a commitment to catch up with friends to play a location game and despite the rain and the cold and feeling pretty average…a commitment is a commitment. Firstly getting there. We were to meet at the National Theatre Espresso Bar- a seven minute walk from Waterloo Station. As I got on the bus I crushed my Oyster Card-oops…£40. I hope I can replace it and transfer the funds. Have to wait until Monday.

As we crossed the road I was distracted by a couple of hundred runners. It was cold!! It was wet!!! What were they thinking? I stood in a puddle up to my ankles! Thank goodness for the golf shoes but I was going to take a while to dry!!! Not happy Jan!!!

Max and Paul were going to be late and I had to catch our leader, Phil. I think it was twenty years ago that I last met Phil but I recognised him. Just goes to show what the British climate does for your skin.

We were given the general lowdown and soon after we were joined by our accomplice, Karen an expatriate, Canadian- hence our team name – CANADIA. We shared the joke – former Australian PM and Rhodes scholar (it had to be purchased or they were just giving them away that year) and his penchant for confusing his words, with a special tick to ‘universities are not the suppositories of all knowledge.’ Definitely his best.

Phil and Ian had solved the first clue and were off. Our mission was described in papers in an envelope we needed to retrieve from the woman behind the counter at the cafe. Max and Paul arrived collected their envelope and within a few minutes they were off too. Umm John worked out the anagram was a character in the film and then we decided to call the number on the business card. Obviously it was Mr Bond’s number but he was in trouble and so we had a voice message followed by a text. Karen actually knew where we were in relation to other bits of London. We were in business.

(Below: Slide show with some of the fun.)

It was fantastic. Clues were sent by txt from Moneypenny, M and Q who all had a different number which we had to put into our phones. At other locations we were directed to go into shops or pubs and give a message before we were presented with the next clue. It was insanely detailed and really challenging. 

Unfortunately our team failed right at the last clue and were then relegated as agents of Spectre for which we were presented with a medallion. The others were then jealous as ours was far more interesting. 

We decided to eat at a fabulous pub which I cannot name as it is top secret. What an incredible experience!!! 

There were seven of us and having polished off four bottles of wine, copious pints and glasses of Prosecco we needed a change of scenery so off to another pub… it’s London… The Old Bank of England is a truly spectacular pub. Conversation and conviviality lavishly lubricated by liquor continued into the night. A perfect conclusion to an amazing day.

PS The game is called In the Hidden City and there are four games. Anyone into cryptic clues, running yourself ragged all over the city and discovering new and interesting places – this is for you.