The last day of the Liberal Democrat conference, appearing in the cameras in a seat saved but unwanted by Sue Sutton as Paddy Ashdown wound up the conference after which Diana and I did some good shopping after our journey to Southampton. The drive in our Rolls Royce with hood down was enjoyable in the continuing hot and sunny weather.
Our stay in the Botleigh Grange Hotel started with very loud sounds of ecstasy from the next room as an American lady we saw with two men in the restaurant went through a very noisy lovemaking climax which was quite rousing!
The by-now customary morning call with tea and newspaper before breakfast in the dining room. We packed up our things to leave the Royal Bath Hotel and then Di got them looked after by the porters whilst I set off for the last sessions of the conference. It was the party leader's speech by Paddy Ashdown which came after a couple of emergency debates and then another on Law and Order. I sat in the conference hall all morning to save prominent seats so that I could offer one to Sue Sutton as the speech was to be carried live on TV. Sue was also hoping to be called to speak in the debate and had been assured by Peter Lee (her County Council leader and Vice-Chairman of the English Party) that she would be. In the event, she was not called and was very disappointed and did not want the seat that I had saved her and went to sit with her husband who had come down to support her and take her back after the conference.
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It was again her getting carried away with false hope because only the PPC's for the best target seats (classifies A1 and A1a) were being called for television publicity, but at least she will now be more realistic about her chances for an early election. Ironically, I was in the front of the crowd TV shots as Paddy Ashdown made a very good rousing speech at the end of a very good conference. I got back to meet Di at the hotel and we had the car and bags assembled and moved off to a car park whilst we had lunch at Beales. Di had spent the morning shopping and had managed to get the girls some books and also added presents for both them and Daniel & Angela. She also joined me in a visit to the local High and Mighty oversize menswear branch where I bought a denim shirt and jacket as well as some more pyjamas, socks, cardigan and tie.
Then it was time to leave and I secured the Rolls Royce hood down and we drove off to Southampton with the car as an open-topped convertible. We took our time and followed the coast as much as we could and then went through the New Forest and saw many deer and ponies left running free in this landscape where cars have to play second fiddle to the wildlife. This was both interesting and also more comfortable in the continuing hot and sunny weather. We arrived at the Botleigh Grange Hotel in time to settle into our rooms and watch the TV news footage of Paddy Ashdown's speech where I was to be seen at the front of the audience. Then we had a very nice dinner in the hotel restaurant and settled down for the night.
This hotel is in the very quiet countryside that contrasts with the other in the centre of Bournemouth. It is an old country hotel, family run and very calm and traditional and I liked it. As we settled down to sleep, there came very loud sounds of ecstasy from the next room as the lady went through a very noisy lovemaking climax which was quite rousing! Diana thought it was the American girl she saw eating that night with two men in the restaurant. Later she could only complain about getting her soreness again which was upsetting by way of contrast. Life is not fair.