London

LONDON STORY THREE (PART ONE): BOY GEORGE'S 'STRAIGHT' PROMOTION:
London, 14-03-05
First act: Taking off, landing and arriving at my hotel in London.
I had a nice flight. Everytime i take a plane to London, it surprices me how short the trip is. It's 45 minutes in the air. I did not really sleep well last night. The flu is trying to take control over me. I took some medicine to prefent it from getting worse. So i am feeling tired and i feel like my body is at war.
When i arrived at my hotel, i checked in and went up to my room, it was on the 4th floor. It was not ready yet, so i had to wait 30 minutes to get to my room and oh, how much i wanted to clean myself up. My room must be the smallest hotelroom ever. It has more the size of a prisoncell! The most important thing for me is, that it LOOKS like it is clean... I packed out my bags, turned the tv on and lay down on the bed for a moment. Then i went out to find the Virgin Megastore in Oxforstreet. I walked and walked and my legs started to feel like large, heavy stones. I remembered a small restaurant near Picadilly circus, but it was no longer there. So now i am eating a nice salade and today's soup at Garfunkel's next to Leicester Square station. When i arrived at my hotel i felt tears coming up (also because of the room), but i felt alone and far, far away from home. I started to feel better, when i went outside for a walk. I have been to London before and walking around in the SOHOstreets, makes me feel at home. This day and tomorrow, i will be by myself. The days after i will spend with Stuart from the 100%BOY webpage. I hope to meet other forum members and Boy George fans. And ofcourse i am going to meet Boy George! I received an invitation from Boy George to come to his booklaunching party, for his new book STRAIGHT, in London. This is all so special to me, it's going to be great for sure....
I didn't feel sad when i left home this morning, but now i am here and i do miss my boyfriend Wilfried and Gijs our cat. I am so happy to have a mobilephone with me, strange how quickly i got used to having one. My hotel is next to Paddington station in Londonstreet number 16. And it's not far to walk to the centre of Londoncity.
I love the sound of the London policecars, so different then home. The weather is good, no rain and it's not that cold anymore. I walked a bit more, but then i started to feel very tired again, so time to eat. I ended up in the Stockpot, a small restaurant, where i enjoyed a basic, healthy meal. ( i like healthy and basic meals.....)I will finish my drinks soon and then i go back to my hotel. Maybe i will take a bath, but then i have to clean it first, before i take the jump. Well, i will see. I am now sitting at Virgin Megastore writing these written words down. I am writing in my diary and then put in on my webpage. My time is almost up, got some other things to do....
Stay tuned xxx sven.strange

London, 15-03-05
I didn't sleep well last night. I have some noisy neighbours, bitchy girls with high raised voices. The bed fits into the whole idea of staying in a prisoncell; it's an old matras with stanes and it's hard.. yesterday i bought some muslibars and had them this morning for breakfast with a bottle of water. The hotel does serve breakfast, i paid for that, but i just couldn't get myself out of bed that early. After my homemade breakfast, i felt like doing some excercises, so i put the matras aside, so i could do some crunches and i used my heavy bag for my arms (silly me). A quick shower and then i took the subway to Camden Town and bought myself a nice english breakfast: scrambled egs, toast, bacon, beans in red sause, sausages, bread, a glass of orange juice, water and a cup of tea. I was starting to feel human again. I must say, i like writing this all down, it's like having a conversation with my self.... Oh my, i think this breakfast is going to make me do 'shitty, shitty bang bang'really soon...
Yesterday i found George's book in a store, i couldn't resist, i had to hold it in my hand and have a look... I will be waiting to buy it at friday at the Virgin signing. Camdentown, i walked a bit, bought nothing. Well, a few buttons. Then i wanted to go back to the centre of London, but i got lost in the underground. I took the wrong train two times, it was driving me mad! Eventually i arrived at Oxford circus, went out and sat down in a small restaurant called: Leon. I had a winterfruit salade, yoghurt with honey, tea and a bottle of water. Don't know what i am going to do next. Tomorrow i go to the 'friday night with Jonathan Ross show', where George will be one of his guests. I will go there with Stuart and some other people. I almost cannot wait....
Later on i went back to Leon for dinner and i experienced the nicest desert i ever had and it is called: Jersey fool: whipped jersey cream, turkish yoghurt and swirls of flavour, topped with hazelnuts caramilized in fruit sugar. mmmm
It's now 7.15 PM i finished my dinner. The London streets are busy, a city that never sleeps. Before i left Virgin Moby went on stage for a small performance. After the Jonathan Ross show, i will go to NAGNAGNAG, I am looking forward to that.. .i love that party, i feel like dancing and freaking..!

lONDON, 16-03-2005
I woke up, again with a terrible headache and again i did not sleep well last night. It's going to be a long day. I want to be back at my hotel around 2 PM, so i can 'work'on my outfit for this evening. I have to be at The Venue where TABOO played at 5 PM to meet Stuart and the other fans. The weather is beautiful, the sun is shining, i am not dressed for this kind of weather. Today we will be going to the BBC studios. I hope that after the recordings, we will go out somewhere to eat, and then go to NAGNAGNAG. I also hope i have got energy left to dance.
I am enjoying my breakfast now: scrambled egs, bacon, toast, bacon, baked mushrooms and roast plum tomatoes, fruitsalade, orange juice and a glass of water. I must admit, i do miss my 10 slizes of brown bread i usually have at home during the day.
Some people on the forum are already writing about their 'STRAIGHT' experience and most of them are not that positive. They say it's not like his first book (did he ever say that?) and that it is boring (it depends on what you expect). I like George for his music and the things he does, but also for having a strong opinion. Maybe i not always agree with him, but i don't have to. I just like to know what he thinks about things. My thoughts about gaymarriage: I would love to get married (Wilfried, are you reading this?) xxx. i think it's very romantic, i am a romantic person. Some say it is just a piece of paper, but for me there is more. I would like to be surrounded by close family and friends. I don't believe that marriage is a guarantee for an ever lasting relationship. My intention with this present relationship, is to let it be an ever lasting one. I love my boyfriend, he is my best friend, my lover and my soulmate. When i was younger, i used to say that i had to get married, before i would turn into 35.... I am 35 years now... i had to let go of that dream.... I would like my parents to still be there and Wilfried's mother. Wilfried's father died some years ago. I've never met him, but i know he will be there in spirit. Oh no... time for shitty, shitty bang bang again....
I had a lot of shitty bang going on when i arrived back at my hotel. I think i ate too much fruit and drank too much orange juice. I shaved, took a shower and started to put my make-up on.

I felt really stressed and not well. I had other plans with my make-up, but it turned out different then i expected. I felt like calling Stuart to say i wouldn't come. But i am glad that i got over the stress thing and fear of going outside with my make-up on and i arrived at The Venue a little bit too late. Stuart was already there, joined by Kristine and Sibylle. We had to wait for two more to come, when they arrived we went to the BBC studio's at White City. Wow, what an adventure. George was the first guest to appear at the show and i was sitting in the first row. While George was being interviewd he looked into the audience, noticed me, waved and said 'hello'! I waved back, thinking i could die at that moment in time.....LOL...

I liked the interview and George was funny and looked happy! He even showed his tatoo on his head!! After the show we took the underground and went back to the centre for something to eat. After dinner, Stuart and Sibylle went back to their place and Kristine joined me at NAGNAGNAG. I was on the guestlist, so we didn't had to wait in line to get inside. I bought myself something to drink (Kristine drunk liters of water before...) and we went to the dancefloor to dance. Then Kristine said: guess who is here? I knew she was talking about George, but i couldn't see him... When we went further on the dancefloor i saw him and he saw me... He smiled and reached out his hand, i reached out and he gave me a big hug and a kiss, he said he was happy to see me and he told me he was a bit drunk... He introduced me to his friends (also to Mike Nicholls, his co-designer) and also the dj knew my name and George told me he told them that svenstrange was going to come over to London..., i couldn't believe this was really happening. I said that i liked the interview, that i loved to be back in London again and that i was looking forward to his booklaunching party and that i was happy to see him! Again he gave me a big hug and i went back to Kristine again to dance my legs off..... After a while i heard someone calling me, it was George. I think he introduced me to someone else and then the dj played a really good electro tune and George told me that this was his new song. I cannot remember the tittle of the track, but it sounded great. George with really a 'dark' low voice......He started dancing in front of me and singing to the song, i didn't know what to do with my arms and legs, i was so enjoying this moment.... I asked if George wanted to go on a photo with me and he said that tomorrow i could have it all and now go back to the dancefloor and DANCE!!!!-so i did.... I felt so happy, forgot about feeling tired and enjoyed the evening with Kristine. We went away at 2 PM, we said goodbye to George. Kristine took a nightbus and i took a cab to my hotel. I took a shower and went to bed....
What a day, what a day.... xxx sven.strange

London, 17-03-05
This morning i woke up feeling great about last evening. Dreams are coming true for me here in London! I had breakfast at Virgin and now i am just writing my story. I am going to have an unhealthy meal before i go back to my hotel to get ready for the booklaunching party. The sun is shining, the sun is always shining when i am in London. I enjoy reading people's reactions to my story. I have been reading it all back and yes Amon, i write a lot about food. I love food, i need food. At home i eat more then 10 slizes a day. I got ready at my hotel to go to the launching party. I felt good about the way i looked, i took the cab and i met Stuart, Kristine and Sibylle outside HomeHouse. When we entered the place someone told us where to go. It was not really crowded at that time. We saw George standing accross the room, we waited to say hi, he was in a conversation. But then more people were coming in and everyone went up to George to see him. I wished i had gone to him when we arrived...

It got really crowded, there were three large rooms where the party took place. There was free champagne and everytime is finished one, i got a refill. I did not have dinner, so needless to say i got drunk after two glasses! And there was a dj playing good tunes. Some people took photo's from me and one person made photo's for AXM magazine!
Who were there: John Moss, i went on a photo with him and he grabbed my ass ... George's mother was there, would have loved to go up to her, George's brother and his family, Tasty Tim, The Devil in Sister George gang, Luke (who played Billy in TABOO) and more.... Everyone was heaving a great time and George looked great! He was wearing a beautifull red jacket and b-rude trousers and a very nice hat. George had 'promissed' me to go on a photo with him tonight, so i was holding on to my camera close.. But then i dropped my camera on the floor and it broke... i broke too. I could not believe this was happening to me. I tried to fix it, but it just wouldn't work. My friends were the audience, looking at a drama taking place. But then i got it fixed, but i had to find tape. I went downstairs to the cloakroom and the guy working there helped me out, he was really kind and helpfull. I went upstairs again and shared the good news. Just when Kristine and i were about to go to George, he went away. They told us that he had left... I sat down on a couch with a glass of champagne and the drama continued. But then Kristine came back to tell me that George had just changed his clothes and was upstairs again... I went up to him and asked if he wanted to go on a photo with me and he said: ofcourse.. So, happy, happy....After a while most people went away and we sat down and talked. Then George left with his friends and we went downstairs. The dj from the party stopped playing and downstairs there was another dj playing. We drank more and then Stuart, Kristine and Sibylle went away. I stayed a little bit longer and had a short chat with Jessica from TDISG webpage, but we were both too drunk to have a decent conversation. I went back to my hotelroom. I had a quick shower, drank a lot of water and went to bed, the whole room seemed to be dancing.

London, 18-03-05
I woke up with a terrible hangover hava, hangover hava... really, i felt like throwing up all the time. I decided to take a shower and have a walk, the weather was great! During my walk i bought myself a nice fruitsalade and sat down in a small parc, nearby my hotel. Then back to my room, to get myself ready for the signing at Virgin. I did not enjoy putting my make-up on, i felt sick and tired. But i was happy with the end result! I took a cab, the driver asked me if he had to drive me to the backdoor of Virgin, he asked what kind of performance i was going to give at Virgin... Good, honest me, told him the truth... When i arrived at Virgin, the 100%BOY gang was already there, surfing the internet. Later on, more fans joined us and we took pictures and had fun! George was a bit too late, the place was filled and we were waiting and waiting. Then Kevin came on stage and George followed him. In the beginning he did not seem happy to see all the photographers standing in front of him, he said he was surpriced to see them...

He started to sing Julian and oh my....that voice.. He sounded beautiful!!!! He touched my soul.... Then he sang Kookie Jar. Then there was time to ask George quiestions. Q: What's Antony like, working with Antony? A: Antony is an American sort of singer-song-writer I've just worked with, I don't think you've heard any of his stuff. He's probably my favourite singer at the moment. It's very beautiful,...nothing like anything you'd hear on the radio, it's just magical, really, really strange, cross-dressing... some kinda Nina Simone, kept in a man's body ###... beautiful, you can get the album, it's called "I'm A Bird Now". It's all about a man wanting to be a female, I'm sure a lot of you can relate - especially you, Sven Strange! I made myself look smaller and hided in the audience, George laughed and i enjoyed every second of it.... After the quiestions, the signing took place, we were told that we could only let the book signed and that there was no time for taking photo's with George. When i went up to him to get my book signed i gave him a little gift. He asked me what it was, i said it was for good luck when ever he would need it.... George, again, was friendly. I told him i was leaving next sunday and he asked if i would like to come to his dj-gigs at saturday, he wanted to put me on the guestlist and ofcourse i said yes.... He also said something about the gaydarsite. We stayed a bit longer, until George left. Then we went outside to find a place to eat and the lovely Jeni joined us. I had planned to go to POPCELL, i had been put on the guestlist by Marc Massive, but the whole evening turned out different. Together with Stuart, Kristine and Sibylle i went to the place they were staying to watch the Jonathan Ross show. The did cut out a lot like George showing his tatoo on his head. Unfortunately, they also cut out the little bit when George saw me sitting in the audience and said Hello.. I liked the show, it was more fun being there at the recordings, then to see it back on tv. The show gets edited a lot and there are great things going on between the recordings.
Around 12 we went outside. The plan was that i would go to POPCELL and would meet the others at TRASHPALACE. The trouble started when i had no small coints to pay for the underground, the other machine was broken. We had to go out to find a shop where i could change. I went inside a gasstation, but the guy did not want to change my money... I went outside and inside again to buy something, so i would get change. But he also refused to give me coints back. Then Sibylle went inside and she came out with coints, bless her, fuck the guy behind the counter. I was too angry at the guy and getting too tired to go to two clubs, so i decided to join my friend to TRASHPALACE. There were a lot of people outside, shouting and being drunk. Although i was in good company i did not feel safe. We couldn't find the place, so Stuart, with his good connections, called and we found the place.... Dusty O wasn't there yet, so we went upstairs to get a drink. The place looked nice, but there was no room to leave our bags or coats....I went to the toillets and ran into Dusty, she recognized me and we had a little chat..... I think she told me that she also didn't feel like it was a good night... She played all sorts of music and a lot of George and THE TWIN. (but what happened with George's voice??? the voice sounded like the smurfes...)Then it was 3.00 and the club closed. I went on a photo with Dusty O and to my surprice she sat down on the floor to take the picture, i joined her.

Then we went outside and i tried to find a cab, the others took the nightbus. I couldn't find a cab and got terribly lost. It was crowded and i did not feel safe, so i went out to look for quiet streets to walk through. When i got back at my hotel it was late.., i took a shower and went to bed.

London, 19-03-05
I woke up early, i had a banana and a bottle of water for breakfast and went out to Virgin to write things down, because i was afraid of forgetting the details. And i had to be at Bordersbookstore at 12 for the second booksigning. When i arrived at Borders, there were not many fans. The signing was called: afternoon tea with Boy George. Stuart and the others arrived later, when there was already a line waiting for George to arrive. George arrived and we were told not to make any pictures. George was suffering from the heat and he was not the only one... it was very warm in that store. I went up to him with another book. He signed it for me and i told him that i was only going to the first dj gig at Beduin. He said he had put me on the guestlist, i thanked him for that and told him that i wanted to have an early night, because i was going to leave tomorrow. Then i got myself a nice cup of tea and talked to some people. Then i went to Virgin to write again.
Tomorrow i will be flying back to home again, after having a great, wonderful Boy George experience. This whole week has been really amazing, i met so many nice people and i really enjoyed spending time with Stuart, Kristine and Sibylle. I am sure i am going to miss them. And ofcourse i will be missing George. I now have his new book to read and new songs to listen to, i have my own written words and a lot of photo's to share with everyone who is interested in reading it...
I got back to my hotel and got ready for Beduin, the first club where George was going to be dj-ing. I ordered a cab at my hotel. I had been warned by other people's stories about cabs being to expensive. But i was dressed up and did not want to stand on the corner of the street to wait for a cab to pick me up. When i told the cabdriver where i needed to go, he didn't know the street and he didn't have a map. I had to go upstairs to my room to get my own map and THAT is the point where i should have ordered another cab, but i didn't. Sometimes i really hate myself for not listening better to myself. So i went upstairs to get the map. He let me sit next to him, although it was a very large car. We started to have a litte chat and he was making strange noises.... He told me that he thought i was looking very sexy in this outfit and that is when i started to feel really unconfortable. I should have gone out, but then again i was all dressed up, my mobilephone run out of credit and at that point i did not know where i was. I made him very clear that i was in a relationship and was not looking for sex or whatever, he kept on making this mmmm noises.... He dropped me off at Beduin and i had to pay him 20 pounds....I knew it was too much, but i paid, i was ready to get out of that cab and to get away from that creepy man. I went to the door and told the man standing at the door, that George put me on the Guestlist. Who? was his reply! He could not find me, then Jeni showed up and told me that she booked a table and that even she was not on a guestlist at all.I got inside and joined Jeni and her friend. Then the guy called me and said he found me on the guestlist and asked where the others were, i said that they would arrive later on.. After everyone arrived we went downstairs to check the place and it looked great. A bit of arabian style, really nice. Then someone approached us, telling us that there was a table reserved for us, i was happy to hear that and went upstairs and sat down. George arrived late, but when he arrived we went downstairs where he was going to dj. He started his gig with nice, gentle tunes and ended playing deep electro!!!!! I loved it! The only bad thing was, that there was not enough space to dance! There was not really a dancefloor. So i stood there, together with many other people in front of the djtable.It was impossible to dance,i needed more space.
I think George played for 1,2/2 hourse, he suffered from the heat and the lack of good lightening, but it looked like he really had a good time. When he finished he went away quickly, i didn't have a change to say goodbye to him. Sibylle and Kristine went to the other dj gig, Me and Stuart took a cab. Stuart stepped out in the centre to take a nightbus, we said goodbye and i went drove back to my hotel. I hate saying goodbye, i am not good at it..When i arrived at my hotel, i took a shower and started to pack my things and then went to bed.

London, 20-03-05
Sunday, Heathrow.
I got up early this morning, i had to leave the hotel at 11, but by that time i was already in the train. I felt glad leaving the hotel. I had this mixed feelings:
I felt sad to be leaving; i had a wonderful stay in London, i met really friendly people, i had a great Boy George experience and i am really going to miss that all. I will also miss spending time with, webmaster, sweet guy, friendly, patience, down to earth guy Stuart, crazy girl, happy eyes, great make-up, well b-rude dressed Kristine, sweet soft voice, beautiful smile, very kind, talkative Sibylle ( i hope i spelled your name right) and not to forget Jeni, with the pink hair and her lovely friend and all the other Boy George fans i have met in the last week.

I feel happy, because i will see my boyfriend again, i really missed him and our cat Gijs. Also happy, because i got to see, meet, hug and kiss George this week. I am happy to be away from my prisoncell and that i will be sleeping in my own bed again, there is no place like home. Happy, because one of my dreams came true: to go on a photo with George. Today i spoke to my boyfriend on the phone and he asked why i only went on the photo with George once. And i said that one photo was enough for this week. Maybe next time when i see George i will ask him again. I have this 'bag' with me, filled with great Boy George moments and it's almost full for this week. I took many pictures and wrote down my story. And i am also happy to have his new book! Cannot wait to start reading it.
I also feel very tired and i have lost weight (which for me, is not a good thing...) My weight is my weak spot, it's not easy for me to gain wait... My body is screaming: YOU ARE NOT 18 ANYMORE and i know that... But my soul and my heart is telling me something else. This is me, this is what i like to do and who i am.
When George started singing at Virgin, i almost cried, i missed him singing live and hearing him. His voice sounded beautiful and it's a part of my soul for ever.
Before i came to London, a friend of mine gave me the advise to see George as an equal, he is just another human being with a great tallent to do so many things. So that is what i tried to do and i think it worked for me. I was nervous seeing him at the Jonathan Ross show, but when he noticed me and said hello, i calmed down. And at NAGNAGNAG, well, what can i say.... I still have these quiestions in my head like: should i have gone to see him more often to have a chat? At NNN the music was too loud, at his launchingparty he looked to busy and i didn't want to be up his nose all the time.
I think it was good as it was. He knows who i am and i just hope to stay in touch with him.I know i will be back in London again someday, i really love the city.
It's 14.30 and my plane leaves at 19.15. Time to get myself something to.......eat..
There are two large Boy George webpages: 100%BOY and TDISG. I knew that there was rivalry. I thought it was one big family of George fans, but it's not like that... I experienced (let me tell ya, that it is MY experience) that there are two groups, like a broken family. I talked to everyone i wanted to talk to and that was great. I was happy to spend my time with Stuart he did so much for me! (xxx).
Well, the most important thing for me is that i have been spending time with people i feel close 2 or started to feel close 2 during the last week. It is now 16.03 i am waiting to hear what gate i have to go to. I have got my mp3 player and am listening to THE TWIN-YUMYUM. I am hoping to see Boy George perform as THE TWIN some day. It's a strange and cloudy day. My boyfriend told me that the sun is shining in The Netherlands, i guess the sun is traveling with me.
During the flight i cried while listening to Anthony and George singing: You are my sister and i love you, may all of your dreams come true.
Well, i love you and yes my dreams came true.
Thanx xxx sven.strange
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PHOTO'S!

LONDON STORY (6-10 june 2006): Boy George at Bushhall 8+9 june 2006:
6-6-6, oh my not such a good date to travel, BUT anywho today i am traveling to London to see Boy George live in concert at Bush Hall. The flight went well, i wasn't nervous at all. The weather is good, it seems that finally to summer is to start and everytime i go to London the weather is not to complain about. My hotel, the Berkeley Court Hotel is nearby the Hotel where i stayed at last year, nearby Paddington Station. This hotel is much nicer and cleaner then the hotel from last year, so i am happy. London is warm, busy and noisy and I LOVE IT! I am now sitting at WAGAMAMA, my favourite restaurant for decent and healthy food a raw juice and cold, cold water. I also went to Virgin records to internet and to send some messages around. The food i had a McDonalds was horrible and there wasn't even place enough to sit. So i am happy to be at WAGAMAMA and to be served by a nice, chinese, gay guy. Not that i am into gay chinese gay guys, but he is very kind to me and it is always nice, if you travel alone like me, to meet nice people who take the time to have a chat with you. After my dinner i plan to walk back through Hide Park to my hotel, take a shower and go to sleep, i feel tired from all the excitement and the short journey.

7-6-6, After WAGAMAMA i tried to phone Kristine, but our phone did not connect. I tried every countrycode combination, but it failed to work. So i decided to go to Regent Palace Hotel trying to find her. I phoned her with the housephone from the hotel and she was there! I went up to her room and i was so happy to meet her again! We chatted a bit, while she was getting ready to go to a concert from Amanda Ghost. She asked me to join her to the concert, but i was so tired and i wanted to safe up my energy for the rest of the week. Kristine went to the concert and i went to walk to and through hide park back to my hotel, as planned, but i got lost in London town terribley. It was so hot, i had no map and i longed for a shower and a bed. After almost two hours i recognized a street from last year and found my way back to the hotel. I took a long shower, drank lots of water and went to sleep. Now it is 7.40 AM and i feel like i have caught a cold. I did sleep well, but i feel like i am over 60 years old... my god... Today i will travel to Gatwick airport to pick up my best girlfriend Amon. I have to go to Victoria Station and catch the Gatwick express. I am now enjoying a cup of green tea, water, muslibars and a banana. The sun is already shining strongly, it looks like it is going to be a warm day, i wish i had brought my sandals, i now only have my, too warm for the kind of weather, army boots to wear. 10.21, Victoria station. I am too early, i could have gone shopping around for nice sandals, but i just wanted to go to the airport and i hope that there is enough to do. From Victoria station it's 30 minutes with the express to get to the Gatwick airport. I hope that we are going to Camdentown today, i love Camden! I am now at Gatwick and it always surprices me how many restaurants there are at the airport, so much to eat. I wanted to listen to my mp3 player, but i brought an empty battery with me (not such a clever thing to do, but hey i am a naturel blonde). I bought new batteries and listened to George sing 'Out of fashion', such a powerfull song. I am kind of in my own world now at the airport and George's voice takes me to other places. So many people around here, old, young, small, big, dark, white hot and not! People waiting, arriving or leaving. Unfinished business? I believe everyone has got some and so do i.. During the day we went to Camdentown and in the evening we went to NAGNAGNAG, where we met the lovely Kristine! We had a great time at NNN, although the party started slowly and in the beginning it was hard to get into the music.

9-6-6, Amon went back home again and tomorrow it's my last day in London. Yesterday was the first concert and oh what a day!! We went into the city and we walked and walked too much. We also went to the National Gallery, always nice to see the old masters and the Dutch painters. Back at the hotel we were exhausted, Amon went to sleep for a while and i started with my make-up ritual. We were a little bit late, we found a cab and the driver didn't know Bush Hall or the Uxbridge road. We only had our concerttickets with us, with the address on it, but no postcode. He started to drive around and i was starting to feel nervous and i was so afraid that we would arrive too late at the concert. I asked if he had a map and he did. I found the street and then he knew how to drive, it was so busy on the road. We both went so silent.... Amon noticed Bush Hall first, we payed the cabdriver and went to stand in the line. I saw Kristine and Stuart, Kerstin, Klaus and Sybelle (i keep on forgetting how to spell your name, please let me know if i did it right.) Around 7.30 Bush Hall opened it's doors and we went inside. I bought some nice merchandise and we went inside. Bush Hall was terribly hot inside,the temperature was rising with the minute. There were two other artists performing on stage: Scott, i guy with a great voice and his guitar and then Amanda Ghost played a few songs. Then it was George's turn! He came on stage smiling and ready to have some fun. He sang old songs like: Karma chameleon, Everything i own, Hiroshima and Do you really want to hurt me and some new songs like: Look Pon you and a very nice cover from the song: go your own way. His voice was strong, with some songs the band went wrong, but besides that, it was a great show. Before he started to sing out of fashion, he noticed me in the audience and mentioned my name and said hello and something about the gift he promised to make for me. During the song he made lot's of eyecontact with me and ofcourse i enjoyed every second of it! After the show we hang around a bit to chat with some people and i also went on a photo with Martin Degville from Sigue Sigue Sputnik. We went back to our hotel feeling like we had stayed on a different planet. We felt so tired and happy! Well, it's friday now and tonight is the second show and after the show i am hoping to meet George at Jonny Slut's new party Yo Suzi. I am now enjoying a nice, warm pasta and a large Cola at Garfunkel's. Two days ago we walked by a very nice shop and i wanted to find it again. I walked around and around, but could not find that shop again, i gave up. I went back to my hotel at 16.00, time enough to shower, shave and my make-up ritual. It's going to be a long, long day. London is such a busy city, lot's of trafic and people. The thing i love most about London is that i feel free, to a certain point, to wear what i want to wear. In the Netherlands, even in 'the so tollerant' Amsterdam people will shout or be agressive towards me. But in London they are used to see guys in make-up, like my cabdriver assured me.

10-6-6, Oh my yesterday has been such a great experience! Around 6.30 PM i arrived at Bush Hall and the cabdriver was so kind, we talked all the way. When i arrived at Bush Hall, there was already a line of people waiting outside. There were even Dutch fans outside, like Wiljan and his boyfriend and Edwin. And there were more dressed up people then yesterday. The line-up for the concert was the same as yesterday. first there was the guy named Scott, with his guitar and his beautiful voice, then Amanda with her amazing energy and then there was George! The show went better then yesterday, George voice sounded as beautiful as yesterday. Again he made lot's of eyecontact with me and mentioned my name a couple of times, he made contact with the audience a lot! He mentioned the people who traveled from far to see him and thanked them! After the show we hang around for a while and then decided to catch a cab to Bootylicious at CRASH. We, Kristine, Sybelle and her friend and myself, first went to get some cash and redbull to survive the night. When we joined the line i got to talk to a girl who said she could get 4 of us on the guestlist if we wanted too. So we did. I was being warned through email about the bootylicious party, that it was only for gay/black people! But we got inside and had a great time. I was too tired to dance, but everyone around me had a great time! I liked the music. Then after some time George went onstage and sang two songs: about the battyboy and the jakasta shadow song. It was fun seeing him doing his thing in his own special way. After he finished, we went outside and tried to find out where to walk to, to find YO SUZI party. Then George came outside, so we decided to follow him. When we got inside it wasn't really that crowded, but then it also was getting late. After a while i noticed George sitting there with his friend (Mike, Kristine e.o.). Sybelle took care of my gift, so she gave it to me and i went up to George and the weird thing was, that i wasn't nervous at all. I gave him a big hug and sat in front of him. He started to talk about the shows, that he thought the second one was best and the first one was a bit unprofessional. I thanked him for singing 'Out of fashion', because it is such a beautiful song and i like it a lot! He said that he could see and feel that i knew what the song(s) is/are about, that these songs are not just songs, but that i know what the songs are about. That was such a big compliment to me! Mike also said Hello and introduced himself to me and it's a pity that there was so much noise at the party and that we couldn't speak much more. George asked me when i was leaving, i said that my plane would leave tomorrow at four. He asked where i was staying and i told him, then he asked me what area that was, i didn't know, i said it was nearby HidePark. He asked at what time i had to leave the hotel, i had to leave at 10.30, he laughed and said that it was so early! Then he asked me to give him my phonenumber and so i did. He said he would call me tomorrow and that hopefully we could meet, so that he could give me his gift. I ran to Kristine to ask her my phonenumber (i can't find a way to remember that damn number), i went back to George and gave him my number. He also offered me a cigarette and asked me if i smoked, i said no thank u i don't smoke and he said something like, well that suites you! He said that he was tired and was about to leave soon. I gave him a pre-birthday present, we talked a bit more and then i said goodbye. I walked back to Kristine and when i turned around i saw him leaving. We stayed a bit longer at the party and then went back to our hotels. I felt completely exhausted, because of this whole experience, but the most important feeling was: FEELING HAPPY INSIDE AND OUT.......
My sleep was short, but good. I had to leave the hotel, so i took a shower, packed my things and went to have breakfast. I had my phone switched on and even switched the volume to the highest, too afraid not to hear the call. But George never called. I waited a while at Paddington station and then i really had to catch the Heathrow express to the airport or i would arrive too late. At that point i felt a bit disappointed, but i also know that my challenge in life is just to let things go and so i did.

I hate leaving, letting go, i cried a bit in the plane on my way back home. The whole 5 days were brilliant, never to forget! I feel so happy about the concerts, meeting people and being in London. Now i am back home, i still feel like recovering and i just take the time i need.

Thanx to George, Amon, Kristine, Klaus, Kerstin, Susan, Miss Dior, J.Mitchell and all the others i met and hang around with.
Take care and hopefully cu again sometime, somewhere... xxx sven.strange
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PHOTO'S! and THE VIDEO'S: go your own way and ragga music.

London, Boy George at Pigalle club, 07-11-2006
Am in the train to the airport, it's half past 6 in the morning. I think it's the third time this year that i go to London to see Boy George. He and Amanda Ghost will give a concert at the PigalleClub in London. I will be staying at the Regent Palace hotel. I was so excited yesterday that i did not sleep well. I am still excited, but that doesn't bother me right now, i have to stay awake anyway. It is still dark outside, i only see my own reflection in the window. I am in a train of light, speeding my way to my destination. The flight went well, i am getting used to be high up in the sky, while i first was so afraid of it. I arrived at my hotel, followed by Kristine who had seen me crossing the street. We chatted a bit, then she went back to the Pigalle Club and i went to my room to get ready and to wait for my roommate Klaus to arrive. When Klaus arrived i was almost ready. Klaus freshed himself up as i put lipstick on my lips and then we went to the club. The club is very nearby Regent Palace. Kristine, Kenneth, Lynn and the other lady were already waiting outside the club to be sure to have a table at the front of the stage. In fact, i owe it to Kenneth that we were so close to the stage, because he arranged that with someone who worked at Pigalle. It was so cold in London, but i was happy that it was not raining. I think it was around 14.00 when me and Klaus joined the others to stand in line, to be the line, in front of the club. Not moving, early out of bed, not much food and being nervous and excited... well not a nice combination for me, i started to feel colder and colder. Me and Klaus went to the Burger King to drink, eat and warm up a bit. I enjoyed the large fries and i not so enjoyed the water-chocolate-water drink... but the most important thing was that it was warm. Soon other faces joined us at the Club: Nicole, Helga, Ellie, Gitte and more... Helga and Nicole went to the backdoor of the club, hoping to see George going inside. I walked from the back to the front of the club trying to stay warm. I was happy when finally the doors opened and we were being led to our tables. I shared the table with the lovely Kristine and we were sitting right in front of the stage. The first thing i ordered was a pot of tea, i had to warm up, my hands were blue at that moment. The food was wonderful, i really enjoyed the exclusive food and the whole atmosphere of the Pigalle Club. Bob was there, trying to arrange a stand for the Boy George and B-RUDE merchandise, but the club was not happy with that. He ended up staying in front of the elevator with all the merchandise in bags or on the floor. I bought the pinkhootie, some batches on a patch and a t-shirt. When i started to eat my lovely chocolate desert, Amanda came on stage to sing and she was good! I must admit that when i first heard her at Bush hall i didn't really like her music, but now after hearing her for the third time and after listening to the song 'time machine', i am starting to like her! I think she sang 5 or six songs. Then there was a small break and then the band members arrived on stage and George followed! One of the backing vocalists did not arrive yet, but they had to start the show and so they did.... I can't even remember what song George sang first and second, but the show was amazing. His voice was strong, the band played really well! George noticed me standing. He made some comments, he warned people not to take photo's or movies and photoshop them or they should do such a great job with it as Sven does..... He also said something about me knowing all about downloading stuff, but that it was okay and that he liked to do that as well. While singing 'Do you really want to hurt me' there was this eyecontact again, i smiled and sang as loudly as i could! When the show was over, the others wanted to go to the backdoor of the club to wait for George to come out and take photo's. I did not know what to do, because George promised to bring the clothes that he made for me, so i was getting confused and worried. I went outside to join the others, but then decided to go back in and try to get backstage. I asked Kristine that if George would come outside and would take some time to chat, if she would ask him about the clothes. So i went back inside, i saw George's manager Frank. I went up to him and asked if he knew if George brought something with him for me, he said he did not know and went on with talking to somebody he was talking to. Then i saw one of the backing vocalists, the blond girl, walking by and i asked her if she could get me backstage. She said she was new and felt uncomfortable trying to get me backstage. I kind of understood her, so i picked up my coat and went outside again to join the others. After a couple of minutes George came outside, joined by Mike. His body language seemed to be saying that he wanted to walk on, so i stood there nailed to the floor... He noticed me and said: Thanx Sven! and i cannot even remember if i said something back or not...... There were so many thoughts going through my head, i was going through that mister Too shy, shy hush hush faze again.... I believe that if George would have brought the clothes, that he would have giving them to me. So i guess, he forgot about them. I find it hard to say, but i was disappointed, because i was so looking forward to receive the things he made for me, that does mean so much for me! I think that is all i want to write about that bit of the day, it's not like it was a big, dark shadow that made the whole day fall into deep water..... i also brought my camera with me, but it failed to work well and i kind of got into an emotional fight with my camera.... I tried to practice during Amanda's show, but the photo's were awful. So i took some photo's and put them back in my bag and decided to go for the Boy George experience knowing that there were more people taking photo's and shooting movies....
After the Pigalle Club we went back to our hotel to fresh up a bit. Me, Klaus and Kristine went to the 'Don't call me babe party from Dusty and had a great time. After we arrived back at the hotel, i took a shower and we went to sleep....
08112006 Me and Klaus woke-up early, or should i say: I woke up early and woke up Klaus, because i woke up early...(?) We showered and decided to have breakfast and tried to contact the girls (Kristine and Kerstin) to ask them if they wanted to join us, but they were still asleep. After breakfast we went to Camden, Klaus never went there and i wanted to shop. Then at some underground tube station we had to say goodbye, because Klaus was leaving from another airport then i was. I went to the GATWICK airport and waited for my plane to leave.... My best friend Amon, picked me up at the airport SCHIPHOL AMSTERDAM, we had dinner and she shared with me that her boyfriend asked her to marry him and she said yes!!!! She asked me if i wanted to be her witness, so that was wonderful news and of course i wanted to be her witness at the wedding!
As i flew back home i decided to write to George about how i felt. A hard thing to do for me, but i did. I received a very kind message back from him, tears in my eyes and a warm feeling, it's all good....So it all was another great Boy George/London experience! As always i would like to thank everyone who has been a part of this experience.The Boy George fans i have met are all wonderful, crazy, funny and creative people and they are an important part of my stay in London.... THANX 2 U ALL..... (esp.: Kenneth, Lynn, Klaus, Kristine, Nicole and Helga and i spoke to some very nice people at the Pigalle club, Keith was one of them a hug to the group of you.... and as always a big thank u to George for seeing me..... love... xxx sven.strange (see the photo's)

lONDON, B-RUDE FASHIONSHOW, LFW 22-09-2006.

After complaining to George about the third B-RUDE order that failed, he invited me to come and see his B-RUDE fashionshow in London and so i went and this is my story:::::
22-09-2006: the alarm clock goes off at 5.30 in the morning. Time to go out of bed, fresh up, shave, eat and go to work. My boyfriend is going to pick me up at work around 10.00. Then we drive to the airport where i will catch a plane to London Heathrow. From Heathrow i will take the Heathrow express to Paddington station. i know it is not the cheapest way to travel, but it is the fastest! I hope to arrive at the hotel at 15.00 in the afternoon. The fashion show begins at 18.00. A tight schedule...

The flight went well and i arrived without any delay at Heathrow. As soon as i am in the train i phoned my boyfriend to tell him that everything went well. I also received a message from Kristine telling me that she already collected the tickets to the show and that the hotel is good!
I arrived at Paddington station and took the tube to Gloucester Road. It was raining and i was happy to find the hotel nearby the tube station. I checked in at the Milenium Baileys hotel, found my way to the third floor, knocked on door number 302 to say hello to Kristine! I had roomnumber 331, a small, but very clean room with a very nice bathroom. Despite the bad weather i felt very warm and took a shower to fresh up. I put my make-up on, consumed redbull to keep me awake and ate some things me and Kristine bought before going into the big make-over. We went to the National History Museum, where the show would take place. When we arrived there were some other fans waiting outside. Then Frank, George's manager came out to ask us if we already had the tickets, we said yes. But the other 3 didn't have any tickets, so Frank asked them to follow him inside. Me and Kristine were confused, we didn't know if they would be coming back outside and only had to receive the tickets to return to stand in line like the rest of us.... So in that small moment of confusion they walked away, we stood there, wanted to join them and were told to stand in line by the security men. We were hoping that the others came back to get us in, but that didn't happen. We found out that the show would start at 19.00, when it was supposed to be starting at 18.00. We went inside at 19.00 and didn't see the others. Me and Kristine were being photographed a lot, wich i liked a lot i might say...
After a while the doors opened and people with seattickets were asked to enter the room, we had standing tickets and had to wait a long time to enter the room. We walked to the right side of the catwalk and really had a good view to take photo's and shoot the film. When everyone was in and the press was ready, the lights went out and the music started. YUMYUM boys and girls walked the catwalk showing the new B-RUDE designs. At the end George and Mike joined the models to take a bow and walked on the catwalk to receive a round of applause. George and Mike looked happy. When we wanted to go outside we met the others again. We decided to go to the METBAR for the afterparty. We were supposed to be on the guestlist, but when we arrived there, we were not.... We decided to wait until George or Frank or the person who we had to contact to be on the guestlist would arrive. Frank arrived and he took us inside... I was so happy and had just escaped from a nervous brakedown....
We went inside. A DJ was playing, free cocktails and fingerfood. More people arrived like: Mike nicholls (desinger B-RUDE), Cristine Bateman (who did the make-up for the show), Princess Julia (who modeled for B-RUDE).... I went up to have a chat with Frank, George's manager to thank him for arranging things and for letting us in. Frank is a really nice person and from what he told me, i could tell that he is a very dedicated person and a really good friend of George. George is in good hands....
Princess Julia was kind of hiding in the back of the room, i went up to her asking for a photo, she looked beautiful and i went on a photo with her. I told her about a DJ gig i had seen from her in Amsterdam two years ago and she remembered it. I also spoke to Mike and had a chat and a photo taken with him, he was very kind, if al goes well, B-RUDE will go into production, so that is good news... Frank told us about a candyshop, so we went to have a look and there were all kinds of candy to eat... homemade stuff. really nice...So that was dinnertime for me... lot's of candy and cookies and cola....YUMYUM
Time was moving fast, people were starting to leave the party and there was no sign of George. I think we stayed until 12 and then decided to go to the 2 too much club and hope to find George there.... We took a cab to the club, we had to pay 10 pounds to get inside, wich i thought was a lot only to see if George was there. And ofcourse George wasn't there. We took something to drink and waited to see a performance and then left the club. I must say that i hope to return to that club one day, i really liked all the dragqueens and the half naked boys dancing around tha place! We walked to the Ghetto and went inside. Helga decided to wait outside and asked us to come and tell if George was inside or not. He wasn't. While Kristine went to Helga to tell her, a strange man came up to me and said something i didn't understand. He looked angry and had lot's of bad, bad energy around him. He screamed a bit: why were you looking at me and what do you want!!! come and give me a hug... I gave him a hug trying to get rid of him, but he returned saying loudly: there wasn't any love there in that hug..... i was happy that Kristine came back and i ignored him. We went inside and found a place to sit. After a while that same guy also sat down little space away from us and kept on staring at me... I didn't respond to it, but asked Kristine to go and dance with me... We went onto the dancefloor, but it was too crowded and i was too tired..... so i asked Kristine if it was okay that we would return to our hotel and she said okay.... Happy me turned into desperate for a shower, food and bed me when it turned out to be a big problem to find a cab. The tubes were closed and the pubs were closing so EVERYONE was trying to get a cab..... We walked and we walked.... and we walked... and we walked and walked.... we walked that walk....
Then i spotted a cab, so i grabbed Kristine's hand and we ran to the cab and we were so lucky, because it was free.... we were soooo happy...... Back at the hotel we watched a couple of photo's and a small bit of the movie i made.... Then i went to my room, took the make-up off and went to bed... Couple of hours later i woke up with a terrible pain in my feet.. i went out of bed to stretch and walk, the veins of my veet looked and felt like they were going to explode!!! I took a pillow and put it at the end of the bed to put my feet onto... and that helped... The next morning i woke up, breakfast: tea, banana, redbull and a croissant., a shower, pack my stuff and checked out of the hotel... I wanted to find a shop again, i saw that shop the last time i was in London.. didn't go inside, regretted that and never could find that shop again.... I took the tube to Kingscross, but the tube didn't stop at that station...so i had to get out at another station. I thought i could walk back easely, but it turned out to be a long walk, the sun was hot, i was hot, hungry and tired and then my suitcase broke..... my drama was complete...... When i arrived at Kingscross i couldn't find the bigstreets, so i took the tube to a station i did recognize.... I walked and walked, stopped at mcdonalds to have an unhealthy snack, but i couldn't find that shop...... I decided to to back to Paddington station to take the train to Heathrow. My flight was at 18.45, so i had to wait more then 4 hours..... I tried to get change my flight, but that would have cost me more money and i had spend enough money on this trip already..so i waited.

I was happy to arrive safely in Amsterdam and then i took the train and cab home... Happy to be in the arms of my boyfriend again.....glad to eat, shower and sleep....

This whole B-RUDE adventure was fun, but also very tiring.... I had so much fun with Kristine, Helga and the other girl....(oh i forgot her name and i even danced with her) and Ken or Kevin ( i am soooo bad with names....) I feel happy to have spoken to Frank and Mike, such sweet guys... happy to have seen the B-RUDE show.... happy to have stayed in the 4 star Millenium hotel, it all cost me a lot of money.... IF George is going to do live shows again this year, i really wouldn't know if i could come.... money, money, money.... me and my boyfriend are also busy with trying to find a nice house to buy for ourselves, so there will come a time when i have to be very carefull with my money...
The other thing that was a disappointment, was that George was not there at the afterparty... But i guess he must have had a very good reason.....

So, when is next time? Who will i meet? Will i see George again? When will i receive the clothes? All these questions... i put them in a closet and will open it when the time is ready to find the answers...

Take care xxx sven.strange

07-02-2007 KOKO, CAMDEN HIGHSTREET, BOY GEORGE CONCERT:

06-02-2007
Waking up with my alarm clock on fire. Wash, wake-up, check email, eat, drink tea. 5.30 hr. the doorbell rings, Hans and Attie (our friend driver-BIG thank u). Kiss, kiss boyfriend and cat goodbye. Cold outside, early train, busy working people, change train in Utrecht, get out of the train at Schiphol, Amsterdam. Early check in. Hans at window seat. Eat and drink and wait to board the plane. Toilet two or three times. Bit nervous, not too much. Taking of, in front of us man with dirty hair not listening to simple instructions. Clouds and sun, sand, land and sea. Gatwick landing pick up our trunks. Gatwick express to Victoria station. Buy a day ticket for the tubes, we are going underground. First to Greenpark, then to Russelsquare. A short walk, too early to check into the Bonnington hotel. Have to wait for another two hours. Going to SOHO, a nice cold walk with the sun smiling at us, eat, drink, piss, back to the hotel. 2 o clock. enter lovely and clean room., great clean bathroom with bath and shower. Fresh up. Tube to Shoreditch the B-RUDE shop. Shoreditch highstreet. No George, but lovely man Tim. Buying, spending, t-shirts and tie, no trousers, too baggy. Taking our time to shop, great atmosphere, money. No George. The Lovely man Tim, promises to tell George that svenstrange is in town and to make sure that George will bring the clothes for me. Walking, traveling, back to the hotel. Buying snacks. Hot and lovely shower, addicted to hot lovely showers. Bad for my sensitive skin. Watching tv, news, the world, letter bomb. Writing words, short and clear, feeling good, feeling friendship. going out for dinner, result: shitty, shitty bang bang.
07-02-2007
Slept well, good bed. Nice room, heating fails and it is cold outside. going into town, fresh cold air, walk around a bit, then back to the hotel. Hans goes into SOHO and i am ready for my make-over. Together in a cab, driving to KOKO in Camden. Arriving meeting old friends. Freezing cold, warm heart. Meeting more people, listening to rehearsal. Getting colder and colder. Kristine feels hot, Susan is cold. Nice hot tea from Linda. Friends from The Netherlands, it's getting dark outside. Making movies, shooting photo's. KOKO opens at 19.40hr. KOKO is cold, but beautiful! 3 other artists before George and his band enter the stage. George looks nervous, his voice soulful, beautiful, like the coat he is wearing. Old and new songs, shadow boxing, he mentions my name, short eye contact. I guess no clothes this time, other time. show is over he returns for two more songs. After the show, mixed feelings. it was a good show, different atmosphere if i compare it to the bush hall shows. But this is a bigger venue. Going outside. Wait for George to come outside. After a while a door opens and someone makes a noise and we all look, it's the drummerman. At the same time another door opened and George walks to the car that is waiting for him. Flashes people shouting his name, restless George in the car, looks like he is trying to hide from the camera's, but he also gives his autograph to people. I feel like he is like a lion in a cage and there is no way to get out and escape. i kneel down at the other side of the car, he is too busy, he looks restless, why is the damn car not driving away? For some reason i feel pain and i walk back further away from the madness. Then the car drives away to the other side of KOKO to pick up some boxes. Don't want to be a part of the chaos, so we take a cab and go back to our hotel. Fresh up, no food. Back in cab to Trannyshack at SOHO'S revue bar. Dusty was so kind to put us on the guestlist!! Not many people, it's a nice club. Nice performances. Massive Ego sings 3 songs, meet Marc Massive afterwards, friendly guy, nice chat. I am so tired. NAGNAGNAG was the plan, but we are both too tired. We say goodbye to friends. We walk back to the hotel. Clean my face, Hans is already asleep. Ready to sleep for 5 hrs.
08-02-2007
Woke up early, took a nice hot shower. Hans wakes up around 9. going down with the elevator that talks, to have breakfast . this hotel is very good. I want to promote the BONNINGTON hotel. AFter breakfast Hans takes a shower and i start to pack my things. We leave the trunks at the hotel and we take the tube to Camden town to do some alternative shopping. First unhealthy meal in months, am enjoying it. Finished in Camden. We decide to go back to the B-RUDE shop in Shoreditch to see if any new clothes arrived. Tim and Mike are in the shop, a warm welcome. Buy another t-shirt. we talk about the concert and about the shop. Within 3 weeks, the internet B-RUDE shop will open it's doors, so that is good news. After 25 minutes we leave, Mike promised to help me with the clothes George made for me and i have to leave him my home address and email. We walk into Shoreditch. Hans is interested in architecture and we noticed a large high tech new building and we want to see it from nearby. So walk and walk and rain and rain and cold and cold.. But the building is amazing..... We eat and drink and then take the tube back to our hotel, then the tube and the Gatwick express again to go back to the Gatwick airport. I buy George's mums book. We eat. Delay.... sleep in plane, tired. White Holland, snow and cold. Problems with trains, are we going to be able to get back home? We are lucky to have the last train to Arnhem where we both live. Take a cab, i am in trance i am so tired. Back home, hug cat, kiss boyfriend, he is asleep. i check my messages in cyberspace. seems this wonderful man wants to know my mobilenumber.... saw the message too late. Happy to be back home, tomorrow work and saturday and sunday, so short time to get back with my feet on the ground in high speed...

It was great to meet other fans again, always fun! Thanx to George for singing these great new songs and for putting Church of the Poison mind into a heavy rock song.....
Take care, photo's and movie ...
sven.stange xxx

20-07-2007: Boy George DJ gig, club Amsterdam Marcanti, Amsterdam.
When i left home, the sky went black, with dark clouds and the wind started to create a storm!
Ever since i heard about George's DJ gig in Amsterdam i had doubts. None of my friends
could join me, because of work or other things and George cancelled his Moscow gig that was
planned yesterday, so it could also be possible that he would cancel the Amsterdam gig too.
Yesterday, me, my mother and one of my best friends went to see the musical TARZAN in
Scheveningen, it was great, but i arrived very late at home, so i am already feeling tired from that day.
Tomorrow i have to work, so i have to b back in Arnhem on time to get to work. My dear
Aunt Jane moved back to her roots in New Zealand, so i can no longer stay in her appartment
in Amsterdam anymore. So i have to book a hotel for one night.
Today i had two buttons to push STAY at home or GO to Amsterdam. After hurting my brains and punishing myself, i made the choice to go to Amsterdam! I called the club and the manager confirmed that George was going to be there. I booked the hotel, bought the e-ticket for the party, packed my suitcase and took the train to Amsterdam.
The Marcanti club is new and George is the main DJ act of the evening at this opening. I did not know what
to expect. Should i wear make-up or not? What kind of people are going to be there? Will they respect
me? After all, i will be alone there and from the fans at the 100% BOY forum, i am not sure who is
going to be there...
By the time i reached the trainstation there was heavy thunder and rain. Messages about cancelations
of trains due to the weather. Was this a sign? Did i make the right decision to go? As soon as i arrived
in Amsterdam it stopped raining and i started to feel more relaxed, happy with my choice.
I booked a room at the Piet Hein hotel at the Vondelpark, a lovely room with bath and shower and clean!
I went out again to eat at WAGAMAMA, my altime favourite Amsterdam restaurant, then i bought some bottles of water and cola and some nice oil for in the bath. Went back to my hotelroom and took a nice warm bath... how lovely. Then i went to sleep for an hour.
Around 21.00 i started to put my make-up on, i didn't feel like 'holding back' i just felt like GO FOR IT! I had
the AT5, Amsterdam tv channel on and they advertized the party and that George would be the main DJ!
Then i rang to reception to call a cab for me. I arrived at the club around 22.30 and when i joined the line of
people waiting to get inside, i thought.. my god.. these are not my kind of people.....
At first i felt a bit alone, it was not very crowded yet. I ordered a glass of Jenever to relax a bit and ordered
a second one.... Then a girl came to me and said that she used to be a big fan and that George being here
in Amsterdam made her feel like she was 16 again... She asked if i was alone and she invited me to come with her to join her group of friends. I introduced myself and danced a bit. Then i met Edwin and Elly on the dancefloor.
I also met a girl with a nice Boy George tattoo on her arm, i also met her in Rotterdam at George's DJ gig for
Absolute Music. She told me that after the Rotterdam party she met George and that he signed her arm and
later on she made it into a tattoo!!! It was nice to see her again!
Around 3 George and his brother Kevin came on stage. The other DJ already announced that George would be DJ-ing soon, so we were on the stage next to the DJ booth. When George noticed me, he came to me gave me a big hug and started to chat. He was shining bright, looking great and it felt really special (it's always special to meet him). There were cameras all around us and sometimes other people came between us, but then George would find me again and we chatted some more. Because of the loud music, it was hard to speak to eachother and not only the music, but all the other people, it was like George was a magnet.....
And then to my big surprice he handed a full dustbinbag to me and said that it contained some of the clothes he promised to make for me and he said FINALLY... I laughed and was so surpriced! I gave him the biggest hug ever and thanked him. It was hard to speak to him, because the music was very loud and there were so many people standing around us and then he left the stage for an interview. When he came back he spoke with me again and asked if i had place to put the bag, i said that i would leave it at the cloakroom. He also said that there was underwair for my man inside the bag and that i had to make sure he gets it! I couldn't let the clothes go, so i danced with a full dustbinbag in my arms.... George played a good set and i wanted to dance, so i went to the cloakroom, explained my concern for the bag and the girls promised me to gard the bag with their lives...., so i gave them the bag. I danced in front of the stage and sometime on the stage! It was easy to be close to George. But after a while i guess George wanted more space and had enough of the cameras, so security came on stage to give him more space to do his thing and he did it so well. At the time George started to DJ, many people already left the party, so it became an intimate gig. Around 4, i think there were only about 50 or 60 people on the dancefloor and on stage. He grabbed the microphone and started to sing 'turn to dust' and he sounded great. He also played some old records and 'oh happy day', he was like a priest in a church and we were all just singing along and clapping our hands! Then around 5 he was told that he had to stop! He played another song and then he ended his set. We all screamed and clapped our hands! I went on a photo with him and thanked him for the clothes and said that i never stopped believing, gave him another big hug and said goodbye to him and Kevin. During his DJ set, i took a look in the bag and was so happy with the clothes he gave me: a colbert/jacket, with images of naked men, the text SLAVE and I HATE YOU and beats and pearls and paint, trousers with images of hot men, paint and pearls, a t-shirt with the star of david, a hoodie, underpants for my man, a white bondage shirt with bumflap. When i arrived i was almost deaf and almost dead... so tired. I took another look at the clothes and smiled. I took a shower and cleaned up my face and went to bed. It was 7. I had to check out at 11. I woke up at 9 and decided to get out of bed and prepare myself for my trip back home. I packed everything, took the tram, took the train and phoned my man to ask him to pick me up in Arnhem and so he did.... I told him the whole story and he was very happy with his pants. I went to bed for an hour and then went to work.....
A big thank u (again) to George for the clothes and the everything, to dolinda for taking that beautiful photo from me and George and to her and TABOO2000 for keeping me company, to new people i met fun fun fun and to the girl with the Boy George tattoo (find me).
Photo's HERE...... xxx sven.strange

BOY GEORGE LIVE @ THE SHAW THEATRE, LONDON 23-01-2008-25-01-2008.
23-01-2008: Today i will leave for London to see two of 5 concerts Boy George gives at the Shaw Theatre in London. I feel nervous, but i am so looking forward to this. There is a delay, the plain can not take of yet! The weather is not good above Amsterdam airport, so we have to wait for a while. The plane will take me to London Heathrow. There i will take the Heathrow express to Paddington station and from there i will take the tube to my hotel at Russell Square, it's called Russel Hotel.. I decided to get out the tube at Eustion station and then walk to my hotel. The weather is not cold and that is a good thing, i hate to wait outside in the cold to get in... The hotel is beautiful, the room not that big, but clean and i have a bath! I am hungry as hell and decide to go out to eat. I find a place called: cafe Toscana, where i enjoy spaghetti with balls Then i return to my hotelroom, unpack my suitcase, take a shower and get ready for tonights show. I take a cab to the theatre and when i arrive there i am happy to find out that i don't have to wait outside to get inside and that there are some familiar faces that welcome me. I feel at home. We all feel positive and we are all looking forward to see George on stage. Some days ago he appeared in a tv show and sounded really positive about the tour. There is a lot of merchandise to buy, i buy the tourbook, a t-shirt, buttons and a Boy George bag. It's getting more crowded with every minute. George is already inside for the soundcheck and to get ready for tonight's show. It's also George's mums birthday and his whole family is going to b there. At half past 7 the doors open and we can find our seats, my seat is perfect. Row b, in front of the stage. Then the lights go out and the show begins. George seems pretty nervous and shares with us that he feels nervous and is suffering from a bad cold. But he is there! He is wearing big sunglasses, says that he feels like hiding. The choice in songs is great! The first half of the show ends, i hope that he feels more secure for the second half, but he acts even more nervous. After the show i am left with mixed feelings, we all hang around a while at the theatre. Upstairs there is a birthday party for George's mother. Kevin comes down stairs and inivites us all to join the party. In the corner i see George, his mother and the rest of the family. George's mother is giving everyone a piece of cake and although i am very hungry, i feel too shy to go up there to see her and George. Someone tells me that he mentioned my name, so people engourage me to go up to see George, but i feel too shy shy again, hush hush.... And just at the point when i decide to see George, he goes away outside and takes of in a cab. We stay a bit longer and i go up to George's mother to congratulate her with her birthday, she is very kind and askes me where i come from and if i am a hare krishna, pointing her finger to the sign between my brows, i tell her that i am not a devote, but that i feel it's a good look, she smiles. I wish her a nice evening and then we leave for trannyshack. At first i planned to go to NAGNAGNAG, but i don't feel too well and the others are going to trannyshack, where ZEE will sing a few songs. I don't feel secure about going with the tube, but the group convinces me to come with them and that they will protect me... And i am happy that i went with them on the tube, it was fun. At trannyshack it's all good, but i cannot get rid of the mixed feelings i have of George's first show. I talk to some people, but cannot care to dance. After Zee's performance i stay a bit longer, but then decide to leave. With Kristine i take a cab, her hotel is very close to mine. I am so bad at remembering names, there was this guy with his boyfriend, he gave me the setlist of the second half of the show, again thank u for that. I feel hungry, eat banana's and drink a lot of water, take my make-up from my face and then go to sleep.
24-01-2008:The next morning i wake up around 11, go out to cafe Toscane for some sandwiches, i take a walk to see how far the Shaw theatre is from my hotel, it's only a 15 minute walk, then i go back to my hotel and take a nice warm bath. Tonight i will b wearing black, leather, i love my look for tonights show. I am going to be at the theatre earlier and hope to see George and give him a small gift i brought with me. There are more fans there like Kristine, Klaus and Kenneth. George arrives later on, dressed in black hoodie and black trousers, he goes in quickly for the soundcheck. The second show is much better and George is more relaxed and his voice sounds better. It's good fun!!! After the show we hang around again, but it seems like George already left the building. Also Kevin (his brother) is no longer around, he said that he would do his best to arrange that i could give George my gift.. We decide to go to McDonalds to eat, happy me, so hungry. After that i walk back with Stuart en John, i say goodbye to them and walk further to my hotel. I text my boyfriend that i am back in my room, take my make-up from my face, then go to sleep.
25-01-2008: I wake up early, take a shower, go out for breakfast, go to the internetshop, then go back to my hotel, leave my suitcase at the hotel and decide to walk to shoreditch to visit the B-RUDE shop. It's a long walk, but the weather is good, cold and sunny. When i arrive at the shop it's still closed, so i decide to go to the cafe across the street for a cup of tea and a chocolate cake. Then i see Mike and Tim from B-RUDE, i finish my tea and go to the shop. They recognize me and i feel welcome, we chat a bit and then i shop a bit. I ask Tim if he is going to see George and if he could give George the gift i brought for him, he says yes ofcourse. He also shares that he is going to the saturday show with Pete Burns, the singer of Dead or Alive. Such a shame that i won't b there, would have been great to meet Pete. I say goodbye and walk back to the tubestation, Old street. I look at the time and there is plenty of time left, so i decide to buy a ticket to the place where George lives. I walk and i recognize the shop where me and my man ate the most lovely chocolate cake ever. I walk to George's house, the lights are on, i am not going to ring the bell. I decide to write him a letter and put it in his mailbox, but the mailbox are closed. After trying a bit harder i manage to get my letter in the mailbox. While walking back to the station i realize that there is a possibility that these mailboxes are not in use anymore, why else would they have got closed? So i decide to walk back again and write another short not and attach it to his frontgate hope that he sees it..(i am so weird)
I go back to my hotel, pick up my suitcase and walk to Kingscross station and take the tube to Paddington, then the express again to Heathrow. I check in my suitcase and walk around a bit., eat a bit, dring a bit, internet a bit. i listen to my mp3 player and listen to the audio of my forthcoming gig at the CRUISECONTROL party in May, it feels good. I know i am going to b so nervous, but then i hear George's voice singing: THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE, i am going to let it shine!!! At 10 past 8, my plane takes of and i realise that George now is on stage again! When i arrive in Amsterdam, my boyfriend, my man is waiting for me with a beautiful red rose, so romantic, i missed him and i feel happy that i am home again. We eat something and then we drive home.
As always i would like to thank some people: First of all i would like to thank George for going on stage again and for doing what he does best, i want to thank Kristine, Klaus, Kenneth, Stuart, John, Jeni, Kerstin, Sybelle and that lovely girl who lives in the centre of London and i keep on forgetting her name, Leesa (?) and everyone else i did meet and who have been so kind to me, next time i will remember ur names, i now only remember ur wonderful faces...
Also thank u to my beautiful man and lover and husband to be, so romantic for picking me up at the airport with that red rose, i love u...
xxx sven.strange
I made one video recording from THAT'S THE WAY, u will find the video HERE.
Photo's are on the way
....