Thank you for a great birthday

A few months ago I decided that I was going to do something different for my birthday.

Everyone seems to just have a night out nowadays and somehow (I'm quite guilty for helping establish this) my uni mates have a tradition of sinking a "dirty pint" on their birthday.

Basically a whip round, everyone puts in a few quid then the cash goes to the bar and a pint pot is filled with an alcopop and about 15 40% shots.
Then the victim has to try to down it in one. Stupid (but when you're young drinking seems so clever). Anyway, I vowed that I was doing something different and got my parents as my present to put down a deposit on a go kart racing night at Kartstart in Aberdeen. The results of the race are as follows;

Pos	Diff	Name	Best lap	Av. lap
1st		G	8th 28.19s	36.3s
2nd	20.41s	Me	25th 28.68s	36.6s
3rd	22.15s	Gerry	48th 28.11	36.7s
4th	49.17s	Young John	47th 28.37s	37.2s
5th	1 lap	Dave	25th 28.62s	38.0s
6th	2 laps	Aiden	39th 28.98s	38.2s
7th	2 laps	Claire	11th 29.59s	38.4s
8th	2 laps	Emma	10th 29.25s	38.9s
9th	4 laps	Old John	44th 30.41s	39.5s
10th	9 laps	Paula	6th 35.54s	44.2s

I've got to say this is the best birthday that I've had since I was young. Definately the best since I stopped doing them with my family, far better than any night out.

Lot's of people had doubts about the value for money they would be getting (£30 a head for karting) but I bet the 9 that came wouldn't think that now.

Aiden and Dave drove up from Manchester (8 hour drive?), which I really appreciate, as I would rather have all my friends and family around me on my birthday than any presents, I think that's what a birthday is about, friends and family, not the person who's birthday it is.

The race was fun, firstly a qualifying session, leaving me shocked to be placed 7th for the race (there MUST have been a mistake was all I could think, hmm, maybe I'm crap). First corner and Paula has a spectacular crash cleaning out a whole section of the track wall. Laughing seemed to override all concern, and Paula claims the kart had no breaks.

In the actual race I can only comment on my own but it was amazing fun and I seemed to be moving up the pack until I got in a 5 lap dual with Mr Hallsworth which ended with me parking on top of his kart against the track wall. The stewards left us there for a lap to think about what we did. I still wonder if I might have won if it hadn't been for that.

Anyway, Graham was the winner (in at 30mins 11.42 seconds) but only until next time, he needs to learn his place in life (not ahead of me!), and I got 2nd which wasn't too bad, seeing as I started in 7th.

Back to mine for a few drinks, Gerry was obviously still in karting mode on the way back, wheel spinning out of the carpark (reminded as he did it that he's a Dr) and then rocketing back to the flat, nipping into his usual spot and bumping the car in front!

This was followed by a night out to several places, finishing up at club tropicana for a bit of 80's music. From what I can remember of this is mostly dancing like a prat, Paula falling down some steps (not her night). All signing into the casino to find out there was no late night bar and then leaving, shame, Gerry had drawn out £300. Then Aiden doing a faceplant whilst running away with my shoe, Gerry was chasing him and couldn't apply his medical training as he was too busy pishing himself.

It's all a blur but later there was moments of being stood on top of a phonebox outside of the police station with Gerry, and then climbing some scaffolding (just call me squirrel!), before drinks back at mine.

Got the vodka jelly out, ate a little and then used the rest in food fight. Next thing I wake and theres about 5 people KO'd on my bed (fully clothed). Fun fun fun.

Thank you to everybody who made my day special for me.