A new year, a fresh start…or so I thought!

**A Notice** This blog entry will be on my thoughts as they occur, more to a humanistic level than the previous. However, its something I want to get off my chest.

Well It’s that time of year, everyone has returned to work donning their suits and office wear still somewhat bloated from the 2017 Christmas festivities overindulgence. Can you blame them? 2017 has been somewhat a tough year for all and so, why not enjoy the most of the Christmas break you’ve earned!

Well for me, it didn’t end that well. While everyone was relaxing, taking a well-earned break and thoroughly enjoying themselves, I on the other hand was working. The days were long, busy and unrelenting but that is hospitality, as a student you have to get money somehow to reach your dreams. The days were always drawn out by awkward and overtly ego orientated customers whom, after a few drinks, would emphasise their entitlement over you as a waiter. Never the less, that is the unfortunate nature of the beast.

As a late present to myself and reward for the busy Christmas period, I attended the renowned Liverpool International Horse Show on New Years Eve. This being my first “city” horse show, I was eager to see what the fuss was all about as many people have been raving about it over the years. Indeed, the show did leave a lasting impression for all the unfortunate wrong reasons.

At 5pm the Echo Arena, disaster struck! A vehicle on the third level caught fire in multi-storey car park which rapidly spread to engulf the entire building in flames. There were 1400 cars in there, expensive at that, and the stables were on the ground floor. Fortunately all the horses were evacuated and were unscathed, for the vehicles however only a few miraculously survived. My lovely Peugeot was on the 5th floor with expensive riding and luxury equipment inside, when I parked up was to be the last time I would see it intact.

I lost everything.

Nothing remained, here I was watching my car and the building blow itself apart all the meanwhile stranded in Liverpool. Fortunately however, just after I arrived at the arena I had bumped into some friends who came down for the New Years Eve Celebrations. The downside was that all of our vehicle were trapped in that damned car park, just like the countless others who attended the Echo Arena that night.

I was devastated.

I was fortunate the catch a lift back home that night, unlike so many others who either spent the night in a hotel or emergency shelters. Some friends who lived near me invited me to hop in their arranged emergency lift back home. This is something which stuck with me as in disasters, it’s the kindest nature in people that really does shine. The family, as was I, were devastated. This is something one just doesn’t expect in a first world nation, it appears that 2017, was the year of fires and destruction. Grenfell, California, Liverpool, Manchester, even Trump Tower today.

As we got back, I felt that I couldn’t let them go home alone on New Years Eve, I had to take their minds off it. So in my Britishness, I had offered them a trip to (yep you guessed it) the local pub, it’s just so that I work there and we managed to get in. It was the least I could do to play host after this horrific night of disaster, I realised that night that sometimes you just have to look after others in time of need. The fact they offered me a lift home with their relatives, strangers really, just proved the kindness that I hadn’t seen before.

As we sat down licking our wounds on this cold December 31st 2017 and drinking our beverages, the only place we could sit down was by the fire (irony I know). But at least we were safe, I hope everyone at the event got home safely.

A great start to 2018 eh.. It cant get any worse than this can it?

I was sure soon to find out.

Till the next time.