FOQ 2023 setting off

I'm thinking of making this my permanent August monthly marker on Instagram 😊 no its not a recent picture, 2009 to precise but it does tell my favourite FOQ story, are you sitting comfortably?

It was 2017 and it was blazing sunshine for FOQ, I hadn't worn my coat the entire trip so for the flight home I tucked it in my hold luggage and duly checked in. The flight was just about to be called to board so my chum went to loo & I rummaged in my handbag for passport... no passport...I emptied bag out ... still no passport ... then the slow realisation that passport was in coat which was in hold luggage...
Chum comes back and I tell her and say I need to get out of departures so I can get train or something else home.
I go find airport staff to ask how I get out of departures, do you have any other photo id asks staff??? Drivers licence work card?
I laughed and said "no! The only thing I have with my photo on is my cineworld unlimited card"
Let me see said staff, next thing I know she is on the walkie talkie saying " Brian there is a Sheila Williams who is about to board who is travelling on her cineworld id card" this is the card!!!

Chum and I spent the flight gawping at each other going "Did that really happen??" 🤣🤣
Lovely chum then made me a ticket holder for foq with a special pocket for my cineworld unlimited card 😊

So we set off on the wednesday evening, the flight was delayed but that was actually a good thing! Me and Ruth decided to have a meal in All Bar One at the airport. I was pootling about on Instagram and a DM popped up from StitchyJem she said "are you flying from Edinburgh because I have just seen someone who looks just like you in departures!" It turned out she was also in All Bar One so came to join us! - Lovely.

On the thursday we decided to trot into Birmingham to look at the sights rather than hare off to FOQ, last year we decided we like being in Birmingham for 4 days but 2 days at the FOQ was enough.

This year we were staying at the airport Travel Lodge and this is the view from my window! A Lovely day to pootle about.

So this was the sight when I got off the bus .... yes the bus, first time in 3 years!!! It felt OK, the windows were all open and loads of fresh air circulating, I had my mask just in case.

Our first stop was the Red Brick Market, I knew about this from Japan Crafts who have a stand there, also Retro Kimono has a stand there too. What a super place!

Retro Kimono stand

Why yes I did buy some of these lovely pins!

Cards too!

Oh and some fabric scraps for Dear Jane, and some stickers!

We also had the best pakora I have ever had! no pictures, we inhaled it!

The gallery we really wanted to go to was closed so we headed off to the IKON gallery, we went past this Custard factory, really interesting building.

Below was the gallery we wanted to see! hopefully open next year

The IKON gallery was ok but a bit too modern and performance art for me!

But what a cracking sign to get the 3 of us under! my FOQ best buddies

We topped off the day with a meal in this Vietnamese restaurant, it was fabulous!