
The morning of the Saturday in question was gloomy grey and a light drizzle of rain wasn't helping.
In the US Harold Camping, a man in charge of a $72 million dollar church, had predicted the end of the world would start at 6pm on Sunday May 21st with a series of rolling earthquakes sweeping across the globe starting in New Zealand.
Now apart from the fact that actually seeing a rolling earthquake (whatever the hell that is) would be extremely cool, this wasn't solving the problem of what to do on the penultimate day before the end of time.
Then I remembered it was the Hemsby Rock and Roll Weekend and this afternoon was the Car Cruise from Hemsby to Great Yarmouth. Excellent!
With my partner less bothered about the impending Apocalypse than I was and my mum and daughter miles away, I couldn't think of a better way to spend my last Saturday ever than with a bunch of alternative lifestyle-and-hobby obssessed kind of people. I'd also never been to Hemsby before so that was another plus on this day prior to being rolled on by an earthquake.
Driving into Hemsby I spied this fantastic looking couple and on chatting to them quickly ascertained theirs was not normal Hemsby folk attire and they were indeed attendees of the Hemsby Rock n'Roll weekend.
They were friendly, happy to be snapped and helpfully directed me to the Great Yarmouth Car Cruise.
That chance meeting with Mr Oxtoby and his lovely partner in Hemsby augured well for what turned out to be a superb afternoon in Great Yarmouth meeting a bunch of of very cool people .
I'll sign off here before I end up sounding like I've wandered off Walton Mountain but suffice to say; brilliant afternoon, lovely people and great music.
Get a ticket for the Hemsby '48 weekender in 2012 for more of the same vibe plus the record and clothes stalls, rock n'roll dancing lessons, beauty competitions and Praise D' Low'rd knows what else.
Ian Townsend / /December 2011
PS: For further details check out the Hemsby '48 poster (below right) and visit www.hemsbyrockandroll.co.uk
PS: Harold Camping wrongly predicted another Apocalypse in October 2011.