Guiness World Record

For a few years now I have had a list of things I want to do before I die mostly sonic related of course, like meeting some of the sonic community, or affiliating with power rings. Now why am I telling you about this? Well I took a trip to London recently for a bit of shall we say fun.

Once again I'm traveling on a coach, now for those people who know me will know that I detest coaches to a level that would make satin envious. So when it came to booking tickets for this trip I looked at the train first as it would be quicker and more comfortable, however upon looking at the price I thought it would be prudent to look at flying down from Leeds, the prices weren't much better. So after exhausting all other alternatives I settled on a coach again.

(Note: Please don't start burning down coaches on my behalf I still need them to travel unfortinatly).

Once again I was subjected to poor leg room, humidity that would cook a lizard and various people coughing and sneezing in my direction for six hours (it was the late night service that stopped in every hamlet worthy of note between Leeds and London oh and Milton Kenes coach station for some reason). I arrived in London at around six thirty, slightly refreshed by the brief moments of sleep I managed between the coach driver shouting out the next stop. Now six thirty seems a bit early to turn up in London for much of anything, this is perfectly true as there is nothing of interest open till seven thirty... Aka wetherspoons in Victoria station which serve a decent full English breakfast. Anyway the reason why I chose to get in so early is that the next coach wouldn't get in till ten thirty, and that would have made things rather aquward since I was meeting shadow Urtheart at 9.45.

After breakfast I kill some more time and make a few changes in my wardrobe (for reasons that will become clear shortly), I met up with Urtheart and we caught the tube over to blackfriars from which we walked to the Tate modern.

At this point I can't really keep putting off the reason why I'm in London, I was there to help out in a world record attempt, the record? The largest gathering of people cos-playing as characters from video games. I had decided to go as Tails, (see the image to the right of me posing rather badly) which when you consider just in time and my sprite character is pretty obvious as my first choice. Urtheart went as the pokemon trainer red which is shall we say a fairly easy costume to make in comparison to a full fur suit which took the better part of two weeks to make.

Once we made it to the Tate modern we met up with TRiPPY dressed as nights and an awesome one at that, Digi who was in a full Sonic suit, and Kev (AAUK) from SEGA who unfortunately wasn't in costume but was there to safe guard the Sonic suit as it was on loan from SEGA. After greetings were made, and a quick bit of changing, I had to put my tails and head on, we took some photos before people started coming round and asking for our names for the record.

After a few more photo opportunities including one with me in a swarm of Mario children... they were all over me... (see the picture to the left) a surprise guest turned up, the one the only the living god Richard Jacques! For those of you who don't know him he's done a lot of music for Sonic games, enough said! (See group shot at the bottom of the article). After a few minutes of getting over Richards appearance and a good hand shaking more photos were taken, yeah theirs a lot of them, and then we were ordered to the Millennium bridge for the main event.

At which point Diago turned up in a rather sinister looking assassins creed outfit. A few more photos and then it was announced that we had set the record at 80 people and it was on to the Sun bus for more photos. After that we were given some t-shirts to show we participated and then we were dismissed. Of course it didn't end there more photos were taken mostly of Digi in the Sonic costume with children who had wondered by with there parents. Oh and I took the opportunity to have a tails fight with someone dressed as starfox, of course Starfox was a bit out numbered. Plus I managed to hijack the SEGA flag from Kev and use it as a cape for a bit. Eventually we finally got to see Digi's face as he took his head off which has such a limited view that TRiPPY was guiding him around for most of the event, never mind him not being able to hear half of what was said other than the odd command from Kev.

Digi, TRiPPY and Kev, then had to depart rather quickly back to SEGA HQ to drop the costume off and then to the airport so Digi and TRiPPY wouldn't miss their flight back to Edinburgh. Digo, Urtheart and I then set off in search of some lunch, and I got some strange looks on the way due to the fact that I couldn't be bothered to take the tails off yet, there surprisingly comfortable. The head came of rather quickly after the event because I couldn't breathe that easily in it and the chicken wire giving it it's shape was stabbing me in the skull.

After a nice lunch from a Tesco's, Digo left for parts unknown and Urtheart and I headed back to Victoria where I finally got out of my costume, the top was extremely tight on me, which can be put down to the fact that I have never tailored or sewn in my life before I had to do this costume which is why I ripped some of the stitching when I was taking it off. We grabbed some drinks in weatherspoons, chatted, and did a bit of Advance wars before I had to head off to catch my coach back.

The less said about the coach back the better, yes it was shorter trip but I was still in pain by the end of it.

I think this image sums up my day pretty well, awesome!

Links:

SEGA Europe Bog Report (AAUK)
Nights into Dreams Report (DiGi and TRiPPY)
Urtheart's Forum post report on TSS
Sun Report