Darius Hero

Bad singing day.

B

So the nice Polish couple living with Diana in Luton drove me to Harlow, closer to London, two nights ago, where I met my new host, Nelida. She used to work for the advertising agency I work for now and she took me in and helped me visit London. We had fish and chips plus Guinness beer the first night, and in the morning I got 30 pounds as a first donation, for an all day/all public transportation in and out of the Capital city pass.

I managed to get a discount at the train station and it only cost about 14 pounds. It was there that I also gave this interview to Romanian radio station Radio Transilvania. So pretty busy start yesterday.

It got even busier when I finally got to London and, as I had money and a place to sleep for the following night, back in Harlow, I finally got to try my bad singing method of making money, by having people pay me to shut up. I only spent one hour on the bridge right next to Big Ben, so that I could spend the rest visiting, and I was already up 10 more pounds. People seemed to enjoy the idea.

So here’s how you can do it, if you wanna try it out while traveling. You’ll need an instrument. Any kind, ’cause you can’t play anything, anyway.

Tips! Take a sign. A big one. In my case, people have even crossed the street to “hit” the money-cap. They could read it from the other side.

Put some coins in the cap when you start. Take some coins out when there’s too many. Check the cap every once in a while, counting the money. I got 5 pounds in one hit, just out of sympathy for that unconscious gesture (I kept doing it since, much more theatrical; believe me, you’ll discover tricks beyond imagination). Catch people’s sight. Cry. (Kidding.) Don’t get better on handling the instrument. Pitch a wrong tone every once in a while, whenever you feel you’re close to actually sounding good.

Why does bad singing earn more dough than real good singing?

Because bad singing draws attention. With good singing, you get passive money. People that wanna spare anyway – which goes to bad singing also, since it’s an instinct and they’re not really listening to what you’re singing anyway.

Why bad singing rather than good singing or not singing at all and working? It’s the only situation in the world for which you get paid to take breaks.

***

I left just in time, when police starting questioning this souvenir seller next to me. There was an artists street, right under London Eye, where I think it was either legal or you needed a permit – which they probably had, but by the time the “bobbies” spotted me, I was way ahead in tourist-mode, taking pictures and acting curious about everything… under my guitar and big folded carton board.

The day before, I had prepared my favorite tie and shirt for the big event, however, some guy still asked me if I was homeless, when he saw me “singing” on the bridge. I don’t know if he wanted to rape me or offer me shelter, but he was very polite, as British people have proven to be, from rapists to pastors. Or both.

I visited most interesting parts, the London Bridge, as it was not falling down at the time, City – business center, Trafalgar Square, Tower Bridge, Soho, Buckingham Palace and that mumbo-jumbo and when I got to the train station in the evening, with my folded carton board and guitar, this nice lady wanted to offer me a blanket, so I wouldn’t have to sleep on my bad-singing sign. Cute. I think I need to shave.

Tomorrow I’ll be leaving to Lincoln, with a train ticket buddy Ionuț Hădade (studying there) booked for me. We’re gonna spend our day visiting the city and the night hopefully in a traditionally Manchester United fanatic manner (he’s with the spirit, I’ll carry the beers). Then I will head to Norwich, where I’ll meet my ex girlfriend’s mom that still loves me more than my ex girlfriend and boyfriend Colin. Of mom, not girlfriend. Girlfriend’s mom. I’ll stay one night at their place in Bungay and maybe go fishing in the morning – I don’t know the plan, after which it’ll be straight to Dover, into Calais. And as soon as possible – Paris, where my online host (offering the server for this blog) will host me in real life. For the first out of many times.

Also, I’ll be speaking to Radio România International tomorrow (for their foreign listeners), but I can’t say when it’ll be aired. Most likely I’ll upload it afterwards.

***

[song on Gus’ YouTube channel]

***

Bad singing sign.

BadSingingSun

Fan of bad music taking pic of bad music idol.

BadSingingFan

***

The Ben, not so big in my opinion, really.

BigBen

***

This is Ben’s impersonation of the Leaning Tower from Pisa.

BenLikePisa

***

Your average Underground mirror pic.

UndergroundMirror

***

[later edit]

Arrived in Lincoln.

WelcomeToLincolnJeg

Also bought an ukulele, a type of 4 string baby guitar, typically Hawaiian. I got the shirts to match it, back home.

***

Got picked up from the train station by metrosexual buddy Hădade.

MetroSexualBuddyHădade

 

65 comentarii

  • Bai Darius, sper ca nu te-ai apucat sa treci Atlanticul inot sa ajungi in State.

  • […] Tanarul student clujean Darius Groza este deja in U.K. . Acesta a plecat intr-o calatorie in jurul lumii inainte de Paste. Nimic neobisnuit pana aici… numai ca el a plecat fara bani, fara sa cunoasca pe cineva, fara nimic asigurat. Are doar un ghiozdan cu un laptop (pentru as spune povestea online pe jeg.ro), un aparat foto si cateva haine. E bine ca Darius sa stie ca acesta calatorie nu o face doar pentru el, ci si pentru noi. Cati dintre voi nu v-ati gandit sa plecati in jurul lumii cu doar un ghiozdan de lucrui… Cati ati reusit ? Poate unii au ajuns pana in Fagarasi, altii pana la Alba Iulia, multi au ajuns pana la capatul strazii pe care locuiesc… Pentru toti aceea Darius va continua sa mearga… necontand faptul ca are o liceenta de dat in cateva saptamani sau ca poate nu mai are jobul de la Vitrina Advertising […]

  • hmm…cred ca se simte mult prea bine ca sa vrea sa ne observe ingrijorarea…

  • “M”ebastiano, de “M”arius nu ştiu nimic :), de la Darius aşteptăm veşti; din peninsula Iberică

  • i’m back! ti-o fo dor de mine? mie nu! noah dupa un studiu facut pe un nr de 1 persoana rezulta ca tie iti trebuie mult curaj sa faci ceea ce faci si ca ai fi ceva super erou….mda… in fine… ce sa zic, eu eram curios. chiar iti trebuie curaj sau trebuie sa fi un picutz sarit de pe fix ….asa ca si….hmmm…..tine! noah eu ma uit la viva las vegas sau ce naiba ii amu cu nicolas cage si tat o tzuca pe aia de joaca in totul despre sex. da cand erau mai tineri amandoi. noah te las amu. am citit ceva din ce ai scris da ma enerveaza sa citesc in engleza si ultimele 2 fraze nu le-am mai citit. si filmuletul e frumos. ai facut rost de nur lui d-soara aia din diesel ma!? cristo out.

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