Bongo Bingo with the besties

So this another instalment of my V I in the city series and I am going to take you on the journey of the night out I had with the girls. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed playing.

My friend Claire has been talking about Bongo Bingo for a while she went to the original in Liverpool and said it was the most fun she has had in a while. She said it was crazy, unexpected , grown up entertainment. Now let me tell you little about bongo bingo afterHearing what Claire had to say and doing a little research of my own it looked like a very different game of bingo. It was something else. From the videos I listened to and the reviews my voiceover read it looked like we were in for a good night!

So as the night drew closer my anxiety and fears got stronger and I guess my friends as well. They were all a little worried about me, if I would manage and feel safe..  The night was here and  I was getting ready and all that fear turned into excitement. Just to be in Manchester City centre again amongst the hustle and bustle I thought it would make me feel like my old self again. So I had my hair done, my make up and got an outfit together, I was happy with and felt great, ready to party! 

My sister took me into town and my friend met me outside the bar which again was a first, as usually I go into somewhere with someone. So this was another step forward. We went into a bar first for a drink which was very busy! The hustle and bustle was a little overwhelming I won’t lie to you the rum cocktail I had really helped. We got into the venue earlier as my friend hooked us up with guest list entry – so no queues – THANK GOD! We got to our table which was right at the front of the stage and I was a little worried as I heard they throw stuff off the stage but I thought hey at least I will hear everything. 

The beer was flowing, the music was blasting (proper cheesy music too, loved it!) and we had our bingo cards. I should probably say now that it was bingo, but with a twist. The prizes were different, funny different. For instance you could win a Henry hoover for a line call, a giant furry unicorn for a 2 line call and then a cash prize for a full house. We were all on the edge of our seats, my friends took it very seriously, LOL I unfortunately didn’t participate in the actual bingo game as I obviously couldn’t see it, and my friends tried but they called the numbers out so fast and on certain numbers there was innuendo, which meant everyone had to stop and dance and go crazy. it was fast paced, I was a little gutted only because if I had won something I wanted to be the first blind girl to get up there to collect that amazing prize – LOL!

So the night continued with a lot of hysterics, dancing, dodging and drinking. Coco pops raining down at one point which was a lovely surprise when I took a gulp of my drink and got a mouth full of coco pops but it was all part of the fun. 

We all relaxed into it, I bumped into a few people dancing and my friend Nina had to draw me back in when my dancing took me on a wonder, which I’m not sure it was because of my lack of sight or that I was so into the 80’s pop cheesy music, but no one was hurt and we all danced till our legs hurt! I just want to say a big huge thank you to my amazing friends because without their understanding and compassion I would not have felt comfortable enough to enjoy the night like anyone else in that room. You girls are my rock and you defiantly rock! 

Here is a link to Bongo Bingo – What a great night!

The next day my legs were a little stiff and my ears ringing slightly but it was worth it and I would recommend it to anyone. The only thing I would like to see develop is the accessibility of the actual game. Potentially they could offer an electronic game card that would work with a screen reader. The venue staff I must mention were amazing they were very helpful on us getting in and out avoiding the masses which really helped my Stress levels and made the experience much more enjoyable. I survived my first big night out with the girls and I am sure there will be many more to come and I will look forward to sharing with you my experiences on the many venues and nights in Manchester.

Thanks for reading, sending party vibes!

Nina x