26. Hint Hunt

26.  Hint Hunt

First, a promise: no spoilers!  The nice people at Hint Hunt really don't like it when you talk about Hint Hunt, so we'll keep this to the information we were given before the game started.

Hint Hunt is an 'escape the room' game - there are a few of these around but Hint Hunt has *probably* been going the longest.  The basic idea is that you are locked in a room and you have an hour to get out, before........................ they let you out - but trust us, when you're in it, getting yourself out seems like an important thing to do.

We were our usual team of three but every team is also assigned a "game master" - a benevolent individual who watches everything you do in the room and has the power to help you should they feel so inclined.  Think "Hunger Games" without having to kill each other.

Our game master told us that the success rate for Hint Hunt is about 50% and we were also surprised to learn that the record time for getting out of the room was something in the region of 54 minutes - all of a sudden this sounded like a real challenge!

After an hour of ransacking, clue solving, crazed shouting at both each other and the message screen from the game master ("WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!") we made it out with a very respectable 1:37 on the clock.

Hint Hunt list trumps!

Originality: 4/5 (OK there are a few of these around now but it's generally accepted that Hint Hunt were there first)

Cost: 5/5 (My lovely work colleagues from Mount Vernon Cancer Centre bought the ticket for my birthday - but it really is good value for money)

Fun factor: 5/5 - definitely raising the bar for the rest of the to-do list

http://hinthunt.co.uk/

2. Candlelight Club

2. Candlelight Club

First, a couple of updates: we actually have covered loads of the to-do list but got too busy doing stuff (mostly inventing and promoting the now international weekly festival that is Tequila Friday) to update the blog!  Expect a gentle trickle of half-remembered, half-made up anecdotes and reviews over the next however long it takes.  Also it's not 2014 anymore but let's face it, that's not important.  What's important is more wifey fun times and tequila.

So the Candlelight Club: it's a 1920s themed monthly event with a secret central London location, lit entirely by candlelight.  Anett and Lotti had been once before and actually the secret venue was the same both times (can't remember where) so it came recommended (not sure the Candlelight Club felt the same way about Lotti) and we chose their Halloween event so we could put in a good costume effort, with Lotti on makeup duty as usual.  

We dressed as three ex-wives who had been viciously murdered by one treacherous individual who we won't mention again.  But he was there with us and he took some good photos so thanks for that.

Upon arrival, we popped upstairs to put our coats in the cloakroom and found that there was a tarot card reader hanging out.  Lotti was keen for a reading; Anett and I were keen for a drink.  After two drinks (pricey but strong and tasty), we had worked out which barman was making the strongest cocktails.  After three we had run out of money!  The live band were dressed in theme and worked the crowd well.

Anett was still recovering from a beach ultimate-related concussion and we were all in end of the month mode so it's fair to say that we kept this night fairly tame - there also weren't many single people there which limited our potential to mingle.  We lasted until the end of the night when the lights were unceremoniously turned on and headed back to Clapham favourite the Clapham North for a little more dancing before bed.

Candlelight club list trumps!

Cost: 3/5 (good for a treat, would be better if there was one drink included with the ticket price)

Originality: 4/5 

Fun factor: 4/5 (closed at midnight which felt a bit early)

http://www.thecandlelightclub.com/