Yesterday was both G & L's last day in the office. Having finished the financial year on an amazing 107% high on Thursday, it was more than time for a huge celebration.

Our last large event was a barbeque on the terrace and although we were keen to repeat its success, by Wednesday we were all agreed that the weather would be unlikely to hold out and opted for a humongous variety of bites and nibbles. Cue much time spent on our friendly Ocado delivery site and a rather extensive purchase of food to feed the masses (all 18 of us). Oh, and to get them very drunk. The food went down a storm, and what didn't get eaten was either taken home by people or will keep until next week for lunches, but by 5pm a number of the hardcore drinkers were getting very concerned about the dwindling alcohol supplies.

So we shut up shop and headed of to Bed Bar. Despite being warned that it wasn't the cheapest of places, I found it reasonably priced (especially as I didn't seem to buy any drinks - it's not that I refuse to buy, but that the more senior members of staff insist on looking after (read: getting as drunk as possible) the lesser paid secretaries) and the atmosphere in there was absolutely great.

Then we headed off to Smiths for yet more food (as if any of us really needed to add to what had been a very long and filling lunch. Top marks there to whoever cooked (or didn't, as the case may be) my steak as it was the bluest I have ever seen come out of a restaurant kitchen. By this point D had had more than enough to drink (actually, I think that point may have come an hour or two previously, but was really apparent now) and felt that champagne was necessary to carry on the celebrations. I think for most people it all went rapidly downhill from this point. By the time we'd eaten and left our table for one downstairs, the rest of the girls were flagging, head in hands and ready to drop. Except for the fact they all wanted to go out dancing too.

So next the challenge of finding an empty cab to Guanabara. Not an easy off one of the main roads and in amongst the many pre-booked cabs. But D felt that standing in the middle of the road waving at every full and empty cab would do the job, and in the end he was right. Two cabs found and off we went.

The others thought the place was an authentic Brasilian club but it couldn't be further from the truth. My impression is that Brasilians like it because it's a small reminder of home and everyone else likes it because they feel they're getting an "authentic Brasilian night out" but in truth, it's Brasilianness (yes, I know there's no such word), is more novelty value that authenticity. Somewhat worryingly, my colleagues have gained the belief that I may be able to samba. I'm not quite sure where that one came from, but I can assure you, I can not! They were also in complete awe of the videos from this year's carnival showing on the screen. As for me, I concentrated on dancing my heart out (well, something had to shift all those calories I'd consumed throughout the day) but by 1am I was flagging and called it a night.

Now of course, and as Yuri was I'm sure under the impression, you may expect me to be writing this with a killer hangover. For once after an alcoholic work event I am fine. A little worse for wear on the sleep stakes (Tommy wanted to be up at about 7 which is inhumane on any Saturday morning) but on no accounts hungover. You see, after getting disastrously drunk at the Christmas party, I was determined to come home in a good state, and after a few drinks at lunch, I sneakily stuck a bottle of coke under my chair with which to keep refilling my rum & coke, only without the rum. So, by the time we left the office I was probably the more sober of the bunch. At this point, sneakily sipping iced water (with poor lighting and condensation on the glass who's going to know it's not G&T) was a great help, and if your champagne glass seems surprisingly empty surprisingly quickly no-one will be sober enough to realise it started out that way. So I'm feeling good, and glad to prove to certain people that I can have a large night out and still get up the next morning.

But I may have to go and make coffee.