THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)
Fun Stuff => CHATTER => Topic started by: Thrillho on 16 Jan 2014, 09:40
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We tried one of these back in April but I think only May and Welu went in the end.
London seems like a logical location to do it one weekend and I'm there reasonably often anyway so it's convenient for me. What do people think?
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I don't object to London in theory, but am intending to visit Oxford at the end of March so would like to propose that as an alternative, somewhat selfishly since it's much harder for me to travel than it used to be, especially with all the opera rehearsals I have over the next few months.
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Somewhat hilariously, Oxford is so preposterously convenient for me and at least one other forumite that I didn't want to suggest in case I seemed selfish.
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Provided I can find a really cheap flight, I'd like to come as well. No idea if Oxford or London would be better for that, but probably London?
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I will be traveling the UK with my boyfriend in March, unfortunately I won't be able to make it to Oxford or London. Besides Glasgow we're going to Edinburgh, Newcastle, Cardiff, Liverpool and Bristol though so if anyone are able/willing to hang out I'd be down.
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Well, the reason I'd be coming to Oxford would be to see said forumites, so there's that!
ChaoSera, you'd probably fly into "London" but most of the London airports are so far away from London that it's ridiculous. I don't remember which one is closest/most convenient for Oxford but there'll probably be a direct train.
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Wait, you're coming to Oxford that express reason? Who you seeing?
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Shenanigans and secrets 8-) Actually that's not true, I just wanted to make myself sound more mysterious. I wanted to go somewhere during my annual leave, and Oxford seems as good as anywhere.
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Well let's bare minimum this shit and say you're seeing me at least. That's two people on board. Who else is in?
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As coincidence would have it, I'm going to be in Oxford at the end of the March so could be a third.
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I'm talking specifically the weekend of the 22nd; I have a bunch of opera rehearsals the following week so I'd only be there a night or two.
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Well, let's get this out there. My choir is giving a concert on Sat 22nd March, in the chapel of (almost certainly) Exeter College, Oxford (quite close to the pub we went to once, TSK). It's churchy music, as you might expect in that location - specifically, anthem settings of words by George Herbert, mostly twentieth century. I shall be tied up most of the day with rehearsals, being librarian, recording, and the like - but there will be certain times when I would be accessible.
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Provided I can find a really cheap flight, I'd like to come as well. No idea if Oxford or London would be better for that, but probably London?
Oxford is really easy from Heathrow by two buses an hour (http://airline.oxfordbus.co.uk/) (more at peak times). It's my routine way of going to and from the airport (it helps that the buses go past the end of my road as well!).
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I was being cagey because I wasn't certain Paul wanted me to advertise where he was going to be at a specific time, but that is why I am coming to Oxford that weekend!
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Oof, there are three weekends that I am headed in the direction of Oxford in March, that is not one of them. Not sure I can really get away for a fourth weekend in the month. I suspect other members of the household will have ideas about that sort of thing.
Of course, other venue's and months are also doable. Perhaps more of a British forum coincidental travel plans thread is in order.
For instance, if you were headed to the general direction of Torridon at the end of June then I would also be around there. Of course, Torridon is always more of a specific direction but the point stands.
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The cheapest flight for that weekend I found so far would be to London Stansted (the only London Airport Ryanair flies to), for around 60€ and I'd arrive Friday evening and leave Sunday morning. Of course there'd be some additional costs but that's actually not that bad.
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This is seeming increasingly viable. Me and ChaoSera are trying to bully Masterpiece into coming, which would be awesome, especially if we took a photo of us both in the same room for neko's benefit... be a nice present for her.
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I wouldn't consider what you've done bullying.
That said, I have a practical on exactly the weeks framing that weekend, so I'm not sure if I can come. I'll have to see.
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I wouldn't consider what you've done bullying.
That is because I haven't started yet.
But seriously, if you can make it it'd be awesome, but exams and similar stuff is more important.
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Oops. Now I feel a little like I'm third wheeling.
Not at all; I just started with May because I reckoned the concert would be of particular interest to her (which it is). Other arrangements can then get made to coordinate with that.
I was being cagey because I wasn't certain Paul wanted me to advertise where he was going to be at a specific time,
On account of the QC assassination squad, of course.
The cheapest flight for that weekend I found so far would be to London Stansted (the only London Airport Ryanair flies to),
You may have checked in detail; but these days I often find that BA to Heathrow is as cheap as Ryanair once the extras like luggage(!) and so on have been taken into account, and the cost (and don't forget the time!) of getting to and from Stansted.
Stansted to Oxford is not an easy transfer (details (http://www.tourinaday.com/oxford/stansted-to-oxford.html)). London-Oxford buses are good value, starting from Victoria with a pickup at Marble Arch - there are two main competing companies running up to 5 buses an hour each. I only go to Stansted by car.
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What about London Gatwick? I may have found something.
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There is an hourly direct bus (http://airline.oxfordbus.co.uk/timetables/airline-gatwick) between Gatwick and Oxford, so it's much easier than Stansted - though the ride's about twice as long as from Heathrow.
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Coincidentally, that would be the second time I'd be going to the UK via Gatwick. The first time I did, I found out in horror that the cash machines at the airport didn't accept my debit card.
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Merp. Tried to find a good picture of myself in London that doesn't have my ex in it, and I failed.
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Hmmmp. PHX-LHR nonstop Mar.20-24, $1,030 or 40k AA FF miles, 50k for business class, I've got 380k. Hmmmp. Music and friends at the other end. Hmmmp.
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DO IT
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Dude if you have the miles, go for it. 40k out of 360k is nothing. I'll be saving up some money so I'll probably come as well. :)
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I am in the North of Manchester for the foreseeable future. Manchester is a groovy happening place full of fun stuff (if anyone's inclined to meet up). Rawtenstall, where I'm actually based, is slightly less groovy. But hey ho work is work, and work's in Rawtenstall.
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also, hi everybody, I disappeared for a bit but I'm back again. just like that weird rash on your shins.
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Hi there! Next time I visit my friend in Tottington, I'll try to remember to wave.
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No way Roddy! I'm going to Manchester in February! To hang out with Rob and Allison! Wanna join us on the 10th?
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Yes. Monday is, fortuitously, my day off, so I'd love to come hang and chill and such - I hope I'm not a bothersome addition to pre-existing plans?
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Of course not, we'd love to have you there! I don't even think we have any plans yet besides maybe a comedy thing in the evening? Allison just said she'd be there then so we decided to hang out. I will inform the others!
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Ok, I'm seriously thinking of this, but i need some counsel: I'd be fine with spending, say, 4 days in Oxford and/or London. I can crash about anywhere and a floor would do. And I certainly don't want to impose on Paul; he'll have his hands full. So for the rest of you, what are options, either in Oxford or London? I gather I won't have serious problems with transportation, although if I do as I promised somewhere in Wisconsin, Illlnois or Indiana, I'd hire a car for May to drive me. And God help me, I might want in on that picture for Neko.
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I can offer shelter to a finite number of people who bring sleeping bags. If someone doesn't mind going top to tail with me - which given my forum persona I realise is a hilariously big ask - and two more people don't mind sleeping on the floor, I am down for that if it saves people some cash.
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But saying that, I wouldn't be able to do that for the entirety of these multi-day visits, I'll be working on the Friday and the Monday, so I could put people up on Friday night and Saturday night.
Also I am assuming that we are getting drunk off our asses if this is stretching into multi-day.
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Multi-day makes the most sense, I suppose, especially for those of us with a longer travel.
As for sleeping, I'd like to take you up on the offer, Gareth. A sleeping bag won't be a problem to bring. I'm still looking for the best flying arrangements but there's still time left.
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Proviso: anyone staying at mine has to get drunk off their ass
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Gah. Really tempted, but there is a bunch of reasons why I probably can't go.
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One of them being Gaz said we shouldn't get drunk off our asses around each other! Hah!
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HAHAHA very good point, K-dawg.
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Gaz, now I'm tempted
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Which part is tempting you?
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You know which one. And I'll stop now before pwhodges or Loki grab their banhammer
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Well my floor/boudoir is there if you want it...
Now seriously considering getting drunk before I even arrive at the meetup
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Remember, some people might be going to a concert (remember?); there'd be hell to pay if they were drunk. But I can list the decent nearby pubs we could gather in after the concert.
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Oh yeah, I mean I figured we would be stretching this over multiple days?
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It would be a waste for anyone to come to Oxford for just one day, even without hangouts.
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I have these two small problems: work and no passport.
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Proviso: anyone staying at mine has to get drunk off their ass
That will not be a problem. Is "drinking someone under the table" a thing in English? Because if so, I'll drink you under the table.
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I don't have a table, so I'd like to see you try :mrgreen:
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But we do have the exact same phrase.
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Well I'm sure we'll find something I can drink you under.
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How about May? :mrgreen:
(kidding)
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You'll probably drink me under the table.
So is this really a thing? Are we doing this?
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Under The Table (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=278QxLBbOzI)
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We are doing this. I think maybe May and Hodgy and I need to iron out some details and then create some kind of itinerary thing.
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If you want more culture than the pub round, the Ashmolean Museum was recently rebuilt, and now has a stunning interior. It's one of the world's great museums anyway, so time spent there is not wasted. When you see the Kirckman harpsichord in the musical instruments section, remember that the National Sound Archive in the British Library contains a recording of me playing it in 1968:
(http://www.michaelgerzonphotos.org.uk/images/(3)%20H-1-WEB.jpg)
I don't know how well Gareth knows the city-centre pubs (he can get drunk as effectively in Abingdon, after all); if necessary I can help out, though I'm probably less of a connoisseur of these things.
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This might lead to a bit of a split in the tour group. If you folks are wanting some culture, I gotta say I'm not really interested in the local culture, but I am down for gaming, drinking, hanging out, etc. If everyone wants to do the culture thing I don't mind tagging along though. Should probably note that I have zero transport.
Also, I live in Abingdon NOT Oxford, so anyone staying with me will have a bus ride home and to come back into Oxford. I don't know if anybody wants to make this slightly more Abingdon-centric for convenience for all concerned or what.
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Just found out I definitely cannot come - would need a visa, which would cost me at least 100 bucks, and I cannot afford that :(
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I'm pretty short, it would be quite hard to drink under me.
Loki, why do you need a visa? Aren't you a resident of Germany? This is the EU, we have freedom of movement!
In terms of an itinerary, I have annual leave the week of the 24th so theoretically could stay for a few days. I'm meant to be at an opera rehearsal on the evening of the 24th but I'll have been at most of them in the weeks before that and all of them after that, so could probably get away with missing one. I'd need to be home by the evening of the 26th at the latest and couldn't arrive before the 21st.
Bob, if you do decide to come then you absolutely must plan to be here for at least two weeks, and we'll go visiting places round the UK as we'd planned. I'll have to figure something out about the three-times-a-week rehearsal schedule I'm meant to be on, but it's workable.
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I guess that he doesn't have an EC passport, and that his permission to be in Germany doesn't extend to Britain because we opted out of the Schengen Agreement.
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Stupid British border control.
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I guess that he doesn't have an EC passport, and that his permission to be in Germany doesn't extend to Britain because we opted out of the Schengen Agreement.
That is correct.
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Hmph. How ridiculous.
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If this happens let me know! I don't have money right now but I'm definitely up for this and it'd be nice to go with the intention of visiting people because trying to work it around other trips can be awkward.
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So, my plans for this have taken a bit of a setback. My cat got sick over the weekend and using the emergency vet was pretty goddamn expensive. Most of what I saved up over the last few months is gone now, so I'm not sure if I can save up enough in time to make it to the meeting. But at least she's better now, even eating again, so it was all worth it.
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:( I am sorry your cat got sick and sorry that it means you unexpectedly have less money, but I'm glad that the vet could make her better!
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I will be there.
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Once we get into mid/late February will start arranging this fo' serious. My life can be a bit... spontaneous so I'd like to leave it until closer to before we iron out the details.
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I will be traveling the UK with my boyfriend in March, unfortunately I won't be able to make it to Oxford or London. Besides Glasgow we're going to Edinburgh, Newcastle, Cardiff, Liverpool and Bristol though so if anyone are able/willing to hang out I'd be down.
I have family ties to at least 3 of those places, and will likely get to them at some point in my life. Alas, not this year.
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Well since RedBall is flying in from the USA to be there, and I'm definitely going to Paul's concert, this is happening - hopefully Gareth will be able to join us! For my part I'll arrive on Saturday 22nd and either leave on the Sunday or Monday depending on what's planned.
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Some weird unexpected stuff came up with work (some of it awesome though) so I might not be able to attend everything I said I'd be there for.
(In March / April ish I am now going to Grenoble with some of my colleagues!)
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In March/April? But the thing I mentioned was in February! Or is there another thing as well?
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Preparations must be made, I assume!
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In March/April? But the thing I mentioned was in February! Or is there another thing as well?
My concert is Saturday 22nd March, so meeting the people coming to Oxford that weekend is what Roddy will miss, I presume.
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Oh sorry, Paul, I meant the thing I and some other people and possibly Roddy is going to, it's separate from this meetup so we should probably just take it in private.
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I am making So Many Plans. I hope Redball is feeling rich because we are going to visit All The Places.
On Sunday, does anyone want to join us in pottering around Oxford looking at history? We'd be getting a reasonably early train out (early afternoon) so it'd just be a morning thing.
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Even if you don't go around it, do at least go in to the Ashmolean; the newly rebuilt interior is fabulous.
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I am making So Many Plans. I hope Redball is feeling rich because we are going to visit All The Places.
On Sunday, does anyone want to join us in pottering around Oxford looking at history? We'd be getting a reasonably early train out (early afternoon) so it'd just be a morning thing.
Redball is OK with it. And May is presenting a budget that seems large to a student, but not too threatening to a pensioner thinking, WTF! YOLO!
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Hangover depending - probably.
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I started my trip to Oxford Saturday. Started from Michigan, got as far as Tucumcari New Mexico Sunday.