Coordinates of the Rendezvous

Post by **Lunever** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:01 pm

Right, I double-checked our plans and the whereabouts of locations inlcuded, and it would be very impractical for us to get your key (would probably end up us having to take a taxi). However, if you just dumb your stuff in the hotel and then get a taxi, you should arrive well in time I think.

Post by **Gambit37** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 5:35 pm

Cows, have you already left? My landlady has changed her mind about you staying here; she said she wasn't too happy in the end because of the fact that I've never actually met you before and it made her a bit uncomfortable. I explained that I probably know you better than some of my friends here, but hey...

But I understand you have a hotel 'full time' so to speak, so it should be OK?

I'm happy to show you around London over the weekend.

Post by **Lunever** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 6:05 pm

Strange country where Landladies have a say about friends visiting.

Anyway, I noticed on http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ that there are strikes about that affect London tube? Can anyone from London guess how bad it will be?

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 6:07 pm

Damn, my old phone had the tube numbner whcih told of all the delays and stuff

Can find out in london tonight I guess and get back to you

Post by **Gambit37** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 6:43 pm

Oh yeah, forgot about tube strikes, it's for the next two days...

The landlady is the owner and she lives here, Lunever!

Post by **Lunever** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 6:52 pm

Gambit: Sure, I just made that remark cause landlords/-ladies actually having a say about visitors have become rather rare here during the recent decades. But these things tend to be different in UK anyway, like so many other small things in life. On the other hand, far more Brits than Germans these days own their own house. Renting a flat is less wide-spread in UK than in Germany I think.

Tube: Does anyone have an idea how bad it will be? I mean, how much of Londons transport facilities will be shut down?

Post by **Ameena** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:49 pm

Cows will already have left, yeah - he said it was a 14-15 hour flight and he arrives at 9am tomorrow, our time.

Post by **Lunever** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:04 pm

We are going to sleep soon and leave tomorrow very early (train leaving from Saarbrücken 6:30 and arriving in Frankfurt-Hahn 8:35, check in, flight with Ryan air leaving 11:40 and arriving 11:55 in London-Stansted... local time

).

Would be great if I could know when & where we'll meet thursday before leaving.

From Stansted we'll proceed to Penge, probably via a bus to Victoria Station, then via train to Penge East, then walk to 89 Lennard Road where our B&B is (Melrose House), dumb our stuff and then do something, probably heeding back towards central London. If you like you may give me a call after we settled in, but call or SMS me on my German mobile only, for I unfortunately did not find my UK SIM-card again.

Post by **Gambit37** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:58 am

Hi all

Beo and I had a semi-fruitful evening. We have found a location for our Thursday meet. I have to confirm the booking tomorrow, but basically we have got a small roof terrace above a pub in Westminster which is so central everyone can find it.

Here are some useful links:

http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/ ... ring_Cross
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x ... 8&z=0&ar=Y
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=WC2N+5D ... 0.02&hl=en

Basically, it's right near Trafalgar Square. I will be booking it from 5pm on Thursday so for whoever gets there early, I can meet you there or we can meet in Town. Ammena and Cows, this probably applies to you mostly.

To the rest of you, you'll have to make your own way there, but if you go to Waterloo, you need to cross the river via Hungerford bridge (walking). Drop off down the stairs to the riverside (east side), then walk through the Embankment station and walk up Villiers street a little way. There is a tunnel on the left that goes along to some stairs and past a pub called the Ship andShovell -- go straight on, cross the road and down the alley oppositeand the pub is on the right hand side.

It's nothing too special, a bit grubby, but they serve food until 10pm and it seemed friendly enough. The bar food we tried tonight which wasn't great but they also do restaurant food which looks better and is more expensive (around 10-13 quid, steak, fish, etc.)

There may be a minimum spend for us to book the room but don't worry about that, we'll cover it.

As for tube, everything is likely to be stopped until Friday, except the Jubilee line, the Northern Line and parts of the Picadilly line. This could cause serious problems for those of you getting home as I don't know where your hotels are.

Post by **Ameena** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:37 am

Okay, that looks alright

. I can get a Charing Cross train, which stops at Waterloo East...err...I'm guessing Waterloo East is, like, joined on to plain Waterloo? I think it is...anyway, if the Tube is gonna be smegged then I might as well probably get the train to there anyway. Umm...I think I'll be arranging to meet Cows (we were talking about it in Messenger yesterday morning but then I had to go to work so I gave him my number and I think we may be sorting something out over the phone tonight), but if not then I'll just try and get to that pub for errm...actually...lemme check train times...

Edit - Okay, there's a train that leaves (Chatham) at 3:18 and arrives at Waterloo East at 4:25...if I end up not arranging to meet anyone before then, I'll just get that train. I really, really hope that Waterloo and Waterloo East are, like, in the same building or whatever...I know Waterloo's a pretty big station. Well, I can check that in a sec.
Omg this is all happening tomorrow :O.

Second Edit - "Waterloo East station is a railway station alongside the main Waterloo station and is connected by a footbridge across Waterloo Road." says Wiki. Oh, good - I shouldn't get too lost then...hopefully...

Yet another edit - Actually, looking at the map, Charing Cross is even closer to this place...but umm...I'd best not risk trying to come from there since I might get horribly lost, lol.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:12 pm

Waterlook is fin - you just aim for the obvious imax, then aim for the bridge across the river, but thwen it's best to slide along the south bank of the river for the other bridge which takes you across beisde embankment tube station

You barely touch the tube station before you are right beisde the road for the pub

It's pretty strightforward, I'm sure matt will do a map or summat!

Post by **Ameena** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:18 pm

I've been to the Imax before (twice), so I know what that looks like and stuff...meh, I'm sure I'll manage it...somehow...err...well, if I end up not arranging to meet Cows. Arrgh I don't know, lol.
So the Tube is only down tomorrow? Not Friday? Because wherever that place is we're meeting on Friday, I haven't even looked into exactly where it is or the route I'd need to take in order to get there lol.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:22 pm

Back up friday

And i'm there with you - ui have not had a chanceto plan friday either, and I guess I should egt there earliest of everyone!

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:23 pm

Oh, and if cows falls through, take a later train that gets in before or around 6.45 and I will meet you at waterloo!

Mine is 5.57 to 6.45 basingstoke to waterloo

Post by **Ameena** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:27 pm

I don't think there's any straight-to-Charing-Cross trains that go that late - it'd mean taking a route which involved going through stations I've never heard of and changing a few times...
Will you be online late tonight and/or during tomorrow in case I need to arrange meeting you? Well, if I can meet Cows then I'll post up here anyway. And if I can't then I'll also post. Aaahh, why is this all so complicated, lol...it's only a bloody train journey to London

.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:27 pm

I'll be at work, but busy - easier to sms my phone which I can carry on me

But i will be able to sporadically check

And to tonight I'm packing, etc but will be room based all night too

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 3:34 pm

GG says he can come!

Post by **Gambit37** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 3:58 pm

Flippin 'eck!!!!!

Confirming booking for pub thingy soon...

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 4:17 pm

I know!

Post by **Zyx** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:18 am

Ileana & me are going to the lord of the rings show on saturday 8th at 14:00, from the balcony. We''ll gladly accept company.

Also check the link I put in the 1st post of this thread to check the status of the strike for the tube.

Post by **Gambit37** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:20 am

Well, just a quick update: we managed to meet up and it was a good evening, if slightly surreal seeing everyone in the flesh!

Those attending:

Beowuuf
Ameena
Cowsmonaut
Zyx & Zyxette
Lunever & Safadia
Linflas
George Gilbert
Gambit
and briefly, DFXDX

Really great to meet everyone, though I had met Beo & Lunever & Safadia before. Cows took some photos of the group and a short video which I'm sure we'll post online at some point.

It was rather odd having to remember to respond to being called Gambit and not my real name!

Further plans a foot today to meet up which I might not be able make, but I'm sure other will update the forum at some point.

ian_scho · Post by **ian_scho** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:46 am

Hey, couldnt attend the event but I wish you all the very best!

Enjoy yourselves, and someone introduce the foreigners to real English food.... Dining in an Indian restaurant.

Post by **Lunever** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:12 pm

Sooo, we'll probably be near Covent Garden tomorrow anyway (unless Matt would come up with some better idea), and we'd like to join Benjamin and Ileana for the LotR-show, but unfortunately it does not seem to be possible to book balcony tickets online, so we'll probably just turn up before 14:00 and see, whether we can buy some last-minute tickets there.

CU!

Post by **Ameena** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:59 pm

Yeah, it was very cool to meet everyone

. Jfyi (Wuffy etc) I got home at about 10pm no probs tonight

.
Since people seem mainly interested in sightseeing and all that tomorrow, I shall therefore take the opportunity to spend half the day in bed and do stuff at home etc. If anything's gonna be happening on Sunday then lemme know and I may come (unless you've had too much of my talking already

).

Edit - Btw Gambit, this is who (I think) you look like!
Top picture, right hand side. Also, third picture down...
http://www.qi.com/tv/photos/

Post by **Gambit37** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 2:13 am

Sorry I missed things, got into the zone with work...

Keen to meet up with you guys tomorrow but I can't do LOTR -- what's Adam up to? Thought it might be nice to go some art galleries if you haven't already?

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 2:30 am

Hey all, it was indeed great to see everyone, and due to the names that were mentioned and the people i knew i hadn't gotten aorund to posting and trhe last minute nature of everything, wish I'd had more time to heklporgaqnise everything properly - and more time! Would have been nice to get more time to sit down with some people like zyx and GG

Still, it was really grewta seeing you all, and hey, i got home safely, my room is nicely re-floored, i had enough time to make sure everything is packed and within reach. and now i may only get 3 1/2 hours sleep but i can sleep on the plane

Hope we can do it again at some poijnt, and hope you enjoy your weekends!

So apologises to copperman and andyboy (whose name i spot in another thread) for not gettign to you wiht an invite, and iain and paulH for not having time to dig out new e-mail addresses for, and christophe for not getting around to pm-ing and e-mailing him even though i have a fvalid DME address!

And anyone else who i forgot

And zurman, who suggetsed the idea, said he could make it, but hasn't been aorund to drop in and say hey

Oh, and steve/dxdfx for dropping by today too even if we were rushing around

Right, quick pack of toiletries and sleep!

See you all in 2 1/2 weeks

And

again for meetign you all in person!

Dungeon Master Forum

Coordinates of the Rendezvous

Meeting for LotR Saturday 8th 14:00