London, 20-21 August 2005: First European Meet-up

I believe I can make the journey.... not got holiday's planned yet for this year - so all being well it's game on - count me in!!

mentos_007 said:
ok.. and how much cash do you think is enough for 3 days for food, tubes, and daily "rutines"? without sleeping places and flight?

in london? A lot!! Depending on where the trip heads... inner city I've found can be very expensive... just like most major cities though!
 
mentos_007 said:
ok.. and how much cash do you think is enough for 3 days for food, tubes, and daily "rutines"? without sleeping places and flight?
You could manage on £20 per day - so £60 for three days. £100 for the three days would be better. But it depends on where you are going to go, what you want to do and where you like to eat.
I dare say that someone could be prevailed upon to buy you dinner, Mentos :mrgreen:


Well - you are a student and both my sons are students so I know how tight money can be.
 
mentos_007 said:
ok.. and how much cash do you think is enough for 3 days for food, tubes, and daily "rutines"? without sleeping places and flight?

London is expensive, but there's so much diversity you've just got to look around and find a good deal.

Travel Cards get you anywhere for the best value - an off-peak all-zones card is about £6 which will do all public transport like tubes, trains, buses, trams, docklands light railway etc. These are essential if you're doing lots of small journeys in one day as each one will cost over £1.20 separately and they're unlimited.

Meals vary from a McDonalds big Mac meal for £4ish (I don't go there, so it's a guestimate) to top restaurants at about £50 per head for dinner. The real trick is to stay away from tourist rubbish like Aberdeen Angus Steak houses and eat in the mid range at lunch time for about £7 to £10. If up-market is your style, then Fortnum and Mason's restaurant and the OXO tower restaurant are my two favourites and both do a set menu lunch for around £15-£20. OXO Tower is very good for photography as well (that's where I am in my avatar).

Cabs are very expensive - stay out of them unless you're feeling rich. I believe it's now 40p for 250yrds or 1 minute whichever is sooner with minimum suppliment of £2.20. If they think you're a tourist, it's going to be the scenic route as well. Buses are just as quick and you can hop on and off. Walking is to be recommended as London isn't really that physically big, just densely populated and the traffic is impressively bad at all times.

The money traps are the tourist stuff, which most Londoners ignore by instinct - street stalls are especially bad and can try and charge £2 for a can of Coke. Another example is the comparison in prices between tourist river boats and the river buses - the former are about £30 per head, the latter can be travelled on with a travel card and it's pretty much the same journey. And don't get me started on those open-top buses!

I'd say you could scrape it on £20 per day, but if you want to enjoy yourself and have a few drinks, then probably more like £50. Personally I'd say £100 to £150 should suffice for three days, as long as you don't go mad on the "My friend went to London and all I got was this lousy T-Shirt" stuff. Saying that, I spend that kind of money on a normal night on the beers in Soho. Hmm. I wouldn't want to put you off, but do bear in mind things can be expensive. I'm sure the UK hospitality can stretch to a few drinks and a meal without any problems.


Hope this is helpful!

Rob
 
ok really really BAD NEWS!!!!

here is the story: in March I booked a trip to italy with some friends of mine in August (12.08.05 to 20.08.05!!!!) that would mean that I couldn't be able to meet you folks :(
what about a change of date? for example 22-23 august?
I really wanna come but how :(
 
I think we should change date..
And I want to go...but im scared...never even considered meeting people from the net...so...I guess my parents would come too...
 
Right well, I can go, gotto check dates but should be fine, and my Dads comming and said we can go, so yeh, tell me where and when, and ill meet you all up...just expect me to be late!
 
Aug 20-21 is a Saturday and Sunday. If the dates are going to be changed then it needs to be to another weekend for people with weekday work commitments.
It will also need to fit in with those coming from abroad - particularly LaPhoto and Mentos.
I'm reasonably flexible with regards dates but I think we need to hear from everyone on this before changing. It may not be an option.

List so far:

LaPhoto
LaPhoto's sister
Mentos
mfacer
robhesketh
Scurra
Hertz van Rental

Possibles:

Lensmeister
deveel
Dandy-Warhol
Artemis
Santino (depending on dates)
 
When I finally decided on a date, I did that in order to stop any discussions on When? Where? Else we can spend our time discussing till next year.

London (to name a well known place, personally I'd like to be somewhere in the WHEREABOUTS of London instead of RIGHT in there...) and 20 - 21 August. It needs to be a weekend for most.

This is a first TPF meetup OFFER. Those who can come, can come. Those who can't at this point in time, can't.

I am quite sure this will not be the only, first and last European Meetup. There will be more!

And put
"LaFoto
LaFoto'sSister
.
.
."
on your list, ok?
 
I've only just noticed this thread. Unfortunately I'm going to have to pass this time since that's the weekend of the V Festival which I've already got tickets for.

I'm so sorry guys, I would have loved to come, especially as I'm only half an hour away on the train. Hope you guys all have fun though, and I can't wait to see the pictures! :D
 
:( I hope im not in canada...wish we could have had a chance to sort out dates that most suited everyone, just..you know, so we could all come...but Ill see what I can do...:(
 
I'm not sure what the summer holiday plans are at the moment - I'm waiting to be told, but if I can make it I will come. it also depends if my wife is working that weekend, as I've got to stop the kids from killing each other if she is - err I mean look after them...
 
Hertz van Rental said:
Aug 20-21 is a Saturday and Sunday.List so far:

LaPhoto
LaPhoto's sister
Mentos
mfacer
robhesketh
Scurra
Hertz van Rental

Possibles:

Lensmeister
deveel
Dandy-Warhol
Artemis
tempra

Avoiding Central London - and possibly Greater London - might be an idea. Things (eating/accomodation) tend to be cheaper (and nicer) away from the smoke. But it depends on what people would like to do. London tends to limit photo-ops to street scenes and tourist traps. There are a lot more locations around and about.
Ideas, anyone? What sort of things would we like to do? Photograph?
 

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