GABIT attendees thread

[rderoch]

I had assumed you travelled in groups so that if you got in trouble .... say stuck in the snow in Canada ..... you'd have someone to eat to survive. Isn't that why you had such an in depth discussion on cannibalism with AT, MW and DK?

They were simply giving me instructions for my next visit. I've always traveled with someone else because it's generally more fun to have someone to share the experience with. But it's hard to arrange things. Been trying to organize the Van trip and am having one heck of a time getting input from anyone.

Seriously though.......... Canada isn't really that dangerous a place? Is it? The thing that worries me most is that there might be another heatwave like last year. That wood see me hiding in my air-conned room for most of the week

It's a frozen wasteland! Beware

I think it's more a culture thing. Where I work, I hear the men I deal to at my tables calling me 'sweetheart', 'honey', etc.. While it does grate on my nerves I usually for the most part chalk it up to how they grew up and them not really meaning anything bad by it anymore than they do with their flirting. For the most part I let it pass, but one night it was just irritating me too much and I actually corrected a guest at my table. I pointed to my name badge and said with a sweet smile, "My name's Brenda..." to which he immediately backpedaled and apologized. So, I don't take offense too much unless the context of the situation is vastly different. Then...them's fighting words!!

Context makes all the difference in the world. It's all in HOW something is said, not necessarily WHAT is said.

Hrm. No credit cards. This means I will probably be out. The only way I would be able to swing paying for a ticket now would be to put it on a card and pay it off. Don't know if I can justify dipping into my savings when I am still unemployed and will probably be needing it for groceries and rent soon.

I think that may kill it for many of us. Plus it's just too soon after SE.

[Skydiver]

It is hard to plan for a group. Eventually we just reach the point where we go 'this is what we're doing when' and they come or not.

When my friends and i group travel, we tend to have Sue be the mistress organizer, and she'll poll, 'what interests you guys?' then kinda plot things out. anyone that wants to input can, but you also reach a 'deadline' point where she just makes the decision and people can deal with it...and if they complain, her response is 'i tried to get your input, you wouldn't speak up, so get over it'

[SamJackShipLover]

Now we have a date, where is SamJackShipLover?

I was sleeping! Baby needs sleep you know And .... perfect time to loose the subscription to this thread again ... lol.

But .. WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have a date!!!!!

February, that's much sooner than I would've hoped!! Perfect if you ask me

Cel, a bank transfer should be easy enough. They give you the correct international banknumbers and stuff and you arrange the payment at your bank or online.
Antoa ... mmm ... I really hope you can work something out with your money.

Ok ... *goes to read FAQ* with a big smile on my face

[SamJackShipLover]

Even baby in my tummy is bouncing now

[Tittamiire]

Woo for the date! Argh that it's in the same financial year as SE, not sure where I am going to get the holiday days from....but I shall somehow! February is under a year away! Wheeee!

As for danger, you are pretty safe there as well (except for the danger of fainting when you see MW ). It is a major city so there is unlikely to be much wildlife about (except at the Abnormals' Ball) and you would take the same precautions you would travelling anywhere. Stay out of dodgy areas (right, PengYn and SamJackShipLover?), don't carry cash in your pant's pocket on the skytrain (right, Neep?) and avoid looking directly into Martin's eyes and you'll be fine.

Look out for the wacky Canadian with a Maple Leaf over her face. She's trouble. *nods*

[SamJackShipLover]

OK, last post and then I have really get to work ... lol.

The lotteries for seating and cocktail sound fair! Same chance for everyone. And really the event is great wherever you sit and with our without the cocktail.
I feel relieved I have preregged, no worries about getting a ticket. We'll even get an e-mail about what to do and when ... wonderful.
I do wonder how many tickets there will be available in total, I don't think I read that on the site.

[Fresh_Horse]

Yeah, the 'no credit card' rule is a whole new can of worms. I'm sorry for all those who won't be able to go due to this new policy as I've used my credit/debit card both times in the past to pay for my tickets and know how much more convenient it is. I'm still trying to understand the 'DIRECT BANK TRANSFER IN UK FUNDS' but know when the emails are sent out in April, everything should be explained more clearly.

I'm down with the direct bank transfer.
Our credit cards work differently than yours. Whatever you pay with it has to be paid off in full at the beginning of the following months.
I've seen ads for credit cards lately that seem to be similar to what you guys have i.e. you run up bills and only pay a percentage or a fixed rate each month.

The bank transfer should be easy for us Europeans (SWIFT and IBAN code and you are good to go), I am not so sure about bank transfers from the US though.
Way back before paypal, whenever I bought something on the bay I had to fill out some monster transfer form to pay for things in US $.
I am so glad things can be done online now.

Being able to use a credit card protects the card holder and is an extra layer of security should something go wrong. Wonder why they got rid of that option.

Not sure what could go wrong here but I agree with what Sky writes:

they probably had to get rid of the credit cards cause it costs them money. if you, as a business, accepts cards, then you pay a monthly fee + a transaction fee for every time you accept the card. it adds up.

That is the main reason why you can't use your credit card at most shops in my country. They don't want to pay the fee. My friend from the UK is always surprised by it but I'm so used to just using my debit card that I stopped caring.
I buy most things online now anyway and online shops usually accept credit cards.
Again, this means whatever I buy has to be paid off in full at the beginning of the next month.

[becky_preen]

280 total tickets as last time.

The issue with Credit cards is not the fees and charges so much, I can budget for those, and take it into account. What we couldn't account for was the untimely demise of Michael Jackson.

The cancellation of his massive world tour has made the credit card companies rather wary of event organisers. We have had to have a very substantial amount of money on deposit with the bank in order to have a cc facility at all. We were assured that as we earned a good rating with the CC company this amount would reduce. Despite having cancellation insurance , running four successful events, never having a chargeback, never claiming on insurance, and having a good standing on our bank accounts for several years, when the facility came up for review they actually demanded an increase in the amount they wanted to hold. We're not talking a few thousand pounds here, we are talking multiple tens of thousands, and the only way to maintain the facility would have been to sign over one of our houses.

Pay pal is worse. We may be able to use them for the t-shirt sales, but they don't like "advanced service sales". Been there, done that had the hassle.

For those of you who would have put the tickets on your credit cards and paid it off over time, we can only suggest that you pay for something else on your CC (like your groceries) and pay that off instead.

It's not an ideal solution for any of us, Transfers and cheques are way more admin for us, but it is the ONLY solution if we are to continue running events... Unless one of wins the lottery!

Becks
G4

[Chelle DB]

ETA: And the date has been announced!!!
AT5 – REVERBERATION
11th – 13th February 2011
http://www.gabitevents.co.uk/at5.html
Sorry for stealing your thunder too. Just crazy excited right now!

I do hope that gives me time to get there...not looking too promising. I guess the big question will be how much the flights will be at that time of the year...so much to ponder especially seeings how we just picked up our new car tonight. Damn.

Thank you Gabit for finally releasing the date!

[Chelle DB]

Usually fairly cold - frosty nights - occasionally some snow.
Kay G4

OMG...I have got to be there...if only for the snow!
Will have a chat with hubby tonight and call the auntie and uncle in Germany and see what i can do...so I have to be ready by April...Oi...not very good timing for me indeed!
You know, I was just saying to Niki that if I do get to go, I will have seen Amanda in November 2009, December 2010 and then February 2011...I hope she doesn't think I'm stalking her...coz it's not her I'm stalking but rather the G4! Of course I could turn it around and say Amanda is stalking me!!

[PengYn]

I'm not certain yet if I'll be in the country February 2011, still good to have a date though

I do have a really - hope I'm not being dense - question for Julia, Becky, or Mumsey (whichever one gets here first lol) - but I'm confused about the payment method in the faq.

"PAYMENT WILL BE STRICTLY BY UK ENGLISH CHEQUE IF YOU ARE A UK RESIDENT OR DIRECT BANK TRANSFER IN UK FUNDS IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE THE UK"

Does this mean that folks in the UK will not be able to pay by bank transfer? I don't have a cheque book and I know the finance sector is phasing them out here so my bank is unlikely to issue me with one.

[penjab]

I obviously didn't phrase that properly...... I was referring to your praise of London and it's transport systems Most people in London, and in fact all over the UK, have had problems with transport and it gets moaned about a lot. It's actually nice to hear that visitors think it's good

I personally think there is just too much political correctness around these days. Time was, if someone called you something you didn't like you just asked them not to and that wood be the end of it. Now it seems people kick up a huge fuss and have to get the whole thing outlawed I know there are people who are insensitive about how they speak to/treat their work colleagues, and they should definitely be stopped, but that shouldn't mean that nobody can use a term of endearment/friendship for fear of being officially reprimanded. It's reaching ridiculous levels here. It's sad because it makes people wary of others and isolates people unnecessarily I think.

If you could see how bad public transport is here in many places, you would really appreciate how good it is there. I love London's public transportation. I have been there twice and with one exception, my mother and I were able to get to everything we wanted to do easily. I even have a large poster of the Underground hanging in my office. We have a few cities here that do it right but most don't have a clue.

[hisg1fans]

WooHooo!!

The curling clubs will be open in February

[Jumble]

If you could see how bad public transport is here in many places, you would really appreciate how good it is there. I love London's public transportation. I have been there twice and with one exception, my mother and I were able to get to everything we wanted to do easily. I even have a large poster of the Underground hanging in my office. We have a few cities here that do it right but most don't have a clue.

I guess it's all relative to one's own experience You woodn't believe the chaos that ensues here at times. Leaves on the lines mean the trains don't run. Repairs to London's bridges stop a lot of the buses from running, and the Underground constantly has stations or even whole lines closed. And nothing ever runs on time. But I take your point that other countries don't have good public transport systems in place

And don't get me started on what happens here when we get a few inches of snow

[Fresh_Horse]

WooHooo!!

The curling clubs will be open in February

Alright, so who is prepared to give some curling lessons to a total noob?