GABIT attendees thread

[scarimor]

I drove home on my lunch hour, did not run any red lights, ran up to my PC and thought I'd be able to make the cut. Not. My PC refused to produce a charmed pass. Alas, I won't be making it 3/3 after all.

However, it must speak to Amanda's exuberant fandom that the cocktail party sold out in an hour or two. Those of you who have the cocktail-party passes will have a very special evening. Heck, even Jack got lucky.

So, who from Samanda is going?!

I didn't purchase a charmed pass because of the cost. (Personally, I think I'm stark raving nuts to buy a ticket to a con that's this expensive.) I'm not the least bit concerned about entertainment while the cocktail party is going on, however. There will be plenty of cool people around to do something with.

Feel free to join me, CG.

I wasn't at the cocktail party last year, but we had a great time hanging out in the lobby... oh, and marvelling at TJ's presumed naquadria-powered biceps when two (or was it three!?) of us manhandled her luggage, sewing machine an'all!

[Mousie]

Okay, I can't speak for transatlantic travel, but here's what I was told by the school's travel company when I took the kids to Barcelona (so please note, this information is only valid for EU travel. Double check for all else!):

You do not need six months on your passport for travel within the EU. The reason for the suggestion is in case anything happens whilst you are away. If you should be involved in a serious accident or require medical treatment, your passport needs to be valid until you leave.

When we went to Barcelona, two of our girls had passports that expired two days before we came back *headdesk*. But this didn't matter because it was photo ID to get them back into the country.

I think a lot of the transatlantic problem is to do with visas etc. When we go over to North America, they want six months on our passports so they can catch us and send us home. They want to guarantee that we've got a home to go back to and we're not just trying to get into the States.

The whole six month advice goes back to when I was about six, though. Not a recent thing at all

I went to Egypt a few years ago and I did specify on the holiday website that you needed 6 months + on your passport so it seems to be applicable to many countries. There are other little passport quirks as well. When we were in Egypt we decided to visit Petra in Jordan, this meant we were driven from Egypt, into Israel and on to Jordan - we were advised not to get our passports stamped as having been in Israel or Jordan (I can't remember which one it was but it was one of them!) as it could cause problems getting into certain other countries. The border control people where generally stamping separate bits of paper instead of the passports.

[Tracy Jane]

I wasn't at the cocktail party last year, but we had a great time hanging out in the lobby... oh, and marvelling at TJ's presumed naquadria-powered biceps when two (or was it three!?) of us manhandled her luggage, sewing machine an'all!

It wasn't THAT bad! The sewing machine was a baby one (I now have a proper sewing machine and made a gorgeous ball gown with it!) and the real weight was the huge tin of chocolates.

That was so funny. The south coast was flooded last year and I had just had a car accident about five days before the con (Seven car motorway pile up... lovely!) so I had to get public transport from work back to the flat.

I worked out that instead of going from Gosport to Portsmouth and getting a train back to Southampton (essentially going in the wrong direction first!), I could go direct from Gosport to Southampton by bus and it would only take twenty minutes.

Yeah right.

By the time I got on the bus, a lot of roads were flooded, so the bus had to take huge detours and I had to connect to other buses instead, etc, etc. Then my block of flats was part under water and I couldn't get in...! And then I couldn't get a taxi to the train station!

I tried phoning the hotel to let the G4 know that I was running seriously late (lunchtime had LONG been and gone) but the concierge apparently had never heard of GABIT, Amanda Tapping: The Return, or anything else I could think of. I was going, "Alright then, could you get a message to one of your guests, please?" absolutely desperate, but no luck. He passed me on to someone he thought could help and they pacified me.

But when I turned up at the hotel two hours late to the cocktail party, people were worried and no-one knew a thing! Scari kinda pounced on me, going "Are you Tracy Jane? Good, then give us your luggage and go!" And they took my luggage off me and shoved me through to the cocktail party! I was more than a little bewildered!

[samcarterrules]

I drove home on my lunch hour, did not run any red lights, ran up to my PC and thought I'd be able to make the cut. Not. My PC refused to produce a charmed pass. Alas, I won't be making it 3/3 after all.

However, it must speak to Amanda's exuberant fandom that the cocktail party sold out in an hour or two. Those of you who have the cocktail-party passes will have a very special evening. Heck, even Jack got lucky.

So, who from Samanda is going?!

Me! Me! I got a Charmed Pass too, I haven't been to a cocktail party before *is nervous and excited*

((((Hugs those who didn't get a Charmed Pass))))

Julia(samcarterrules)

[ames]

Howdy y'all
(Look - it's my cherry post!)
Just wanted to say hi (yes, Tracy finally convinced me to join in over here -- wheeee!) and that I'm really looking forward to putting faces to the names that I keep hearing about

~ames

[Skydiver]

Howdy y'all
(Look - it's my cherry post!)
Just wanted to say hi (yes, Tracy finally convinced me to join in over here -- wheeee!) and that I'm really looking forward to putting faces to the names that I keep hearing about

~ames

hi amy

glad to see you here

[Skydiver]

Me! Me! I got a Charmed Pass too, I haven't been to a cocktail party before *is nervous and excited*

((((Hugs those who didn't get a Charmed Pass))))

Julia(samcarterrules)

you'll do fine.

you'll have a table full of samandans to sit with and we'll take care of ya

[ames]

I didn't purchase a charmed pass because of the cost. (Personally, I think I'm stark raving nuts to buy a ticket to a con that's this expensive.) I'm not the least bit concerned about entertainment while the cocktail party is going on, however. There will be plenty of cool people around to do something with.

Feel free to join me, CG.

SciFi - I just wanted to say that your sig made me giggle insanely...

[Mandysg1]

Howdy y'all
(Look - it's my cherry post!)
Just wanted to say hi (yes, Tracy finally convinced me to join in over here -- wheeee!) and that I'm really looking forward to putting faces to the names that I keep hearing about

~ames

Welcome ames, I'm looking forward to meeting you too...oh yea and TJ as well

Here's a little something to remind you of home

Spoiler:

oh and CG add me to the list of Samandans and I also have a charmed pass

[sofie]

Howdy y'all
(Look - it's my cherry post!)
Just wanted to say hi (yes, Tracy finally convinced me to join in over here -- wheeee!) and that I'm really looking forward to putting faces to the names that I keep hearing about

~ames

Hi Amy!!
Great you joined us I've heard/read a lot about you.
Looking forward to meet you!!!

[scifithinker]

SciFi - I just wanted to say that your sig made me giggle insanely...

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I don't think many people actually notice it. It will be good to see you at AT3.

[SEREN LWCH (MAL)]

It wasn't THAT bad! The sewing machine was a baby one (I now have a proper sewing machine and made a gorgeous ball gown with it!) and the real weight was the huge tin of chocolates.

That was so funny. The south coast was flooded last year and I had just had a car accident about five days before the con (Seven car motorway pile up... lovely!) so I had to get public transport from work back to the flat.

I worked out that instead of going from Gosport to Portsmouth and getting a train back to Southampton (essentially going in the wrong direction first!), I could go direct from Gosport to Southampton by bus and it would only take twenty minutes.

Yeah right.

By the time I got on the bus, a lot of roads were flooded, so the bus had to take huge detours and I had to connect to other buses instead, etc, etc. Then my block of flats was part under water and I couldn't get in...! And then I couldn't get a taxi to the train station!

I tried phoning the hotel to let the G4 know that I was running seriously late (lunchtime had LONG been and gone) but the concierge apparently had never heard of GABIT, Amanda Tapping: The Return, or anything else I could think of. I was going, "Alright then, could you get a message to one of your guests, please?" absolutely desperate, but no luck. He passed me on to someone he thought could help and they pacified me.

But when I turned up at the hotel two hours late to the cocktail party, people were worried and no-one knew a thing! Scari kinda pounced on me, going "Are you Tracy Jane? Good, then give us your luggage and go!" And they took my luggage off me and shoved me through to the cocktail party! I was more than a little bewildered!

That happened to me as well. I was caught in the rush hour trying to get from euston to Heathrow. I was catching the Heathrow Express so I needed
to go to Paddington. I arrived in Euston about 4:30pm approx. Plenty of time I thought.

I had not expected the crowds though. I'm not at my best in crowds, and I'm anxious with esculators. I ended up waiting to the side so that I could join the end of a cue on the esculators, but the cue's never seemed to end! When I eventually got to Paddington, I had a problem getting my ticket for the Express, then the train I got on broke down!

Luckly I'd been in touch via text with a friend. So when i arrived at the hotel at 19:30 (the start of the charmed event!) she wisked me up to her hotel room so i could shower and change. Then after seeing AT I had to round up my luggage and find my room.

[SEREN LWCH (MAL)]

I wasn't at the cocktail party last year, but we had a great time hanging out in the lobby... oh, and marvelling at TJ's presumed naquadria-powered biceps when two (or was it three!?) of us manhandled her luggage, sewing machine an'all!

I'll be hanging out with you guys this year . I did not gofor a charmed passs this time.

[scifithinker]

I'll be hanging out with you guys this year . I did not go for a charmed pass this time.

The more, the merrier.

[ames]

Welcome ames, I'm looking forward to meeting you too...oh yea and TJ as well

Here's a little something to remind you of home

Spoiler:

oh and CG add me to the list of Samandans and I also have a charmed pass

Thank you m'dear

Spoiler: