Dave
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HWI Admin
Posts: 7,699
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Post by Dave on Dec 18, 2010 14:36:55 GMT
Weather permitting I hope to be there in good time. I will probably see the lunch time match in the 'Figure of Eight' and then see what is happening at the venue before returning for the pre concert meet. Hope the weather stays good.... First time we have seen grass today for 15 days  Best Wishes, Graham Hello Graham! I'm glad that you can finally see the grass through the snow, but did you really have to shovel it all down here to the South of England?  I'm sure Hayley will find a way to get to the Birmingham concert tomorrow, but it's starting to look like she may yet have to go straight there, from Glasgow!  EDIT Incidentally, something that's being ignored in the news (as usual when it snows in London) it has been snowing continuously at Birmingham Airport for the last eight hours and it is also closed, so that will be Hayley and Bandana's next problem to solve... Dave |
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Post by dutchjoyce on Dec 18, 2010 17:29:40 GMT
OOOOpppps...... I'm getting very nervous, about my flight tommorow!!  Amsterdam International Airport, canceled lots of flights today, and more snow is on it's way for the coming hours...... thousands of people are waiting for their depart... I'll wait and see tommorow..... Greetz Joyce |
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Post by Karsten on Dec 18, 2010 19:07:47 GMT
Paddy and I just arrived from Glasgow by train - slightly delayed.
Good luck to all trying to come here, Karsten
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Post by keithp on Dec 18, 2010 20:47:18 GMT
Have just arrived home in Coventry via the train after the flights from Edinburgh to Birmingham were cancelled. Birmingham New Street was chaos with the boards showing trains on time that were already nearly an hour overdue. Then when I got back to Birmingham Airport to pick up my car the place was full of stranded passengers trying to find out what was going on.
Let's hope Hayley and the rest of the gang find a route down from Glasgow that isn't too difficult.
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Post by martindn on Dec 18, 2010 23:19:57 GMT
We hope the show goes ahead, but we won't arrive much before the start of the show I'm afraid, since we have a carol concert at Church tomorrow afternoon.
Despite being only about 40 miles from Birmingham, we have very little snow here. Pity we don't have a decent sized airport in Leicester.
Martin D
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Jillian
Global Moderator
Posts: 3,050
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Post by Jillian on Dec 19, 2010 0:09:26 GMT
Hi everyone,
This is indeed turning into quite the saga! Fingers crossed that Hayley manages to get to Birmingham!
Cheers,
Jillian
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Post by gra7890 on Dec 19, 2010 10:46:00 GMT
Weather permitting I hope to be there in good time. I will probably see the lunch time match in the 'Figure of Eight' and then see what is happening at the venue before returning for the pre concert meet. Hope the weather stays good.... First time we have seen grass today for 15 days Best Wishes, Graham Hello Graham! I'm glad that you can finally see the grass through the snow, but did you really have to shovel it all down here to the South of England? I'm sure Hayley will find a way to get to the Birmingham concert tomorrow, but it's starting to look like she may yet have to go straight there, from Glasgow! EDIT Incidentally, something that's being ignored in the news (as usual when it snows in London) it has been snowing continuously at Birmingham Airport for the last eight hours and it is also closed, so that will be Hayley and Bandana's next problem to solve... Dave Hi Dave, Fortunately we travelled down by road to stay with friends on Friday, just outside Birmingham.... before the snow. On Saturday we intended to go into Birmingham centre to see the Anglo Saxon gold display at the Museum and also go to the German Christmas Market. As we sat down to breakfast it started to snow and it continued all day, about 8 inches. We obviously decided to stay in and watched the news all day on tv. It stopped snowing about 5 pm yesterday and there has been no more snow since. It is still below freezing and there is not much moving in the estate we are staying in. We hope they get the main roads up and running to get into Birmingham later today.....and also the Concert is still on with everyone getting here safely and then be able to get back after the concert later at night. Joyce good luck in getting here. Hope to see some of you later, our present plan is to try to get in about 5pm if possible. Good Luck all, Graham |
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Post by Karsten on Dec 19, 2010 12:01:32 GMT
Hi,
This journey through the UK really turns out to be more adventurous than any other before.
Having a look at the news you get really the impression that snow in December is (in the UK and in particular in South England) a complete surprise, every year again - if I remember the last two years correctly. But everybody calms down and carries on. I like this way of life, it's so relaxing here.
And so I decided to find it not annoying, too, when I learned that the train from Glasgow I took on Saturday morning (just as it started to snow and with temperatures at least a bit under zero Celsius) has not only the same temperature as outside when it was ready for boarding but that there was no hope for an improved situation because the heating was broken down. We get our Heat Reflecting Emergency Blankets - and, well, carried on.
I had chosen the connection to Birmingham via Manchester, because it was four times cheaper than the direct one, but missed the connecting train (which was obviously the one and only which went punctually this day) and had to wait a bit. The next one was of course more than half an hour delayed, but it went straight ahead to Birmingham New St - and the coach was even heated. It's really more relaxing to have a look at the English winter wonderland from inside a travelling coach
if you're not frozen to the bones. And it was really a nice view. Eventually we arrived (6 hours after the start from Glasgow) at a crowded station - the same feeling perhaps that Columbus had when he sighted the new world.
According to google maps it's an 18 minute walk to the hotel, but to be honest, it took me over 40. Snow on the streets (2 inches or more I'd say), but surprisingly not very slippery.
After a short walk to the Symphony Hall only 5 minutes away to collect the ticket and after a decent meal at Wetherspoons I tried to get some sleep, but at around half four (am. !) we got a fire alarm. I was so sleepy (and had a room on the 7th floor) that I even had to think twice if I should take it seriously or not. Reluctantly I took it seriously which turned out to be a false alert and after half an hour in the (at least dry) cold and after having gone upstairs the alarm started for the second time - I had the quite certain feeling that it was a false one again, but unfortunately these signals aren't made to be ignored and to sleeping with along. On the contrary even 2 litres of concentrated coffee couldn't induce the same effect. So standing on the (in relation to my room) quite silent and quite cold street, I decided to walk around. Birmingham centre (and the German Christmas market there) on a Sunday at 5 am. isn't overcrowded, the lights were on, it was cold and dry, the pavement was snowy - time to catch a few pre-Christmas impressions; things could have been worse.
The morning has gone now without any news - hopefully all will go well.
Best wishes from Birmingham,
Karsten
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Post by jimg on Dec 19, 2010 12:19:44 GMT
Hi Karsten.
Raven are on their way.
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Post by jimg on Dec 19, 2010 13:30:26 GMT
Hayley has made it to Birmingham.
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Post by Karsten on Dec 19, 2010 14:13:11 GMT
Ooops, Hayley was faster... - yes, indeed, they've arrived safely after coming all the way from Scotland by car, starting at 8 am Cheers, Karsten |
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Post by martindn on Dec 19, 2010 15:04:55 GMT
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Martin
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HWI Management Team
Posts: 3,339
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Post by Martin on Dec 19, 2010 15:34:23 GMT
Hi Karsten Thanks for your update and description of a very eventful journey to Birmingham but just as well you were not planning to fly because air travel this weekend is in chaos! It is great that Hayely has arrived safely and I hope you all enjoy the concert. I look forward to meeting you on Wednesday even though further snow is forecast.  Martin |
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Post by Mark on Dec 19, 2010 15:37:44 GMT
Hi Karsten
Thanks for the speedy photo of Hayley arriving. Its a long old journey by car when you have a show to perform and a late evening!!
Anyway, have a great show tonight - it seems every seat is sold, so assuming people are not restricted by the snow, it should be a full house.
best wishes
Mark
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Steve H
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HWI Management Team / Official Site Photographer & Videographer
Posts: 1,756
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Post by Steve H on Dec 19, 2010 16:32:45 GMT
Hi Mark, We have made it to Wetherspoons, present now are Grant, myself, Karsten, Paddy, and Graham. George and his guests are on their way. Alas Joyce did not get her flight. The snow was a bit scenic during the last couple of miles and varied from 6" at home in Suffolk, to about 8" in Birmingham. I am staying in Birmingham tonight and travelling to Newcastle tomorrow morning. I will post some pictures tomorrow evening  Steve |
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