Soapboards Meet

[DaVeyWaVey]

I am up for meeting in Cardiff if other people are. I will be free anytime, so after results is fine :)

[CrazyLea]

Yay all coming together now :D
Are you both free sometime between 24-28th?

[DaVeyWaVey]

Yep, I should be :)

[Kim]

I'll do then as well. First come first serve with my calendar so anything else that comes up for whatever date we decide can whistle :p

[CrazyLea]

What's everyone's preferred day... a Mon, Tue, Wed, Thurs or Fri... I'd prefer not a Fri tbh... but easy any other day..

[Kim]

Not Monday preferably for me.. .possibly not a Thursday either but that will depend on what time I'm supposed to get back.

[DaVeyWaVey]

I wouldn't really want to do a Friday as I collect money on my paper round that day.

I can do my paper round earlier on any other day, so any other day is fine by me.

[CrazyLea]

Ok, I'm thinking a Weds... which will be the 26th :) So if all are happy with that.. we can get the ball rolling. :p

I'm thinking in out meet we should do bowling or something aswell :p Go in teams, and do some team bonding lmao!

[Kirsty :]]

Yess any day is good for moi :D

Oohhh it's all exciting :D

[Kim]

Sounds great to me :D

[DaVeyWaVey]

I am excited :D Bowling sounds like a great idea. Should be fun.

[Kim]

I hope they have sides up like they do at my local one or I will probably lose :lol:

[StarsOfCCTV]

I have to let you know nearer the time. Might be going on a residential with the disabled kids. If the CRB ever comes through haha.

[Kim]

What times are we thinking roughly?

[Abbie]

Ive just had a thought, Abigail when are you next down here, I could easily meet up with you and it will only cost be £4 to get to you! :lol: :D

[Abigail]

I think it's strange we live so close, probably closer than anyone else on here, and still haven't met up :searchme: We will do, one day before I finish uni.

[StarsOfCCTV]

When I am at uni I will be free to meet up anywhere....within cost. :p

[Kim]

I'm not far from Bristol so should have the same sort of cost range.

[StarsOfCCTV]

I just checked, and it would cost me £3 on the coach return! Man do I wish I was at Uni now. :lol:

[Abigail]

Rail cards are the way for all you people going to uni who aren't taking cars :cool: Saved me at least three hundred quid over the past ten months.

[StarsOfCCTV]

I'm getting one with my bank account :D

[Meh]

Too far for me even though it would be a nice drive down on the bike.

Yorkshire would be better

[Hannelene]

Not fair I can't attend too :(

[Abbie]

Yeah we have to Abigail although I dont know how since Im hopefully going to uni down south but there must be some time we are in the same region


If I go to exeter I can get to Bristol for like £2.50 return :D

[Jojo]

Yeah we have to Abigail although I dont know how since Im hopefully going to uni down south but there must be some time we are in the same region


If I go to exeter I can get to Bristol for like £2.50 return :D

If you go to Exeter, you'll be 10 mins from me :D

[Abbie]

Yay! :D I sooo want to meet up with people.
I mean the reasons:
1. I spend far tooo much time on here
2. I post on here way too much im surprised I havent been stopped or complained about lol!
3. I talk a lot to people and it would just be nice to speak face to face :p

[Siobhan]

Not fair I can't attend too :(

I think you should all come to Dublin!!

[Jessie Wallace]

I'm on holiday there, right now but leave tonight :(

[Hannelene]

Not fair I can't attend too :(

I think you should all come to Dublin!!

I wish that I could! I just had some time off work :(

[Abbie]

I might have a problem :(

Cardiff is gonna take ages to get too which I dont really mind but like the earliest I can get there is 1pm and its looking even more expensive then when I checked months ago :(

[Kim]

I can't get on there to check mine at the moment. Maybe they're putting prices up yet again :lol:

I don't think these people have heard of the word recession.

[Abbie]

Oh dear dear

I take it this is not gonna happen?


Well a few of us are going to uni soon, who said they can make it to Bristol, cos I can do Bristol easily when Im at exeter :D sorry still cant help but smile about it

[Abigail]

Bristol with a railcard will only cost me fifteen quid. I could make Bristol.

[Abbie]

Yay :D Plus I feel like I have to meet you since like last year you were living like 20 mins away!

[StarsOfCCTV]

I could do Bristol. :p :lol:

[Abbie]

YAY :D well thats three of us :D

[Kim]

I can do Bristol easier than I could've done Cardiff :D

[Abbie]

Yay this is looking good :D

[Meh]

Mmmmm - about 4 hours drive for me. Tempted as I wouldn't might driving down

[Abbie]

Ok I suggest maybe November?

[Kim]

I don't think I will be able to do them. The closest to that I could do would probably be the last week of October.

[Abbie]

What do other people think?

[Abigail]

Whenever, as long as it's not Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.

[StarsOfCCTV]

Last week of October sounds fine to me.
I'll know more when I start and have my timetable, then I will know what days I can do. :)

[Abbie]

Yeah I suppose Im the same, will know when Ive got my timetable :p

[StarsOfCCTV]

I'm off home on 2nd Oct for the weekend and also 23rd (best friends birthday on 25th) but apart from that nothing solid planned. :) My timetable changes Week A I have Monday/Friday off, Week B I have Monday-Friday full. If dates are suggested I can check if I'm free.

Have we got anything planned for Bristol? Museum, shopping...any attractions?

[Abbie]

Im not sure what we have planned yet, but im up for going somewhere that does coffee :D
I get my timetable on the 2nd oct, but i might be going back home that weekend for a party thing

[Abbie]

Anymore ideas when people want to do this, Im still ok Bristol :D

[Abigail]

I'd love to but I have so much on this year it's unreal. Lectures, multiple assignments, union business, campaigns and three clubs. I've never had such a busy life :lol:

After christmas is going to be even worse as I have more modules than I'm doing now.

[Chloe O'brien]

I have four free days in November Monday the 2 to Friday the 6 if anyone's up for a meet. Marley is away to school camp that week.

[Abbie]

A meet where?

[Abbie]

I can do wednesdays or the weekend


Anyone any thoughts yet?

[Abbie]

Im determined to do this guys!!!

I say we stick to bristol and set a date for feb 2010???

Whos in?

[Meh]

Yorkshire or Lancashire

[Abbie]

:( thats definetly way too far for me


I have no idea where the people who were up for Bristol have gone

[Abigail]

:
I have no idea where the people who were up for Bristol have gone

I'm still here but busy and skint.

[Meh]

Bristol is too far.
Yorkshire is right in the middle :D

[Bryan]

we should have a few meetings points and set up one of them webcam conferncing thing haha :D

[Tori]

Birmingham's central (and in term time I live there, so no effort :D )

[Abigail]

Birmingham is about an hour from me on the train, I can do that,

[Abbie]

Oooo I suppose I could do birmingham - its 2 and half hours away though but I can get it cheap

[Abigail]

Brum is further down south than Yorkshire. We could go to Bacchus bar, it's two minutes from New Street station. I've had some good afternoons in there.

[Abbie]

We wouldnt meet in the morning would we?

[Abigail]

We wouldnt meet in the morning would we?

:lol:

No! I never get up before 10am, not even for lectures.

[Meh]

We wouldnt meet in the morning would we?

Hell no. Morning? Are you mad?

[Abbie]

Gooooooooooooooood :)

just checking :p

[Meh]

I think there's over ever been on meet in the history of SBs that involved more than 2 people.

[Abbie]

sorry I didnt catch that, just one meet?

[Meh]

yup - Luna, Trinity, Kath and yours truly

[Abbie]

Aww thats nice, Ive heard of that one!

how long ago was that now?

[Meh]

2 - 3 years now I think

[Abigail]

We're up to 17 pages and still no concrete plans. Let's get moving!

[Abbie]

Its werid to think we've been on here all this time

[Abbie]

We're up to 17 pages and still no concrete plans. Let's get moving!

:lol: I know! how bad are we!


are we sticking with brummie then?

[Meh]

Brummie I can do on my motorbike
As long as its not freezing

[Abbie]

ok so the place is sorted-ish

month?

May I suggest Feb?

[Abbie]

Ok we are now saying: Birmingham in April!

List so far:
Norman Bates
Abigail
Abbie
Kath
Kirsty

To be confirmed
Hannelene

[Abigail]

Anyone is welcome to come, regardless of how long you've been posting. I'm looking forward to putting some names to faces :D

[Tori]

ME! I live there, so y'know...

Ooh, 7000th post!

[Abbie]

ME! I live there, so y'know...

Ooh, 7000th post!

Yay :D :cheer: more people :D


and oooo well sone :p

[Meh]

We're aiming to have this in Birmingham sometime April during the hols on a Saturday.

List so far:

Norman Bates
Abigail
Abbie
Kirsty
Tori
Bryan
StarsOfCCTV

To be confirmed
Kath
Hannelene
Luna
Tannie


Just reply to this thread even if you are tentative. At least we can get an idea of numbers

[Luna]

we're are you all meeting???

Put me down for maybe

[Meh]

we're are you all meeting???

Put me down for maybe

Birmingham as it seems to be most convenient

[Tannie]

Could i be put down as a maybe cause then i'd have to tell my mum and dad i'm a member on here and i don't particularly want my mum asking awkward questions plus it depends one money and how i'm going to get down and stuff

[Meh]

Mmmmm. You should really tell your parents if you are planning on going. Internet safety and all that

[Tannie]

Mmmmm. You should really tell your parents if you are planning on going. Internet safety and all that

If i have the money and stuff i will tell them just the money situation is the main problem at the moment.

[Meh]

If i have the money and stuff i will tell them just the money situation is the main problem at the moment.

OK, I've added you as tentative

[JustJodi]

Could fly up from Holland if some one could meet me at the airport???:searchme: Not sure if you young pups want to meet an old fuddy duddy.:hmm: Not sure I can lip read your accents,, will be fun LOL

[Meh]

I think the talk was of meeting at the train station so there's a good chance there'll be a direct link from the airport to the train station. Not sure though

[Abigail]

Could fly up from Holland if some one could meet me at the airport???:searchme: Not sure if you young pups want to meet an old fuddy duddy.:hmm: Not sure I can lip read your accents,, will be fun LOL


I think the talk was of meeting at the train station so there's a good chance there'll be a direct link from the airport to the train station. Not sure though

Details here (http://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/showpage.aspx?id=24&__utma=1.838830166.1261826119.1261826119.126182611 9.1&__utmb=1.2.10.1261826119&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1261826119.1.1.utmcsr=google|utmccn=(orga nic)|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=birmingham%20internatio nal%20airport&__utmv=-&__utmk=130761615) of how to get from Birmingham airport to Birmingham. Takes about 15mins from the airport to New Street.

[Meh]

Abbies told me to ban anyone that doesn't turn up :cartman:

[Abbie]

:lol: it was only a suggestion!

[Tori]

Er, I'll sure to be there then! (Not that I'm that active anymore..)

[Bryan]

well Birmingham's my home town and I'll be around over Easter all being sell, so put me down for it!

[Meh]

You've been added

[Chloe O'brien]

Put me down for a maybe. I'll check out flight prices.

[Meh]

Abbie will also bring her list to the meet :lol:
Otherwise, we'll have to break the ice by talking about Lost

[Abbie]

Abbie will also bring her list to the meet :lol:
Otherwise, we'll have to break the ice by talking about Lost

:eek: I do not have a list!!!! :lol:


We can talk about lost anyway :p :rotfl:

[Tori]

Er, I'll sit there and look lost, as I have neither a list nor watch Lost, or for that matter a TV that has decent channels Freesat :thumbsdown:

[SarahWakefield]

I met a group of people on a different forum I used to go on. Was really good!

I'm sure you will all have a great time. :)

[Meh]

Are you not planning on joining us Sarah?

[JustJodi]

does any one know how much the train fares cost ???from Birmingham airport to where ever ???

[Abigail]

Birmingham international to Birmingham New Street is between 2.80 and 3.80 return depending if you book online before you go or buy at the station. That's GBP, my number three key doesn't work.

Takes about 10 - 15 mins according to national rail.

[Abbie]

National rail are really good with there times of trains so they are pretty accurate, unless theres a delay or something :p

[Tori]

Virgin also do special fares if you just use their trains.

[Abigail]

National rail are really good with there times of trains so they are pretty accurate, unless theres a delay or something :p

National Rail are excellent for real time updates, they update with all the planned and unexpected delays and rerouted trains.

I've been sat on a train that's running late, logged onto National Rail and found an alternative train that was on time.

If you're going to pre-book tickets I'd advise the East Coast website. You can select the trains according to price (amazing how much they change during peak hours) and they deliver tickets by first class post. I ordered mine on Monday and they were here yesterday with free delivery. And Monday was a bank holiday so I'm very impressed.

[Abbie]

Virgin also do special fares if you just use their trains.

yeah they are very good! saves quite a bit

[SarahWakefield]

Are you not planning on joining us Sarah?


Well, I don't know. I'd have to see. Planning on buying a house next year, so money may be abit tight. Didn't win my millions :(

[Chloe O'brien]

I'm flying down with Tannie maybe still to be discussed with Tannie's parents. Flight is between £50 and £60 return with Flybe or BMIbaby

[Meh]

That's not bad Kath. How long is the flight?

[CrazyLea]

I'm going to be really lazy here and save myself reading back... when is this trip?

[Tori]

April, one of the weekends and it'll e in Birmingham

[CrazyLea]

Cool, sounds good to me :)

[Chloe O'brien]

That's not bad Kath. How long is the flight?


About an hour and 10 mins.

[Abbie]

Thats not too bad :)

[StarsOfCCTV]

I can get to Birmingham in an hour and a half from Bristol, never realised that! I should be free any week in April, barring any commitments I don't yet know about. :)

[Meh]

I can get to Birmingham in an hour and a half from Bristol, never realised that! I should be free any week in April, barring any commitments I don't yet know about. :)

Shall I add you to the list then?

[StarsOfCCTV]

Sorry for late reply - yes please. :)

[Meh]

Done

[Meh]

We need dates in April people

[StarsOfCCTV]

I'd be better with the end of April, my flatmate said she might be having a birthday party on the 4th or the 11th :rolleyes: so I'm not sure about the beginning of April but I have nothing planned for the rest of April.

Do we have a meeting place?

[Tori]

I'd be better off with the end, too. (18th onwards!)

[Abbie]

Still birmingham

I think the end might be better for me too

[StarsOfCCTV]

Sorry I should have been more specific I meant like a train station in Birmingham. :p

[Abigail]

New Street Station is pretty compact and it's not easy to get lost so I would say we meet there

[Abbie]

Yeah I like the sound of New street, plus Ive been there before

[Tori]

New Street Station is pretty compact and it's not easy to get lost so I would say we meet there

Compact?! It's huge! I think it's the worst 'big' station I've been to, including London ones! (Okay, maybe I just have a dislike of NS!)

Just we need to decide on an end: Victoria Sq side (small entrance, very compact, not many people) or the main concourse... but that can get *very* busy!

[Abbie]

Can we not meet outside of somekind of shop or something like that?

[StarsOfCCTV]

I've never been to Birmingham before...as long as it is an easy place to find, wherever we meet.

[Abbie]

Yeah thats what I mean we need to make its easier, so it would be good to have a shop still in the station

[Chloe O'brien]

Is Birmingham Station easy to get to from the airport. maybe we could swap mobile numbers. A weekend would suit me more than a weekday if it's going to be after the 18th.

[Tori]

Outside M&S Simply food? All you have to do is go through the ticket barriers, bear left and it's round that side?

New St is about 15 mins away from the airport, with trains about every 15 mins at least!

[Meh]

Are most people arriving by train?

[Abbie]

Yep train for me

[Tori]

By foot!

[Meh]

I'll start a poll in March to see how everyone is set

[Abigail]

Compact?! It's huge! I think it's the worst 'big' station I've been to, including London ones! (Okay, maybe I just have a dislike of NS!)

Just we need to decide on an end: Victoria Sq side (small entrance, very compact, not many people) or the main concourse... but that can get *very* busy!

Well there's the main concourse where the escalators/steps/lifts down to the platforms are then once you go through the ticket barrier there's the waiting room and drop off entrance to the right and shops to the left. Its not hard to get lost if you say meet under the departure boards or in the waiting room.

I posted a link a few pages back to Birmingham airport train links.

[CrazyLea]

Oh gosh just did a train search to see what it be like if i came. I could get a train for 10hrs which would get me there at 9ish. Or one for 5 hrs that would get me there for half 12. and then last train home is at 4ish in the evening. Will cost around £62.

I don't want to travel on my owwwwwn :crying:. Are Kirsty and Dave going? One of them could meet me in Cardiff :p

[Abigail]

Lea, have you looked at prices with a railcard? You save a 1/3 and if you go on the East Coast website you can save even more if you split the tickets.

[CrazyLea]

Now you've confused me :lol: How do I get a railcard? And ermmm East Coast? Splitting tickets?????

[Abigail]

You can get a 16-25 railcard online or at any station. It costs 24 pound and lasts a year.

East Coast (http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/) is one of the websites you can buy tickets from. It is always cheaper to buy tickets at least a week in advance online. Don't bother signing up to the national rail website as you can't buy tickets on there. What I love about East Coast is that you can choose your ticket by price. Each train is given a set price between two distances and it varies depending on the destination and number of stops. The more stops, the cheaper it is (takes longer).

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/7315/77881970.jpg (http://img191.imageshack.us/i/77881970.jpg/)

As you can see for a journey between Newcastle and York, you can book in advance and pay 4.65 or buy on the day for 26.40 for a single.

Splitting tickets works most of the time but it depends when you travel. Basically you find out all the stops you must make on a journey then work out if it will be cheaper to stop at extra or different stations. For example, Stoke on Trent to Newcastle you can go three ways:
1. you change at Manchester. You can choose to get a direct train to Newcastle from there (more expensive) or go to Leeds, Doncaster or York and change again for Newcastle.
2. Change at Crewe and get a train direct to Newcastle
3. Change at Birmingham and get a direct train.

So you could do:
Stoke on trent > Manchester > Newcastle
Stoke on trent > Manchester > Leeds/Doncaster/York > Newcastle
Stoke on trent > Manchester > Doncaster > York > Newcastle
Stoke on trent > Manchester > Leeds > York > Newcastle
Stoke on trent > Crewe> Newcastle
Stoke on Trent > Birmingham > Newcastle

It often works out cheaper to get individual returns (e.g. Stoke to Manchester return, Manchester to York return) or just buy single tickets. Once you find out how many stops you have to take, you can play around and find out the cheapest route. Different operators charge different prices. Virgin are always a few quid cheaper than the rest.

Travelling off peak (after 9.30am) will be cheaper too.


This applies for everyone, regardless of if you have a railcard or not. I highly recommend railcards as you save a third on all journeys and there's one for almost everyone (family, 16-24/young persons, disabled, forces family, senior)

[Tori]

Well there's the main concourse where the escalators/steps/lifts down to the platforms are then once you go through the ticket barrier there's the waiting room and drop off entrance to the right and shops to the left. Its not hard to get lost if you say meet under the departure boards or in the waiting room.

I posted a link a few pages back to Birmingham airport train links.

There are 2 sides to the station, it's normally very busy with lots of people waiting round... plus 3 different sets of departure boards!

[Chloe O'brien]

Oh gosh just did a train search to see what it be like if i came. I could get a train for 10hrs which would get me there at 9ish. Or one for 5 hrs that would get me there for half 12. and then last train home is at 4ish in the evening. Will cost around £62.

I don't want to travel on my owwwwwn :crying:. Are Kirsty and Dave going? One of them could meet me in Cardiff :p

Lea see if you could get a cheap flight over. That's what I'm doing instead of spending 6 hours on a train.

[Kim]

I'm hoping I can make this as I want to go to uni in Birmingham anyway and I'm 18 now so hopefully my parents won't be objecting too much.

[Abbie]

Yeah we really need to start thinking about dates again

[Tannie]

I'm a no go guys. Funds are not going to well for me :crying: Maybe if we do it another year :)

[Kim]

Yeah we really need to start thinking about dates again

Yeah, if I'm coming I'll need to look into a rail card because it looks like my fare will be £85 without one!

[Chloe O'brien]

I'm still up for it if we have dates arrange so I can book a ticket and arrange child care.Anytime between 2 April and 19 April would suit me.

[Kim]

I have the 1st to the 18th off for the April half term. I have no definite plans as yet other than revision which I can fit in on any days... first come first served lol.

[Abigail]

I'll have to check my diary but I think I'm free first couple of weeks in April.

[Meh]

Sorry, been busy with work.
Is everyone still up for this?

[Tori]

Yes, When's it going to be?

[Chloe O'brien]

Yeah I'm up for it Anytime between the 9 and 19 April for me. I just need to book my plane ticket.

[Meh]

I can only make the 3rd and 4th week of April

[Abigail]

I'm off from this friday for almost three weeks, although I will be going up north in the second week.

[Abbie]

Well easter failed, and I feel bad cos I kind of vanished from here


Anyone want to try a summer one?

[Tori]

I won't be able to, cos I've moved to Germany, but everyone else feel free to go ahead!

[Siobhan]

I won't be able to, cos I've moved to Germany, but everyone else feel free to go ahead!

Everyone can go there.. I will be there from 1st - 17th July.. Perdy is there and Jodi can come down from Holland.. everyone else can book cheap flights to Frankfurt :lol:

[Abbie]

I didnt know you moved to germany! when did this happen?!

[Perdita]

I won't be able to, cos I've moved to Germany, but everyone else feel free to go ahead!

How do you like it? Have you settled in ok? Welcome to Germany :)

[Tori]

I moved on monday!

And thanks Perdita, still having all the stress of finding somewhere to live, getting a bank account sorted etc!

[Perdita]

Good luck with all :)