Message in a bottle

[hmpf]

(Imagine me standing on the beach of my tiny island, throwing a bottle into the endless seas of the internet. The bottle contains the following:)

1.) I owe people replies to comments here. I appreciated your taking the time to advise me. Will get around to replying... one of these days.

2.) I owe beccatoria replies to e-mail, but I'm pretty dead tonight, after fighting with various online booking interfaces for hours.

3.) I owe many people, but especially dashan and anduranova, calls, mails, or some other sign of life. (Also, promised presents from ages ago.)

4.) I owe everybody some LJ attention.

5.) I owe the Collators' Den crew... something. At the very least, a statement of some sort.

6.) Ditto for fictionbox.de.

7.) Ditto for the farscaped mailinglist, to which I am a horribly neglectful mod at the moment.

8.) Still stuck re: my thesis.

9.) Haven't been able to do any jewellery making in the last six weeks.

10.) Haven't talked to my thesis advisor. Etc.

11.) Etc. etc. etc.

So,

12.) I'm going to Britain for a week, rather spontaneously. Putting my money where my mouth is regarding the whole ecology thing, I'm travelling there by train (which, amazingly, takes less than six hours, and costs a relatively affordable 79 euros), and back by coach (fourteen hours and 75 euros). I really don't have the time for a holiday, nor, technically speaking, the money - but my last holiday (my last visit to Britain!) was in early 2006... definitely too long ago. Plus, I'll get to talk about my thesis with beccatoria, and since I've been desperate to find someone to talk things through with for months now, that alone is reason enough to go. (I'll be taking my comics for her to read.) Also, she's moving to Korea very soon, and the world might end, and stuff. Better have a meet-up while we still can.

Since I'll only be in Britain for seven days, and don't really have a lot of money, I don't think I can manage to go anywhere to meet up with other people this time. (Also, remembering the last time I tried to see OMG!EVERYBODY!!!;-), I don't think I have the energy for it this time. I love you guys, but having to travel through half the country without staying anywhere for more than a day or two is exhausting.) I hope I'll be able to do some more extensive travelling again in 2009 or 2010.

Or, hey, you could come here and visit *me*! *g*

Oh, and

13.) Holy shit! What happened to the pound? At the current exchange rate shopping for chocolate and blu-tack looks downright affordable!

Comments

[m31andy.livejournal.com]

13.) Yeah, I know. It's terribly weak against the Euro - we're all rueing that one over here!!!

5.) Don't worry - this is enough. We know you're AWOL for the foreseeable so just a sign of life is enough for us to know that you're still alive, which is good!

Oh and 12.) Have a fantastic trip!

Actually...

[hmpf.livejournal.com]

Duuuuuude, you're a Londoner, aren't you? Technically? (I just realised/remembered.)

London is the only place apart from Cardiff that my trip is certain to take me. Problem: I'm basically just changing coaches there. But I'm arriving in London at St. Pancras station on the 12th of July at one p.m., and have to leave from Victoria coach station 'only' at half past three. So, there just might be time for a super-short meet-up at or near the station... if you have time, too, that is. And if you wouldn't mind meeting with a probably very tired and travelworn Hmpf. *g*

On the way back to Germany I have a stay of about an hour and a half at Victoria - so, less time, but no need to travel to another station, which may actually mean more 'useable' time in the balance. (How long does it take to go from St. Pancras to Victoria coach station? Do you happen to know?) - The trip back will be on the 20th, and I'll be at Victoria from around one o'clock to half past two.

Re: Actually...

[m31andy.livejournal.com]

I'm busy on the 12th, but am potentially around on the 20th. St Pancras to Victoria Coach Station is about half an hour - 20 minutes on the Victoria Line tube and then a ten minute walk from the tube station.

Well, if you're potentially around we could potentially meet.

[hmpf.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if there's even a place to sit down and have a cup of tea or so there, but, hey, if all else fails, we could just stand around talking geeky for an hour or so... *g*

Re: Actually...

[hmpf.livejournal.com]

Ooookay. So, I'm in Cardiff now and I'll be here for another two days. I'll be passing through London on Sunday, which means I'll be spending almost exactly an hour at Victoria coach station. I realise that one hour is a very short time - too short to go anywhere but the coach station, especially with my rather large and bulky luggage, and since boarding time tends to be a little before leaving time it's probably even somewhat less than an hour actually. So, I think the only option we have (provided you are up for this kind of crazy super-short meet-up) is whatever cafe-type thing they may have on site. Or just the waiting area itself.

And we'll need some way of identifying each other...

Are you up for this?

More time than expected...

[hmpf.livejournal.com]

I just found out I'll have more time in London than I thought - about one hour forty minutes (if the coach isn't delayed). Just in case you'd like to meet up sort of spontaneously (I won't be able to check the internet again before I leave, and I'm going to bed now), I'll be arriving on a National Express coach from Cardiff at ten to one. I'm short, thin, pale, brown-haired, will be wearing grey jeans, a blue t-shirt, and a brown jacket, and carrying a black laptop bag and a huge, heavy red and black backpack. Hope that description is enough to identify me. (Or you could just carry a placard with 'Hmpf' on it, I suppose, so I'd be able to recognise you. *g*)