Mittens 2007 pre-planning

[Nikolas]

Indeed Mordy's right about this.

Anyhow... Canada huh? Sounds interesting enough. Not of course that I will be able to dump my family and come or come along with my family but still it does sound interesting.

[Vince Twelve]

When you guys are over your anti-camping phase, I would be more than happy to organize a get together in Okinawa any year people are interested.  From the main island of Okinawa, we can hop a two hour ferry out to Tokashiki island.  Quiet, sparsely populated, beautiful beaches and snorkeling.  You can bring tents and camp on the beach, or we can rent a tent or two (they're big 10 person tents) in a site just off the beach for very cheap.  (or there are some small, probably cheap, hotels about if you weren't into camping, I guess)  They've got cafes for lunch and dinner, or we can grill out at the campsite.  Since we probably wouldn't want to stay there the whole time, there's also lots of stuff we can do on the Okinawan mainland and my house there has room for plenty as long as you don't mind sleeping on the tatami. 

And since it would be the first time in Japan for most, and since you'd be flying in via Osaka or Tokyo anyways, a few days could be scheduled to roam Tokyo or other parts of the Japanese mainland, but that would turn into the most expensive part of the trip (besides the flight), guaranteed.

It would be an expensive flight for Europeans and North Americans alike, but it would be Aussie friendly...

Just keep it in mind. 

[Domino]

Domino is just over the border, I think...

SSH is correct.

I'm in Western New York but I'm about 15-20 minutes from Ontario. Everybody could come and enjoy Niagara Falls. Maybe a little gambling. 

[Disco]

And Disco's just over the other side of Lake Huron...

SSH is correct.

I'm in Mid-Michigan but I'm about an hour from Ontario. I could drive to Toronto in 4 hours, but I'll probably just take a bus or train or plane or handcar or skateboard instead.

[deadsuperhero]

Man, I hate counting down the years until I can go to one of these. I just have 3 years left, and then I'll be able to attend. These always look like a lot of fun.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Mittens in the Caribbean?  If I wasn't poor and hated airplanes ;(.

[Radiant]

Mittens of the Caribbean II: the Dead Man's Game

[Layabout]

Mittens in the Caribbean?  If I wasn't poor and hated airplanes ;(.

5 years time... or so Mark says...

I think canada is a great idea.

[MrColossal]

I think canada is a great idea.

Just the idea of Canada in general? I guess it's pretty neat...

But as far as Jess and Eric are concerned, as long as work doesn't screw me in the butt again, we'll be there.

[Nacho]

Weeeeh! Great, I want to meet this couple of artists ^_^

[Unilin]

I do indeed live in Ontario.  Ottawa, to be precise.  Canada's jovial capital, home of Jazz festivals, tulip festivals and a swell Canada day fireworks show.  Not to mention lots of politicians and forign embassies in case you get stranded.  There are plenty of lakes around you can rent cabins on, it's not terribly far from Toronto or Montreal.  I'd offer to host now, but I'm not sure if I'll be shipped out to Alberta for the summer or not yet.  If not, I would.

[Anarcho]

I took a quick look at the cost of cabins in Ontario & found a pretty useful page, at least to get a general idea of costs:

http://www.cottage-canada-usa.com/ontario.htm

I think these cottages are pretty cheap!  I don't exactly know where they are and depending upon how many people come, we'd have to find one big enough, but finding a cottage seems doable.

This one could hold twenty people: http://www.cottage-canada-usa.com/listing/0057.htm

One thing that occurs to me is getting around...This isn't europe where you can take trains and what not everywhere.  Unless someone lives nearby and has a vehicle, we'd have to rent a van or something...

[scotch]

Is there no local bus network at all? I'd be surprised if we can't get somewhere nearby on public transport. In Greece we got from Athens to some tiny village on a hill nowhere near a large town by bus. The place you linked is within walk/taxi distance of a town, unfortunately one that's slightly too small to have Greyhound stop at it (they go to the neighbouring town) but I'm sure we can find one somewhere that it's posible to get to without a world of hassle.
Otherwise if there are some legal drivers, rental is an option... we did it in Spain and it wasn't too expensive, but I still think it's better avoided.

[SSH]

Public transport? In North America?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA

by the way, when we were in Ontario, we spent a great weekend here: http://www.snughaven.ca/ which has 9 cabins which sleep 5-8 each. Although their web-design skills are a bit...

[Anarcho]

In rural areas, I'd say there is usually no local bus network...gas (was) cheap and people just drive everywhere. 

Of course i'm not that familiar with that part of Canada (or most parts of Canada) but i can't imagine it's that much different than anywhere else around here.  If there is a bus, it would probably drop you off at some town and you'd have another like ten miles out to where you're staying. 

But who knows?  Maybe i'm entirely wrong.  I'm sure we can figure something out.  I'm just saying it's going to have to be a consideration when picking a location.

[The Ivy]

Hooray for Ontario!  I'd be unable to do any sort of hosting, I'm afraid, but I'd be happy to suggest things to do in the area. 

[magintz]

I wanna go big game hunting, or partake in a moose grand prix!!!