Mittens 2008 - l'édition Français | 15-22 August 2008

[AGA]

I have a mobile number that at least *used to* belong to Layabout if you want it to call him.

[Privateer Puddin']

I have his current mobile number, i'll PM it to you.

Grund texted him and I think he's still sorting stuff out, but my current plan is to join up with Grund at Heathrow, unless Layabout has some easier pick up points

[Darth Mandarb]

Chrille, Nacho, Lorena, and I are meeting up in Paris on the 14th ... I think Quintaros and Disco will already be there yes?  We've got that [basically] planned out and ready to go.

However ... the next day ... a problem has arisen!

I do not have a credit card (long story, I don't like credit cards). I have my mastercard/debit card for my bank account but they will not let me use that to rent the car (so says the lady on the phone).  We will have to find another way to rent the car!  Perhaps another traveler who has a credit card or something?  I called them and tried to tell them that my bank card is a mastercard but they wouldn't have any of it.

Any ideas?  I don't mind paying cash to whomever uses the credit card (and then people can just pay me back (those that are splitting the cost with me I mean)) but whoever uses their card will have to swap the reservation to their name!

In my defense when I booked the reservation I read the bit where it says "debit cards are allowed" so I didn't think this would be a problem.

[Nacho]

I' ve talked to Jeremy via msn, and apparently the credit card problem will be solved easily.

Plans for the people in Paris:

Quintaros and Darren will be the first ones to be there... They will be at Perfect Hostel Montmartre.
Lore and Nacho will arrive to Beavois airport at 20:30... Will probably arrive to Perfect Hostel Montmartre around midnight.
The morning of the 14th we will meet Disc and Quint at the breakfast... We will go to walking to pick up Chrille to make a bit of Tourism. He will wait for us at the Gare du Nord Suede Hotel lounge at... what time, Chrille? 10:30?
Darth Mandarb will arrive at 12:47. We expect him to arrive to the Gare du Nord Suede Hotel Lounge at 1337. Then we will go to the catacombs.

Next day, we move to the airport, and pick the others at 11:00. All correct? I would love if you (Jess, Ivy, Eric...) send me info about your flights... Company, estimated arrival time, etc... And we go to MITTENS!

And that' s all!

[m0ds]

How many people going are called Darren?  :o

I didn't transfer Layabouts number onto the new old brick I'm using at the moment, but thanks for the PM. I was hoping to get this answer online cos my credit situation isn't great...ever! But if there's still no news here from him on Thursday, I will have to call

[Nacho]

hahaha! I guess that M0ds' question because I said "Quintaros and Darren...". Quintaros is Darren' s nickname.... I meant "Disco and Quintaros..." or "Kenneth and Darren"

[Pumaman]

Ok, those of you who sent me a PM, you should have received a PM back with everyone else's number.

Also folks, don't forget that our rental of the chateux doesn't officially start until 17:00 on Friday, so there's no point getting there earlier than that

[Chrille]

I arrive in Paris on the 13th at 15pm so I'd be up for doing something once I've checked in at the hotel. Otherwise I'd probably look around Paris by myself on that day. As for the 14th I say 10:30 is fine.

I missed the bit about the numbers and the PM, CJ. Let me know if there will be a second version of it and I'll send you my new number.

[Nacho]

Mmmm... If you are going to be that early in Paris, Chrill, it should be nice if you meet the others and you three go out to have a drink together... The problem is that Quintaros is flying by now, so, impossible to chat to him via msn, and Disco, who was at SSH' s home, might be travelling right now to France as well... So, who knows; Maybe you can call them, or leave a note at their hotel.

The cool thing is that we are quite close, in the same area... 

[Chrille]

I'll just take a walk over to the hostel and see if I can spot Disco or Quintaros.

[MrColossal]

Lufthansa # 9377 Operated by: UNITED AIRLINES INC.

Washington Dulles Intl (IAD) to Paris Ch. De Gaulle (CDG)

Departure (IAD): August 14, 5:29 PM EDT (evening)
Arrival (CDG): August 15, 6:55 AM CEST (morning)

[Darth Mandarb]

Pick-up for the rental car is 0900 on 15 August so that'll be pretty close timing to when MrC, Jess and Ivy arrive (Ivy arrives @7:45) ... we cannot pick up the car until 0900 but maybe we could all get some breakfast or something?

That puts Me, MrC, Jess, and Ivy in the rental for sure.  Mills are you still in our car?

I get in at 6 something in the morning at Paris on the 15th

Is this still accurate information?

[Disco]

Whoo whoo! I'm at Luton right now and going to be boarding my flight to Paris in about 1/2 hour. See you homies there.

Nacho and Lorena- we would probably like to welcome you graciously into Perfect Hostel if you would be arriving at midnight or so, shenanigans are always given priority over (early) sleep .

Darren! What is your flight? I know you will be arriving at around 10:00, but not from where and with whom. I ask as if I will somehow find out before I see you anyways hopefully we will just happen to arrive in the same spot :/

[Finkenstein]

Darth:
Mills is in our car!
Remember I told you about the GPS we had? Well I lied, apparently it doesn't have French maps, but we are totally going to buy some, or hell, I will just print out some google maps on how to get to the place!

[Nacho]

Jess, I think we are having the same problem with our GPS We downloaded a file that apparently is a Michelin France guide for GPS, but who knows... It might be porn, as use to happens with downloaded files... No matter what they are expected to be, they allways end being porn (Which is good, 90% of the times).

So... what do we do, guys? Do we ask the people to stay close to the arrivals gate in CDG untill we arrive there, around 9 o clock?

[FruitTree]

anyone nerdy enough to have made a checklist? 'cause I could sure use one
I've been so busy at work my head isn't focussed at all, I'm afraid I might forget somethin essential like a bluecup or sumthin!

[AGA]

Clothes
Money
Passport/ID (just in case)
Towel (I think the château people are providing these, but just in case)
Washing stuff

That's about it for essential stuff, I think.

[Chrille]

So are we all supposed to meet up somewhere before we leave Paris and then have both cars take the same route?

[Nacho]

We must decide that now Chrille... I originally thought that "people from B car" was going to come much later... I don' t really know what to do.

Possibilities:

a) Quintaros, Disco, Darth, Chrille, Lore and Nacho awaking at a nasty early hour to make a welcome committee to the guys comming to the airport. Then we all go to the Chateau. We would arrive before being able to dispose our rooms, but that' s not a big problem:
Pros: We would be together soon. Cons: Less time in Paris, nasty wake up time, we would arrive to the Chateau too early.
b) Make a small welcome committee(Me, Darth, and Quintaros, probably) that will bring the "B car guys" to Paris... Be there for a time, make a walk, eat... and then all together go to the Chateau, approx at 1400.
Pros: Comfy for the "B car guys". Cons: Uncomfy for the people in charge of the "small welcome committee", who should have to do the CDG trip twice.
c)Tell the guys from the "B car" to come to Paris.
Pros: Relax for the people of the "A car". Cons: "B car people" would have to manage to find us, probably have to pay for cabbies, and we should have to go to CDG again to rent the "B car" (Darth Mandarb rented the car in CDG)
d)People of the "B car" waiting for us to go for them at a not so early time (1100). Pros: Perfect for "A car people". Cons: Boring for "B car people".

I don' t mind to go for "option B" if somebody comes with me...

EDIT: Jess, no need you to get anxious about the GPS, I am quite sure we will be able to get two by the end of the day...

[Darth Mandarb]

I had another idea as well ...

Since we need not be to the Chateau until 1700 we could postpone the Catacombs journey until after we pick up the car "B" people on 15 August ... that way we could all visit the catacombs (assuming all the car "B" people WANT to do that ... I know Ivy said she wanted to, yes Ivy?)

I'm very much a "go with the flow" kind of guy ... so whatever we decide I'll go along with (unless it involves clubbing innocent and defenseless baby seals (then I'll just watch))