April 28, 2014 at 5:36 am
TomThomson (4/25/2014)
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (4/24/2014)
rodjkidd (4/23/2014)
Hope the op and recovery go well. You gotta make it over for SQL Bits.Rodders...
On the shed-dyule for Bits, and planning on it. Can't imagine what would cause issues, but you never know.
Only choice is whether to fly to Birmingham or Heathrow...
I avoid Heathrow whenever possible - it's a pretty unpleasant airport.
I'll take it over Johannesburg International any day. Come to think of if, I prefer it to Atlanta too, more helpful staff and less unpleasant, officious immigration people.
Haven't had any major issues with Heathrow, prefer the ease of access to London over Gatwick.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
April 28, 2014 at 5:49 am
GilaMonster (4/28/2014)
TomThomson (4/25/2014)
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (4/24/2014)
rodjkidd (4/23/2014)
Hope the op and recovery go well. You gotta make it over for SQL Bits.Rodders...
On the shed-dyule for Bits, and planning on it. Can't imagine what would cause issues, but you never know.
Only choice is whether to fly to Birmingham or Heathrow...
I avoid Heathrow whenever possible - it's a pretty unpleasant airport.
I'll take it over Johannesburg International any day. Come to think of if, I prefer it to Atlanta too, more helpful staff and less unpleasant, officious immigration people.
Haven't had any major issues with Heathrow, prefer the ease of access to London over Gatwick.
Seoul South Korea
Especially when you have 40 minutes to catch your next flight.
You're first trying to find where to go, then have customs, then the well armed military.
And then there is the language barrier.
If I could speak the local language, I wonder if I would have stood out more.
And Qingdao was no picnic either.
They pulled me out, made me sit for about 15 minutes, then let me go.
Fortunate for me, I met someone going home for a visit, who was watching the whole thing.
So at least I knew I wasn't completely alone.
Kind of nerve wracking.
April 28, 2014 at 5:52 am
For the UK residents, what are my travel options for Birmingham -> Swansea?
Not yet certain if that's where I'll go, but may well be a place to start.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
April 28, 2014 at 6:04 am
Lynn Pettis (4/27/2014)
Well, I put in for another 6 months out here in Afghanistan. Looks like I'll miss another PASS Conference. I did put in for 2 weeks over Christmas as I really want to be home for the holidays this year.
Stay safe and we'll see you at a SQL Saturday or something else when you get back.
Or maybe you should organize a SQL Saturday event over there and Red Gate can fly me over. I'll go.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
April 28, 2014 at 6:07 am
TomThomson (4/25/2014)
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (4/24/2014)
rodjkidd (4/23/2014)
Hope the op and recovery go well. You gotta make it over for SQL Bits.Rodders...
On the shed-dyule for Bits, and planning on it. Can't imagine what would cause issues, but you never know.
Only choice is whether to fly to Birmingham or Heathrow...
I avoid Heathrow whenever possible - it's a pretty unpleasant airport.
Weird. I haven't found it to be especially horrible. I mean, it's an airport and they all pretty much suck. The one I dislike is LaGuardia. Every time I've been there it's been absolutely filthy. And I mean, creepy almost third world filthy with overflowing dysfunctional toilets and obviously dirty food vendors. It's pretty horrible. Last time I spent the entire wait between flights holding my bags and standing because I didn't want to touch anything.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
April 28, 2014 at 6:38 am
GilaMonster (4/28/2014)
For the UK residents, what are my travel options for Birmingham -> Swansea?Not yet certain if that's where I'll go, but may well be a place to start.
If by train then http://www.thetrainline.com/train-times/birmingham-new-street-to-swansea might give you some idea.
Don't know how good this site is though as I do not travel by rail 😉
*Edited*
Or by coach http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx
Far away is close at hand in the images of elsewhere.
Anon.
April 28, 2014 at 7:25 am
Grant Fritchey (4/28/2014)
Lynn Pettis (4/27/2014)
Well, I put in for another 6 months out here in Afghanistan. Looks like I'll miss another PASS Conference. I did put in for 2 weeks over Christmas as I really want to be home for the holidays this year.Stay safe and we'll see you at a SQL Saturday or something else when you get back.
Or maybe you should organize a SQL Saturday event over there and Red Gate can fly me over. I'll go.
I would not be surprised if I was the only serious SQL Server person here on Bagram. I don't think there is much chance of a SQL Saturday Bagram happening, but it would be interesting.
April 28, 2014 at 7:48 am
David Burrows (4/28/2014)
GilaMonster (4/28/2014)
For the UK residents, what are my travel options for Birmingham -> Swansea?Not yet certain if that's where I'll go, but may well be a place to start.
If by train then http://www.thetrainline.com/train-times/birmingham-new-street-to-swansea might give you some idea.
Don't know how good this site is though as I do not travel by rail 😉
*Edited*
Or by coach http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx
Gotta love a country where public transport actually works.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
April 28, 2014 at 8:07 am
GilaMonster (4/28/2014)
Gotta love a country where public transport actually works.
For certain values of "works"... 🙂
April 28, 2014 at 8:09 am
paul.knibbs (4/28/2014)
GilaMonster (4/28/2014)
Gotta love a country where public transport actually works.
For certain values of "works"... 🙂
Exists, is safe, is reliable and gets me where I want to go.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
April 28, 2014 at 9:57 am
Gail, couple of things, you still fly on no British passport don't you? So not sure if that makes LHR easier you than for some.
Brum airport is OK, just never used for anything outside Europe.
Trains, well I remember what it was like before privatisation, and certain routes are renowned for being bad, and it's all pretty much over priced.
Brum is a certain hub, so would think other big cities are served pretty well. For me though Cardiff and Swansea were easy to get to with the car, so can't give you personal experience of trains to Swansea.
Also http://www.nationalrail.co.uk will help with trains.
Depending on when am working then, I can probably get you to a couple of places.
Lynn, keep safe out there, we will have to met at the next PASS then, as you are still on my Bucket List of people to meet 😀
Cheers,
Rodders...
April 28, 2014 at 10:05 am
What's car rental prices like?
If it might work out easier to drive Birmingham down to Swansea then I'm OK doing that. Currently looking at that national coach site. Not too expensive and I can read on the way. The train's slightly faster, but a lot more expensive.
Will probably beg a lift from Telford back to Birmingham after Bits
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
April 28, 2014 at 10:30 am
As I'm currently at Avis Budget I probably should now the answer to that.
Enterprise seems a better bet in UK though.
No problems on lift to Brum on Saturday after Bits.
Route via Bristol on train seems OK. I had a horrible feeling it went via Worcester, great if you like to stop at every stop. And being on no slow train!
Rodders...
April 28, 2014 at 6:03 pm
rodjkidd (4/27/2014)
TomThomson (4/25/2014)
I avoid Heathrow whenever possible - it's a pretty unpleasant airport.Tom,
Interesting, I don't have a huge amount of experience with flying abroad, so bearing that in mind... Can't say I'd had any real problems with Heathrow, other than it's just bigger than the other "London" airports and Birmingham, so take longer to get to gates etc. But I do know of a couple of the American speakers who avoid it when ever they can due to the security there and non UK citizens.
But certainly for SQL Bits in Telford, Birmingham (or more accurately Solihull International Airport - you can tell where I lived when I lived in the West Midlands 😀 ) will be a lot easier, depending on if flights go there and the cost difference with London / LHR
Rodders...
Well, the security isn't a problem only for Americans, but for everyone else too - it's security theatre of course, not real security, but teh play gives power to a bunch of little hitlers who do their best to inconvenience everyone they can. But security is NOT the big problem there; and anyway, I am told that Luton security is worse - as Luton's always been geographically useless to me, I haven't tried it myself so don't know whether the people telling me that are exagerating. The big problems with Heathrow are (a) baggage, (b) transfers, (c) walking miles, (d) treatment of disabled, (e) "I don't know any more than you do" and "It's not my problem it's someone else's" as universal response of airport staff and most airline staff, at Heathrow )it's amazing how different the attitude of airline and airport staff is at Gatwick or Manchester or pretty well anywhere other than Heathrow) staff to travellers who have difficulties.
Then of course you have the problem of rip-off "tax-free" shops and out-and-out rip-off bars and restaurants, generally disgracefully uncomfortable. Of course Americans won't notice the awfulness of the bars and restaurants - their own airports are generally at least as bad in that respect. I don't know whether SA airports are better or worse, never been there, but evey country (other that US and UK) I've ever been in has pleasanter airports than Heathrow.
Mind you, it's almost two years since I last landed in Heathrow and flew aout again as quickly as possible. It may have got better since then. Bit I doubt it - it got steadily worse over the previous four decades - and even in the early 70s I was flying (mostly then from or to Edinburgh) into or from Gatwick rather than into or from Heathrow.
Tom
April 28, 2014 at 6:19 pm
GilaMonster (4/28/2014)
For the UK residents, what are my travel options for Birmingham -> Swansea?Not yet certain if that's where I'll go, but may well be a place to start.
Birmingham to swansea is about 10 minutes less than 3 hours by rail, with a change of trains 915 mins breaj) at Bristol - best bet is to look at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ to see about trains. But if you are starting from Telford, going via Birmingham is going to take about 10 minutes longer than going via Shrewsbury - but Bham has the advantage that you have a greater choice of trains.
There are buses/coaches too, but I haven't a clue about them - I never use them, because trains used to be much more comfortable back in the days when I formed my travelling habits.
Tom
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