Eurocon 2009 – Let Battle Commence

I’ve not been bloging as much lately because I’ve been very busy. Busy organising an ‘outdoor skills day’ (I’ll write about it later), busy with work and busy with life in general. Life has been good. You’re about to see a torrent of postings, not on things that are still in the ‘waiting to be written queue’, these will all be up to the minute current events as close to real time as I can make them happen. For the next 4 and a half days, I’m on holiday. I’m going to Eurocon!

Last year, my journey to Eurocon was at rather short notice. Just 24 hours before the start my friend and online gamer from Germany known as ‘Flubby’ posted in our forum that he was too ill to go and his already paid for place was free to anyone who could cross Europe at such short notice. Rhonda said I could go and thus began a dash to the port and 4 days of fun.

This year, it’s a little better planned. I booked my place months ago, I booked the ferry months ago and I sit here at my laptop writing not from a ferry this time, but from the terminal waiting area.

I was booked on the 04:30 am ferry to leave tomorrow morning 15th April, but I’m in the terminal at 9pm on the 14th. Why arrive 8 hours early for a ferry? Blockade! The French fisherman have been blockading French ports again, lorries are parked all along the motorways of Kent waiting for crossings. Disruption galore to channel crossings, my journey could be over before I’ve even left blighty.

All is not lost, last night a few ferries left overnight and on the phone to P&O they said I could arrive early if I wanted but they couldn’t guarantee a crossing. Fair enough, I arrived very early and they think they’re going to get a ferry out at 11pm. They’ve given me a ticket, now I just have to hope it leaves.

On the plus side a group of German students are singing songs around a guitar here in the terminal building so it’s actually quite a happy pleasant place to be. Just like going away with the youth club all those years ago. Except for the language of course the only work I remember from German is Hangover that I learnt last year. Oh, and something like Ich haben deinen medicine! when I delivered a special bottle of Spitfire Ale to Flubby at home in Achen at the end of the Eurocon (it being only a few hours drive away).

Anyway, time to go post this, set up the sat nav, stick on the head lamp adapters and try and remember what I’ve forgotten to pack (well, there’s always something!).