Volcanic Ash Cloud

[Boots]

Hopefully I am off to Tunisia on the 24th for a much needed holiday with a girlfriend, while John puts on his pinny and looks after the boys. (feel free to wish him luck/perform last rites etc....)

2009 was not a good year for me.

Anyway I have been keeping an eye on the news and I have thus avoided a strike (am flying BA) and now this!!

Will there be a third? Will Sparky and I be destined to fly together? Who knows.

Am looking in Paul C's direction after the revelation of his predictive abilities.

Failing that, Sparkster you got any inside info?

[davegtst]

I'm supposed to be flying out on Sunday to the Maldives. Really, really hope it's gone by then doesn't

[Rick Edwards]

A friend of mine is stuck in Sharm El Sheik....they have been given no info other than there is no hope of return before Saturday night at the VERY earliest.

[oneshot]

My wife's boss (the headmaster) is stuck in New York (Newark) and has been told the earliest flight he can get is Tuesday! He was supposed to land in the UK today.

They also have staff stuck in Europe.

Could be interesting going back to work next week!!

[molemot]

My brother Mike works for BUPA...they have people stuck everywhere. One chap's in Delhi...Mike recommended he buy an Enfield and head north!!

Knew a chap who rode to Australia on an NSU Quickly...an oxymoron if ever I heard one...

Edited April 16, 2010 by molemot

[OwenGT3]

Decided to take the Lotus to work today, looked at the car, it was covered in small dark dust particles, which weren't there the day before. Reading some reports the UK would have had the ash cloud travelling over the country last night.

Anyway, when I got to work I collected some particles, I and some others checked them under the microscope, the most was 400 times magnification. Couldn't be 100% positive, but at least 90% it was ash. The particles were clear with dark areas in colour with crystal like edges on some of the pieces. Too much of a coincidence for it to be anything else, so looks like Norfolk got a covering.

Owen

Edited April 16, 2010 by OwenGT3

[internets]

Well currently the next available flight out of Berlin on BA is Monday and the current cost is €823, and currently they only have a few seats left. You think about it you loose it, luckily the company I am working for is a travel logistics company, so they are earning their money currently!

Got a nice comfy hotel room though, what can I do in Berlin?

Edited April 16, 2010 by internets

[Paul C]

what can I do in Berlin?

Eat some good sausage, drink some good beer, listen to the worst pop music in the entire world.

[Choppa]

Iceland has had a disproportionate affect on me and the family over the last few years, bank investments, football and now their volcanic ash. Not nearly badly affected as some but the wife and I had tickets to see Andrew Maxwell this evening but he's stuck in Ireland so the gig has been postponed.

I wonder if there will be an ash fallout over Malvern this weekend covering the show ground with a layer of powder?

[internets]

Well just been on a pant run and found this, I did try and get a test drive, to Calais

I can safely say I will not be going to Malvern this weekend

[mayevora]

Well just been on a pant run

Pack more carefully next time Chris.

Borrow that and you could be in Malvern by midnight.

[mangel]

Well thats all flights cancelled till 7AM on Sat now with severe delays expected for at least a further 48 hours, unlucky guys!!!

And a wise man once say that 'man who have veyron under bottom see the bottom of his wallet sooner than he see his destination!!!

Just realised that If doctor Who drove a super car that would be it!!!

Edited April 16, 2010 by mangel

[Paul C]

Am looking in Paul C's direction after the revelation of his predictive abilities.

It really annoys me when people do not use the forum search engine:

Ash wednesday

[Sparky]

Be prepared - spoke to friends in our scheduling dept this afternoon. The ash could ground us well into next week, as it's stalled over NW Europe.

LHR is a unique experience.

Perversely, we think we're able to operate at least transAtlantics via Scotland soon. Helluva coaching departure...

[Choppa]

Via Storaway International I wonder?

[Boots]

It really annoys me when people do not use the forum search engine:

Ash wednesday

Sorry hun I shoulda checked first

[Mark Blanchard]

I left the car outside the house for a few hours this morning. When I went to start up it was covered in dust. I thought well the hell did that come from, I was a bit slow, but eventually put two and two together a realised a volcano was sitting on top of my car.

[davegtst]

Well my holiday is not happening now, pissed off! Edited April 17, 2010 by davegtst

[Paul C]

Well my holiday is not happening now, pissed off!

Unless you are one of those rare believers and you praise some god that you think is responsible for messing up your holiday then there is no-one to get pissed off with or angry with mate, it's just one of those things, if you get pissed off with mountains and volcanos then you may as well get pissed of with the moon for all the good it will do you.

We are supposed to fly on the 21st for our second holiday together in ten years and i'm now resigned to the fact that we will not get there. TBH i don't think any UK air traffic will be up to speed until after next weekend even if the volcano stops 'as i type', becuase even then the ash has to clear and planes get to where they should be etc, it's not enough time and a bit naive to think stuff will fly this week IMO. If i'm wrong i'm happy.

Find a bright side or you will go mental.

On wednesday morning if we can't fly and have to cancel, we will book ferry tickets to drive to france and see Matt in July. I have no interest being a tourist in the busy and hot summer season (as being a tourist is like being 'lice' anyway), and i'm not going to turn around and book again until the air 100% clears, so we will do NY in september instead (if our insurance pays out) and look forward to a leasurely drive through france instead.

We win either way (money loss apart). Arrange your dice the same.

I intend to now find a SKA forum and see if anyone in NY wants some 'Specials' tickets for wednesday night (free) emailed to them if we don't get there.

[Iconic Ride]

Paul, I don't know what gene you inherited that permits you to so readily "roll with the punches," but you've no idea how refreshing it is to see that it exists. One of my wife's and my most memorable vacations occurred when we were unable to travel to "location JKIA" and instead made the best of it at "location EGKK," and all the surrounding attractions it gave access to. We were able to make it to the initially planned destination the following year. As expected, it had not "moved" in our absence.

[esprit s2]

I'm stuck in Estonia! Due to fly tomorrow morning to Copenhagen but I don't think thats going to happen. The airport here is closed and they have not said when it will re open.

I've got the S2 booked into SJS on Friday! I need to get back!

Anyone want to come and pick me up?

[davegtst]

I know there is no-one to get pissed off with but when an 9K holiday to the Maldives you got for 1.5K is cancelled i guess most people would be a bit peeved.

[Paul C]

Paul, I don't know what gene you inherited that permits you to so readily "roll with the punches," but you've no idea how refreshing it is to see that it exists.

Oh but mate, don't get me wrong, i can get red with rage over stuff that i think can be changed!

From my Dads cancer to my mums parkinsons to a volcanic ash cloud, it's makes not sense to me to beat myself up over soemthing i cannot change. You will never see me start one of those 'my tragic life' threads on here as i don't think my families life or their passing needs to have a running thread on an internet car forum, in fact i find the thought quite bizarre. We have 8000 member and everyone has at least one sad life story, if just 1 out of 100 people chose to post a life laundry thread then we would have eighty such posts a day, it would be our busiest section and what a miserable place it would be. I prefer the car forum as a happy escape, as i believe you (clearly!) do too mate.

It's not like i live the charmed exsistance that i may be seen to project, there may be some underlying misery behind the dreamy town life and the pub, but the fact is, if you gave me a million pounds today, i could not change any of the things i could worry about the most, you can't feed tenners into a hospital scanner or a shaking and useless arm. I just can't offer myself the 'crying into my milk' luxury of self pity that i have such apathy for in others.

New York here we come/ France here we come?

£1500 refund for new york/ £1500 lost?

I've waited for the outcome of far worse.

[Simon350S]

I'd think yourself lucky you didn't pay £9k Dave!

You wouldn't like the Maldives anyway, it's real boorig with nothing to do except for lay around like a lazy ass, eat till you get fat and get silly drunk on cocktails.

I'm sure you could have much more fun back home dudes!

My parents are in the Canaries and are due to get home this Thursday, I'm not that confident it's going to happen now, I hope they are ok over there and can afford to stay a little longer, that's if there's available accomodation!

Think everyone knows someone who is effected.

As shit as it is, it's better than dying when the plane crashes with no paint on it.... Sorry I mean no engines!

Hope the insurance companies do pay out, word is it's an 'act of god' and hence not covered so there will only be flight refunds.

[pete]

on a slighly different track has anybody else noticed how much quieter it is outside or am i imagine it