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PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 21 Jul 2010, 23:10
by Tinkerbelle
Following on from the last two highly successful cultural days out to Paris and Brussels in 2009 and 2010, are there any plans afoot for the next educational day trip?

I think a day trip to Paris again would be great - a decent length train journey for aperitifs and lots to see when you get there!

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 21 Jul 2010, 23:14
by honey lamb
I wouldn't mind Paris as missed the last one and there is enough new blood on the board to make it different to 2009

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 22 Jul 2010, 00:27
by Tinkerbelle
One idea - will the 50% discount we got for another Eurostar booking for sitting at Ashford for an hour still be valid for January?

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 25 Jul 2010, 17:19
by Guest
Did we really stand still for an hour.. was great more time to drink.. ;)

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 25 Jul 2010, 23:31
by honey lamb
I know! I can't remember it being an hour! :o)

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 22 Aug 2010, 08:22
by chumba
oo) oo) oo) oo) oo) oo) oo)


Excellent made me laugh :)

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 07 Sep 2010, 07:02
by preiffer
I thought it was valid for a year from the date of journey?

So... If something were booked for a date prior to last year's in January, it COULD be free.... [:w]

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 07 Sep 2010, 12:05
by PeterStansfield
If it's Paris, then I'll come - I think I count as 'new blood' as I've never been to an event yet - although I've been posting for several years

Peter Stansfield

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 08 Sep 2010, 09:00
by Scrooge
LA, I have a suite at Staples Center for the Jan 26th game...Just my idea.

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 16 Sep 2010, 01:24
by Sealink
LA might be a bit of a stretch for delicate, post Christmas wallets... ;)

Here's a mad suggestion: Inverness. (Although I would love to see Paris again, or Brussels.)

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 16 Sep 2010, 07:53
by Vegascrazy
Not a mad suggestion Billy, potentially a great one (as we chatted about recently!) :-)

How many folk would potentially be up for a leisurely train ride (in 1st Class if price right!) up to Inverness? From what I can see East Coast's offering is very good. From a group social aspect that gives us loads of time to mingle and chat, and eat & drink of course! Then overnight it in Inverness & back to LHR or LGW (or other regional airports) on the Sun (flights around £35)?

East Coast do a Group Travel Service

• 10 or more people
• Best Fares guarantee – we’ll price match our web fares,
• Seat reservations can be made so you can sit together where possible
• All Railcards are valid against the relevant fares
• Save on onboard food with discounts on breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks or refreshments. Save 10% when travelling First Class and get a 20% discount with Catering Vouchers.

Happy to go with the flow....this is purely an idea :-)

Cheers
James

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 16 Sep 2010, 10:51
by PeterStansfield
Sounds interesting....

What sort of price are you talking about for the rail? Single (so we could use the fly back option) and return?

Peter

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 16 Sep 2010, 16:29
by Vegascrazy
Just took a look on East Coast's website. They're not selling for January but to get an idea I plugged in 4th/5th Dec. It offers up Advance Purchase 1st Class for £49.40 going up and £71.20 coming back. Timings are quite good: Dep Kings Cross 12:00 arr Inverness 20:08. Dep Inverness 09:40 arr Kings Cross 18.17.

1st Class 'At Seat Dining' is available on the outbound between Kings Cross & Berwick-Upon-Tweed (so essentially from 12 noon until 15:45) and on the return between Newcastle (14:59) and Peterborough (17.18).

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 16 Sep 2010, 16:45
by Guest
Vegascrazy wrote:Not a mad suggestion Billy, potentially a great one (as we chatted about recently!) :-)

How many folk would potentially be up for a leisurely train ride (in 1st Class if price right!) up to Inverness? From what I can see East Coast's offering is very good. From a group social aspect that gives us loads of time to mingle and chat, and eat & drink of course! Then overnight it in Inverness & back to LHR or LGW (or other regional airports) on the Sun (flights around £35)?

East Coast do a Group Travel Service

• 10 or more people
• Best Fares guarantee – we’ll price match our web fares,
• Seat reservations can be made so you can sit together where possible
• All Railcards are valid against the relevant fares
• Save on onboard food with discounts on breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks or refreshments. Save 10% when travelling First Class and get a 20% discount with Catering Vouchers.

Happy to go with the flow....this is purely an idea :-)

Cheers
James


Now that sounds like a jolly fine idea y) ii)

Either 1st Class there and back or private jet one way and 1st Class rail t'other ?|

Spending the night in a decent hotel up there also gets my vote over a day trip to the continent

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 16 Sep 2010, 16:50
by eejp1007
Or another option for the return for the real geeks would be INV - BHD - LGW on Flybe.
Their direct Inverness - Gatwick flights seem to be around £44 or the Belfast one stop would be £50! You would even get to sample two aircraft types, DH4 and E95! (Just me then?)

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 16 Sep 2010, 16:52
by Tinkerbelle
I personally wouldn't be interested in any trip involving a night away - it causes too much difficulty with days off from work. A day trip just like the last two wins for me.

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 16 Sep 2010, 16:59
by Sealink
While I love the idea of Inverness too - it would be a different kettle of fish from the previous PCPs so maybe that could be a "V-Flyer: Welcome to Spring" trip - certainly am up for INV-BHD-LGW!! but not at the expense of the magic of the E* trips we've enjoyed.

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 17 Sep 2010, 07:15
by Vegascrazy
I'm happy just to go with the flow :-) I think it goes without saying that if we have a sizeable discount voucher from last year's Eurostar trip then we should probably make use of that. As Billy says, perhaps do the Inverness thing as a spring or even summer social.

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 17 Sep 2010, 07:21
by honey lamb
All that goes through my mind at the suggestion of Inverness in winter is that it's going to be ****** freezing, plus the possibility of being snowbound. I'd be more interested in a spring/summer jaunt there

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 17 Sep 2010, 10:03
by eejp1007
I think it would be beautiful!
And it's not as if our transport infrastructure falls apart at the slightest inclement weather.
The other advantage is that you won't see a lot more of people that you wish which is what I recently experienced on a work trip!

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 17 Sep 2010, 10:35
by Tinkerbelle
Brussels was cold enough this year - I would hate to think how cold it was in Scotland.

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 04 Oct 2010, 22:11
by Sealink
I take on board the concerns about heading North in the dead of winter!
Inverness in the Springtime might be nice.

But for PCP2011... Paris? Brussels? Bruges? Amsterdam?

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 05 Oct 2010, 15:39
by iforres1
It really does make sense to use the Eurostar voucher that we got as compo. Sort of narrows it down a bit :)

Iain

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 11 Oct 2010, 18:50
by Sealink
Would it be worth investigating prices at the other end of the train? :)

Re: PCP 2011 - Any ideas yet??

PostPosted: 11 Oct 2010, 19:00
by Tinkerbelle
Sealink wrote:Would it be worth investigating prices at the other end of the train? :)


What First Class on the Eurostar? Not worth it.