Turin 2007 GENERAL CHAT & GOSSIP

[cannonballbob]

I see from the webcam links in the other thread the snow over the Stelvio's melting.....slowly.

[cannonballbob]

Hurrah! Stelvio's open.....just......and probably with studded tyres only at the mo. (If it's just a black rectangle it's night time in Italy)

[cannonballbob]

Thread's gone a bit quiet of late.....

[John Ponting]

Gone so quiet that I've been wondering if it is still happening --- IS ANYBODY GOING?
HAS ANYBODY BOOKED THE TURIN HOTEL?

[cannonballbob]

I've got a reservation for Turin on the Saturday as instructed John. So that's two of us.
Also booked the ferry and I know there are a few of us meeting somewhere tbc on the Stelvio on the Friday night, probably the aptly named Hotel Stelvio although at present they're not answering their e-mails.
And I saw Neil Sutton over the weekend who was typically "Hmmmm, I might go" which means he'll hold off until the last minute ( ), Andie B has expressed an interest, Geoff F is coming over from Switzerland I think, Art has been in touch, and I think TimM will be along.
But then again, if everyone went together it'd be another Treffen.

[Neil Sutton]

I don't do everything at the last minute.....

After all somethings are worth waiting for !!!

[TimM]

Hold everything !!

There have been some hiccups which I briefly mentioned to Bob the other night - I can confrim that we will be reverting to a different plan which will involve the Stelvio only - cutting out Turin and re introduce the original Natter concept.

Apologies to Bob & anyone else who may have booked the Turin hotel should be OK to unbook though hopefully.

If there was going to be a pre meet on Firday shall we make that the actual natter and then do the passes on saturday ?

Is that OK ?

What difference will the change make to distances which need to be travelled? And which hotels are being used by those still attending? Any info gratefully received...thanks.

[John Ponting]

Andie

Stelvio Pass is still around 730 miles from Dover via Germany & Austria or 850 miles via France and Aosta Valley.

Tim

Might you (in a couple of days) be able to tell us what is going on ? Rumours of disquiet are spreading around the F-Reg regions. Hotel rooms are already needing to be cancelled; is it worth hanging on to ferry bookings, or would they be better used for other trips ?

Would be nice to have some idea before going to Highlander on Thursday.

john at sprinter dot me dot uk

[cannonballbob]

Hold the ferry John. Neil "www.notlastminute.com" S and I will still be going, as will numerous others, it's just a question of where. Tim's suggested we now meet on the Stelvio somewhere and this strikes me as a sound plan. It's a line feature with very few options to get lost, and it's out of the city centre. As people converge on the meeting point, they'll have no choice but to unwittingly share the final stages of their route with fellow natter nutters so may well end up in an ad-hoc group.
Although there was talk of a pre-rendezvous on the Friday ready for Turin, I suggest we still keep the actual Natter on the Saturday to give people a chance to travel down Friday evening/Saturday morning if they do desire.
The only question now is, will I be in the F or something a little different? ;D

[John Ponting]

Maybe when Tim is ready to announce, it could be worth closing the 2 TURIN threads and the existing Natter thread and starting a new "The real Natter that Matters 2007". Any thoughts?

Then we could all restate our plans and hopefully get together.

[Geoff F]

Saturday will be difficult for Ann and I as she is booked to fly home from Zurich on Sunday.
We have used up our two free Eurotunnel Booking changes to go out a day early on 13th for a Party in Basel and a later return on 24th so that I can collect the repaired Coffee Machine from the factory on the Monday Morning. (Long story, there is not room for Ann and the machine in the car at the same time).
We will wait for a 'Decision'.
Geoff F.

[cannonballbob]

What happened with the whole Turin thing anyway?
We spent weeks waiting for "official" word only to have it fall through a month and a half later.

[John Ponting]

I'm sure if there is anything to know then it will become clear soon. Tim?? Adrian?? Rob?? Anybody??

[cannonballbob]

Geoff, is there scope for someone else to bring the coffee machine home for you? I know of at least one person who'll be in a car on their own.

John, I had an e-mail from Tim. I'm sure he'll announce things soon if that's appropriate.
On the Turin front, it's simply that the Register has been let down and had to relocate.

Could I also suggest we keep Saturday as the night of "the" Natter to give at least a fighting chance to those who might be travelling over after work on Friday? (Of which I might be one!)