Arsenal America Officially Launch Trip To THOF After months of planning deep within Arsenal America’s secret underground lair we can now announce plans for the first Arsenal America trip to Highbury! Working closely with Jill Smith at Arsenal we have chosen a combination of time period and games that we feel will offer the best, and most, opportunities for us at a reasonable price. So without further ado, here it is: Trip: Saturday, December 28 – Thursday, January 2 Games: Liverpool – Sunday, December 29 Chelsea – Wednesday, January 1 Both matches to be played at Highbury. Additional activities to be determined. A quick check on orbitz.com found flights (from Newark, NJ) to London’s Heathrow airport were going from under $400 roundtrip. Figure around five nights lodging plus food/tickets/entertainment and you are looking at around $1,200. That’s just a rough estimate but should give you a ballpark figure. Our feeling was this would give people some time to get finances squared away and get travel arrangements set. The holiday period would also be a time when it might be easier to get time off from work. The final issue was that Arsenal would be able to get us tickets to these two great games. There is no possible way for us to satisfy everyone who might want to make this trip. For those of you that won’t be able to go because of the timing, we’re sorry. Hopefully you can make a future trip. Availability for this trip is extremely limited with an absolute ceiling of 15 people. Because of this, we ask that only those that are truly serious about attending reply. If you really want to go and something comes up next week, that’s ok. But please don’t hold a spot if you’re only hoping you might be able to attend. If you want to go, and think that you can, please send me an email by September 20.
Rick, I've just sent you an e-mail. I've already made my own travel plans but I will be in London for the Liverpool and Chelsea matches and I'll be damned if I don't sit with the ArseAm crew. This is so cool, I thought you guys were going in November or March or something. What kind of deal will the club give us on tickets?
This looks real good, Rick, thanks for putting in the work to set this up. I've e-mailed you expressing my interest, looking forward to seeing the Arse and meeting some fellow members.
A quick note as I have received several emails regarding the following. Give me another week or so and we'll get info out regarding lodging/hotel issues. Not sure if we are doing group rate on hotel or every man for himself. Could depend on how many people want to go.
I would just like to take this opportunity to mention the fact I had 2 free tickets from NY to London to use by December 17th. (coach, but non-stop and free). Was going to take an arsenal supporter friend of mine, or one of you lot if he couldn't go. Crap nuggets. (note: I'm not mad at anyone (rick) for picking the dates, I just wish it could have worked out easily on the free tickets). I'll have to see if I can work something out.
hey you can still use the free tickets by coming to London and once you're here, go to Stansted Airport so you can spend your time in mainland Europe. www.ryanair.com (a No Frills airline) has just starting to advertise FREE airfare to Europe so you only need to pay for the taxes! I've been with them a few times already and they're quite good. The only problem with them is that they charge you a lot of money for their crap plane food. That's how they can make money, but at least you can still bring your own food with you. Edit: forgot to tell you that you have to book your European destination by this week and you can only fly between October - 17th December.
This reminds me of something a few years ago. I experimented with this sort of thing a couple summers ago with an airline called EasyJet (They flew out of Luton), let me tell ya' by the time that trip to Geneva was finished I refuse to call them anything but SleazyJet!!! Every flight was delayed, the employees were complete wankers and their plane was knackered to hell, I seem to remember wires poking me in the butt and the sound of bolts coming loose while in flight. Ah the memories............. I wouldn't be at all surprised if EasyJet were defunct now.
I've been with Easyjet a couple of times and I remeber I was surprised with the number of Americans they take on! Well, people with American accents, anyway and I was wondering how comes they have heard of Easyjet when they live outside Europe??? I only went with them cos they have destinations where Ryanair doesn't go, so I went to Zurich and Madrid with them. They are generally more expensive than Ryanair. I prefer Ryanair cos they have a lot of flights to Italy and I love Italy! Been to Italy 3 times already (Venice, Rome and Milan) and still counting... So far, I've been with Ryanair about 3 times and I have only experienced one major delay, which was recently when I came back on holiday from Salzburg. One of my dad's friend use them a lot to visit Ireland. By the way, Easyjet.com are still running and they have just expanded by taking over Go Airline and ording more aircrafts.
I'm in!! I'll be in London Friday December 27. Let me know any details as you get them. Up the Arse!! Bob
Well for starters I was living in Scotland at the time! So yourself! I saw their adverts all over and figured I'd give it a go. As for Easyjet expanding I shouldn't be surprised I guess, that would have been my next guess. Either abject failure or exemplary success and expansion. Go figure. But you are right, cheaper and smaller airlines are the way to go to get to the continent. Easiest way to go travelling about Europe as often as you wish, or as often as Sven ponces about with his lineups!!
Such a pity about the dates. I thought (and was hoping) it would be in November. You could have got a "Champions League" game in too. While you're heading for London, I'll be heading for Florida! Have to meet up with you some other time. "HOw about "Old Trafford" on 28th May !!!!!!!!! Also "RyanAir" are pretty good. I've flown numerous times with them for free, and a $1 return 2 weeks aago to Belgium for the F1 Grand Prix. Most flights are certainly all under $40. You can book direct on the website at "Ryanair.com" if people have spare time or want to make other trips. I've probably been with the about 10 times this year already, and only 1 problem. Overall the're pretty good, but basic.
Yeah, pity about the dates. I was really hoping for a better pair of games than Liverpool and Chesea (GRIN!!!). While you're in Florida, I'll be taking in the ambience of Eric Partridge's desk at the British Museum Library. (Well, as Chief Lexicographical Officer, were you expecting anything else?) -G. Rex
So who exactly is on board? Lets have a show of hands people. *raises hand* Rick, naturally you'll be going, yes?
Count me in (again) I hope I made it on the list the first time I let my desires known. Up the Arse. Bob Hobbs
Me! Me! Hey, I assume we're responsible for making our own flight and hotel reservations...is this correct? Would anyone would be interested in sharing a hotel room for some or all of the days: I expect they won't be too cheap around New Year's Eve. Also, I guess we'll all have somewhat different things we want to see and do in the UK during our off days. Charlie has already mentioned wanting to visit the British Museum; I, for one, would like to wing it up to Edinburgh. Will we be basically on our own for these few days, or are we trying to do "Arsenal America Activities"? (On game days, I assume we'll all be partying together before the game and celebrating afterwards.) Woo-hoooooo!!! This trip will rule.
Ok, We've gotten very good response and are just about full. Later tonight I will send an email to the people who have expressed interest, asking them to reconfirm. At that point I will send out an email to those people with the names and email addys of everyone else so you can make some plans. As far as airfare, since you are all coming from so many different places, I would suggest you make your plans on your own. Just make sure you buy refundable tickets, just to be safe. On lodging, let me work on this for another day or two with Andrew, who will be in charge of many aspects of this trip. If we can figure out a group thing we'll let you know, otherwise, will send some suggestions. Senor, no, I will not be able to attend. Any chance somebody can bring me back a souvenir?
If you are all making your own way over, would you like me to enquire about hotels? I have a few "connections". Just depends on the area you want to stay and a price range. HOtels in London are pretty expensive. Just let me know. JEFF.
I'm in as well, and I can't wait! Jeff, depending on what Rick tells us regarding lodging, I may need your "connections." I'm not too concerned with what part of the city I stay in, as I've never been to London before, and will want to explore as much as I can. That being said, I will of course be looking to do this for as little money as possible.
Lodging I'll wait and see what Andrew and Jeff can come up with lodging-wise, but I've been poking around at London-area apartments and have found what I think are some decent deals. One in particular can fit about 5 people in a 2-bed 1.5-bath apt., with kitchenette and washer/dryer, for about $50-$60 per person per day. Not a bargain by any means, but it's centrally located and not that expensive. Rick, I'm sure you'll be able to get as many souvenirs as you want from the group. How about an ornament with a smiling Ray Parlour on it? Mike K., glad to see you can make it after all.
Dan - Yeah, I'm so excited! As I already had the week after Christmas as scheduled vacation, all I had to do was get the extra day approved (vacation in January at my job is STRONGLY discouraged.) Luckily enough, my boss consented, as long as I report to work on the 3rd. That apartment idea of yours sounds like a good one. Definitely worth looking into.