Forumites I need your help, Terribly Options

[EvilSpork]

Hey everybody,

The basic rundown of my situation is this:
My girlfriend is doing her student teaching in Berlin. Back in December, before she left, I bought a ticket to fly over and see her. I asked if she wanted me to visit, and she said yes.

Something has changed. She told me she doesn't have feelings for me anymore, doesn't want to be in a relationship. I'm giving her space right now.

But I have this ticket to Berlin. If I cancel it I'm out $200 for cancellation fees. I still get most of the money back, but for me $200 is a fair amount of money. It's my opinion that she should be the one giving me $200 because she said she wanted me to come over there otherwise I wouldn't have bought the ticket, and her view on that is "I didn't ask you to come". But I did ask her if she wanted me to.

Spoon, ironically one of my favorite bands, is doing a European tour for the week that I'm over. Here are the dates I need people's help with! Places to stay! People to hang out with! I'll end up in Berlin on the 12th, and screw it if she doesn't want to be with me, I'm coming over anyway and I just won't go to see her.

FEB 14 - Glasgow, UK
FEB 15 - Manchester, UK
FEB 16 - London, UK

So, who has floor, couch or bed space? From there I figure I'll be heading back to Berlin for the 20th as they play there and I fly out on the 22nd.

I really would appreciate if maybe I could work something out with you lot. There are some of you I didn't get the opportunity to see (or saw for a shorter period of time than I would have liked) when I was over in '08.

[Tarantio]

Sadly, I don't live close enough to Glasgow anymore to be much use to you, else I would have volunteered a place to stay, night out plan and the likes. I do know of a couple of very nice hostels in Glasgow that are pretty cheap to stay in, though I think the staff I knew have moved on now. Lots of forumites in the London area though, and several around Manc if I remember correctly, so you might have more luck there?

[Cath Sparrow]

I'm afraid I'm also to far out From Manchester to offer space as well as much as I'd love to see you again Spoon. Sorry.

[Ashbless]

West Coast of Canada so not really able to help with floor space etc.
Good on you though for going through with your holiday anyway. I hope you have an absolutely great time.

[Phyllis]

Aww, sadly we're too far from any of those places to be of much use, otherwise you'd be welcome at ours.

[Moosh]

You're free to crash at my flat in Manchester on that date, it's about 30 minutes walk from the gig venue. Can't promise to be around to hang out with for most of the time though, kinda busy that week

[EvilSpork]

Well, how 'bout you London folks? Anybody not too too busy?

My other option is I do cancel the ticket... Which I may. I don't really know right now. This is a huge mess.

[Mata]

Feb 16th, I can offer you a spot in Oxford. It's about 75 minutes on a coach from London and is a really easy journey. You're welcome to it if you would like to visit for a night or two, though I will be at work during the day. If a better offer comes along then by all means take that, I won't be offended!

If nothing else, I should be able to pop up to London for a couple of drinks at some point around that time, maybe on Friday the 19th?

[EvilSpork]

You're free to crash at my flat in Manchester on that date, it's about 30 minutes walk from the gig venue. Can't promise to be around to hang out with for most of the time though, kinda busy that week

We're officially broken up. I'm working on planning this out right now, cash allowing once I get it figured... London dates are sold out, so I may take you up on this as Manchester tickets are still available, maybe we can have a chat once I look into travel expenses further.

[Mimzzy]

I hope everything works out so you can at least enjoy the concert. Keep us updated, yo.

[Cath Sparrow]

Slim chance if I can find the money I can pop up to Manc during the day and take you around a bit. But I'd have to let you know closer to the time as money is generally pretty scarse I'm afraid.

[EvilSpork]

This is, as of now, unofficial.

Fly into Berlin on the 12th
Head to Munich on the 13th to see Mastodon
Flight to Manchester on the 14th
Spoon on the 15th in Manchester
Manchester to London or somewhere else in the UK for hang out time and place to stay ??? Date
Flight back to Berlin on the 20th
Spoon that night
See the ex for a day or so and we can talk about this whole thing face to face
Fly back to the states on the 22nd

I may cut out Munich to reduce travel costs and whatnot, but Spoon in Manchester (15th) and Spoon in Berlin (20th) will be solid dates to work around. Everything else will be up in the air until I do the number crunching more. If anybody can house me for a couple of days here or there that'd be great because that was never in the original cost equation, obviously enough.

[Phyllis]

We can house you for a few days, if proximity to Manchester, Glasgow, or London isn't a concern. You've actually pretty much seen all there is that is interesting in Derby, though.

You'd probably have a more interesting time elsewhere in the country, but if you find yourself in need of a place to sleep, our couch is open.

[EvilSpork]

Anybody aside from Mata want to meet up in London on the 19th or so? I want to be back in Berlin on the 20th and I think I've got a flight for that.

I'm crunching numbers and the more I sit here trying to figure out where and when and all these travel expenses... Well... Regardless of realizing I'm really tight on cash, I want to keep the ticket and just do this even more. It's coming up fast so I need to figure things out quick and all, and I need to look at where I can cut costs from travel plans I've come up with so far (I suppose not eating anything but pocket lint will help too.) I feel like I need to do this for my mental well being.

So basically, give me a couple more days and maybe we can make an official meet thread if I bite the bullet?

[Tarantio]

Oddly, I will be south of the border that weekend, but I'm only going as far as St. Helens and it's for a pre-arranged thing before I have to get my arse back up to Stirling in time for my mum's birthday on the Sunday (or else!). Thus there shall be no Tara, alas.

[Daria]

I head back up north on the 14th, sorry

[Phyllis]

I don't think moop and I will be able to do the 19th in London, I'm afraid.

[EvilSpork]

12th - Arrive in Berlin, 11:10 am. Fly out to London at 9:55 pm arriving at 10:50 pm. Return ticket.

Hostel in London 12th - 14th

Return coach to Manchester on the 14th - 18th (Moosh? Or I can get a hostel for some dates.) Spoon on the 15th.

London Hostel 18th - 20th

Return to Berlin 20th, flying out at 6:25 am. Spoon that night. Hostel until the 22nd, return to the states.

The return tickets and cutting out the one Spoon concert have reduced my costs a fair amount. I'd love to go up to Glasgow and all, but I just don't think it's financially a good choice due to additional costs all around. I'm only there for a week and I don't want to spend half the time in transit.

So, I'm up for meeting up in Manchester or London with folks. I think I'm pulling the trigger and buying my flight, coach and concert tickets as well as booking hostels within the next couple of days. I still have my oyster card for London (<3 Daria) and can manage there. I've got Berlin's transport sort of figured and should be alright there. Moosh, want to clue me in on public transportation in Manc? I was having trouble finding information online.

[Moosh]

I can give you a sofa in my flat on those dates, but you'll have to amuse yourself during the day, will try to be available in the evenings.

As for public transport in Manchester, we have buses and trams. For the time you're here it'd probably be worth getting a 7 day bus pass (£11). It depends where you'll be wanting to go, I honestly have no idea what you'll find to do in Manchester for 4 days.

[Daria]

There's a party in London on the 13th you're welcome to! However no crash space, so you'll still want to stay in the hostel. It's the celebratory party.

[EvilSpork]

I just canceled the ticket... I did my taxes and bam I somehow owe money... So I need the money more than I need the experience right now...

[Cath Sparrow]

Awww *hug* nevermind come see us another time.

[Moosh]

Ah bad times. Sorry to hear you're not coming over Andy, would have been fun. Hope it's not too long 'til you make it over here.

[EvilSpork]

Fear not, I'll be there eventually . Hopefully not in an unplanned crappy situation either. Really this is probably for the best due to circumstances, I'd much rather fly right into the UK rather than do that hop over from Germany junk. Plus it will give me more time to work out details on what I'll be doing as well as work out dates with you lot for a night of drinks and such. You know, the more the merrier and all that.

[Mata]

Ach poop. Sorry to hear that. It would have been good to see you again. Another time!