Kansas to London

Author Message   D.B.M UK Senior Member Username: Overlandrover Post Number: 5613 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 88.105.98.62 Posted on Friday, January 29, 2010 - 04:51 pm:    Well the main reason about the BBQ is, driving from Colorado to Texas just to get BBQ. Why would you need to go to Kansas? Jan won't let me drive to Ixworth 4 miles away to get Chinese, said it gets cold. As for the Cowboy Cheerleaders, well I have met you, and Jan said you were a nice guy, so I just took it with a box of salt.....   PR Senior Member Username: Pretzlaff Post Number: 1536 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 67.190.52.82 Posted on Friday, January 29, 2010 - 01:05 pm:    Don-- Why do you find it hard to believe that I drove to Texas for BBQ, but apparently have no trouble believing that I had pillow fights with the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders?   D.B.M UK Senior Member Username: Overlandrover Post Number: 5611 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 88.105.98.62 Posted on Friday, January 29, 2010 - 05:47 am:    PR, you are forgiven, I thought you brought some BBQ with you and you didn't want to share it with me. I found it hard to believe you drove to Texas just to get BBQ though.....   PR Senior Member Username: Pretzlaff Post Number: 1535 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 67.190.52.82 Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 08:43 pm:    Don--- I am sorry. I now owe you 2 pints the next time that I come over. btw: I finally found out why I like British pints. They are actually 20 ounces rather than only 16. Leland-- You are correct the Heathrow Connect only goes to Paddington. Also, while I was lucky, I think that these tanker flights are starting to fill up with troops. When the troop levels get high enough, then they do not take spats or even advertise the flights. For example, it didn't appear that Fairchild had one going over last week, but they really did. It was probably full o' duty pax. Also, McConnell was moving Grand Forks troops back and forth. So, it may not be as easy as it appears. Also, most any other time of the year will have more spat pressure.   Jerry Monaghan Intermediate Member Username: Semiretired Post Number: 85 Registered: 04-2008 Posted From: 24.151.59.182 Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 04:55 pm:    Don: You almost got a call from me this week ... if the flight to McGuire hadn't popped up. We were looking at nothing much moving to the East Coast. Luckily (for you) a C-17 was diverted from Ramstein by weather and picked us up with only a day's delay. -- Jerry Monaghan   D.B.M UK Senior Member Username: Overlandrover Post Number: 5608 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 88.105.98.62 Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 06:58 am:    Not all of us are nice, PR didn't even call me.   Leland Senior Member Username: Leland Post Number: 5679 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 98.218.147.237 Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 01:57 am:    Cherie, go for it. Nice folks over there and they speak something almost like English.   Cherie Schenker Member Username: Cheriemt Post Number: 47 Registered: 10-2009 Posted From: 207.254.165.80 Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 01:44 am:    Thanks for the info. I have been "toying" with the idea of flying over for some time, as much of our family came from England and Scotland (mother's side). McConnell is so close...ah the temptation!   Leland Senior Member Username: Leland Post Number: 5675 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 98.218.147.237 Posted on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 - 08:16 pm:    PR, I read it. Anyway, thanks for the report and the information. I was not aware of the Heathrow Express. It looks nice. The only down side is that there is only one London terminus, right? The tube gives you a choice (we like Earls Court).   PR Senior Member Username: Pretzlaff Post Number: 1533 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 67.190.52.82 Posted on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 - 08:12 pm:    Sorry, that was unreadable. Last Tuesday I was driving past McConnell coming back from getting BBQ in Texas. I called the recording and found that the usual Monday flight to Mildenhall was scheduled for Tuesday because of the holiday. So, I pulled in and went to London for a few days. There was a 12:30 showtime for the usual KC135. Me and 4 other spats, but a bunch of troops. Crowded but the temperatures were OK. About 8.5 hours over. Landed about 7am on Wednesday and it took about an hour for us to get processed thru the customs system. By then I had missed the 8am shuttle to Heathrow, so it was good I had reserved a room for the night. They are always very good about letting you check in early, so I was fast asleep by 9am in my room. Spent some time that afternoon trying to find cheap lodging in London without much luck....Hotwire was at $119 for a 4 star and Priceline laughed at my $75 bid. I have been a member of the Victory Services Club for a few years but have never been able to stay there because they never seemed to have a room when I really needed one. Also, their rates seem a little high. They now have web booking, so I took a look and while they didn't have any single rooms, they actually give a single occupany rate for double rooms. This is not apparent in their rate descriptions. So a double in the Cenetary (sp?) wing with a shower is 114pounds with two adults but only 72pounds for one. So not bad. Actually called from my quarters room to make the reservation when I read that in country calls were only 20 cents a minute or so. When I checked out, they had no record of my call. Too bad, I really wanted to see how much it really was. Beat having to find wifi to use Skype. There are shuttle buses to Heathrow at 5:30am and 8am, returning at 10am and 12:30pm. I got on the 8am one on Thursday and headed to London. A side note...a few months ago they cut the daily Gatwick shuttle down to just weekends. According to the TV on base, these too will be discontinued on 1Feb10. So no more free trips to Gatwick. Took the tube from Heathrow to Marble Arch. Took one transfer. I got the Oyster Card, which you load with money and the system deducts your travel on the subway and buses up to the cost of the daily tourist ticket. So, a very simple system. The card does cost 3pounds tho. Got to the Victory Services Club and tried to check in but the room wasn't ready at noon, so they took my bags and one of the guys on the Mildenhall bus (Mario) and I went to a pub for a pint and some really greasy fried fish. The room was quite small but modern and clean. It had free wired wifi. The bathroom was quite nice. Mario had a room in the Memorial Wing and while bigger, it was much older. The plaques on those doors reference donations from the early 1950's. Breakfast for 8pounds was the usual odd British food including really fried blood sausage with pork and beans. The coffee was sort of liquid instant coffee. Spent the next 3 days hanging out, going to plays, and the museums. I have never really liked taking the tube in from Heathrow, so to leave, I took the train from Paddington station. Paddington is less than a mile north and west of the Club. Most of the buses on the busy street down from the club heading north actually go to Paddington. That street is Edgware and the bus stops on both sides are called 'Edgware Marble Arch'. They are about a block or so north of the big Marble Arch stops. Coming down from Paddington to get to the Club you would find the buses headed east and take any that say they are going to or past Marble Arch. About half of them say this. The bus to Paddington took about 30 seconds to arrive on Sunday morning. It took 4 minutes to get to Paddington Station. It took 2 minutes to go in and buy a ticket from the machine and find the track. So, very quick. There are 2 types of trains from Paddington to Heathrow. The Heathrow Express goes every 15 minutes and only takes 15 minutes to get there, but costs 18pounds one way. The Heathrow Connect costs only 7.90pounds and takes 28 minutes. It goes every 30 minutes (except hourly on Sunday's, of course). The Heathrow Connect is very pleasant and only about 1 pound more than using the subway to Heathrow. Also, the bus and train option is about 45 minutes as opposed to over an hour for the subway. So, if you are staying at the Victory Services Club or up near Marble Arch or Sussex Gardens, consider the train. Got to Heathrow and started waiting for the 12:30 shuttle bus to Mildenhall. Suddenly, these USO types start walking by and a bunch of Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders. They climb on a bus and leave. Got back to Mildenhall and checked into my room. I had made reservations for Sunday night when I checked out on Thursday. They always are very good about making follow on reservations when you are right there in person. Got to my room only to discover the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader bus. They were there for a Monday night show with some country singer type. I didn't get much sleep Sunday night given the pillow fights and Truth or Dare contests and such....those cheerleaders know how to party. Only 5 spats for the KC135 back to McConnell on Monday. Again, tho, many more troops than usual. Very crowded and very, very cold flight back...and all of 10 hours. Got in the car and headed back to home in Colorado...with good memories.   PR Senior Member Username: Pretzlaff Post Number: 1531 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 67.190.52.82 Posted on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 - 07:59 pm:    Last Tuesday I was driving past McConnell coming back from getting BBQ in Texas. I called the recording and found that the usual Monday flight to Mildenhall was scheduled for Tuesday because of the holiday. So, I pulled in and went to London for a few days. There was a 12:30 showtime for the usual KC135. Me and 4 other spats, but a bunch of troops. Crowded but the temperatures were OK. About 8.5 hours over. Landed about 7am on Wednesday and it took about an hour for us to get processed thru the customs system. By then I had missed the 8am shuttle to Heathrow, so it was good I had reserved a room for the night. They are always very good about letting you check in early, so I was fast asleep by 9am in my room. Spent some time that afternoon trying to find cheap lodging in London without much luck....Hotwire was at $119 for a 4 star and Priceline laughed at my $75 bid. I have been a member of the Victory Services Club for a few years but have never been able to stay there because they never seemed to have a room when I really needed one. Also, their rates seem a little high. They now have web booking, so I took a look and while they didn't have any single rooms, they actually give a single occupany rate for double rooms. This is not apparent in their rate descriptions. So a double in the Cenetary (sp?) wing with a shower is 114pounds with two adults but only 72pounds for one. So not bad. Actually called from my quarters room to make the reservation when I read that in country calls were only 20 cents a minute or so. When I checked out, they had no record of my call. Too bad, I really wanted to see how much it really was. Beat having to find wifi to use Skype. There are shuttle buses to Heathrow at 5:30am and 8am, returning at 10am and 12:30pm. I got on the 8am one on Thursday and headed to London. A side note...a few months ago they cut the daily Gatwick shuttle down to just weekends. According to the TV on base, these too will be discontinued on 1Feb10. So no more free trips to Gatwick. Took the tube from Heathrow to Marble Arch. Took one transfer. I got the Oyster Card, which you load with money and the system deducts your travel on the subway and buses up to the cost of the daily tourist ticket. So, a very simple system. The card does cost 3pounds tho. Got to the Victory Services Club and tried to check in but the room wasn't ready at noon, so they took my bags and one of the guys on the Mildenhall bus (Mario) and I went to a pub for a pint and some really greasy fried fish. The room was quite small but modern and clean. It had free wired wifi. The bathroom was quite nice. Mario had a room in the Memorial Wing and while bigger, it was much older. The plaques on those doors reference donations from the early 1950's. Breakfast for 8pounds was the usual odd British food including really fried blood sausage with pork and beans. The coffee was sort of liquid instant coffee. Spent the next 3 days hanging out, going to plays, and the museums. I have never really liked taking the tube in from Heathrow, so to leave, I took the train from Paddington station. Paddington is less than a mile north and west of the Club. Most of the buses on the busy street down from the club heading north actually go to Paddington. That street is Edgware and the bus stops on both sides are called 'Edgware Marble Arch'. They are about a block or so north of the big Marble Arch stops. Coming down from Paddington to get to the Club you would find the buses headed east and take any that say they are going to or past Marble Arch. About half of them say this. The bus to Paddington took about 30 seconds to arrive on Sunday morning. It took 4 minutes to get to Paddington Station. It took 2 minutes to go in and buy a ticket from the machine and find the track. So, very quick. There are 2 types of trains from Paddington to Heathrow. The Heathrow Express goes every 15 minutes and only takes 15 minutes to get there, but costs 18pounds one way. The Heathrow Connect costs only 7.90pounds and takes 28 minutes. It goes every 30 minutes (except hourly on Sunday's, of course). The Heathrow Connect is very pleasant and only about 1 pound more than using the subway to Heathrow. Also, the bus and train option is about 45 minutes as opposed to over an hour for the subway. So, if you are staying at the Victory Services Club or up near Marble Arch or Sussex Gardens, consider the train. Got to Heathrow and started waiting for the 12:30 shuttle bus to Mildenhall. Suddenly, these USO types start walking by and a bunch of Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders. They climb on a bus and leave. Got back to Mildenhall and checked into my room. I had made reservations for Sunday night when I checked out on Thursday. They always are very good about making follow on reservations when you are right there in person. Got to my room only to discover the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader bus. They were there for a Monday night show with some country singer type. I didn't get much sleep Sunday night given the pillow fights and Truth or Dare contests and such....those cheerleaders know how to party. Only 5 spats for the KC135 back to McConnell on Monday. Again, tho, many more troops than usual. Very crowded and very, very cold flight back...and all of 10 hours. Got in the car and headed back to home in Colorado...with good memories.