27th to 30th December at ILEC, London
Or – Rossie’s “thought for the day” on a little local difficulty.
You may have seen some of my Blogs over the summer on the Eastbourne Summer Meeting, and latterly on Year End. What I have attempted to do in my ramblings is to encourage you back to Face to Face Bridge. And you have been coming, at club, county and National level, so thank you.
2022’s is the first F2F Year End since Covid hit and the numbers booked to date are good, so it’s all steam ahead.
So why am I writing this? Simply, since a week ago we learned that – oh no – the first day of our Congress on December 27th is the last day of 4 consecutive National Rail strike days. B****r. My bridge partner and I have changed our plans so that we will drive from my Eastbourne home. I had thought that for once I would indulge in the train taking the strain. The train company owners had other ideas! Anyway, don’t worry about me, I’m resilient and determined and I shall go to the ball.
Yesterday I was contacted by an EBU colleague to see if I could help someone who happens to live in the same county, who was due to play the first 3 days of the Congress. I live 100 meters from the sea and he lives in Sussex’s highest town, in close proximity to Kent and a good hour’s drive away on our dreadful country roads. With no trains, an appalling bus service and his partner living in the New Forest, he was thinking maybe he couldn’t get there. I won’t bore you with the ins and outs of how we are going to organise ourselves… it’s going to mean an early start… but hey ho, we will get to our destination via a slightly convoluted route and enjoy the spectacular vistas of Sussex’s High Weald so that an old team-mate of mine can also go to the same ball.
I am not a fairy godmother, but I do believe in helping where I can. It is not going to hurt and will benefit another couple of players by changing our route. So, I thought, why not see if there are others out there who were thinking of not coming at all because of the day 1 strike. By contacting Louise or Sam @ Aylesbury, and their special Mix ‘n Match wands, they may be able to arrange other sets of unlikely travel mates. If you don’t try you most certainly don’t get!!!
‘Tis nearly Christmas, the season of good cheer, so I do hope this finds you can extend some of that to other bridge players with transport challenges on day 1. Thank you for thinking of others!
Just to remind you that currently, this will not affect Transport for London – tubes and buses are, more or less, operating a full timetable. Please check the up-to-date situation using the TfL link below to check the specific details. Looking forward to seeing you in person!
Ros Wolfarth