Newfoundland SciFi Con

[Brian]

OK, It is going to be a first !!!!

A Sci-Fi Convention in my home country/province !!!! I can't believe how great it is going to be great !!! Because it is such a distance to travel for so many people, I don't expect many of our friends from out of the country or out of the province to be coming to visit.... and let's face it folks... April 15th in St. John's may be sunny and as balmy as South Beach at it's best, but it could also be Nome on a nasty day. And , as a matter of interest... that's what I love about St. John's.... come prepared to hunker down and meet some very good and very friendly people...... or be prepared to lie on a stranger's back deck (who became your best buddy last night) getting the best tan you've ever had in the spring.

So... basic info, as I have it now.... The con is at the Holiday Inn, 180 Portugal Cove Road , St. John's Nfld., Sat., April 15th, 2005. I know this hotel, and it is pretty good. It is about 7-10 minutes (or less) from the airport ( phone and take Bugden's Taxi, never take the one's outside the treminal building, they are notorious rip-offs)... there is only ONE airport into St. John's. Better than that... it probably takes about 15 or less to get to downtown St. John's from the airport.... and I don't mean to the genteel downtown.... I mean to George Street..... just ask a local....
or ask me
I'll answer
the pal you need in St John's..
Brian
come if you can...it will be super special, and that I promise

[jkd112]

Hi Brian,

Damn I wish I could make that trip, but that's a little too close to the end of the semester. I'm trying to graduate and I'll probably be doing comprehensive exams around that time. It would be great if you could post lots of pics and stories though.

There needs to be some kind of sci-fi convention in Halifax during the summer. I'd like to visit Nova Scotia again someday.

Hopefully you can get to another convention soon(sometime after I graduate! ).

Thanks for the update Brian!

Later,
Jim D.

[Thomas]

Thanks, Brian!!

I will try to make it.. I would really love to come shake 'Stan the Man''s hand and get an autograph. Sounds like a lot of fun. How long will it be and where is the nearest airport in proximity to Holiday Inn?

-Tom

[Thomas]

Oops!! Sorry, what I meant to ask you is.. what is the name of the airport nearest the hotel?

Also, another question.. what will be the cost of attending the convention?

Thank you!

[Brian]

Just to answer a few folks who have emailed, St.John's is served by only one airport, which is called St.John's International Airport. I don't know of an airport which is closer to the downtown of the city it serves than this one. The Holiday Inn at which the convention will be held is only about 10 minutes from the airport.
The organizers are getting a web page prepared, but as yet do not have an address for it. The official name of the con is "Sci-Fi St. John's". I may have an address for the web page later in the week, but, if not, I'll post it as soon as I do know.

Brian

[lexxfan12004]

Sounds like a good convention, but it's too soon to take my work vacation.

[Thomas]

Thank you, Brian. Any idea how much it will cost, guest lists, and how long it will go (how many days)?

Thanks much!

[JakeMarley]

A science fiction con in Newfoundland with Brian Downey!!! I will make every possible effort and sacrifice to be there!

Will you have limited edition DVD's of "The Rock" available for purchase? Let's all call Alliance Atlantis and urge them to make some up!

[Thomas]

When I checked, airfare from Minneapolis was between 650-800 for a round trip ticket. Does anyone know about a way to get a better fare? So far I've been checking with expedia.com, travelocity.com and cheaptickets.com.. with similar results. If I could find a way for three to four hundred I'd be there more than likely, but 650 to 800 seems kinda steep.

[jkd112]

Thomas:

Keep checking those sites every day. There is a slight possibility that the fares might change, but I don't really know if they will or not.

I got lucky bigtime on a round-trip flight from Charleston, WV to Houston, TX for $110, which is absolutely unheard of. Whether Expedia or the airline made a mistake, who knows? One week later the fare on the same flight was $340.

[Thomas]

That's outstanding!!!

What a deal you got!!

I will keep checking around. Thanks so much.

-T

[jkd112]

Thomas said:

That's outstanding!!!

What a deal you got!!

I will keep checking around. Thanks so much.

-T

The only potential downside is that the flight is with United, and they screwed up something on almost every trip I've had with them. But for $110, I had to take a chance...

[JakeMarley]

Thomas said:

When I checked, airfare from Minneapolis was between 650-800 for a round trip ticket. Does anyone know about a way to get a better fare? So far I've been checking with expedia.com, travelocity.com and cheaptickets.com.. with similar results. If I could find a way for three to four hundred I'd be there more than likely, but 650 to 800 seems kinda steep.

Drive. That's what I plan to do. Minneapolis isn't that much further away than Cincinnati (where I live), and I figure it will cost me about $350, three days travel, and two nights stay in hostels. Tack on an extra day and your there for $400 or less. Of course, this requires that you are able to drive 16+ hrs a day, and hostels are a bit rough for some. Oh yeah, then there's food ... and most people can't take a week off work whenever they want. Nevermind.

[Shannan]

I wished Kevin and I were going to this convention, But we can't go I really had my heart set on going but we have no money(what money we do have we are saving) We plan on moving again in 6mos YAY.. We can't afford plane tickets cause the cost for us to travel is over 3 thousand and up, that's for 3 flights,We would go to Salt Lake, Colorado then to St. Joh(I don't remember the flight plan exactly).. I won't fly(no way, I feel safer on ground than in air) If we drove down there, it would take 67 hours, 16 minutes from MT to Saint John's, NL CA

I hope every1 who is going the the convention has a really great time...Take tons of pictures for us to see.. Sorry we won't be there. Next convention, we plan on going, plus we will be a lot closer YAY..

Have a Blast!!!!!
Shannan and Kevin

[Thomas]

JakeMarley said:

Drive. That's what I plan to do. Minneapolis isn't that much further away than Cincinnati (where I live), and I figure it will cost me about $350, three days travel, and two nights stay in hostels.

That sounds like a wonderful option.. but at present I do not have a car (or a license.. panic tends to set in whenever I take that awful test!!.. five failed attempts in a row!!.. can you imagine the frustration??)