Beirut, Lebanon, May 02, 2009

[RobF]

1. The airport, on the map, looks close to the town , about 4 - 5 km, is that right? It seems a short distance but given the fact that I'll be a lonely woman, still shaking after the flight, in the middle of the night there, I suppose it's better to know in advance how to get into town. So:
Is there any public transport from airport to town going AT NIGHT? How much is it? Is it safe? What else should I know?
Or, alternatively, is there anybody who would like to colect me from the airport and accompany me to the town?

RF: No public transport from the airport, taxi should be about $25, you'll need to book somewhere to stay anway, and they'll be happy to send a cheapo taxi for you.

2. What currency is generally accepted in Beirut? Lebanon Pounds? US dollars? What currency should I take with me, and how much for a two-day trip?
(on the ticket-selling site it looks that 45000 LBP is equal to 30$, blimey is that possible? )

RF: Yep, the exchange rate's right. Take dollars, everywhere accepts dollars, and you'll get your change in Lebanese.

Prices wise, local beer about $4, decent meal about $15, though you can live on meze, hotel $45-infinity a night, taxis random... Not an expensive place by any means, but not amazingly cheap.

3. Are visa cards accepted in most pubs/restaurants etc.?

RF:Not all by any means, but quite a few, there are a good batch of cash machines around with English interface that give dollars and Leb cash out.

4. Can you recommend a cheap and decent hotel either near the venue, or - even better - in between venue and airport? (Looks like I'll be flying back home on May3rd at 6AM so that would be easier)

Hotels near the airport are a bit businessy and expensive. If you want that side of town I've stayed at http://www.southtravels.com/middleeast/ ... uroyhotel/ before and it's fine. Though it is next door to Rafiq Hariri's TV station and hence often surrounded by tank traps and nervous blokes, which can be quite funny.

Me and my mate Kev will be gently drinking ourselves to death on the other side of town at http://portviewhotel.blogspot.com/ which is cheap, clean, and on a dodgy street full of bars. We like it and go there as often as possible.

5. And again, will it be easy to get to the airport very early in the morning on Sunday with public transport?

Either hotel will arrange a car for you, no more expensive than normal, the airport's pretty busy that early anyway.

6. Anything else that a lady arriving in Beirut on her own should be aware of?

RF: Nope, it's not at all islamo-scary, you don't need a scarf or anything daft. You'll be safer than in most European or American cities. Though sometimes 12 year old boys on scooters like to tell you they're in Hezzbollah in an elaborate game of "Make the Westerner look nervous".


Thank you very, very much in advance, if it wasn't for this thread in this forum I would probably never even think about doing this trip.

RF: PM if you decide to come and I'll bung you my number.

[_emma_]

PM later. When I have the flight tickets in my hand.
You know, I believe in bad luck and all that.

[_emma_]

f**k I hate myself, I really do.
I've been spending hours on that flights booking site, and whenever it comes to pressing the last "confirm", I think "no, this plane's gonna crash", and of course I can feel it, I have premonitions and stuff, that fear can't have been inside me for no reason, , April is the 4th month and yesterday was the 9th of April, 9 plus 4 makes 13, so no, not today, maybe tomorrow, and so on... Last night I only slept for 2 hours altogether and whenever I managed to fall asleep all I was dreaming of was heading towards the ground in a swirling metal box filled with fire.
I hate myself.
Going TO the gig in Beirut seems quite bearable, because there's a reason big enough to stop the plane from crashing, it's the way BACK that terrifies me the most, cause there's not enough to look forward to that coud balance the fear.
OK, end of whining, this is not the right place for self-pity, either I do it or not end of story. And don't even strat telling me that statistically, and rationally, and so on blah blah, because I KNOW, but fear is a dirty little bugger that has far more to do with feeling than knowing.

PS. Why can't I edit my own post and have to add another one instead?

[Scardwel]

Right _emma_ here's the deal:

If that fucker crashes, you can have my entire Sisters collection!

Deal?

[_emma_]

Yeah, right.

[Moakahontas]

Right _emma_ here's the deal:

If that fucker crashes, you can have my entire Sisters collection!

Deal?

Oh come on..I know what she mean..*put the tarot cards on the table*

[Silver Girl]

Going TO the gig in Beirut seems quite bearable, because there's a reason big enough to stop the plane from crashing, it's the way BACK that terrifies me the most, cause there's not enough to look forward to that coud balance the fear.
OK, end of whining, this is not the right place for self-pity, either I do it or not end of story. And don't even strat telling me that statistically, and rationally, and so on blah blah, because I KNOW, but fear is a dirty little bugger that has far more to do with feeling than knowing.

PS. Why can't I edit my own post and have to add another one instead?

Oh dear. Would doing the reverse psychology thing help? (as in 'why would I be special enough to have the plane crash?'). Not that it would be any consolation but that's how I feel about driving, despite having a licence for 15 years. Have you ever flown before? I can't say I particularly enjoy it because it is intrinsically wrong but it's a means to an end. (and hey, if you come to Beirut, presumably you won't have to spend your time looking over your shoulder for relatives you might bump into because you didn't bother telling them you were coming over... )

Meanwhile, any recent visitors/residents know how the land lies in Tripoli? The FCO are saying avoid, but we really fancied a trip up there?

[_emma_]

Yes I've flown before, as a child (can't remember, the last time I did it was probably when I was 7 or 8, and didn't have the fear back then).
This reverse psychology sounds good.
You know what the biggest issue is? When I first announced amongst my friends that I plan to go to Beirut, one of them said she'd eagerly go with me. She's not into the Sisters at all, but she's rich and loves travelling. She's an experienced flyer, works for a company that sends her to various business trips all the time, so flying is for her what changing cats' litter tray is for me. I was looking forward, because I knew that with her company, with her holding my hand and telling me that all the turbulences and swings are normal, I would be able to do it. She would just guide me smoothly through it, you know, especially because there are no direct flighst from here, there's a stop in Stambul, so one additional landing and take-off = one additional point of stress for me.
But then she said that on second thoughts, it doesn't make any sense for her to go to Beirut for just 2 days. In order to do some proper sightseeing there, she would need at least a week. Which is true, fair enough.
And this was the moment when I panicked, I just felt I wouldn't be able to do it on my own.
But this is enough of my self-centered s**t in this thread, isn't it? There are more important things going on, right? I sincerely hope that Andrew will recover soon and fully enough to do this gig, no matter if I manage to get there or not.

[RobF]

Meanwhile, any recent visitors/residents know how the land lies in Tripoli? The FCO are saying avoid, but we really fancied a trip up there?

I've not heard of any improvements this year, and last year it got horribly dodgy, with a bus-bomb while I was in Beirut, my friend Mya lives in Tripoli and I'm going to get in contact with her and see how it is this week, I'll pass it on if I hear anything.

[Andrew S]

I'm changing my mind more often than my underwear on this one. Flights haven't gone up since I last looked, but given Eldritch's recent state of health, I really need to decide if this trip is worth doing - with or without the Sisters.

[Silver Girl]

I've not heard of any improvements this year, and last year it got horribly dodgy, with a bus-bomb while I was in Beirut, my friend Mya lives in Tripoli and I'm going to get in contact with her and see how it is this week, I'll pass it on if I hear anything.

That would be absolutely grand, thanks for that. What with all that bother in Zahle (yup, had planned a vineyard trip/lunch out over that way), the day trip options are rapidly diminishing if Tripoli's out of the question as well. Nnngh!

Um, what's the news on the health front then? I saw that some gigs had been pulled but I assumed all was well since they played Leeds..might this not be the case then?

[_emma_]

I'm changing my mind more often than my underwear on this one. Flights haven't gone up since I last looked, but given Eldritch's recent state of health, I really need to decide if this trip is worth doing - with or without the Sisters.

Yes. To me it's not that much about money anymore (managed to earn an additional 500 EUR this month for a quick additional job, wahoo! - It's a money that I never expected, and about just enough to cover the trip, so there), but I would never ever think of getting on a plane if there wasn't The Sisters there as my destination.

[Andrew S]

CURSES CURSES CURSES!!! My boss won't give me the time off To be honest, I did half expect this, considering that we'll be heavily involved in a project in early May - one that actually secured my employment there in the first place. Still, I was hoping to get a couple of days off and had suddenly got very used to the idea of going to Beirut damnit!

Oh &%%$@**%C$*)&^:/!!

[_emma_]

I wont'd be surprised if a few days before the gig you get the holiday, I manage to overcome my phobia, AE gets back to perfect 100% health - and then we find out that the flights are sold out.

[Andrew S]

I wont'd be surprised if a few days before the gig you get the holiday, I manage to overcome my phobia, AE gets back to perfect 100% health - and then we find out that the flights are sold out.

The flights won't sell out - the prices will probably rocket though and the hotel will book out I'm going to speak to my boss again tomorrow. Maybe she'll relent and let me have a day or 2. I'm not too hopeful though.

[Andrew S]

I'm going to speak to my boss again tomorrow. Maybe she'll relent and let me have a day or 2. I'm not too hopeful though.

Still 'No' damnit Well I did try and there's nothing else I can do (apart from resign). Have a great time in Beirut everyone. And Inga, book that flight!

[Silver Girl]

So who's coming over then? We're flying out on Monday...

[sisterstekland]

hum, just get this info via facebook
Special Sisters of Mercy on MTV Lebanon (Murr Television) today at 5 local time


is anyone heard about it out there

[Andrew S]

Right, PANIC STATIONS! This is my last chance to change my mind on this one. So before I commit myself (and a few hundred quid) to a very short trip to Beirut, I really need some advice on the following:

Fllights: thanks to my unrelenting boss, the earliest flight I could get would arrive in Beirut at 15:50 on the day of the gig. Would that leave me enough time to take care of visa etc. at the airport, get to the hotel (if I can find one) and then rush to the venue? Or am I likely to get delayed for hours at the airport and risk missing the gig altogether?

Tickets: these seem to be still available from that Virgin ticketing site, but I can't find any info about where to pick up tickets. Can anyone who booked theirs through this site enlgiten me? Or will it be OK to buy at the box office on the day?

I'm very reluctant to miss out on this one (especially after missing 2 stunning gigs that I had tickets for), so any advice would be most appreciated. Thanks

[_emma_]

3 days ago in Zagreb when Mr AE exposed his white naked belly so charmingly for a few seconds, I thought I'd be able not only to get on that plane but also to pilot it if need be. But that was 3 days ago, and now the memory is not enough I'm afraid. So, I am now officially entering the good old well known realm of depression. Summer's approaching. There's gonna be garden parties and bonfires and fireworks, travelling theatres and various jugglers, but I have a feeling that they won't manage to amuse me.

[RobF]

Righty ho. I'm all packed and ready for the off. Should be able to check in here Thursday evening/Friday morning if anyone's about.

Anyone who fancies a meet up beforehand/during the week drop me a mail on robertjfakes@hotmail.com, or PM me for my number.

If you can't get hold of me, just wander down Rue Gouraud looking in bars for a short arsed Yorkshireman with a Moz tribute haircut and turnups. I shall, after an unfortunate recent doctor-bollocking be nursing mainly pints of exciting fruit juice. Balls.

I presume Cafe Prague/Somewhere Hamra way is the idea on the day?

PS. Silvergirl. I've been told Tripoli's back to normal now, and it's even off the FCO list, so GO TEAM!

[Andrew S]

OK I'm coming (said the actress to the bishop)! Given the expense and the shortness of theis trip, it's probably the daftest thing I've ever done

Thanks for the advice Rob Email incoming!

[242headhunter]

Have fun 2morrow!

[lachert]

have a great night - tonight!

[radiojamaica]

OK I'm coming (said the actress to the bishop)! Given the expense and the shortness of theis trip, it's probably the daftest thing I've ever done

Jolly good, man! Enjoy the trip


Have fun tonite, peepz!