Yes, of course, Friday January 5th, sorry for the mistake on my part!

Important facts and factoids for the Meet
 

1. If you are driving in and staying at the Dante Lugano, you have to pass the Motta Parking Silo (even though it looks like the Silo is at the end of the street -- it isn't). When you get to the door of hotel's garage, you push the button which says "Reception", tell them you are checking in, and they will open it for you.

2. If you are driving but not staying at the Dante Lugano, make certain that you park at Motta so that we can convoy from there to dinner.

3. If you are single and staying at the Dante Lugano, be very careful of the young woman who was working Reception this morning. She is a knock out beauty of the type which causes men to do stupid things -- like get married.

4. Airoli, although he does not know it, has just been appointed our official translator for the dinner. He can understand the menu a lot better than I can.

5. If anyone is going to be in Lugano on the night of the 29th, and is interested in seeing a bit of the village of Canobbio and visiting its town pub, PM me and I will pick you up in Lugano.

6. Do not get dessert at dinner (unless you hate chocolate). After we finish eating, we will go to my UIG's house for brandy, Coca-Cola, chocolate cake, marzipan candies, and, if you like, coffee. Note: I hate making coffee so it will only be the instant type.

7. The weather during the days here has been about 8 - 10 degrees C, but at night it drops to below freezing. Dress accordingly. The restaurant we are going to does not require you to be dressed in a fancy manner -- it is a very folksy place.

Dovster, thanks a lot for the meet tips. The weather has been similar here in TRD. Leave for BGO tomorrow. I look forward to meet you.

OKFlyer, I am looking forward to meeting all of you.

Here is one more tip: As we are all internet addicts, and I don't know what facilities your hotels offer, you should be aware that if there is an internet cafe in Lugano I have never been able to find it.

There are, however, three ways to connect:

1. You can go to the Customer Service Department of the Manor Department Store (when it is open) and pay to get on the internet there.

2. If you eat lunch at Burger King, you will be given a card allowing you 30 minutes on one of their three computers.

3. You can bring your laptop and sign up for a free internet account. It is dial up network and is available from www.tiscali.ch . This will allow you to connect from anywhere in Switzerland for the price of a local telephone call.

To get it, you have to be able to read Italian, French, or German and have to invent a Swiss address and telephone number. (You can use the address of some hotel or major business).

There is a fourth way:

Swisscom Mobile has a number of public wireless LAN hotspots in Lugano - at the train station, at various hotels, etc. With a wireless-enabled laptop, you can connect by credit card or while using accounts from a number of ISPs around the world. Details here: http://www.swisscom-mobile.ch/scm/gek_pwlan-en.aspx

Much easier still is the free dial-up service provided by sunrise. Dial up to 0840 555 555 from anywhere in the country (this is considered a local call) and use user name sunrise, password freesurf. And you're in! No registration etc. required.

Hello from the LHR T1 BA lounge on my way to MXP - look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!

Now in the Hotel Lugano Dante. The hotel has wireless Internet access available - CHF 9 for 24 hours - just phone reception for a user ID and password.

In case anyone else will be taking the MXP to Lugano bus (www.starbus.info):

1 I arrived at terminal 1 and bought my bus ticket in the arrivals hall (next to the Time Cafe by exit number 4). As mentioned, it's EUR 40 for a return. I also got given a timetable (orari) which shows times, where to catch the bus and a small map of where it arrives in Lugano.

2 The bus departs from MXP terminal 1 at the following times:

06:30 08:30 09:30 10:30 12:30 14:30 15:30 16:30 18:30 19:30 20:30 22:45

The bus departs from terminal 2 10 minutes after the above times. Total journey time from terminal 1 of 1 hour 20 minutes.

3 From terminal 1, exit out of door 3 - the bus stop is opposite at bus stop number 16.

4 From terminal 2 - "Bus parking in front of exit door. Bus parking no. 11".

5 I took the 14:30 bus today and there were only 4 pax. The driver asked me a question - I think he was asking me whether I wanted to go to Mendrisio or Lugano. You want the latter with the one and only stop being at the Palazzo Conza.

6 The bus stops in Lugano at the Palazzo Conza next to the river. For the Hotel Lugano Dante, you need to cross to the other side of the river and continue down that road (Viale Carlo Cattaneo) and find the hotel once you get to the main part of the town itself. I spent some time trying to find the hotel but I reckon you could walk from the bus stop to the hotel in about 15-20 minutes. Alternatively, there was a taxi waiting when my bus arrived.

There are two bus companies. The other one goes to the main train station in Lugano and to get to the hotel you simply get on the funicula and go to the bottom.

The hotel is about a 1 minute walk from where you get off of the funicula.

Well, I'm off to bed - it's going to be a bit of a drive tomorrow.

I look forward to meeting you all!

Freddie Jr. and chrissxb will arrive at 10am at Lugano :)

We're on our way now to Stuttgart Train Station. Will be in Lugano at around 3:30 pm, staying at the Holiday Inn.

Looking forward to see you all!

flying from Stuttgart airport is alot faster :p
sitting in AF lounge, waiting for boarding

please ignore that :( after being bussed to the aircraft ops decided not to let us go onboard the aircraft. fog @ mxp. delayed until further notice

Fog at MXP is a very common problem in the winter -- but usually clears up around 11 am.