We have arrived in one piece and with all our belongings intact. In all it was a very good day without any serious problems. There was, however, a huge debacle with the seating allocations on the flight, but more of that in a moment.
Saturday 30th July:
The coach departed Harwich, Essex at 8am then headed to Wix for the second pick up at 8.30am. Amazingly for Harwich band everyone arrived at the requested time (even one couple who found their car clamped outside their own home that morning!). With the coach fully loaded off it goes to Heathrow.
8.15am Portsmouth band members started getting the knock on their front doors as the minibus which would transport them and the van that would carry their luggage and instruments made the rounds. By 9am they were heading up the M3 to Heathrow where they met Harwich band in zone "F".
We all proceeded into the terminal to be checked in. This was straight forward enough with our instruments being loaded onto the plane separate from our cases. Nearly all travellers managed to keep their cases within the regulated 23kg allowance, all bar one, but after he "chatted up" the desk clerk the bag was loaded on without any further difficulties. We then headed through security without problems. After a short stay inside the terminal we made our way to the gate and then onto the plane. This is where we noticed the only real annoyance of the whole journey. You would have thought that when you made a joint booking for 51 people you would get a group of seats all together; apparently, however, not when you travel with Virgin Atlantic. We had people scattered all about the plane from row 35 at the front of the “economy” section, back to 65, the last row on the plance. It was a joke and not a very funny one, especially when some of us were sat seats from anyone else they knew. A complaint will be made. But let’s not let that ruin our day. The flight was smooth with next to no turbulence and at 5.40pm (10.40pm GMT) we touched down on American soil. We had a long wait to get though passport control, but spent very little time in comparison when we collected our baggage. So, once reunited with all our luggage, we head out of the airport to be greeted by our main contact in the USA and by our coach. The coach is loaded up with suitcases and our van loaded with instruments. A quick head count made on the coach. We’d made it, every last man, woman and child!
The 2 hour coach trip from the airport to our present location, the Ambassador Hotel, South Yarmouth, MA, was I can only assume a pretty ordinary journey as most of the people on the coach were asleep.
We arrived at the hotel at 9pm local time, eighteen hours after leaving our homes, and were greeted by the Harwich Town Tour Commitee's welcoming party who gave us our room keys. From there we went our own separate ways. Some went to find food and others straight to their rooms to sleep. It had been a long day!
Sunday, 31 July 2011
Friday, 29 July 2011
Zero Hour!
Today is the day! The count down is over; new clothes have been bought; bags have been packed - weighed and then repacked to meet the Airline's strict weight limits. Instruments have been cleaned, lubricated and polished and all the hard work that has been put in over the last two years has come to fruition! The hours spent fund raising, the hours spent organising concerts, accommodation, transport and all the events we're going to be doing State-side, but now this is it, Zero Hour!
At 8am (GMT) a coach, laden with suitcases, instruments, music and all the other paraphernalia that is associated with a brass band tour of this nature and magnitude will depart from Harwich, Essex, and wing its way down the A120, A12 and round the M25 to Heathrow.
At the same time, down on the south coast, the Victory RBL Bandsmen and Women from Porstmouth, Hampshire, will be rubbing the sleep from their eyes as they too jump into cars and minibuses and head north to meet Harwich RBL at the aforementioned Airport, just off Junction 15 on the M25.
Timings have been arranged with military precision. At 11am will we all come together for the first time since the Bands’ social weekend in May. From there, bags will be checked in (the extra baggage fee having been waived for our instruments (Thank you very much Virgin Atlantic!)). We will pass through security and then who knows? Maybe a quiet pint, a bite to eat or a bit of duty free shopping while we wait for the call signalling the opening of our gate! Then onward…..To America!!
At 8am (GMT) a coach, laden with suitcases, instruments, music and all the other paraphernalia that is associated with a brass band tour of this nature and magnitude will depart from Harwich, Essex, and wing its way down the A120, A12 and round the M25 to Heathrow.
At the same time, down on the south coast, the Victory RBL Bandsmen and Women from Porstmouth, Hampshire, will be rubbing the sleep from their eyes as they too jump into cars and minibuses and head north to meet Harwich RBL at the aforementioned Airport, just off Junction 15 on the M25.
Timings have been arranged with military precision. At 11am will we all come together for the first time since the Bands’ social weekend in May. From there, bags will be checked in (the extra baggage fee having been waived for our instruments (Thank you very much Virgin Atlantic!)). We will pass through security and then who knows? Maybe a quiet pint, a bite to eat or a bit of duty free shopping while we wait for the call signalling the opening of our gate! Then onward…..To America!!
Friday, 22 July 2011
Beyond Europe...
Since 2000 the Harwich Royal British Legion Brass Band has been representing Brass Bands and British Culture on various tours and events in Europe. It is an amazing thing to take part in festivals such as the Europeade - where we have the opportunity to meet other cultures and people, making new friends and getting to show off all things British. It is also a wonderful experience to perform at these occasions, whether it's just on a side street in the middle of the day entertaining passers-by, or on a big stage playing to hundreds of people.
The band predominantly perform in the North East Essex area, but also participate in other UK based workshops. It was at one of these British Legion run workshops that we developed close ties with the RBL Victory Brass Band based in Portsmouth, Hampshire (www.rblvictorybrass.co.uk). With whom we have enjoyed a good number of joint ventures over the last five years both in Portsmouth and Harwich alike.
But then, in 2008 one of the Harwich Band's members had an idea! Why not take all the things that we try to represent; the British culture, British brass banding and our British heritage - basically our British-ness, beyond Europe?
Having taken a few destination suggestions from other band members and looked into any connection the British Legion may have with other countries the United States of America seemed like the best choice.
Because the American people are deeply patriotic and proud of their own heritage it was felt they would appreciate and, hopefully, even enjoy the quaintness of a Brass Band and the British Culture.
The first seeds were sown. Harwich USA was typed in to Google. There had to be a link as The Mayflower was originally a cargo ship based in Harwich, Essex, before being the vessel the Pilgrim Fathers used to make their way across the Atlantic.
There was no surprise when Google threw out Harwich, Massachusetts. An e-mail was composed and sent to the Chambers of Commerce and Guildhall in Harwich MA and the connection was made - the Mayflower clearly being the Ice-Breaker.
Our good friends from Victory Brass Band were also invited to join us in this ambitious task (organising a tour lasting for 16 days in a country over 5000miles away is no mean feat!).
Needless to say after many meetings, suggestions and a few setbacks along the way the final plans were finally in place.
Through the Harwich, M.A. Chamber of Commerce we were put in contact with the Harwich Town Band and two joint concerts have been arranged. As we are travelling with our Portsmouth friends it also seemed a good idea to visit Portsmouth, New Hampshire and from there we're heading south, dropping by New York and then on to Washington DC.
Over 750 days after the initial idea. Many hours spent on the phone and hundreds of e-mails, things are now set in stone and we are off to the New World with Victory Brass Band. Even Her Majesty the Queen sends us her warm wishes.
The band predominantly perform in the North East Essex area, but also participate in other UK based workshops. It was at one of these British Legion run workshops that we developed close ties with the RBL Victory Brass Band based in Portsmouth, Hampshire (www.rblvictorybrass.co.uk). With whom we have enjoyed a good number of joint ventures over the last five years both in Portsmouth and Harwich alike.
But then, in 2008 one of the Harwich Band's members had an idea! Why not take all the things that we try to represent; the British culture, British brass banding and our British heritage - basically our British-ness, beyond Europe?
Having taken a few destination suggestions from other band members and looked into any connection the British Legion may have with other countries the United States of America seemed like the best choice.
Because the American people are deeply patriotic and proud of their own heritage it was felt they would appreciate and, hopefully, even enjoy the quaintness of a Brass Band and the British Culture.
The first seeds were sown. Harwich USA was typed in to Google. There had to be a link as The Mayflower was originally a cargo ship based in Harwich, Essex, before being the vessel the Pilgrim Fathers used to make their way across the Atlantic.
There was no surprise when Google threw out Harwich, Massachusetts. An e-mail was composed and sent to the Chambers of Commerce and Guildhall in Harwich MA and the connection was made - the Mayflower clearly being the Ice-Breaker.
Our good friends from Victory Brass Band were also invited to join us in this ambitious task (organising a tour lasting for 16 days in a country over 5000miles away is no mean feat!).
Needless to say after many meetings, suggestions and a few setbacks along the way the final plans were finally in place.
Through the Harwich, M.A. Chamber of Commerce we were put in contact with the Harwich Town Band and two joint concerts have been arranged. As we are travelling with our Portsmouth friends it also seemed a good idea to visit Portsmouth, New Hampshire and from there we're heading south, dropping by New York and then on to Washington DC.
Over 750 days after the initial idea. Many hours spent on the phone and hundreds of e-mails, things are now set in stone and we are off to the New World with Victory Brass Band. Even Her Majesty the Queen sends us her warm wishes.
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