OMPings

[juldea]

If I can get a ride from Chicago to St. Louis, I can fly to the OMP for $175. I'd have to grab a bus to Providence because the discounted fares are through Southwest, which doesn't fly out of Boston. Possible flights are:

TO:

Thurs. 6:00pm - 7:30pm

Fri. 8:00am - 9:20am

Fri. 10:45am - 2:40pm

FROM:

Mon. 7:35pm - 10:45pm

If not, I can bus there for $158. It's a damn long bus ride (leave Boston 8am Thursday, arrive StL 1pm Friday, leave StL 4:30p Sunday, arrive Boston 8:30p Monday) and involves possibly more missed work (Thurs, Fri, Mon - whereas I wouldn't have to miss Friday if I flew), but sometimes we make sacrifices for the things we enjoy...

Comments

[alendres.livejournal.com]

When I fly internal, I try and ask myself 'how much is my time worth' - when you're comparing a 45 minute flight with an 8 hour train journey, I feel I can spend quite a bit more on the flight!

Also, flying is cool :)

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Well, this is comparing a 2-3 hour flight plus a 6-7 hour car ride to a 30 hour bus ride - ugh! And yet, saving money is my highest priority right now.

I agree that flying is cool. I almost took a job as a flight attendant not that long ago. I'm sad that I won't get to fly, but the money saved...

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

What is this "OMP" thang, anyway? The acronym is unknown to me...

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Official Mud Party.

I assume you know what a MUD is. I have played on one, Three Kingdoms, since (checks) June 1998. The admin throw a yearly party in the summer. I haven't missed one since 99... :)

I have met a lot of close friends through 3k, so this is a very important thing for me. It's the chance to see some friends I only see once a year.

Come to think of it, I wouldn't be in Boston if it weren't for 3k. :)

[waya3k.livejournal.com]

If you take the bus I can pick you up at the bus station and take you to the hotel. I can also take you back to the bus station.

[juldea.livejournal.com]

That is good to know. Thank you. :)

Unfortunately, I think your party conflicts with a knight party that's happening on Friday night, too. I'm not certain, though; it's been a while since that was talked about.

[waya3k.livejournal.com]

Is the knight party at the hotel then or at someone's house?

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Hrm, I think it's either at someone's house or at a restaurant...

[waya3k.livejournal.com]

When you find out let me know. Also who is sponsoring it. Mine isn't guild specific so if they wanted to combine it...who knows

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Ace is the man in charge.

[goldbug.livejournal.com]

something else to consider is that if you ride the bus, you might spend more money on food during the trip. unless you bring food for the whole 30 hours with you.
even i, the self-proclaimed voice of frugality, think that the plane is the better option.
my view is generally that greyhound isn't cheaper enough to make it worth it over flying. i always check their website when i'm planning a long-distance trip, but so far it has never been cheaper enough to truly tempt me.
i've ridden once, a short trip (los angeles to hayward) and that was fine. it was $35 or so, and a 6-7 hour ride. that was much cheaper than a flight would have been, and not much slower, considering the need to arrive early at airports.
so i think it's good for short trips, but not cheaper enough for long ones. and not at all reliable at getting people places on time.

I agree, but feel the need to elaborate

[londo.livejournal.com]

Cost of travelling by bus:
158 dollars.
30 hours of your time
One day's pay over what you would miss by plane

Cost of travelling by plane:
175 dollars
Bus fare to PVD, roughly 10 dollars each way (Bonanza, BTW, has South Station to Providence TF Green buses)
10 hours of your time
Boon to some friend living in Chicago

It is worth also mentioning that a thirty hour bus ride, with another to look forward to, will put you in a shit mood for the OMP. Considering that you only have one a year to go to, and presuming you'd like to have a good time, the plane will be worth the money.

If neither of these options strike your fancy, convince someone else in the Boston area that it's worthwhile to rent a car for a week and drive out to St. Louis. If you are hardcore and rotate so that someone is always driving, it will take a lot less time and you will not have to pay for hotels along the way. Alamo currently has a $120/5 days deal going on, though it expires before the OMP dates. Also, it might be worth talking to veteran Pennsic-goers for travel advice, though take it all with a big grain of salt so you don't slay whatever vehicle you travel in. :)

Re: I agree, but feel the need to elaborate

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Are both of these options too expensive for you to join me? ;)

I've done the long bus ride before (Oklahoma to California). It does not put me in that bad of a mood. AND if I have someone to accompany me, someone I like a lot, it'd be even better.

The problem with the Chicago thing is I don't know of anyone in Chicago that's going. I don't want to end up stranded in Chicago for a weekend...