THURSDAY, AUGUST 29TH – BRUSSELS TO LONDON/BEDFORD, UK:
We met in the lobby at 11 am to head to the train station for our trip to London. As I was giving everyone their train tickets and Work Visas, I realized I didn’t have a ticket for Randy Hall. Panicked for a minute thinking we had not booked him a flight. But, I was able to go back to an old email and find it. After several different attempts, the front desk was able to print for me. Our drivers were there right on time with the two large vans and we left right on time.
Since I had done re-con yesterday, I knew where to take everyone for check in. That part went smoothly. Then we had to put our huge suitcases on the conveyor belt to go through security scanning. It was fine to take as many “liquids” through as you wanted but knives were prohibited. Several of the guys lost their pocket knives to the agents but they never saw my Swiss Army Knife in my bag!
Next stop was Immigration which was really cool that we could clear UK Immigration before we left Brussels instead of when we arrive London. It took quite a while but everything worked out fine. We had almost an hour to wait before we were allowed to board. Thankfully there was an agent working right outside the car we were assigned too and he helped me lift my suitcase onto the train. There was plenty of room in the baggage compartment inside for all our luggage. When I checked a couple of hours earlier, I was given a yellow slip saying my seat assignment had bee changed. But, it was the one I thought I had reserved so I didn’t think much about it. Just as I stepped into my seat, a man told me I was in his seat! I told him I had a slip saying my seat had changed and asked him if I could see his boarding pass. He was in the WRONG Car!
We got settled in and since I didn’t eat breakfast, I wanted to go to the Dining Car pretty quickly. We were in Car 3 and the little café was located in Car 8. Not so far to walk but the rocking and rolling of the train made it necessary to hang on to each seat. David, Derrek and I made our way through the cars and I have to say David was the “winner” on that walk. He travels by bus enough to have his “bus legs”! I got a hummus wrap and it was excellent.
When we got back to our seats, they had brought “lunch” by for us. I forgot that we got a “meal” because we purchased business class tickets! But after looking at what they got, I was happy with my hummus wrap.
Derrek filmed some individual interviews and the two hours passed much too quickly. Getting off the train was interesting because we had so much luggage and everyone was crowding past us. We quickly found out pick-up point and I called our driver – Ahmed. I told him where we were and gave him the building we were standing in front of but he went to the wrong location. I was able to walk to where he was and direct him to us. We had two passenger vans and one cargo van. I had emailed our festival host a couple of days ago and included a “map” showing where Euro Train Despatch was located so she could advise the drivers where we needed to go to pick up the equipment.
Ahmed had his own ideas which did not match mine about how that was going to work. First of all, he had no idea where to go even though he had received the map. He said he lived 80 km from London and didn’t know where anything was there! I asked him if he knew how to read a map! I got in the cargo van with him and the other two vans followed. We went to where we “thought” it might be about 2 blocks away but it was not the right location. Two men were walking past us and I rolled down the window and asked them. They told me to go ask the security guard a few feet from us. I started to get out and Ahmed said, “No. I have GPS”. I just looked at him and said “really”? I went to talk to the Security Guard and got directions for the Despatch Office which was on the same block we had just left!
I told Ahmed where to go but when we got to the traffic signal, he said he couldn’t turn right. I told him to just do it anyway but he refused. So I told him I was getting out and going to make sure where the office was located and he should go somewhere and turn around and come back…of course with the other 2 vans still following him!
I found the office and stood on the sidewalk waiting for him. He finally got turned around in all the traffic and made it back. Then his van was too tall to fit through the entrance! I got the guys out of the other van and we went inside to collect all the equipment. But Despatch had cart pulled by a Gator and brought it all the way to the van for us. Ahmed departed for Kimbolton Castle with the gear and our two vans departed for our hotel in Bedford. It is hot in London and I quickly realized the air conditioning in the van did not work. Only warm air was coming out of the vents. We were stuck in London traffic and it was sweltering. We finally made it out onto an interstate and it cooled of a little but within a few minutes, we hit bumper to bumper traffic there as well. About 30 minutes from our hotel, we stopped for a toilet break (which I had needed 2 hours prior!). The musicians in the other van arrived at the hotel before we did.
Once we arrived at the hotel, the driver pulled up to a Hair and Beauty Salon and parked. He started to unload all our bags and I had to stop him and tell him we were not at the entrance to the hotel!
We got checked in and quickly went to the restaurant to have dinner before they closed. They had a really good menu for a restaurant in the UK. We have joked for days that unless we can find an Indian restaurant, we will not have any good food here.
After dinner we all went to David’s room to film a really funny segment for the Reality Show. Then I came back to my room to work until 3 am again!
Performance tomorrow is on the grounds of Kimbolton Castle!
Jude
FRIDAY, AUGUST 30TH – PERFORMANCE AT “COUNTRY AT THE CASTLE” – KIMBOLTON CASTLE, HUNTINGDONSHIRE, CAMBRIDGESHIRE, ENGLAND, UK:
Started out my morning trying to get in touch with the festival staff regarding some changes to today’s itinerary. While I was waiting for them to call me back, I went online to check everyone in for tomorrow’s flights on Swiss Air from London Heathrow to Zurich. My travel agent had entered all the info on everyone including the seat assignment. When I was finally able to log in, none of the info was there and everyone had been moved from the seats requested. They had us all sitting together in a few rows with lots of us in middle seats! I was able to change the seats back and get everyone checked in.
Festival staff got in touch with me and we sorted everything out. I left with the guys at 1:00 pm to go over for sound check. I’ve contacted all the buyers to let them know that we only need 1 ½ hours for sound check instead of 3 hours as scheduled because Tim brought his rack and mixes Front of House and Monitors from his iPad. It’s a “game-changer”!!!!
Edward (who works for Kimbolton School) picked us up in a nice school van and drove us for about 30 minutes to the venue. Such a nice man! The castle is breath-taking inside and outside. The grounds are immaculate and the stage is set on the front lawn. It’s all absolutely beautiful.
I finally got to meet the I’ve been working closely with Derek, Natashia, Louise, Mark, Melinda, Clare, and lots of others. The stage was set up and ready for the guys to sound check. I checked out the interior of the castle and learned that is lots of priceless art. Also the ghost of Catherine of Aragon the first wife of Henry the Eighth is said to haunt the Headmaster’s office. We had to turn on our Ghost Radar app and it did not disappoint us. I walked around and checked out the dressing room and green room areas and then stopped by to introduce myself to Ashley Campbell. She is performing today and I have her on the Country Gold Concert in Japan in October. She is really sweet and very talented!
I had some sandwiches taken to the stage for the guys to eat and they finished sound check in 1 ½ hours as predicted. We went back to the hotel and I got in a little bit of work before leaving for the venue again with everyone at 6 pm. Derrek got some great photos today with his drone at the castle. The weather was perfect – probably in the mid to high 50’s. Such a welcome break from the heat in Belgium!
We left the hotel on time to drive back out to the venue. The Bellamys wanted to get there early to film a short segment with Ashley for their Reality Show. She was supposed to play banjo, too, but there was some miscommunication and the banjo was already on stage. Afterwards, the Bellamys had to do two interviews and a “Meet and Greet”. Our long-time dear friends – Brian and Sue Gibbon – came to the show and we got to visit with them for a long time before the performance. The show was running about 10 minutes late but they finally took the stage and the audience response was fantastic! They played for 90 minutes plus an encore. There is an 11 pm “curfew” at this venue and their set ended a few minutes before that. Unfortunately, I was too busy with the Bellamys to watch any of Ashley’s show and I really wanted to see it. Will have to wait until Japan now.
The festival provided a van and driver (Alan) for our equipment and he took it home with him and was going to be back at our hotel by 7 am tomorrow morning to pick up the luggage and follow the passenger van to the airport. The festival provided pizza for the guys after the show and then we headed back to the hotel. Edward took a shorter route this time and we were there in about 15 minutes.
I had great plans to NOT answer email and just get in bed early since I have to get up at 5 am. But, I heard a really light knock on my door – so light I wasn’t sure if someone was knocking on my door or one next to me. I looked through the peephole and there was Derrek. When I opened the door, he said he has lost his phone. I KNOW what a terrible feeling that is. I called our van driver because that’s where he thought he left it but only got voice mail. I called Alan and asked him if anyone was still on the festival grounds who could look for it. I gave him Derrek’s cell number so they could call it. I had already called it and it rang several times and went to voice mail which means it is turned on. Only problem is, he thinks it is on vibrate. Derek (from the festival) called me back a few minutes later. They had gotten in touch with Edward and he found it in his van. He was driving it back over to Derrek! We were both so relieved!
I did get in bed at 1 am and did not get any emails answered or this road report written before I went to sleep. It was a really great festival with super nice, professional staff who were all such a pleasure to work with!!!
Jude
SATURDAY, AUGUST 31ST, 2019 – BEDFORD, UK TO ZURICH, SWITZERLAND:
Five am came way too quickly. I was in the lobby by 6:35 am and Alan was already there with the van was already there for the luggage. The passenger van came a little later and it’s the same company we that picked us up. Fortunately, this driver knew how to find Terminal Two at Heathrow. He had brought a larger passenger van but there was absolutely NO room between the seats – even less than on a small airline. Made for a pretty miserable drive. He said it would take about 2 hours but traffic was light and we thought it would only take 1 ½ hours. But less than a mile before we reached Heathrow, the traffic stopped. Took us another 20 minutes just to get to the Terminal. Alan helped us find some carts and we found the correct check-in desk. As we were standing in line, I realized I didn’t have my rolling duffle with my laptop in it! Major panic attack!!! Susan had it because I had left it on the curb outside where we arrived. Jeez! A really nice lady checked all of us in and when it was Rocky’s turn, he turned on the charm and told her the group is The Bellamy Brothers. She didn’t immediately recognize the name so he said, “Let Your Love Flow” ad she flipped out. She also said she was going to reduce our excess costs. I had Howard and David come over and take a photo with her.
As I was checking in the last person and the rest of the group were waiting for us to finish, this young guy walked up to a trash can beside us, opened up a huge duffle bag, and started taking everything out and putting it in the trash can. We were all standing around with out mouths open and he turned around to David and Susan and said, “I’m not crazy. I have to fly to Aberdeen and the machine rejected my credit card so I can’t pay to check my bag!” I was busy finishing up the check-in and didn’t see the rest of the saga but David said he also left his duffle bag by the trash can. He asked what time it was and realized he had already missed his flight to Aberdeen. Susan felt sorry for him and gave him 100 pounds! We think maybe he was off his meds. I wish he had just gone to the ticket counter and talked to someone about his problem instead of throwing all his clothes and shoes away!!
I knew the security check was going to be thorough but didn’t realize just how thorough. I actually made it through just fine but only because I took everything out of my rolling duffle except for my laptop and plugs. I checked all my liquids. They searched the carry on bags that Howard, David and Susan had and confiscated Howard’s cough syrup. They confiscated a really old container of Carmex Lip Balm from David, but Susan was another story. She had lots of makeup and liquids in both her carry on bags and none of them were in the plastic bags. She was there for over 30 minutes while they bagged things up and searched through every compartment. She said there was 3 shift changes while she was there! I went to the restroom and also got us some water for the flight and when I came back, she was still there.
Once they finally let her go, we went to a really good restaurant for breakfast. Out gate was not going to be announced until 11:20 and we were supposed to board at 11:40. Once it was announced, we were lucky that is was only a short walk from where we were. I really, really hate going through Heathrow!
I was in the aisle seat and Howard was in the window seat and we lucked up because no one sat in the middle seat between us. It was an hour and forty minute flight and I think we all slept most of the way. Landed on time and all our bags arrived. I called Albert (our long time friend) who was picking us up and he met us out front with two passenger vans and a cargo van. It was a short 25 minute drive to the hotel.
We have stayed at this hotel several times and I had given all the promoters a “rooming list” with special requirements. One of those was if the hotel is not air conditioned, then each room has to be provided with a fan (ventilator). This hotel is not air conditioned and the front desk clerk assured me that fans were in each room. When we got to our rooms, there were no fans and it was incredibly hot. I went back down to the desk and she said she would check on the fans but that 6 of the 9 rooms were air conditioned! We were all on the same floor, so I started checking with the others. Rocky and Jim said their room was definitely air conditioned and felt great. Mine, David and Susan’s, and Tim’s were not working. Since Jim is terrific at “fixing” things, he went to work on the air conditioners while I tried to get the front desk clerk to call in their technician. She said she called him and he said he could not do anything until Monday!
Jim fixed my unit but every time he turned on the Compressor for David and Susan’s, it kicked the electricity off on the entire floor. Jim had located the fuse box and was able to turn it back on, but that didn’t help with the problem. The front desk came up with a couple more fans but still didn’t have enough for everyone. She also told me that the hotel is completely sold out. I had Albert call all the hotels in Lenzburg to see if they had a vacant room that was air conditioned. He finally found one and we drove over to look at it. A young girl was working the front desk and she didn’t even know the cost of the room. She said, “It’s won’t cost more than 200 CHF per night”! I had her take us up to the room and it was HOT. There were no vents anywhere in the room which quickly told me it was not air-conditioned. I was really hoping to find a room where David and Susan could move.
I went downstairs and had dinner with the guys. The one really great thing about this hotel is, they have fantastic food! I had a veal with some kind of pasta and it was the best food I’ve had since leaving Nashville.
I came back to my room to work and Galen called me around 9 pm. He said he has to open his window because of the lack of air conditioning but the smoking section was right outside his window. I told him the hotel is completely sold out but suggested he go down and tell the front desk clerk his problem and see if he had better luck charming her than I did. He knocked on my door a few minutes later and had a key to a new room. Go figure!
Talked to Zac and Zoe for a few minutes. They won their soccer game today. Sure do miss them. Only one more week from Monday!
Jude