New contract. New headaches started already:)

[luckykaa]

So, I have a contract offer.  

It's with Sony in Brussels.  So I guess I should probably take it.  

Wondering if I know anyone there.  I think my closest friend to there is in Antwerp.  Also it's been a long time since I met her and back then she was wearing a pink wig.

€55 an hour is a really good rate.  And I won't be maintaining a place in Brighton.  Commuting once a week simply wouldn't be worth it.  Downside is that I'd be moving away from Brighton, and have to go through the immense hassle of finding somewhere to live.  Plus I've accumulated several years worth of junk so I'll need somewhere to store it.  (Anyone want a rocket pack (non-functional)?  Extended loan of a sewing machine?)

Looked at flights to Brussels.  Seems there aren't any direct flights from Gatwick.  Getting to Heathrow is such a pain.  Wondering if the train is a more convenient way of travelling.  Sadly, I'll most likely be travelling up on a Sunday when there's no direct service to St Pancras from Brighton.  

Comments

[tictactoepony.livejournal.com]

Probably not much help, but... I did once hear of a chap lived in Brussels, took Eurostar to commute to the UK to work over in Thames Valley Park on a daily basis (and got a lot of reading done).

You could investigate Eurostar maybe?

[xenaclone.livejournal.com]

Storage = try a self storage facility.

Cheap flights to Brussels = Easyjet?
Also look at coach travel?

[luckykaa.livejournal.com]

I think I'm actually happy to pay the extra to not use easyJet. Convenience matters more than price for me. Also Easyjet doesn't seem to fly from London to Belgium. Have a choice of Brussels Airlines or BA.

Flight from Gatwick: Get on direct train to Gatwick airport from Preston Park station (down the road from me). Gatwick Airport has its own station. Sadly there are no flights from here.

Train: Slowish train service from station down the road from me. Takes me to St Pancras. Connect to Eurostar. Only works during the week though. Weekends I need to get from London Bridge or Victoria to St. Pancras.

Flight via Easyjet: Actually they don't seem to go to Brussels.

Flight from Heathrow: Get to Heathrow airport. This is either a 1 hour drive (and need to do something with my car), a coach ride (need to get to the coach station a mile and a half away), or train (change at Victoria, tube to connect with Picadilly line, and go the rest of the way there). It's a real pain to get there.

[the-smut-fairy.livejournal.com]

Doesn't Eurostar stop in Ashford sometimes? Or is that even less convenient? I personally find trains to be the easiest way of getting to those parts of the continent (have done business trips to Lyon entirely by rail, it was lovely), and they can be faster than the planes, depending how much of a faff it is to get to and from airports.

Alternatively, do you fancy taking the car with you at all? 'cos, you know, it's ferry/tunnel shuttle and less than a couple of hours' drive on the other side.

Storage: are your parents any good for that sort of thing? Seriously, the amount of stuff I keep at my mum's house...

And I seem to have lost track of where you're working at the moment; where are you now, and when's the Brussels job start?

[luckykaa.livejournal.com]

Thought there might be something to this. Turns out there's no convenient south coast route to Ashford.

It was a lot more convenient when Eurostar went from Waterloo.

[luckykaa.livejournal.com]

Ah yes - storage is easy enough to deal with.

Currently I'm working in Welwyn Garden City, with frequent excursions to Bristol. Although that will be for another couple of weeks.

[the-smut-fairy.livejournal.com]

See, there's ceroc on Tuesday nights next to Great Portland Street tube, and you really should come join me there some time while you're still able.

[tanisafan.livejournal.com]

Haha, hi!

I would definitely recommend the Eurostar instead of a flight, it lands you smack in the middle of Brussels, whereas you'd have to take another train from the airport to the city itself and they have a tendency to be crowded, old and... well, did I mention crowded? The Eurostar takes exactly 2hrs, with 30mins for check-in/customs, so it would also be faster than flying.

If you do move to Brussels, let me know and I'll come hang some time! I also have a close friend who works in the city so she can probably suggest some good places to eat/drink :D.

[luckykaa.livejournal.com]

Aha! You managed to work out the subtle clues I dropped about who you are:)

Eurostar is faster, but getting to St Pancras International isn't noticably easier than getting to Heathrow. The office is right by the airport. Although I guess I'll be looking for somewhere to stay at first, and I'm sure there has to be good public transport from the station tot he airport.

I like trains better than planes, so all else being equal I'll take the train. I always travel to Glasgow by rail because I like the relaxation and the leg room.