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Argh, my stomach is still revolting and I hope it will settle down by tomorrow.
Let's see if I can stay at the PC for a while to write this without having to visit the loo every 10 mins...
OK, these thoughts are both good and bad and are in no way meant to insult people, they're just observations of mine. Please keep in mind that the CoC doesn't apply here.
- AA have the oldest and ugliest flight attendants
- LAX was scary, with military people armed with M16s walking around
- US and Cam drinking laws suck. There I was, happy I could drink because I didn't need to drive. On Friday evening, I thought I get a beer from the bar and walk over to the game, and just remembered I couldn't do that, so I had the beer at the bar. The bar at Succubus Club on Saturday night closed at 1:30. One would think that at events like these the hotel could get a late license, it cuts their own profit if they don't. It's different in the UK, you can drink at games (within reason, of course, anyone getting intoxicated would be asked to leave). Most of our venues are function rooms of pubs, so there's always beer on offer and the occasions I have seen someone out of line in the last 4 years I can count on one hand.
- Character wise, the UK can't reach the US in terms of power levels, especially in Mage. This venue is six months old in the US (as old as my character), but there were people with Sphere Levels/Arete of 4 (about 10 from what I've seen) and five or so with 5. Let's say someone starts with Arete of 3, going up to 4 you ned a lot of effort and roleplaying a Seeking, not something that's done in half a year, especially with a new character who needs to find their feet after the Avatar Storm in the first place. Reaching Master level should take years.
Other venues are similar, loads of Elder disciplines about, it was rather scary.
- Everything is a lot bigger in the US. If you think London is big, wait until you get over there. On the other hand, it seems more stretched out and not as compressed.
I was actually surprised by the rather bad quality of the roads, old cracked concrete slabs on the freeway instead of solid tarmac. One would think that LA had a little more money for maintenance.
Another amusing thing: cars. From the shiniest new limousine and the oddest conversions to the oldest heap of scrap metal, held together by string. Most of these would never make it through a European MOT/road safety test...
- A positive surprise was some of the prices. A huge chunk of takeaway pizza straight on Hollywood Blvd. with 4 toppings for $3.50, so about 2 quid. You won't find that in London anywhere, especially not with that quality.
Prices in the hotel were different, though. Well, it was the Hilton at the airport, so that was to be expected, but a can of coke from the vending machine for $1.50 is a bit steep...
- All in all it was a great experience. There weren't really bad things, just inconveniences.
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all those US Cammies, and I made some new friends. Pity it will be a year until I can meet them again.
So, roll on Dallas 2K2. I'm already looking forward to the tour Angela promised and meeting all those people who couldn't make it this year. See you there!
Let's see if I can stay at the PC for a while to write this without having to visit the loo every 10 mins...
OK, these thoughts are both good and bad and are in no way meant to insult people, they're just observations of mine. Please keep in mind that the CoC doesn't apply here.
- AA have the oldest and ugliest flight attendants
- LAX was scary, with military people armed with M16s walking around
- US and Cam drinking laws suck. There I was, happy I could drink because I didn't need to drive. On Friday evening, I thought I get a beer from the bar and walk over to the game, and just remembered I couldn't do that, so I had the beer at the bar. The bar at Succubus Club on Saturday night closed at 1:30. One would think that at events like these the hotel could get a late license, it cuts their own profit if they don't. It's different in the UK, you can drink at games (within reason, of course, anyone getting intoxicated would be asked to leave). Most of our venues are function rooms of pubs, so there's always beer on offer and the occasions I have seen someone out of line in the last 4 years I can count on one hand.
- Character wise, the UK can't reach the US in terms of power levels, especially in Mage. This venue is six months old in the US (as old as my character), but there were people with Sphere Levels/Arete of 4 (about 10 from what I've seen) and five or so with 5. Let's say someone starts with Arete of 3, going up to 4 you ned a lot of effort and roleplaying a Seeking, not something that's done in half a year, especially with a new character who needs to find their feet after the Avatar Storm in the first place. Reaching Master level should take years.
Other venues are similar, loads of Elder disciplines about, it was rather scary.
- Everything is a lot bigger in the US. If you think London is big, wait until you get over there. On the other hand, it seems more stretched out and not as compressed.
I was actually surprised by the rather bad quality of the roads, old cracked concrete slabs on the freeway instead of solid tarmac. One would think that LA had a little more money for maintenance.
Another amusing thing: cars. From the shiniest new limousine and the oddest conversions to the oldest heap of scrap metal, held together by string. Most of these would never make it through a European MOT/road safety test...
- A positive surprise was some of the prices. A huge chunk of takeaway pizza straight on Hollywood Blvd. with 4 toppings for $3.50, so about 2 quid. You won't find that in London anywhere, especially not with that quality.
Prices in the hotel were different, though. Well, it was the Hilton at the airport, so that was to be expected, but a can of coke from the vending machine for $1.50 is a bit steep...
- All in all it was a great experience. There weren't really bad things, just inconveniences.
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all those US Cammies, and I made some new friends. Pity it will be a year until I can meet them again.
So, roll on Dallas 2K2. I'm already looking forward to the tour Angela promised and meeting all those people who couldn't make it this year. See you there!
