Resumé: Berlin One Challenge 13/10/07

[andybarton]

There has been some discussion here over the past few days with regards to the "One Challenge", so a "resumé" thread is timely.

The "One Challenge", an idea started by Bill Palmer back in 2004, has become an annual event in the Leica User Group European Calendar. So far, we have been to London, Amsterdam and Paris with Berlin being the venue for this year's gathering. It is really an excuse for a bit of a social gathering amongst members and their spouses (sometimes!), but with a purpose. In 2006, some entrants were also able to meet in the evening for a meal and a glass or two, and, if possible, we would like to organise something similar this year. A "house menu" of around €30 - €40 has been mooted, and subject to numbers, we will try to organise something as good as last year.

The rules for the One Challenge have been deliberately kept simple.

People who take up the One Challenge have two hours, after lunch and paying an entry fee of €10, to shoot one roll of film (or 36 digital shots, on a trust basis), using only one lens and one camera body. If 36 shots haven't been taken in the two hours, then shooting for the One Challenge must stop. One shot, the best of the 36, is then submitted to the organiser (me this year) who will then post the entries anonymously for voting on by the whole membership of the Forum.

The shot with the most votes will win the entry fee.

The full rules are here: One Challenge Berlin 2007.pdf

This is not the first thread relating to the One Challenge 2007, so I have collated a list of those who have already expressed an interest:

Everyone is welcome!

Probables/Definites

Andy Barton
Bill Palmer
Carl Bretteville
Christoph Dobrusskin
AlexEs
Brian Spylaw
James Earley
Steve Unsworth
Michael Boylan
Robert Parker
Philippe Octo
Pascal Méheut
Rona|d_Schmidt
Iron Flatline
John Driffill
Tim Delbeck
William Palank
Carsten Whimster
john howarth

Possibles

Michael Opel
K.G. Wolf
Anthony Hardwick
Erlandson
Hsin CHOU
Stefan S.
JC Braconi
Robert Stevens
Ravi Bindra
Guy Walder

Off the wall and on the other side of the worlds

Imants

Expressing an interest in an evening meal

Andy Barton x2
Bill Palmer
Carl Bretteville x2
Steve Unsworth
Robert Parker
Iron Flatline
John Driffill
Carsten Whimster
John Howarth x2

(That's 12 so far)

[carstenw]

Looks great! Confirming my presence.

[stunsworth]

Looking forward to meeting you Carsten.

Should we be expecting someone from The Guardian I ask myself. There's an article here...

Best of the net | Travel | The Guardian

...about a newly launched Easy Jet holiday site, and it included the following text...

"We had a quick look at Berlin in early October, for instance, and immediately found a two-night deal (flights, taxes and accommodation) starting at just £82.82pp for a hostel in Prenzlauer Berg and just £104pp for the far more salubrious Park Hotel in Mitte."

Not only the right dates, and the right city, but the location of the afternoon meeting <grin>

[spylaw4]

Count me in for the evening meal as well Andy.

[Tim Delbeck]

Ok, i'll be there for lunch and 'the one'

[andybarton]

Originally Posted by stunsworth

Looking forward to meeting you Carsten.

Should we be expecting someone from The Guardian I ask myself. There's an article here...

Best of the net | Travel | The Guardian

...about a newly launched Easy Jet holiday site, and it included the following text...

"We had a quick look at Berlin in early October, for instance, and immediately found a two-night deal (flights, taxes and accommodation) starting at just £82.82pp for a hostel in Prenzlauer Berg and just £104pp for the far more salubrious Park Hotel in Mitte."

Not only the right dates, and the right city, but the location of the afternoon meeting <grin>

I couldn't find anything so cheap on the site (as is usual with these sprat to catch mackerel headlines), but there is some good value stuff on there. Bookings must be down...

Worth bookmarking. Thanks.

[andybarton]

Been having an off-forum chat about the Challenge, and it seems to be a good idea to arrange the venue for 2008's Challenge in a true open and democratic manner, while at lunch at this one.

It would be helpful if those who are interested bring along some venue thoughts to start us off.

[stunsworth]

I stayed at a Park Hotel when I was in Hall In Tirol - I assume it's a chain, excellent if a little more expensive than I normally pay.

The room even had a laptop in it to access the internet. Mind you it was chained to the table, perhaps they thought I was from Liverpool.

[cbretteville]

Confirming the Mrs ans my self. Don't know if she'll enter The Challenge, but lunch is on for both as well as the fun on Saturday evening. (A weekend away without the kids is not something one gives up quickly.)

Cheers from rainy Norway,
- Carl

[ejd]

I'm planning to be in Berlin for the 'One Challenge'. I would like to join the party for dinner. The proposed cost is fine with me. I'm looking forward to it! All the best, John

[azzo]

There is a possibility !

Azzo

[andybarton]

Good man!

[spylaw4]

By my count so far we seem to have 19 definites and 11 possibles! Quite a party!

I'm seriously considering travelling by rail: London - Berlin. Comparing the cost with the most convenient flight times on Air Berlin it's about the same, and anyway I fancy the adventure!

[andybarton]

That's interesting, Brian.

When I priced the rail fare to Berlin, it was around £400. SleazyJet was less than a hundred...

I'd be interested to see how you get on

[stunsworth]

My Easy Jet fare is £69 return - which is probably less than it would cost to travel from Manchester to Birmingham and back by train.

[spylaw4]

Oh I agree that EJ is cheaper - but from Luton?!! Bleagh!

Working the various rail sites I reckon (to be confirmed Monday) that the return would be £260 with reserved seats from London - Brussels - Cologne - Berlin which appears to be the routing. There are some great bargains on the German rail system.! And think of the photo opportunities!

[earleygallery]

I'm not finding any of these cheap fares/deals A search on Opodo brought up return fares of over £1000!

Can anyone suggest which area of Berlin is best to look for a hotel, i.e. near our start point/city centre?

[andybarton]

James

Easyjet from Luton (bleagh... )have flights at around £30 each way for the Friday / Saturday (Go out 7 am Friday, come back 10 pm Sunday = £65 all in)

Air Berlin, from Stanstead, are €174 all in return.

BA is £110 return

We have booked into the Hotel Angleterre, near Checkpoint Charlie, through Expedia. We got a suite (oooaoooh!!) for about a hundred quid a night. (Never had a suite before )

Also, have a look at Easyjet's new "holidays" section, as there are some bargains to be had there.

[stunsworth]

Hi James I'm booked into the Hotel Jurine Berlin Mitte, which looks to be about 10-15 minutes walk away from the lunchtime meeting place - it also only involves 1 change on public transport from the airport. I'm paying just under £55 a night - for which I'm certainly not expecting a suite like Baron Barton.

No doubt staying so close the the beer garden will mean I'll be tempted to sample it's products on Friday night <grin>

[earleygallery]

Andy, Steve, thanks for the info I'll have another search later today. I think its time I booked!

I'm trying to fly from Gatwick as its so convenient for me - I know it will cost more but I'm happy to pay up to about £50 more for good flight times from Gatwick, as it would cost me nearly that in petrol/parking to go from Luton or Stanstead.