Going to LIBS

[Appleyard]

Hi all and a very merry Christmas...We are thinking of visiting around 11-12 Jan. We can fly easily to Luton or Stanstead. Question is..which would be better for getting to and from the show and what would be the best way..(train,bus hire car or what?) An overnight stay is not possible due to work commitments,but we can get a early flight down and late flight back. All advice appreciated.

 

[tcm]

my advice would be to not do libs and go to dusseldorf instead.

To get from luton to libs i sppose you use the rubbish rubish uk public transport system, which probably involves a nasty train to a nasty train station in order to avoid the nasty coach. Either way it's then a ghastly rattly tube to near so-called Tower Gateway where you run across some roads and if you avoid getting killed then another crummy now-ageing noddy train will eventually reach somewhere near the show. Also unlike dusseldorf there won't be any transport system around the show.
The other option is to go by car, but you wll need to know whewre you're going and unless you worked as some sort of cabdriver or transport compnay you'll probably get lost or caught on a speed camera.

The main exhibitors will be from the UK where the name of the game is to supply the lowest priced gear at the highest possible prices, but laughably market everything as though representative of the world market. Not many can manage this, and so every year there are slightly fewer exhibitors. Your best option to win respect from the strangely class-conscious so-calld salewspeople is to dress smartly and be brisk almost to the point of rudeness, as this is seen to indicate vast wealth, whereas if you show interest in boating and an attention to detail you'll be a bit painful. At the "top" end of the market, go to an Oyster and ask if the very obvious A2 screws are lighter or somehow better than A4 screws made of 316 stainless, if the plastic light switches were selected for durability, and admire the way in which every single screw in the teak deck has a visible cludge of teak stopper to cover it. On the powerboats, you'll be impressed - provided you are a fan of allied carpets and buy your electrical applicances from Comet but insist on paying three times their prices.



Bah!

 

[sr04]

fly to London city airport, which is next to Excel on the docks plus you get a great view of london as you fly in/take off along the Thames

 

[Appleyard]

You've talked me out of it!!!!!! We have just worked out what the day would cost and it equates to about 2 weeks cruising . Guess which we prefer.

 

[vyv_cox]

But don't ignore the advice about Dusseldorf. If you can get cheap flights it's a 15 minute tram ride from the railway station to the exhibition halls, cost included in the entry ticket which you can buy in the station. Airport to station is a short journey. The show is unbelievable, three halls of chandlery alone, total of 15 halls when we last went, one each on fishing, canoeing, sub-aqua and sailboards. A fantastic experience and probably lower cost than going to Libs. Excellent bargains and no language problems.

 

[Appleyard]

Thanks...will have a look.

 

[Bergman]

But where do I go to be able to catch an aeroplane to London City.

 

[DaveS]

There are certainly flights from Edinburgh. Not sure about Newcastle - maybe.

 

[Shanty]

According to this: London City Airport Destinations there are flight s from Newcastle and Manchester.

 

[colvic987]

Hi, have you tried the irish boat show at the rds in dublin, we have been for the past 3 years, its not to the expectations of the libs, but its a good weekend, we go from holyhead to dun leri (not the correct spelling, only phonetic), then on the dart to the rds. you might be able to get a ferry over to belfast and train down to dublin, or fly into dublin.
They do have a website, try irish boat show or rds, the dates are wed to sun, 14/18 feb...

and the craic's good...