Europe meet-up. Would you be interested?

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May I ask - why is this event being exclusively attached to WP? Surely everyone on the spectrum should be invited.

Because we are organising it on WP not on an independent website and because no separate association has been formed yet which could take responsibility for group bookings, deposits, insurance, etc.

But in fact anyone who reads the thread can arrange to come along. They would not even need to be a member of WP because the thread is not on the Member's Only Forum.

But Wrong Planet is acting as the base, and until the event gains enough momentum to make it worth forming an association to run it and creating a web page, etc, it is a WP meet-up.

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Setting up a webpage would be a really good idea for these kind of things. It really would not take too much effort for someone to do and would make it a lot easier to organise future events.

True, but it requires a volunteer to do it. (nobody volunteered yet, but hopefully someone will. if not for this year, then maybe for 2010).

Avignon also has several camping sites, so people can stay there as well.
Some of them are close to the center of town:
Camping du Pont d'Avignon, 10 chemin de la Barthelasse 84000 Avignon: http://www.camping-avignon.com/
Ribox, 250 rue du Petit Gigognan 84000 Avignon.
GDV, chemin de Courtine 84000 Avignon.
Camping le Deux Rhone, Chemin de Bellegrade, Ile de la Barthelasse, 84000 Avignon: http://www.camping2rhone.com/
Campéoles Les, Quartier Ilon, 30400 Villeneuve lès Avignon: http://www.campeole.com/

I would volunteer to make a website for future events, though it would seem a little hypocritical to make one now given I am not going to this event. Given you seem very into such things, if you have the skills it would be brilliant if you made a website designed for this event and future events. It would be amazing to have a site that all aspies can consult to find our when all events are, and get an email when the list is updated.

Go on then - if you want it, you do it!! !! And while you're asking, why should it be exclusively for those on the spectrum, eh? Let's invite the WHOLE WORLD :=)

To answre your question, the idea for this meetup was ALWAYS a handful of people who know each other from WP, but are scattered across Europe, meeting up somewhere pleasant to hang out in cafes for a few days.

You're idea is a good idea, but not in the spirit of this meetup. WP user names are at least something to know someone by, rather than meeting up with a bunch of total strangers, which I don't think anyone wants?

Having said that, we've seen from this one that it's a real challenge to get spectrum people to meet up at all. Out of 25,000 WP members, only 25 or so expressed any interest and only 6 of those so far are actually going.

It's not because it's been kept quiet. Looking at the thread views shows that for a while this was one the most viewed threads on WP! It does seem crazy that only 6 people out of maybe 5,000 European WP members are interested in a weekend in beautiful Avignon in May.

By definition, spectrum members are not those who thrive in large groups and big crowds. My guess is that's why there's so few taken this up. An "AS Meetup" is almost an oxymoron. The thought of meeting even 10 new people is enough to put many off. If you want a bigger event, there's already Autscape in the UK and I'm sure there are equivalents in other countries. If that's not big enough, there's always the Glastonbury Festival. It's a part of human nature, and reading back through this thread demonstrates it, that almost everybody wants to dip their oar in, but hardly anybody wants to row

You have 3 guesses, why guess only once.

Why stop at 3?

Guess 2: It's because the legs fell off 24688 WP members simultaneously, JUST as they were about to post "Me, Me, I want to go to Avignon". No, that can't be right because even with wheelchairs, you'd expect more than 6.

Guess 3: The mothership from Delta Epsilon is going to pick us all up in April, so why bother booking anything for May?

Guess 4: They're all washing their hair that weekend.

Guess 5: Have you seen the price of croissants these days?

Guess 6: 24688 WP members all realised I was going.

I like this idea, it's not like I have anything more interesting to do. Consider me interested.

The same thing had occurred to me too, not about you but about me.

Imagine having that much power! 24,688, ( or however many ), people who've never met you won't go to an event because you're going to be there!

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Ahah ! That's what someone who knows the answer to the riddle would say... ...

Please tell us, Greentea, why have so few people taken this up?

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So far we have 5 definite's, ( and another 6 possibles ), for the France meet, ( 29 -31 May, see thread at: http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt91153.html ).

ManErg, who according to him looks like Tony Robinson, ( Baldrick in Blackadder ! ), and seems to have the sense of humour to match, aswell as playing flamenco guitar.

Lotusblossom, who looks like Kate Bush

Me, who according to several people, in the past at least, looks like Sigourney Weaver, ( of Alien or Ghostbusters depending on how long or short my hair has been, and it has been shaved ) and like her is obsessed by the contents of my stomach/gut

Morgana, who is a mystery ( which is appropriate for someone with that name !)

KenG, whose pictures are on the "Post a Pic!" thread and who I would have trouble saying who he looked like except perhaps a young Dennis Quaid, ( gorgeous, anyway ), and looks as if he plays the guitar.

Who else is coming to the warmth and light and peaceful café terraces of Avignon with us?

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Actually, when I was a kid, for years people told me I looked like Laura Ingalls (sp.?) on the T.V. series "Little House on the Prairie" (I never thought I did). Hopefully I´ve outgrown that look....

Now, I guess I look like no one in particular.

I would like to go to the meetup in France. I'm not a regular poster but I've been reading these boards for about three years and I would really like to meet some of the people who post here. (Plus I love the south of France).

Great! Brilliant etc!

The thread with all the discussion and travel and hotel info on is at: http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt91153.html

There's a big post with most of the details all together on page 6, and again on 7 at:

http://www.wrongplanet.net/postp2057795.html#2057795

There are at least a couple of cheap flights from the UK. Where do you live? Will you have a long way to come?

I look forward to meeting you.

PS. If you have any questions/problems about getting there, arranging to meet, etc, post them on that thread and we can try to sort it out.

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