Late last night the decision was made to get the only other means possible – ferry to Holyhead and train/bus/automobile from there. I’m currently about 40mins outside of London zipping along on a Virgin train. It looks like I’ll make FOWD tomorrow. This makes me very happy.

Of course with every cloud (pun optional) there’s a silver lining. Darragh & the Smirnoff Be There folk got into Heathrow earlier today and can’t leave till tomorrow so I’ve now got company for dinner tonight. I’ve also got to experience a whole bunch of new things including travelling a trail that my grandmother still recalls vividly of the day she travelled from Clare to London at the age of 16 to go and start a job.

Finally, it also gives me the opportunity to say that I (hopefully) by the end of the week will have travelled by the following means:

• Bus
• Train
• Plane
• Ferry
• Tube
• Tram
• Shank’s mare

It’s good to be alive

Future of Web Design is returning to London on Monday May 17th 2010. We have made a few exciting changes.

Running for three days (17th – 19th May) it will consist of two conference days, each comprising of two tracks, and culminating in a day of intimate workshops. That’s a lot of sessions to choose from!

As well as the extra day we have also changed the format of the workshops. This year we are offering full day workshops to give you the opportunity to get deeper into the subject.

The conference will take place at the lovely Brewery in the City of London and workshops will be held at Wallace Space Kings Cross.

A brand new web site with full details of speakers and topics will launch in mid February.

Will be interesting to see if the exciting changes will mean a reduction in ticket prices or even different ticket options. I’d really love to go. I attended FOWA in Dublin last year, my first ‘industry event’ if you will and left it feeling very positive, inspired and excited even though I’m more a web maker than an app maker.

The fact that it’s on over weekdays will make travel and accomodation somewhat more affordable at the very least so here’s to a trip to London in May – time to start stashing some cash in the piggybank

Last updated at 17.25, via Dublin Bus website:

Dublin Bus are currently starting to resume limited service on main corridors where possible. In some areas buses may not be able to access suburban estates and are likely to stay only on main roads. We advise customers to travel as early as possible but to be aware that the bus services are severely disrupted not just due to the adverse road conditions but also due to traffic congestion and accidents during the last number of hours. Dart are providing an enhanced service and both Dart and Luas will honour Dublin Bus tickets.

Due to high volumes of traffic to dublinbus.ie we have been experiencing problems with the site for which we would like to apologise and are making every effort to rectify

Last Updated 12:45

Curtailments currently in place;

3 – terminating at Viscount Pub, Swords Road

7 – from City Centre to Cherrywood only

11/a/b – not serving Wadelai, terminating at DCU

13 – not serving Sillogue and Ikea

13a – not serving Shangan, Coultry and Ikea

19 – not serving Tolka Estate

20b – not serving terminus at Maryfield

27b – not serving Castletimon

37 – not serving Blackhorse Avenue

38/a – not serving Ballycoolin Industrial Estate using Ballycoolin Road

40d – not serving Ballycoolin Industrial Estate using Ballycoolin Road

and not serving Blanchardstown Corporate Business Park, terminating at shops on main road at Tyrellstown Estate.

42b – up the Malahide Road turning right onto Tonglegee Road then right onto Springdale Road and back to normal route.

44b – to Blue Church in Kilternan only

50- not serving Killinarden Heights

51 – starting from Molloys in Clondalkin Village

51b/c – not serving Dutch Village/Woodford using Monastery Road

54a- via Wainsfort Road not serving Fortfield Road. Going up Blessington Road, not serving Kiltipper and terminating at The Square Tallaght

56/a – not serving Ballymount and Kingswood

65 – to Blessington Roundabout not serving or Ballymore Eustace

65b- not serving Killinarden Heights

66a – not serving Captains Hill

69 – not serving St. Johns Wood Estate

79/a – not serving Spiddal Park and Parkwest, terminating at Cherry Orchard Hospital

102 – not serving Forest Road

120 – using Fassaugh Avenue to 121 terminus

122 – using Quarry Road and terminating at Halfway House pub, Navan Road

123 – via Philipsburgh Avenue

140 – not serving Ikea, turning at Jamestown Roundabout

145- not serving Kilarney Lane, Herbert Road and Kilbride Lane. (Operating Up & Down Kilarney Road)

150 – not serving Millgate Drive

151 – not serving Adamstown, at Griffeen turning right and going to Superquinn Lucan

185 – from Bray to Enniskerry not serving Shop River

220 – not serving Ballycoolin Industrial Estate using Ballycoolin Road

238 – using Ballycoolin Road

U2 360 in Barcelona - from u2.com

Getting there

If you’ve never been to Croke Park, it’s in Drumcondra which is north Dublin city centre almost halfway between the city centre and the airport. It’s serviced well by buses & trains & only a short hop from town.

Bus
The following buses pass through Drumcondra. Jump out at the stop as close to the railway bridge corssing the road as possible. Bus routes from the city centre to Drumcondra Rd: 3, 11/a/b/c, 13/a, 16/a, 33/b, 41/a/b/c, 40/a/b/c/d. Others that get you nearby are on this map.

Train
Drumcondra train station is on the Maynooth/Longford/Sligo line. Check www.irishrail.ie for timetables.

Walk
It’s only 15mins from O’Connell St, here’s the route I’d suggest – http://short.ie/walktocroker

Preparation

Time
Gates open at 6pm, first band is due on at 6.30 with U2 due on around 9pm. I’d hazard a guess it’ll be all done and dusted by 11/11.30 at the latest. If you want a decent standing spot, get there early. If you’re seated well then allow yourself about 30mins from arriving in Drumcondra to getting into your seat in the stadium.

What to wear/bring with you
It will more than likely rain at some point so bring layers & waterproofs, even if you’re seated – Croker is quite open & quite windy! Leave the umbrellas at home as they won’t be allowed in. I’d imagine bag searches will happen so try keep luggage to a minimum.

Have an awesome time. See you round there on the Friday

Talk of Manic Street Preachers the other day got me thinking about my favourite Manics song, Motorcycle Emptiness (sexier official video here) & in turn other great songs for the road. Here’s some of my other favourites:

• Boys of Summer, Don Henley
• She Bangs the Drum, Stone Roses
• Take It Easy, The Eagles
• Highway Star, Deep Purple
• Dangerzone (Top Gun soundtrack)
• Driving Home For Christmas, Chris Rea (seasonal obviously)

What are yours? *update: will compile list of all songs thrown into comments so off you go now & start listing!*

via breakingnews.ie

According to BreakingNews.ie there will be 120 less buses on the roads of Dublin and the surrounding commuter belt from tomorrow Monday April 26th. The cut-backs at Dublin Bus are in response to the downturn in the economy and the need to cut their losses this year.

29 routes have had schedule changes while some ‘low frequency services’ have been withdrawn but it appears that they’ve forgotten to list them on the website, or maybe I’m reading it wrong:

Screengrab of Dublin Bus web page

Routes with new timetables include the following: 

14, 14a, 18, 27, 27x, 37, 37x, 38/a, 39/a/c, 39x, 41/a, 46c, 46d, 47, 48a, 51, 51d, 51x, 77, 77a, 77x, 84x, 84x*, 116, 118, 128, 150, 161, 210

New timetables are online at www.dublinbus.ie. According to news reports on TodayFM this morning, there’s a dispute over some of the proposed changes at the Harristown garage and some bus services from that garage are affected this morning.

We're not there yet but we're getting there

Registration is from 8.30am and talks will start around 9.30am so it’s a sprightly early start for all. Travel options:

Bus
Aircoach is probably the most comfortable bus option, leaving from Dublin Airport at 7am arriving in Belfast at 9.25am. €22 return/€15 single. Bus Eireann do a bus service through the night (shocker!) so you can grab a 6am coach that arrives at 8.30am if you like. Same price as Aircoach.

Train
First train up from Connolly to Belfast leaves at 7.45am arriving at 9.45am. If you book online in advance you can get it for a lovely €20 return as opposed to the €80 I’ve been quoted previously.

Night before
If like me you’re thinking that’s an awfully early start on Saturday to be primed for learning & proper enjoyment of nerdy talk, consider travelling up the night before. The more budget friendly options appear to be Travelodge, Days Hotel or Park Inn. You might be able to take in the pre-camp meetup in the bar on the ground floor of the Premier Inn on Waring Street for drinks at 8pm also.

If anyone has useful info to add whether it be about parking, travel or places to stay/avoid or whatever, leave a comment or email me steph@iamsteph.com and I’ll add it in. 

Barcamp Belfast website is here and the Twitter account is @barcampbelfast. See you there!