Current mood:	blah
Entry tags:	eastercon, heathrow, orbital2008, scifi

Location, Location, Location
For writers of near-future dystopias the Heathrow wastelands offer plenty of inspiration.

The Raddisson Hotel and a whole cluster of similar establishments aren't within walking distance of the airport, but luckily they are located within the free travel zone surrounding it. So my con day begins with a lengthy bus ride through a tunnel and along the vast stretches of concrete that connect the swathes of car parks, warehouses and service stations. There are no shops around here, nothing that indicates normal human activities, other than a MacDonald's right next to the con hotel which is my signal to press the stop button and get off the bus.

I haven't been to a Maccas for years, but after sampling the hotel's lunchtime offerings, I felt myself drawn there. At least they put lettuce in their burgers. And not only that: I found it hard to find anything wrong with their food. The fries are not as salty as they used to be, their burgers are lean and (yes) tasty and their packaging has morphed into recyclable paper and cardboard. But before I was tempted to indulge too much, it turned out that there were no sparkling soft drinks or hot drinks available because of 'maintenance' and a Big Mac with orange juice just doesn't have the same appeal. Back to the hotel food then.

Yes, my con day starts when I emerge from the underground at Heathrow. However, getting there involves a lengthy and uncomfortable commute by tube to and from the dreaded hostel. All in all, I spent at least three hours a day on public transport, inluding a minimum of twenty minutes waiting on icy platforms for delayed Easter Weekend services. This is very irritating, as well as the fact that the con seems to be focussed on those attendees who can fork out the hundred quid plus it costs to stay at the actual con hotel. I didn't know the area, but it turns out that there are much more affordable hotels nearby. Friends of mine are staying at the Holiday Inn down the road for half the price, and every day I wish that could be me.

Eastercon seems to have a propensity for taking place in weird locations. Why not have it in the outer Hebridies next time? Or in the Shetland Isles? There is still plenty of time for members to build their own sailing boats so that they can get there.