AFF Gathering #15 in NTL 2021 **Rescheduled** to 21-23 October 2022

​

Newcastle has been chosen as the AFF Annual Gathering destination for 2021, occurring over the weekend of the 22nd to 24th October. The average temperature range for October is 14.1ºC – 22.1ºC. The average rainfall is 72.5mm with 11 rainy days. It is NSW's second most populated area and Australia's seventh most populous, representing 1.95% of Australia.

The weekend is likely to take in a wine tour, owing to the proximity of the Hunter Valley. Please note if you are interested in attending a wine tour when indicating your interest for the weekend as this will help organisers make a good start on venues that can cater to our group size.

The lead organiser this year is a member that has turned up to many previous events, @Bindibuys.

Members that have offered help include: @support @Bindibuys @Princess Fiona

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Activities​

Friday 22nd October​

The dinner venue is The Landing Bar and Kitchen, located next to the Rydges on the water front. We will have the outdoor marquee all to ourselves, with the sides down for privacy. Menus are available online, and the exact kickoff time will be advised closer to the weekend.

Saturday 23rd October​

During the day will be a wine tour for those who have indicated interest/are booked for the tour and another tour – possibly dolphins – for those not attending the wine tour.

The dinner venue is The Wickham Boatshed, where some canapés will be followed by a two-course meal. There is a cash bar. The special guest is a local Newcastle breakfast DJ.

Sunday 24th October​

A tour of the city will follow on the last day, ending at Fighter World, located conveniently next to the airport.

Tentative Attendees​

This list simply indicates an interest in attending the event and additionally, the wine tour. Members are in order of response to the thread and are not ranked from silver to platinum (least likely to most likely to attend).

Username	Arrival Details	Accommodation	Wine Tour?	Departure Details
I love to travel			Yes
Bindibuys
Congewai
Lynda2475			Yes
AIRwin
kpc
Doug_Westcott	22/10 VA1593	Rydges	Yes	25/10 VA1594
samh004	22/10 QF1776	Novotel	Yes	24/10 QF2424
Townsend	Driving		Yes	Driving
Townsend +1	Driving		Yes	Driving
Mattg			Yes
kookaburra75	22/10 Driving	Noah's on the Beach	Yes	24/10 Driving Noon
kookaburra75 +1	22/10 Driving	Noah's on the Beach	Yes	24/10 Driving Noon
Matt_01			Yes
oz_mark
Drakecula			Yes
Drakecula +1
NM			Yes
NM +1
Eija			Yes	24/10 QF1567
RooFlyer		Novotel	Yes	25/10 QF1565
tuapekastar			Yes
serfty	22/10 VA1593			25/10 VA1594
JessicaTam			Yes
CaptJCool
Sprucegoose			Yes
Jacques Vert	Driving		Yes	Driving
Gem56	Driving		Yes	Driving
ellen10
Hvr	22/10 QF1564	Holiday Inn Express		24/10 QF1567
Major
Major +1
justinbrett
Simo			Yes
motef	Local	Local	Yes	Local
motef +1	Local	Local	Yes	Local
sharpinjr			Yes
sharpinjr +1			Yes
Fifa		Holiday Inn Express	Yes	24/10 Afternoon
Princess Fiona	Local	Local		Local
penegal			Yes
Ade			Yes
drron
mrs.dr.ron
BVT			Yes
admin
admin +1
Glider_	22/10 Train?			24/10 Afternoon
straitman
straitman +1
aleaf			Yes

 

[RooFlyer]

Unfortunate but expected, I'm afraid. I might see if we can have a local AFF get-together that weekend.

 

[kookaburra75]

A bit of a bummer, but totally understand, and thank you to all who done the prep work for us. MrsK and I have a couple of nights booked at the Hunter Valley Resort immediate prior to that weekend, and I don't think that will be happening either. But, we'll wait a bit closer to the date - being the glass half full sort of person I am.

 

[kookaburra75]

Unfortunate but expected, I'm afraid. I might see if we can have a local AFF get-together that weekend.

Do we run a Virtual Frequent Flyer Quiz on Friday night in its place? There's a Quiz platform we use for work which is very good - Kahoot! Even overseas players could enter. Maybe @TonyHancock could be our Quiz Master?

 

[tuapekastar]

I logged in here with the intention of ruling myself very doubtful for this weekend for more than one COVID-related reason. Looks like that is moot now. Better to pull the pin now rather than guess and keep people on edge. Thanks to @Bindibuys and everyone else who has done prep work and hopefully the benefits can be realised next year.

 

[AIRwin]

It just occurred to me that this is like the Tokyo Olympics...

 

[Bindibuys]

Attended a Blue Man Group show in Vegas a few years ago. They were calling out audience names, making them stand up, and telling the audience something about you.
Announcer told the theatre I had won Gold in Curling at the winter olympics.
I had to look up that sport.

 

[jxv]

The cancellation notice reminded me that I had not yet posted that I had made hotel and airline bookings a few months ago. What started out as a simple road trip via Canberra to visit family and friends there, grew into a major undertaking when other trips had to be rescheduled. A trip on the Ghan had to be taken just after the AFF gathering or be put off till mid next year and a cancelled week on the Gold Coast could conveniently be rescheduled just before. Flying between these disjointed activities became the only solution. It now looks as if it all will end up cancelled. Maybe it was was too much to ask in the current situation: 25 days travel involving four states and the NT, it just had to fail.

Hopefully the AFF organisers will have an easier time next year. Hope to see you all then!

 

[CaptJCool]

The cancellation notice reminded me that I had not yet posted that I had made hotel and airline bookings a few months ago. What started out as a simple road trip via Canberra to visit family and friends there, grew into a major undertaking when other trips had to be rescheduled. A trip on the Ghan had to be taken just after the AFF gathering or be put off till mid next year and a cancelled week on the Gold Coast could conveniently be rescheduled just before. Flying between these disjointed activities became the only solution. It now looks as if it all will end up cancelled. Maybe it was was too much to ask in the current situation: 25 days travel involving four states and the NT, it just had to fail.

Hopefully the AFF organisers will have an easier time next year. Hope to see you all then!

Flyin on the Ghan !
now I’m vaxxed 2 perhaps I can sneak a rail trip over that weekend -

there’s also an alleged Test match season featuring the Ashes after a one test Afghanistan Hobart soirée. In likelihood, many more cancellations......

 

[Hvr]

My flights to NTL were moved by QF from 22 and 24 Oct to 05 and 07 Nov*.

I cancelled.

*Changed date to a real one.

 

[jxv]

My flights to NTL were moved by QF from 22 and 24 Oct to 05 and 97 Nov.

I cancelled.

Your message made me check: I had NTL-MEL-ADL on 26 Oct to get to the Ghan, now I am still flying MEL-ADL on 26 Oct, but NTL-MEL on 16 Nov. How is that supposed to work? I will have to ring and cancel once I work out what we are going to do.

 

[serfty]

My flights to NTL were moved by QF from 22 and 24 Oct to 05 and 97 Nov.

I cancelled.

97 Nov!! Is that something like 5th Feb 2022?

 

[Bindibuys]

Friday night venue has now been rebooked for next year (had to wait until they reopened to contact them)
@Princess Fiona have you changed Saturday nights reservation?

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Is the AGM still on? I reckon attending the AGM is a "reasonable excuse" to leave Greater Sydney as a fully vaccinated traveller. If not, I suppose going to Byron Bay to get doused in essential oils must be considered medical treatment for us Sydneysiders.

-RooFlyer88

 

[sharpinjr]

Friday night venue has now been rebooked for next year (had to wait until they reopened to contact them)
@Princess Fiona have you changed Saturday nights reservation?

Sensational. Thanks for all your organising efforts Bindibuys. Can you confirm the dates yet or do you need to hear back from Princess Fiona before putting it out there? Your August post suggested 21-23 October 2022? All things being well, I don't plan to be in Australia much next year but will definitely clear space in the travel diary to attend the get together.

 

[Bindibuys]

Sensational. Thanks for all your organising efforts Bindibuys. Can you confirm the dates yet or do you need to hear back from Princess Fiona before putting it out there? Your August post suggested 21-23 October 2022? All things being well, I don't plan to be in Australia much next year but will definitely clear space in the travel diary to attend the get together.

The Gathering was put back exactly 1 year, so you are correct, from Friday 21 October to Sunday 23 October 2022.

 

[motef]

Now we are a few months past is this looking to being revived?

 

[Bindibuys]

Yes, right now the event is going ahead in October 2022.
I actually just booked my accommodation on the weekend using the 9 points per spend via Qantas.

 

[AIRwin]

QF has a NSW Sunrise Sale on now for the dates of the AFF Gathering...

 

[Eija]

Arriving 21/10 - QF1596 08:00
Leaving 23/10 - QF1599 17:55
Accomodation - undecided

 

[AIRwin]

Arriving 21/10 - QF1596 08:00
Leaving 23/10 - QF1599 17:55

$99?