Comments on: WTM – The good, the bad and the beautiful

By: Andy Jarosz

Andy Jarosz — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:34:25 +0000

I’m glad someone else met him Nikki. I hope he found someone to do business. Your experience at the Nicaragua and Venezuela stands sounded terrible, but commonplace. These exhibitors really need to look at who they put on the stand and what their expected role is.
As for Mr Furry leggings, I encountered him in the Gents. Let’s just say his outfit did not make for a quick visit… nuff said.

By: Nikki Bayley

Nikki Bayley — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:59:08 +0000

I have a feeling that I may have shared a table with Will You Do Business With Me guy at a Sri Lanka buffet… On Mon we were corralled onto a packed bus after we were barred from the DLR, I’m with you on the Olympic fear… If we can’t cope with an exhibition, how will we manage that?!
My low point was the same as yours – I cannot understand why you’d make all that effort and then not bother to talk to interested people. I went to see Nicaragua, as my partner was mostly bought up there – I even took photos of the booth, I stood there, smiling at the woman slumped at the back who appeared to be doing her nails and she completely blanked me.
Similarly with Venezuela… I was really excited to see they had such a great stand – it was, I think, their first time there – and told one of the women on the stall that I’d like to talk to someone in their marketing team… the guy appeared, spoke in spanish – which i could mostly understand – and essentially said he was too tired to bother. This was Monday about 3pmish… I was prob one of the few journalists in the room who thinks Chavez is fantastic!
Sorry if I missed you at the tweet up on Mon night – meeting all those @’s and making them real was even better than the guy from Ecuador in the furry goat leggings…

By: Andy Jarosz

Andy Jarosz — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:01:06 +0000

Thanks guys for the comments. Pity you couldn’t make it Paola – will tell you the stories when we meet up, but the Mexican tourism board put on a good show as always with a huge stand. Andy, see if you can go and bug the Uzbeks tomorrow
I should be kinder to the DLR – had one 20min journey to Bank and one 45min one on Monday. Even got a seat this morning! But yes, our transport prices seem so far out of line with those in other places.

By: Info on scuba diving

Info on scuba diving — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:50:20 +0000

Being a native of the UK and an ex Londoner, I have to disagree with you about the DLR.

Having moved a considerable distance from London I have to say I usually hate the prospect of travelling to London for anything.

However, our connection from the London Underground @ Bank to the DLR was just one minute from arriving and there were plenty of seats and the journey was efficient and quick.

Our return to Euston was equally good with just one change at Canning Town for a connection to Bank.

For once, I was impressed with the service, but ok, not the cost – £7.50 each off peak return – how do so many other European countries seem to run cheap transport?

By: Paola Santos

Paola Santos — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:42:28 +0000

Thanks for this post! It was useful to have your view since unfortunately I couldn’t make it. The human spaming sounds scary though

By: Andy Hayes

Andy Hayes — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:58:39 +0000

I thoroughly agree with you on all the points – particularly the mass of unfriendly faces behind the stands. As you say – what’s the point?

I cannot believe the Uzbek response. Utterly appalling.