Why You Should Check Addresses, Timing of Arrival At A New Place For Dinner

Problem
A friend has moved to a new home and invited us for dinner. Where is it? What time? How do I prepare for travelling to the event?

Answers
Check the address.
Check how critical is our arrival time.
Estimate length of journey.
Check we have items to take with (drinks, new home gifts, birthday anniversary gifts, flowers, alcoholic drinks, anything promised) maps and printed directions; keying postcode into sat nav, checking parking.

Story
Last time we visited her we spent longer than expected walking down a long road from the tube station. Then we had trouble finding a basement flat in terraced housing where many of the houses had no number.

By the time we arrived, we had delayed her two flat mates who were both going out to different evening events. She wanted us to meet them. (Shared interests included running marathons, wine, the flatmates' home countries, ou recent travel trips to their countries.

We were all able to eat cold starters together. The main course was overdone. Our fault for being late.
The evening did not last as long as we had expected. We thought at a weekend, no work, we could arrive late because we could sit up late. However, she had an early morning start with a group sports training, for a marathon and a triathlon (even involving three different sports, running, swimming and a third.)

I just tried googling the address and street view lands me on a roundabout! (At the main road end of a long street with 13 entry points). 

As I shall be front seat, back seat driver, arguing with Satnav, I asked her,

 

"Can you give me an indication of which side of the road and where to park?" 

Also your phone number. 

What time arrive and leave?"

 

(Is that flexi time, (eg arrive 6.30 pm - 9 pm, Polish/Arabic/Jewish, social not before time - in case you are not ready; or be prompt, New York style, 6.55-7 pm and no later, 'not after' time - if cooking a soufflé or other guests or flat mates have to leave for somewhere else after meeting and eating. Do you have to finish by 10 pm be up for a sports event at 6 am, in which case arriving at 9 pm allows no time.

Story

Once, years ago, we travelled from North London to Hampstead. Both of us assumed the other one would have the address. We missed the evening and lost touch with our friends who were bidding us farewell on the point of moving away. We never found their new address.

The moral is, you can't be too careful in getting full directions, addressed, phone numbers, timings, well in advance.

PS If travelling to a business meeting at an office, have personal phone numbers, not just the name of the person you are meeting. Large buildings may have several companies on each floor. In Singapore, I have gone to meetings, not at my friend's office address, business company's head office, listed on the board and building directory under the name of the holding company.  

A first name is not enough. Even a surname could be the same. You might have several people called Mr Jones in Wales. I went to meet a pupil whose surname was Patel in Wembley. Houses had no numbers. I located a Patel family. No such person. Luckily I had the introduction letter with my pupil's full name. Even so, the street had at least three families all called Patel.

At one time there were two people I knew of called Angela Lansbury. Then four. Today I tried to find myself on LinkedIn. I discovered to my horror that LinkedIn had thirteen people registered with my name. Facebook and Internet searches produce as many results for most of the names I checked.

That's why you need to know:

Address, building name, floor, the name of the person, other people listed on the doorbell, or company name on the floor listing, street directions, parking places. Event timing - start time and end time. Journey time. Allow extra time for delays during journey, and last minute panics when setting off. As the scouts say, be prepared!

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.