Nicks Notes

The organisers must think that a song about domestic violence and knife crime is fitting for a family audience....

It was interesting to note the comments of a cricket correspondent in today's Daily Telegraph about the entertainment at yesterday's Ashes Test match in Cardiff. "It takes some doing, in a land of song, to find three people who struggle to hold a tune, but somehow they found them.....A pub singer urged God to save 'our' Queen. He reappeared, though not by public request, at the lunch interval to sing Rule Britania....By the time another pub singer was dragged out at tea to have a go at Delilah we had entered the realm of self parody" Is 'our' man moonlighting at the cricket?

Interesting to note that, after holding May bank holiday weekend events at the Millenium stadium in 2007 and 2008 where they get around 60,000 attending on the Saturday & Sunday, the Rugby Football League have cancelled their agreement and are moving the event to Edinburgh from 2009. Cost of accommodation for supporters is one of the main reasons given for the change.

Yes, it certainly was Haringay.

Word of caution - The pricing policy at the station car park seems to have been set to deter non-rail travellers. Without a rail ticket, the minimum cost last year was £10.

Timbo, Have been to Parken in 2003&4, on both occasions sat in the upper tier of home straight. I would say that it is probably the steepest stand I have ever encountered, with the result that the view, with one possible exception is excellent, you are high but not too far back so as to lose any atmosphere- you just need an oxygen tank for the long climb up there ! The one exception I mentioned is the tv gantry which is lowered from the roof. In 2003 it must have been set high because I didn't notice it obstructing anyones view. Last year however, it was set much lower and interfered with the view of the back straight racing. To avoid it this year, I had planned to sit in the upper tier on the back straight but as you have discovered, these seats aren't released yet! Enjoy it !

Immaculate in winning the 16 lapper at Ipswich !

I've taken a look at the Ryanair website www.ryanair.co.uk but cannot see the reference to June booking period you mention. However, what normally happens with Ryanair and Easyjet is that they have promotions whereby they will put a number of seats up for sale at a silly price until a certain date or until they are all sold, whichever is the earlier. However, they only do it for routes and/or flight times that aren't selling. The better selling flights normally increase the price up to the day of departure. The best way to do it is click on the book now button on their web site and see if you like the price, - Gothenberg in August is currently coming out more expensive than Stockholm in May. Gothenberg city airport (airport is rather a grand description - it's more like a couple of warehouses in a field with a runway) is 15km from the city centre. Dedicated buses to the central station are timed for all arrivals/departures. Ullevi Stadium, The main 'Avenue', and the vast majority of hotels are all within walking distance of the central station.

There are 3 airports serving Stockholm. The main international hub, used by carriers such as BA is Arlanda, 40km from the city centre. Busus run every 15min to the city centre, take 40 min and cost 80Kr. There is also a frequent train service that costs twice as much but takes half the time. Ryanair use two other 'airports'. Skavsta which is 100km from the city centre. Buses meet their flights and charge 100Kr for the 80 minute journey. Vasteras is also 100km from the city centre, and again has a dedicated bus service timed for Ryanair arrivals and departures. Similar charge for similar timed journey. Go well .

Ryanair don't recognise Speedway as a major sporting event! Log in to their website and you will see that you book to fly out on either the Friday or Saturday morning, returning Sunday or Monday for £15 return + tax.

Hi Gooner, It depends where you're based, but I notice that you can still fly from Stansted with Ryanair for £15 return + tax to "Stockholm", although I should point out that the coach fare from Vasteras into central Stockholm is probably more than the cost of the flight!

Tabby The Scandic Hotel Park is nearby, as is the Comfort Hotel Tapto.

Tickets are available over the internet from www.ticnet.se but only for Swedish residents. I have contacted SVEMO to see if they were taking telephone bookings as per 2003 but they are not selling any tickets this year - after last year's problems who can blame them? Update: It appears that tickets can be ordered by phone from ticnet (+46 77 170 70 70)- be prepared to be kept on hold listening to mind numbing music - and then you are given a reference number which should be quoted when you remit Kroner to their bank account, which is SE90 5000 0000 0529 1100 6135, SWIFT code ESSESESS. It seems that they add 200Kr to cover the cost of posting the tickets to the UK.

This one is causing me some anxiety -I booked my flights and hotel on the basis of its confirmed status.

Panic over hopefully. Have just been contacted by WayAhead, the agents for BSI, who blame their programmer in setting up the system. Apparently he entered the row numbers as 1, 22, 3, 4 etc to 15.