Hey folks, I'm flying in to Oakland on business on the 29th, zipping out to Petaluma for a few days, and coming back to town on the 31st, just in time for the Oakland exhibition game against the San Francisco Steroid Abusers on the 1st.

I've decided to stick around for a day or two after that and take in the home opener against the Yankees on the 3rd (to my surprise there were still tickets available, albeit in the outfield plaza, but hey - I can at least yell at Sheffield from there).

My questions, however, are now many.

First, before I book my ticket to the exhibition game, where the heck should I sit? I wouldn't say money is no object, but being as it'll be my first time at the Col, I figure I should get as good as seat as I can. That said, if there's a group of ANers elsewhere that are dead keen to buy an Australian Canadian stadium noob a beer, I'm open to other suggestions.

Second, should I book online or buy one on the day? MLB charges a couple of bucks for booking fees, six more for handling fees, then a couple more for the luxury of printing your own tickets (but at least that's better than the $15 it costs to have them mailed out!), all of which makes a $14 ticket actually cost $26. If there's likely to be empty seats on the day I'll buy at the gate and curse Ticketmaster's name with a smile, but if it gets tight... What say you?

Third question - the stadium is three miles from the airport, which is likely where I'll be penned up in some HoJo/Motel 6 impersonation, and from memory the area around the stadium isn't particulary pleasant (correct me if I'm wrong). Is there a spot nearby, that'll give me cheap digs and plenty of Oaktown cultcha that I should choose over the 'oh look, another highway/plane landing/surly bellclerk' offerings of the airport?

Last question: Is it worth heading out to SF on the 2nd for the away Oakland/SF exhibition game, considering I'm relying on cabs and public transport, or should I just let it go and avoid having the 'retarded' of those people rub off on me?

Thanks guys. Any advice will be welcomed, and maybe even heeded.