As per the previous post we are looking at taking up the option of the cheaper flights. The actual figures for those flights are mind-boggling. It will mean THIRTEEN flights in total. The cost per person is $2859 for flights and $1315 for taxes. This means the airlines get less than three thousand dollars, that's about GBP 2,000, to fly us all the way around the world - about 30,000 miles. That is unbelievable!
I know that they say that if something seems too good to be true, then it is. But I have all these figures in writing from a trusted, established, travel agent locally. If I could pay for the flights today then I'd be there in a flash. A part of me is waiting for a message to say that he's got the prices wrong, or there's been a price increase. I live in hope.
We have also been fortunate enough to have a bit of Karma working in our favour this week when Taylor, our Californian Back-packer friend came good with her promise of free accommodation in Vegas. That will mean having a few dollars to throw back into the pot, but with it being Vegas we have already ear-marked the savings to let us see some good shows whilst there.
Monday, 16 July 2012
Thursday, 12 July 2012
How much cheaper???
I happened to pop into a travel agency in Whitfords a couple of days ago while Em & Eve checked out the hair products in the next door shop.
Scott, the manager, was very knowledgable and helpful, he took the itinerary from me and said he'd have a look at other options. I'm so glad he did 'cos he came back to me with three options.
Option 3 is:
Perth / Bangkok - Thai Airways
Bangkok / Athens via Zurich - Swiss Air
Athens / Manchester via London - British Airways
Manchester / New York via Zurich - Swiss Air
New York / Washington - United Airlines
Washington / Orlando - United Airlines
Orlando / San Diego - United Airlines
San Diego / San Francisco - US Air
San Francisco / Sydney - Qantas
Sydney / Perth - Qantas
Sure it misses out Tokyo & Cairo and the schlep to NYC is via Zurich but it is a massive $6,000 cheaper. His foot note said that we could do Tokyo on the outward leg rather than Bangkok. That is a very appealing option. He's going to do another itinerary for me today with final costings but if it's even slightly close to a SIX GRAND saving then I'm on it.
Missing out Cairo and Bangkok means that we would have another 5 days to throw back in the pot, more time in San Francisco and Southern California would be nice.
It's very exciting now 'cos it's almost at the point where we are able to get the tickets booked and paid for.
Scott, the manager, was very knowledgable and helpful, he took the itinerary from me and said he'd have a look at other options. I'm so glad he did 'cos he came back to me with three options.
Option 3 is:
Perth / Bangkok - Thai Airways
Bangkok / Athens via Zurich - Swiss Air
Athens / Manchester via London - British Airways
Manchester / New York via Zurich - Swiss Air
New York / Washington - United Airlines
Washington / Orlando - United Airlines
Orlando / San Diego - United Airlines
San Diego / San Francisco - US Air
San Francisco / Sydney - Qantas
Sydney / Perth - Qantas
Sure it misses out Tokyo & Cairo and the schlep to NYC is via Zurich but it is a massive $6,000 cheaper. His foot note said that we could do Tokyo on the outward leg rather than Bangkok. That is a very appealing option. He's going to do another itinerary for me today with final costings but if it's even slightly close to a SIX GRAND saving then I'm on it.
Missing out Cairo and Bangkok means that we would have another 5 days to throw back in the pot, more time in San Francisco and Southern California would be nice.
It's very exciting now 'cos it's almost at the point where we are able to get the tickets booked and paid for.
Tuesday, 3 July 2012
The deranged ramblings of a mad man, who also happens to be a control freak.
I would dearly love to be a laid-back, laissez-faire kind of bloke. It would make my life so much simpler. But as I'm not I'm sat here with 11 months to go and fretting about exact dates, how long we have in each city and how much it will all cost.
It makes sense I suppose 'cos it's only a few weeks until we get to book and pay for the tickets. I'm excited but if anything is left to chance it tends to keep me awake at night. I am throwing caution to the wind in Greece though and leaving it to Em' who is happy to fly by the seat of her pants when we get off the ferry for accommodation. Which it appears is an entirely reasonable option according to trip advisor given the time of year that we will be there.
The main reason that I need to get my head around where we will be and for how long is for budgeting. Our last city that we visit is Tokyo, widely regarded as being one of the world's most expensive cities. If our budget is way off we can either be eating noodles on a park bench or actually be able to stay somewhere nice and have a few bob spare.
To that end I have done a more detailed itinerary - this of course may always change. I would appreciate your comments about whether I have allowed long enough in certain places that I have never been to before.
Sun 21st April - Perth to Bangkok, arrive late evening
3 full days, 4 nights in Bangkok
Thurs 25th April - Bangkok to Cairo, overnight flight, arrive in Cairo early morning
1 full day, 2 nights in Cairo
Sat 27th April - Cairo to Athens, mid-day flight, overnight stay near the harbour.
Sun 28th April - Early morning ferry, island hopping for just over 2 weeks.
Mon 13th May - Return to Athens by ferry, a couple of days in Athens.
Weds 15th May - Athens to Manchester via Munich.
10 full days in York.
Sunday 26th May - Fly to Brittany for a week.
Sunday 2nd June - Back to York
Wednesday 5th June - Drive to Tilbury in afternoon.
Thurs 6th June - London.
3 full days in London, 4 nights.
Sun 9th June - Back to York late evening
Friday 14th June - Manchester to New York. Daytime flight
4 full days, 5 nights in NYC
Weds 19th June - NYC to Washington DC. Daytime flight.
3 full days, 4 nights in DC
Sun 23rd June - DC to Orlando. Daytime flight.
9 full days, 10 nights in Orlando.
Weds 3rd July - Orlando to San Diego. Daytime flight
9 full days, 10 nights in San Diego (including trips to Vegas & Grand Canyon)
Sat 13th July - San Diego to San Francisco. Daytime flight.
2 full days, 3 nights in San Francisco.
Tues 16th July - San Francisco to Tokyo. Overnight flight.
Weds 17th July - Tokyo.
3 full days, 4 nights in Tokyo
Sun 21st July - Return to Perth
So that's it, lets have your comments please.
It makes sense I suppose 'cos it's only a few weeks until we get to book and pay for the tickets. I'm excited but if anything is left to chance it tends to keep me awake at night. I am throwing caution to the wind in Greece though and leaving it to Em' who is happy to fly by the seat of her pants when we get off the ferry for accommodation. Which it appears is an entirely reasonable option according to trip advisor given the time of year that we will be there.
The main reason that I need to get my head around where we will be and for how long is for budgeting. Our last city that we visit is Tokyo, widely regarded as being one of the world's most expensive cities. If our budget is way off we can either be eating noodles on a park bench or actually be able to stay somewhere nice and have a few bob spare.
To that end I have done a more detailed itinerary - this of course may always change. I would appreciate your comments about whether I have allowed long enough in certain places that I have never been to before.
Sun 21st April - Perth to Bangkok, arrive late evening
3 full days, 4 nights in Bangkok
Thurs 25th April - Bangkok to Cairo, overnight flight, arrive in Cairo early morning
1 full day, 2 nights in Cairo
Sat 27th April - Cairo to Athens, mid-day flight, overnight stay near the harbour.
Sun 28th April - Early morning ferry, island hopping for just over 2 weeks.
Mon 13th May - Return to Athens by ferry, a couple of days in Athens.
Weds 15th May - Athens to Manchester via Munich.
10 full days in York.
Sunday 26th May - Fly to Brittany for a week.
Sunday 2nd June - Back to York
Wednesday 5th June - Drive to Tilbury in afternoon.
Thurs 6th June - London.
3 full days in London, 4 nights.
Sun 9th June - Back to York late evening
Friday 14th June - Manchester to New York. Daytime flight
4 full days, 5 nights in NYC
Weds 19th June - NYC to Washington DC. Daytime flight.
3 full days, 4 nights in DC
Sun 23rd June - DC to Orlando. Daytime flight.
9 full days, 10 nights in Orlando.
Weds 3rd July - Orlando to San Diego. Daytime flight
9 full days, 10 nights in San Diego (including trips to Vegas & Grand Canyon)
Sat 13th July - San Diego to San Francisco. Daytime flight.
2 full days, 3 nights in San Francisco.
Tues 16th July - San Francisco to Tokyo. Overnight flight.
Weds 17th July - Tokyo.
3 full days, 4 nights in Tokyo
Sun 21st July - Return to Perth
So that's it, lets have your comments please.
Thursday, 22 March 2012
1 Year, 1 month
It's been a week of anniversaries this week. We came to Australia for the first time on the 21st March, 9 years ago. It's been quite mind-blowing just how much we have done in 9 years. Jack was 4 and Eve was 1 year old. Now he's as tall as me and Eve is the proper little Aussie girl we always hoped she would be.
It's also the 1 year 1 month anniversary before we commence The Big Trip. Trips to the library now result in us bringing books back about Tokyo, The Greek Islands, Bangkok & Disney World. Jack has been appointed Destination Specialist for Vegas and Tokyo, Eve is the Destination Specialist for Disney in Orlando. Em's speciality is Greece and The Grand Canyon. I get the rest. Watching Karl Pilkington in Bangkok this week for An Idiot Abroad I reckoned that the Lingam Shrine in Bangkok was a must do family activity.
After all what is life, if not an opportunity to embarrass the living daylights out of your kids?
Life became a bit simpler this week too after I decided that the job in Tasmania was not for me after the permanant contract became a 12 month contract which I then found out meant that it could be cancelled with 2 weeks notice. So we are staying in Perth.
Em has plenty of employment options at Kingsway after a meeting yesterday, the full time option is so appealing financially but it means she's completely knackered after a week at work and it's really not good for her. I have every faith that she'll do what is right for everyone.
On the Big Trip front, we are now a lot more comfortable with the itinerary having decided to increase our time in Greece and after a visit from a couple of great friends from London leading to the kind offer of some free accommodation in London. The chance to spend a few relatively cheap and easy days in London catching up with Em's dad and hanging out with our friends getting some culture and no doubt a couple of Gay Bars for good measure, is too good to miss.
Cheap accommodation is now becoming something of an obsession for me. You don't actually realise until you have to plan a trip of this length just him much can be spent on Hotels in 3 months. There are so many other options when you start looking. In Florida it is possible to rent an entire 4 bed villa with a pool for about $100/night. Most excellent value, especially if our good friends, The Arnolds, are able to join us. The weather in Florida in July will mean that a pool will be an essential after a day of traipsing around a busy, humid park.
Hostels are such a viable option and the ones that I have researched have blown my preconceptions out of the water. There are some beautiful, well equipped. clean, friendly places in really central locations and at a fraction of the cost of a Hotel. It may mean having to have a 4 bed 'Dorm' room to ourselves in places like New York & Tokyo, but I honestly think we will be so tired after days exploring these places that we could sleep anywhere.
I am really keen for your advice on such places as Disney & Tokyo so please let me have your tips.
It's also the 1 year 1 month anniversary before we commence The Big Trip. Trips to the library now result in us bringing books back about Tokyo, The Greek Islands, Bangkok & Disney World. Jack has been appointed Destination Specialist for Vegas and Tokyo, Eve is the Destination Specialist for Disney in Orlando. Em's speciality is Greece and The Grand Canyon. I get the rest. Watching Karl Pilkington in Bangkok this week for An Idiot Abroad I reckoned that the Lingam Shrine in Bangkok was a must do family activity.
After all what is life, if not an opportunity to embarrass the living daylights out of your kids?
Life became a bit simpler this week too after I decided that the job in Tasmania was not for me after the permanant contract became a 12 month contract which I then found out meant that it could be cancelled with 2 weeks notice. So we are staying in Perth.
Em has plenty of employment options at Kingsway after a meeting yesterday, the full time option is so appealing financially but it means she's completely knackered after a week at work and it's really not good for her. I have every faith that she'll do what is right for everyone.
On the Big Trip front, we are now a lot more comfortable with the itinerary having decided to increase our time in Greece and after a visit from a couple of great friends from London leading to the kind offer of some free accommodation in London. The chance to spend a few relatively cheap and easy days in London catching up with Em's dad and hanging out with our friends getting some culture and no doubt a couple of Gay Bars for good measure, is too good to miss.
Cheap accommodation is now becoming something of an obsession for me. You don't actually realise until you have to plan a trip of this length just him much can be spent on Hotels in 3 months. There are so many other options when you start looking. In Florida it is possible to rent an entire 4 bed villa with a pool for about $100/night. Most excellent value, especially if our good friends, The Arnolds, are able to join us. The weather in Florida in July will mean that a pool will be an essential after a day of traipsing around a busy, humid park.
Hostels are such a viable option and the ones that I have researched have blown my preconceptions out of the water. There are some beautiful, well equipped. clean, friendly places in really central locations and at a fraction of the cost of a Hotel. It may mean having to have a 4 bed 'Dorm' room to ourselves in places like New York & Tokyo, but I honestly think we will be so tired after days exploring these places that we could sleep anywhere.
I am really keen for your advice on such places as Disney & Tokyo so please let me have your tips.
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Getting there.
The time is steadily creeping upon us when we need to book, and pay for, four round-the-world airfares. I now have an app on the iPhone and it reliably informs me that today we have "1 Year, 1 Month and 2 Weeks until the trip. Which equates to about 29 pay days.
Our local Travel Agent at Whitfords was most useful and suggested an itinerary that will keep us in a lower fare band. It only means reversing NYC-Washington-Orlando but saves us about $3,000!
It's amazing the things that you can find out when it's quiet at work and the internet is readily available. I chanced across a website called "Australian Frequent Flyer" and I was able to discover that if I register with Aegean Air's frequent flyer programme, Miles & Bonus. This means that if I book the trip with Star Alliance then all four of us will be eligible to be Star Alliance "Gold Members" - No Austin Power references please.
There are a host of benefits with this, most notably the use of all their Lounges at Terminals world-wide and a very useful additional 20kg luggage allowance, each - Result!
I check out the exchange rates daily and try to see how it will affect our ticket prices 'cos once you have booked and paid for the tickets the price is fixed. I'm a little concerned that the Aussie Dollar could weaken and the price of oil looks like getting a bit silly, this will undoubtedly combine to bump up the price a fair bit. Fingers crossed.
Rather disconcertingly I tried to check out the current cost based on 2012 flights for the same dates as 2013 and the itinerary that I had saved showed that four of fifteen flights were no longer available. I'm guessing and hoping that that was due to trying to find four seats on small planes at short notice and not due to them cancelling flights.
My attempts at saving for this trip have been remarkably fruitful thus far. It has meant a major change in mind-set that I should have adopted years ago and due to us paying ourselves weekly the kids now have to accept that we can't afford it and they can't do everything that our hearts desire. They are starting to accept it and it was difficult over the school holidays but when you sit down and look at your expense it is quite remarkable how much money you can blow on utter crap. And guess what kids, you are getting luggage for Xmas this year!
Our local Travel Agent at Whitfords was most useful and suggested an itinerary that will keep us in a lower fare band. It only means reversing NYC-Washington-Orlando but saves us about $3,000!
It's amazing the things that you can find out when it's quiet at work and the internet is readily available. I chanced across a website called "Australian Frequent Flyer" and I was able to discover that if I register with Aegean Air's frequent flyer programme, Miles & Bonus. This means that if I book the trip with Star Alliance then all four of us will be eligible to be Star Alliance "Gold Members" - No Austin Power references please.
There are a host of benefits with this, most notably the use of all their Lounges at Terminals world-wide and a very useful additional 20kg luggage allowance, each - Result!
I check out the exchange rates daily and try to see how it will affect our ticket prices 'cos once you have booked and paid for the tickets the price is fixed. I'm a little concerned that the Aussie Dollar could weaken and the price of oil looks like getting a bit silly, this will undoubtedly combine to bump up the price a fair bit. Fingers crossed.
Rather disconcertingly I tried to check out the current cost based on 2012 flights for the same dates as 2013 and the itinerary that I had saved showed that four of fifteen flights were no longer available. I'm guessing and hoping that that was due to trying to find four seats on small planes at short notice and not due to them cancelling flights.
My attempts at saving for this trip have been remarkably fruitful thus far. It has meant a major change in mind-set that I should have adopted years ago and due to us paying ourselves weekly the kids now have to accept that we can't afford it and they can't do everything that our hearts desire. They are starting to accept it and it was difficult over the school holidays but when you sit down and look at your expense it is quite remarkable how much money you can blow on utter crap. And guess what kids, you are getting luggage for Xmas this year!
Monday, 16 January 2012
The difficult bit starts here - $$$$$$$$$$
Well, it's the start of a new year and with that comes the realisation that it is only 15 months until we start The Big Trip. That is only 32 more pay days and I sat down the other day to put together a rough budget based on where we will be and for how long.
The itinerary is getting firmed up somewhat. The current plan is
Bangkok - 4 nights
Cairo - 2 nights
Greece - just over 2 weeks
UK - 5 weeks (including a trip to France for a week)
Florida - 10 days
Washington DC - 4 days
New York - 5 days
California 12 days (inc. 4 days in LA & 3 days in San Francisco)
Tokyo - about a week
All up that is 13 weeks of adventures. By way of a compromise we have been given permission to take the kids out of school for term 2, which is 20th April to 21st July 2013.
I hope to get your ideas for each place about the must-do activities.
The budgeting for each city and the research into that has been quite interesting and www.hostelworld.com has become my new favourite website. I initially budgeted for AU$200/night in most places except NYC & Tokyo when I allowed AU$300/night. I also allowed AU$150/day for food, $100/day for 'activities', $50/day for contingencies and a few hundred here and there for travel. Still the overall figure (without airline tickets) was pretty eye-watering.
It certainly seems that the Aussie Dollar is very strong right now and I hope that may continue. Greece is looking like being the bargain destination right now with comfortable double rooms casting about $50/night with en-suites. My eyes have been opened to the world of Hostels and I have found amazing places in SanFrancisco overlooking Alcatraz, The Golden Gate Bridge and next to Fisherman's Wharf for $100/night. Ryokans in Central Tokyo and Hostels on Broadway near Central Park in NYC all at pretty reasonable prices.
I have handed control of Greece over to Em 'cos I am far too much of a control freak and I'm keen to land in Athens and have no control whatsoever to get me into the laid-back island hopping groove.
So - we have some serious saving to do and some serious planning to get the most out of our adventure. Your comments are always welcome and I shall get some more posts up soon.
The itinerary is getting firmed up somewhat. The current plan is
Bangkok - 4 nights
Cairo - 2 nights
Greece - just over 2 weeks
UK - 5 weeks (including a trip to France for a week)
Florida - 10 days
Washington DC - 4 days
New York - 5 days
California 12 days (inc. 4 days in LA & 3 days in San Francisco)
Tokyo - about a week
All up that is 13 weeks of adventures. By way of a compromise we have been given permission to take the kids out of school for term 2, which is 20th April to 21st July 2013.
I hope to get your ideas for each place about the must-do activities.
The budgeting for each city and the research into that has been quite interesting and www.hostelworld.com has become my new favourite website. I initially budgeted for AU$200/night in most places except NYC & Tokyo when I allowed AU$300/night. I also allowed AU$150/day for food, $100/day for 'activities', $50/day for contingencies and a few hundred here and there for travel. Still the overall figure (without airline tickets) was pretty eye-watering.
It certainly seems that the Aussie Dollar is very strong right now and I hope that may continue. Greece is looking like being the bargain destination right now with comfortable double rooms casting about $50/night with en-suites. My eyes have been opened to the world of Hostels and I have found amazing places in SanFrancisco overlooking Alcatraz, The Golden Gate Bridge and next to Fisherman's Wharf for $100/night. Ryokans in Central Tokyo and Hostels on Broadway near Central Park in NYC all at pretty reasonable prices.
I have handed control of Greece over to Em 'cos I am far too much of a control freak and I'm keen to land in Athens and have no control whatsoever to get me into the laid-back island hopping groove.
So - we have some serious saving to do and some serious planning to get the most out of our adventure. Your comments are always welcome and I shall get some more posts up soon.
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
The trip blog has moved to Blogger
Due to starting up the business website using the Apple service I had to bin the previous blog and have started up this one. My previous blogs prattled on about itineraries and how long we should go for. I've started up this one because the whole situation is getting a whole lot more 'interesting' due to a fair degree of recalcitrance on the part of the kid's school - St Marks.
I shall get some more down later when I get time. This is really just a brief blog to get it up and running.
Px
I shall get some more down later when I get time. This is really just a brief blog to get it up and running.
Px
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