tanking economy & trip planning

[shootingstar]

Though things economically right now are in the tank worldwide, one thing positive is if you book months in advance, sometimes you can get deals on flights and hotels. So already we booked flights (within Canada) for September.

I managed to find and book a luxury (not that I was actively looking for this quality) hotel in Portland that was offering a bewilderingly good price over a holiday weekend. And just 1 wk. later the pricing went up by $100.00. :o

Can't even imagine our bikes in this lovely turquoise satin draped environment with white accents. Probaby have bike storage facilities down stairs..

[Mr. Bloom]

SilverSon and SilverDaughter are going to Europe this summer - on their own:eek: - but I'm amazed at how inexpensive the "peak season" airplane tickets are - about $1,100. Makes me want to go...

[tulip]

Oh, I don't think that $1100 is so cheap to go to Europe, at least not from the east coast of the US. I paid $1200 last May and that's the most by far I've ever to go. It was hard to swallow.

I hope the SilverKids have a great time, though.

[shootingstar]

Oh, I don't think that $1100 is so cheap to go to Europe, at least not from the east coast of the US. I paid $1200 last May and that's the most by far I've ever to go. It was hard to swallow.

I hope the SilverKids have a great time, though.

Well if $1,100 is 2 round-trip tickets for 2 people to Paris/continental Europe, that's not bad, even if flying out from east coast. I noticed for anyone visiting Vancouver here now, there are some great hotel deals for next few months. Nice hotels. But don't count on tons of snow up in Whistler right now.

[Zen]

I flew to Europe for free.
Well, kinda free.
I bartered with the Army.
It was worth it.

[indysteel]

Oh, I don't think that $1100 is so cheap to go to Europe, at least not from the east coast of the US. I paid $1200 last May and that's the most by far I've ever to go. It was hard to swallow.

I hope the SilverKids have a great time, though.

I agree. I used to fly to Europe for around $700--at most $800--even at peak times.

[Mr. Bloom]

Hmmm, our last trip, the kids were kids and were $1,100 each on season:eek:

Ahhh, must be the difference between a booming market and a falling market!

[NbyNW]

DH and I are currently doing the round-the-world thing, seeing as we are both "in transition." When else will we have this kind of time?

Agree with others that flights are not too steeply discounted, but there are definitely vacancies at hotels, at all levels. We are currently at a very nice place in central Java, and there are only a few other guests . . . feels like we have it all to ourselves!

[Cataboo]

I flew to Scotland between Christmas and New Year's for about $625 roundtrip. That's usually a peak time.

Jackson HOle is running this special, which is pretty incredible considering their lift tickets are $90

http://www.jacksonhole.com/email07/LT/20090203skifree/composite.jpg

[crazycanuck]

Jocelyn-are you guys coming to Australia?

If we want to fly back to NZ, it'll cost each of us $900. If we want to go to Europe, i believe we'd be looking at $2k. Now, if we want to go shopping in Singapore..:cool:

[NbyNW]

Jocelyn-are you guys coming to Australia?

Only briefly; we will be in Melbourne this Saturday through Tuesday. We figured Oz might be it's own trip someday, but it turns out that there is a Melbourne company that wants to interview DH, so they are flying us down from Singapore.

Where are you?

[crazycanuck]

I'm over here in Perth but like Melbourne for the shopping!!

Melbourne..shopping..mmmmm :cool: Do you like coffee? If so, i'm happy to ask my fave cafe owners (Melbournians) for their recommendations for Melbourne. Oh, also, visit the MCG, if not the most famous sports ground in Aust.

If the bushfire situation in Vic wasn't as bad as it is at the moment, Í would have suggested driving to Ballarat/Bendigo for some Australian history. Same goes for the Healsville wildlife sanctuary.

Good luck to your DH & his interview!

[NbyNW]

Love coffee, and any recommendations for places to visit. It'll be a quick one, so we'd like to make the most of it!

I think the main objective is to figure out if we'd be willing to relocate.

The bush fire story gets worse every time I read something new. I hope they're able to contain the damage and take care of people.

Thanks for the well-wishes!

[crazycanuck]

k, I asked my friend for suggestions & here's the lowdown.

1-For things to see-The "G" as many know it by. (the MCG) & drive the Great Ocean road. I completely forgot about that one!

2-Coffee-The Brother Buba Budan is the best place (friend is my fave cafe owner & barista plus originally from the Melb area). Others are: Journal, Cantina, Guiseppe Analdi & Sons, Cumulus, Gills Diner & Bar Lourinha.

[NbyNW]

Thanks for the recommendations! Will report back. :D

[salsabike]

Jocelyn! You're in transition! That's great. Will look forward to hearing about this trip.

[NbyNW]

Yes, DH was itching for a change in scenery after the year he's had, and really the only thing left for me to do at my position was resign. It was a question of when. We took a look at our books and decided that I could do it sooner rather than later, and here we are!

We've been wanting to do this for ages, and now more than ever it is well worth getting a different perspective on things.

Feels like a proactive way to spend our days while waiting for this new stimulus package to work its way into the system, too.

Heard Seattle got another round of snow, too. Not missing that. Not at all.

[crazycanuck]

Jocelyn..how long are you guys travelling for? Do you mind if i ask what regions you're covering?

[NbyNW]

Jocelyn..how long are you guys travelling for? Do you mind if i ask what regions you're covering?

Not at all -- we got round-the-world tickets with Star Alliance, which allows for multiple destinations as long as we travel generally east to west or in the other direction, and we have to complete our travel within a year of our start date.

We started out Seattle to Paris in mid-Jan. Rented an apartment in Paris for two weeks then flew to Singapore. Singapore is about as centrally-located as you can get, so we've been using it as a regional hub. As I mentioned before, we went to Indonesia last week and arrived today in Melbourne. We also entertained thoughts of visiting a friend in India but learned that we should have gotten our visas before leaving the U.S. Poor planning on our part. After this we will head to Taiwan to hang out with family as the lunar new year festivities wind down, and then we go to New Zealand. At this time we plan to be back home end of March, but there is some flexibility.

[crazycanuck]

Coolio! I have more questions...:o
Did you get to do any shopping in Singapore?? :cool:

How's Melbourne??? I hope the smoke situation isn't too bad atm.

Are you doing mainly the South or North island when you get to NZ?

If you have facebook, will you be posting your trip photos :D

[NbyNW]

Coolio! I have more questions...:o
Did you get to do any shopping in Singapore?? :cool:

I had no idea Singapore was such a shopping mecca until I got here. But as we're travelling light, and I've never been much of a shopper anyway, we've pretty much kept it to window-shopping.


How's Melbourne??? I hope the smoke situation isn't too bad atm.

Melbourne is lovely. We couldn't have asked for better weather. There has been a little bit of a wood-burning smoky smell in the city -- mostly yesterday -- but it hasn't been too bad.

DH's interview seems to have gone well (he is in round #2 this afternoon) and we visited with a friend of mine from grad school. Yesterday his wife and I went for a little bike ride down the Yarra River Trail, just barely 10k out and back.


Are you doing mainly the South or North island when you get to NZ?

No set plans yet. I think we're entering through Auckland and then we'll spend a couple days there planning what we'll do. Any recommendations?


If you have facebook, will you be posting your trip photos :D

I am on facebook, but I prefer to limit my network to people who I know in person. Perhaps when I get home I'll edit down a selection and post for TE'ers who are curious about the trip.

[crazycanuck]

The great thing about Singapore is that it's cheap to fly to from Perth & it's a short hop! We almost went there on a long weekend last year...

Hey, great news about your DH's interview process!

In regards to flying into Auckland & what to do. Well, it depends on how much time you have & if it's only going to be spent on the N. Island

A couple of ideas-Waiheke Island, Rangitoto & Titiri Tiri (sp?) Matangi are cool places to visit when in Auckland.

The Coromandel :) The far north

The East Cape :cool: . Drive from Auckland along the coast to Gisborne. Great beaches at Ohope, Opotiki & Hicks Bay :)

You could always come back the inland route & go mtn biking in Rotorua(rotovegas):cool:

If you want to go further, why not down to The 'Naki (Taranaki)

[tulip]

I postponed my planned Italy trip until next spring (for the Giro). The economy isn't having an effect on my work--I'm busier than ever, but the renovation has sucked all the savings out of my life, and then some. So I decided to use this year as a savings year and then next year travel to Europe. I don't like having no savings.

[NbyNW]

Tulip: Busy is good. Savings is good, too. Having all your ducks in a row before doing extended travel: priceless.

Chances are that the economy will recover slowly so I imagine that you might be able to take advantage of some deals even next year.