Lol
I'm always planning trips haha. I usually aim for 12-16 months in advance for int'l because that's the only way to not get gouged on A/F or C/J rates. I never pay for flights anymore and book all fares on miles. It also gives me time to save and get the best value out of my reward status. We're always roadtripping around California, Oregon; flying back and forth between Canada with annual trips to Florida and NYC; usually a national park somewhere. I wanted to spend Christmas in Acapulco this year but flights were too expensive and the routes were totally screwy so we're going to Palm Springs instead. I always like to have one big international trip every other year to look forward to though and I get a kick out of researching and meticulously planning them out. I literally have hundreds of documents and PDF files on my computer for every city, state, country that I've either already visited or plan to in future. It's a hobby of mine.
Btw the Aman pricing I was looking at was their higher end canal room but I don't really like any of them enough to pay that kind of money and wouldn't stay at Aman in Venice. I've never stayed at The Gritti but I've checked it out before and it's beautiful. My travel agent who I'm incredibly envious of (she's in Bhutan right now and was on an African safari last month) stayed there last year and sent me all of her pictures. It looks stunning and with my Starwood status and Virtuoso amenities, we'll get the royal treatment.
Last edited by Oliver (2014-10-11 21:10:14)
Last edited by Sammy Ambrose (2014-10-11 22:08:55)
I don't get your meaning at all.
Did you have a Canal view?
Is it worth the price hike from Venetian Room to Landmark Canal Suite? I can't upgrade on points and I've heard they have a limited number so don't count on Virtuoso upgrades. It's the missus first time in Venice so I'm thinking of just going for it.
Venice is one of the few remaining cities where you can find that grandiose and more eloquent Europe - you just have to look beyond the tourist masks and the vulgar cruise ships, that to my understanding the mayor wants to get rid-off. And rightly so.
It is a working city too, there are commuter boats that are the best way to get from the mainland, cheaper than the tourist boats and residents get a special rate which makes it affordable.
The nearby MacArthur Glen Outlet Village is worth a visit, more up-market than the UK equivalents, in the Brioni outlet shop you can buy their RTW suits and jackets for well under a grand.
Last time I was in Venice I was an 18 year old in a youth hostel. No great desire to go back now.
Kraków is a good city. On the outskirts the salt mines are far more interesting than Auschwitz. We got a driver and did both in one day.
Oli, I'm curious, what's the travel time from your place to various destinations, tokyo, Venice, etc? Time to airport etc.
Its around 10 hours to anywhere minimum here, just to get to HK. Tokyo is only 9 hours 3 and a bit of which you are still over bloody oz! And fares are expensive. I was really chuffed once to fly out of Cork at 7 am and be in Amsterdam by 9, with different language etc and all for $ 30.
You can get cheap flights in Europe, you can also get ripped-off, depending on the airline and how canny a ticket buyer you.
I'm a mere 15 mins from Rotterdam airport here - I've taken-off from London City airport and been in the house within an hour. That's my best time yet.
For the Milano airports on a good day, you can be there in 1.5 hours flying time from Schipol (Amsterdam), but they always say it will be 2hrs 5mins flying time.
You can pretty much cover the whole of Europe in a 4/5 hr max flight.
4 Hrs to Istanbul from my nearest airport which is Manchester.
Last edited by Oliver (2014-10-12 08:25:02)
I just checked and our return NRT to SFO direct is only 9h 10min. That's probably 12.5 hours travel time total between airports and everything.
Last edited by doghouse (2014-10-12 13:56:57)