My tip is; if you’re booking anything make sure you read their cancellation policy.
My tip is; if you’re booking anything make sure you read their cancellation policy.
Hope to go to Italy next year, probably late September. Hopefully is considerably less wacky by then plus Italy’s covid Rt is back above 1 which is a concern.
Also, even if your flights are non-refundable, if borders close just sit back and wait - don’t cancel your flights because you can’t travel, you won’t get anything back. However, the likely scenario is that the flight will be rescheduled, or cancelled and if that happens you’re entitled to a full credit or refund.
Good advice, there were tonnes of people who lost money because they were impatient and cancelled the flights before the airline did it and put their flight into credit or refunded it.
This is another thing why frequent flyer points are so valuable.
I have just booked Singapore Airlines to Europe in a mix of Business and First and Cathay Pacific Business back for September/October next year.
Cancellation fees are minimal (about $100) though Qantas FF are currently waiving cancellation fees and Krisflyer are offering free changes for flights booked before 31 December.
I won’t be booking any non flexible pay at the hotel accommodation though.
So really the only risk is if it all goes south after we leave but that is what insurance is for.
Navigating Singapore’s VTL arrangements was a bit tricky given they haven’t announced the VTL schedule past March but will avoid that by transiting in HKG on the way back instead.
Any tips on Uluru and other NT regions? Thinking about 10 days to visit Uluru, Kings Canyon, Alice Springs, Darwin.
Uluru accommodation seems exorbitant but I guess that’s how it’s been forever?
I’m thinking simply book flights for each leg of the trip and accom? Don’t know what to expect, whether to allow 3 days for Uluru and surrounds or 1 day… any tips much appreciated.
Accommodation there is run by the same company, so there’s no competition from any of the places. We stayed at a serviced apartment there so we could avoid eating at restaurants and bistro for our whole stay. It worked out a bit cheaper and healthy although buying groceries there is super expensive.
For things to do; depending on your fitness there’s a sunrise/walk around the Rock tour which is great. We also went on sunset dinner and while the food was alright, the views are amazing. Especially when they turned off all the lights and you just looked up into the night sky. Also went out to Kings Canyon which was a ridiculously early start (we left the hotel at 04:30) which was pretty although I probably would have preferred to got to the Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) instead.
Also a tip for the trip home, try to get the window seat on the right side of the plane as you’ll get an amazing view of Uluru when you fly out.
Thanks for the tips.
I’ve always travelled to cities for holidays, Australian/European/American, so spending almost 2 weeks on visiting an empty vastness isn’t like me, but I think it’s time. I’ve seen so little of Australia it’s borderline criminal, in fact probably never been more than 100km inland from the coast until I visited Dubbo/Bathurst last year.
I have definitely seen more of Europe than I have seen of Australia. Uluru was always on my Mum’s bucket list and she never got a chance to go with my Dad so my Sister and myself went with her.
You don’t understand the scale of Uluru until you’re up and close with it.
Same. I’ve been all over the world, but I’m off to Cairns in a few weeks for the first time in my life.
The problem for me has always been the cost of travelling locally.
It was always the case that we’d price out a trip to, I dunno, say Sunshine Coast; and then we’d end up saying fuck it, it not that much more to go to Phuket instead.
Off to Seoul for a wedding in September.
Any tips?
I didn’t go in Seoul, but the baseball in Korea is a lot of fun, probably even if you don’t like baseball.
The regular season apparently runs until September 23, so you might be in luck. Not sure what effect Covid has had though.
I think the wedding is the 24th and I get there ok the 20th but Ill have a look see.
I went to Busan and Jeju, the food is amazing.
Go into random little restaurants.
I loved Korea.
DMZ!
Also get their version of the Opal card and train it everywhere, the trains there are amazing
I think 8 of the top 10 suggestions on trip advisor are dmz tours!
I’m trying to plan a work/holiday trip in July, taking in London, Malmsbury, Glasgow, Paris, Amsterdam and Budapest.
Trying to work out the Covid / testing rules is a nightmare
That looks like a Carmen Santiago mission!
I loved it. Also a night river cruise, especially if you like bridges.