Travel/holiday thread

[Pross]

The key question that I have to ask is, will you regret not going?
Life is too short not to do things that you want to do, and can afford to do.

Yeah, that’s the way I’m drifting. The wife is probably more bothered about the cost but if I say we’re going and to let me worry about the cost I suspect that will be the right answer. I’m hoping that I can make enough money from the side company I’ve set up with my boss to cover most of it and have 12 months to save the rest.

 

[briantrumpet]

The key question that I have to ask is, will you regret not going?
Life is too short not to do things that you want to do, and can afford to do.

Even though there's not actually not *that* much I want to spend money on, even now I find it quite hard to spend money on things I want and can easily afford, because much the family circumstance and approach was always to be very careful with spending (born of parents' wartime upbringing and very modest earnings).

I'm getting better at it though, even if it's unlikely ever to be expensive holidays or flash cars. I'm quite excited by my new Spear & Jackson garden fork and the replacement plughole insert for the shower room sink, I can tell you.

 

[briantrumpet]

Yeah, that’s the way I’m drifting. The wife is probably more bothered about the cost but if I say we’re going and to let me worry about the cost I suspect that will be the right answer. I’m hoping that I can make enough money from the side company I’ve set up with my boss to cover most of it and have 12 months to save the rest.

You could try the line about memories lasting a lifetime. Just don't mention the "if we're lucky" bit.

 

[Blazing Saddles]

Couple of nights in Buenos Airies then on to Puerto Madryn and Trelew with a trip to Penisula Valdes including a whale watching trip and trips to Gaiman then across the Steppe to Esquel before going back to BA to fly home (18 days in total).

Just catching up with this, Pross. Why not contact David’s dad, Ioan?
He and my sister have done it all. I know the whale watching is incredible as I have their videos to prove it. They have been to PM and Trelew and just about everywhere else.

I can help with BA which is a great city. You can visit my local!
I can put you in touch with David’s brother if you like. He lives in Recoleta.

 

[PurplePenguin]

I think the travel itinerary is set to a large degree by the Welsh culture side and performance locations. We'll be there in November 27 if I go so not sure if that is whale season.

Whale season seems to be June to December, so you should be just about ok.

I've had a look at my photos and unfortunately don't have much more to add.

I did have a quick look at Explore to see how the price compares, and it seems I am very out of touch! 14 days in Patagonia without flights is from £5,255 per person.

 

[briantrumpet]

I did have a quick look at Explore to see how the price compares, and it seems I am very out of touch! 14 days in Patagonia without flights is from £5,255 per person.

I guess that at under £400 per day, it's not that outrageous, all things considered.

 

[First Aspect]

I would google how much the flights alone would cost from here. I bet you will conclude that the rest of the trip is very, very cheap for what you would be getting.

£11k is a lot of money, but it's an awful lot less money when you are dead. Spend it and don't forget your camera.

 

[Pross]

Just catching up with this, Pross. Why not contact David’s dad, Ioan?
He and my sister have done it all. I know the whale watching is incredible as I have their videos to prove it. They have been to PM and Trelew and just about everywhere else.

I can help with BA which is a great city. You can visit my local!
I can put you in touch with David’s brother if you like. He lives in Recoleta.

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I thought you had a connection to the area.

 

[Pross]

I would google how much the flights alone would cost from here. I bet you will conclude that the rest of the trip is very, very cheap for what you would be getting.

£11k is a lot of money, but it's an awful lot less money when you are dead. Spend it and don't forget your camera.

We have an option to arrange our own flights which brings the price of the rest of the package down by £800pp. I'm almost certain that won't bring the overall cost down. There are also potential bolt on options to extend the trip to go to Rio / Iguazu Falls and the El Calfate / Perito Moreno glacier but that definitely won't be possible due to still having to work for a living as well as the additional cost unfortunately.

 

[icowden]

We have an option to arrange our own flights which brings the price of the rest of the package down by £800pp. I'm almost certain that won't bring the overall cost down. There are also potential bolt on options to extend the trip to go to Rio / Iguazu Falls and the El Calfate / Perito Moreno glacier but that definitely won't be possible due to still having to work for a living as well as the additional cost unfortunately.

You might find that the arranged flights are a lot easier and nicer as well.

Ever since my wife had a heart attack just after we got married (she was 24) we have had the philosophy of "do it today because you might not be here tomorrow". Although £11k feels like a lot, in the grand scheme of things it's about what you pay for a big holiday like that. You can pay £5kpp for 2 weeks in Disney/Universal. Malaysia for 3 weeks was £6kpp. The flights are often the most expensive bit when travelling to countries with weaker currencies.

I'd say just do it :-)

 

[PurplePenguin]

We have an option to arrange our own flights which brings the price of the rest of the package down by £800pp. I'm almost certain that won't bring the overall cost down. There are also potential bolt on options to extend the trip to go to Rio / Iguazu Falls and the El Calfate / Perito Moreno glacier but that definitely won't be possible due to still having to work for a living as well as the additional cost unfortunately.

Iguazua Falls and Perito Mereno glacier are both pretty stunning, but they are at the opposite ends of the country. It's probably easier to combine Rio and Iguazu on another trip.

 

[icowden]

There are also potential bolt on options to extend the trip to go to Rio / Iguazu Falls and the El Calfate / Perito Moreno glacier but that definitely won't be possible due to still having to work for a living as well as the additional cost unfortunately.

Tell work it's your second honeymoon and you want an extra week ;-)

 

[Blazing Saddles]

Iguazua Falls and Perito Mereno glacier are both pretty stunning, but they are at the opposite ends of the country. It's probably easier to combine Rio and Iguazu on another trip.

True but it’s also far easier and cheaper to get flights from BA to Iguazu than just about anywhere else. So it’s doable early in the trip.
A word of warning regarding Patagonia flights: there are fewer and tend to be more expensive.

Pross: Is your fellow choir member, Alan Williams going? If so, he’s Ioan’s next door neighbour.

 

[Pross]

True but it’s also far easier and cheaper to get flights from BA to Iguazu than just about anywhere else. So it’s doable early in the trip.
A word of warning regarding Patagonia flights: there are fewer and tend to be more expensive.

Pross: Is your fellow choir member, Alan Williams going? If so, he’s Ioan’s next door neighbour.

He won't be going but still sings with us, nice bloke. I think between him and me we persuaded Becky to use us for her wedding.

It's going to be like a male voice choir version of the Barbarians!

 

[Pross]

At least they've put a Tre... place in there to make you feel at home.

They're more Welsh than us - if I go I feel I need to make an effort to learn more Welsh in advance. The trip has come about following the recent performance at the RAH including this song which had virtually been forgotten in Wales but has a huge historic relevance in Welsh speaking Patagoni as explained in the article.