Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

[mookie1995]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

was at a lunch with some dot brits who told mookie about skyscanner. you are able to type in your departure city and dates, then the app (or website) will sort through and find you the lowest priced destinations. very useful here where mookie has no clue in which direction to head, but wants to head (er, 'get' maybe. that reads like he wants to give. mookie means he could give if she's nice enough... but well, you know how it sounds there... and the, well. it's is not entirely accurate....). so yah.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

was at a lunch with some dot brits who told mookie about skyscanner. you are able to type in your departure city and dates, then the app (or website) will sort through and find you the lowest priced destinations. very useful here where mookie has no clue in which direction to head, but wants to head (er, 'get' maybe. that reads like he wants to give. mookie means he could give if she's nice enough... but well, you know how it sounds there... and the, well. it's is not entirely accurate....). so yah.

That gets me all the way to 561$

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Thanks! I will try that. I am looking to fly out the 18th of this month (Sat) and fly back the Wed night. Short jaunt. Lowest I could get was >600. Wouldn't be paying for anything but airfare but still ridiculous.

Yeah, that is the problem. With less than 2 weeks to go, you've most likely waited too long to find any fares that the airlines call "deeply discounted economy". Sometimes you can get lucky if the airline has a lot of excess space on a given route, as they would obviously prefer to put paying butts in those seats even if they have to offer a discount, but you have to be a lot more flexible with your destination and dates than you currently are.

Also, sometimes when you search on weekends, prices go up because people are thinking about vacations after a long week of work, and so searching/demand goes up. If you wait, and search again on Tuesday or Wednesday morning, prices will often drop a bit. However, this likely won't help you now that you're so close to your desired travel dates.

ITA Matrix is the tool I use to piece together my vacation travel, as well as my coast-to-coast (or to AK) status runs. It doesn't register as interest/demand to the airlines, so you don't need to worry about clearing caches/cookies. It is more powerful than Kayak/Priceline/Orbitz/etc, but the search algorithm is more thorough, so it takes longer to serve results; especially when you start to fiddle and fart around with the advanced routing codes (limit to a specific airline, specific connection city/cities, specific number of connections, etc.)

 

[hockeyplayer1015]

Thanks! I will try that. I am looking to fly out the 18th of this month (Sat) and fly back the Wed night. Short jaunt. Lowest I could get was >600. Wouldn't be paying for anything but airfare but still ridiculous.

Swimming is free

Sorry, had to. But ya, it's likely too close to find any "cheap" fares.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Yeah, that is the problem. With less than 2 weeks to go, you've most likely waited too long to find any fares that the airlines call "deeply discounted economy". Sometimes you can get lucky if the airline has a lot of excess space on a given route, as they would obviously prefer to put paying butts in those seats even if they have to offer a discount, but you have to be a lot more flexible with your destination and dates than you currently are.

Also, sometimes when you search on weekends, prices go up because people are thinking about vacations after a long week of work, and so searching/demand goes up. If you wait, and search again on Tuesday or Wednesday morning, prices will often drop a bit. However, this likely won't help you now that you're so close to your desired travel dates.

ITA Matrix is the tool I use to piece together my vacation travel, as well as my coast-to-coast (or to AK) status runs. It doesn't register as interest/demand to the airlines, so you don't need to worry about clearing caches/cookies. It is more powerful than Kayak/Priceline/Orbitz/etc, but the search algorithm is more thorough, so it takes longer to serve results; especially when you start to fiddle and fart around with the advanced routing codes (limit to a specific airline, specific connection city/cities, specific number of connections, etc.)

I started looking last month. The fares haven't really moved at all. I wasn't sure if I could finagle it because I had other commitments. One of those disappeared so I could really look at it.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Neuschwanstein was amazing even though it was cloudy and raining.

I'm soaked to the bone but the pictures with the clouds were very dramatic. Not as picturesque as a day with a few cotton ball clouds in the sky, but still incredible.

 

[SteveP]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Today it was my privilege to visit the former Reims/Gueux Formula one circuit just outside of Reims, France, and drive what's left of the course. The French Grand Prix was held here in the 50's. The pits are still intact as are many other parts but some have fallen into severe disrepair.The course is roughly 8 km long and Juan Manual Fangio holds the course record for the older configuration in about 2 minutes 20 seconds. It's basically public roads and would be considered far too dangerous today. Let me tell you this was a fast course. It would be fast today too. The scariest places are on the west side where you crest a hill in a slight curve and in an F1 car would be doing maybe 135 mph or 140 at the time. I think it would be very hard to do that hill flat. The cars at that time had 425 hp and weighed about 1400 pounds but had poor brakes and almost nothing in safely equipment, not even a roll bar.
We stopped and looked around and there is a club of aficionados trying to save what's left. They had some brochures which we took one of. The course was basically three long straights with hairpins at the end and much of the course can be seen from the grandstands. Just amazing for me, having grown up following Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart , to finally see this place which has been in so many car magazines and movies. One of the main reasons for my wanting to come here.

Very envious. How I would love to lap the old F1 circuits. I did race a bugeye Sprite at Mosport for a couple of years, but the idea of lapping the 'Ring, Spa or Silverstone would be a thrill beyond belief.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Thanks for all the help everyone. Turns out it is better to fly AA down and fly Jet Blue home. the layovers were obscene for Jetblue going down unless I wanted to sell my first born.

 

[cF[Authentic]]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Neuschwanstein was amazing even though it was cloudy and raining.

I'm soaked to the bone but the pictures with the clouds were very dramatic. Not as picturesque as a day with a few cotton ball clouds in the sky, but still incredible.

I'm headed to Germany in two weeks for 10 days. The girlfriend and I are moving there in February so it's a bit of a tourist trip but we also want to get to know where we will be living.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

I'm headed to Germany in two weeks for 10 days. The girlfriend and I are moving there in February so it's a bit of a tourist trip but we also want to get to know where we will be living.

that sounds pretty cool! I went when I was a kid and loved it!

 

[Deutsche Gopher Fan]

I'm headed to Germany in two weeks for 10 days. The girlfriend and I are moving there in February so it's a bit of a tourist trip but we also want to get to know where we will be living.

I miss living in Germany. Sigh.

 

[joecct]

Thanks for all the help everyone. Turns out it is better to fly AA down and fly Jet Blue home. the layovers were obscene for Jetblue going down unless I wanted to sell my first born.

Just checked Craigslist. Still nothing...

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

I miss living in Germany. Sigh.

Every day I'm here, the idea of moving here permanently is becoming less insane. Aside from the weather this week, everything about Germany is so appealing. It's also surprising how fast you can start to pick up the language when you're here and interacting for hours every day.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Just checked Craigslist. Still nothing...

heh

Every day I'm here, the idea of moving here permanently is becoming less insane. Aside from the weather this week, everything about Germany is so appealing. It's also surprising how fast you can start to pick up the language when you're here and interacting for hours every day.

Coming back Sateside after going into Canada a few weeks ago was culture shock in a not good way. I find I think more like a European/ UK person (well, I think so that is a problem!). Pretty much anywhere I go I think I could live there.

When I was younger took German because my Dad had visions of me going to med school and they had a lot of med books in German. I can swear, count and say come here please. THat is the extent of what I remember now

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Kaiserschmarrn.

I think I'm in love.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Coming back Sateside after going into Canada a few weeks ago was culture shock in a not good way. I find I think more like a European/ UK person

That's how I feel whenever I come back. In many ways, European thinking is simply more natural and comfortable. American thinking is considerably more dichotomous and aggressive.

Europe : America :: America : New York City

The basic problem is American corporatized culture (television, sports, commerce, politics, organized religion) is dominated by our worst voices, because those voices are both the loudest and also the dumbest and thus easiest to sell to.

There are plenty of communities in the States where intelligence and thoughtfulness are civic and public virtues. Just not corporatized space. We traded humanity for convenience.

 

[burd]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

That's how I feel whenever I come back. In many ways, European thinking is simply more natural and comfortable. American thinking is considerably more dichotomous and aggressive.

Europe : America :: America : New York City

The basic problem is American corporatized culture (television, sports, commerce, politics, organized religion) is dominated by our worst voices, because those voices are both the loudest and also the dumbest and thus easiest to sell to.

There are plenty of communities in the States where intelligence and thoughtfulness are civic and public virtues. Just not corporatized space. We traded humanity for convenience.

I can tell you my recent hours-long jump from rural midwestern America to Vancouver had a bit of a science fiction feel to it.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

That's how I feel whenever I come back. In many ways, European thinking is simply more natural and comfortable. American thinking is considerably more dichotomous and aggressive.

Europe : America :: America : New York City

The basic problem is American corporatized culture (television, sports, commerce, politics, organized religion) is dominated by our worst voices, because those voices are both the loudest and also the dumbest and thus easiest to sell to.

There are plenty of communities in the States where intelligence and thoughtfulness are civic and public virtues. Just not corporatized space. We traded humanity for convenience.

Yep. It is hard re-enter all the self absorption, don't share, make sure the other guy doesn't get something for free, etc when it works so well other places. Going to St Croix- a 'part' of the US but I will struggle when I come home. Say hello to the bus driver in the airport and he twitches like he's been shot.

 

[joecct]

heh
Coming back Sateside after going into Canada a few weeks ago was culture shock in a not good way. I find I think more like a European/ UK person (well, I think so that is a problem!). Pretty much anywhere I go I think I could live there.

When I was younger took German because my Dad had visions of me going to med school and they had a lot of med books in German. I can swear, count and say come here please. THat is the extent of what I remember now

From my misspent youth:

Earschplittenloudenboomer

https://youtu.be/3GTbWnI-jx8

 

[leswp1]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

From my misspent youth:

Earschplittenloudenboomer

https://youtu.be/3GTbWnI-jx8

When I was engaging in mispent youth my father would yell, in a very fierce voice, Kommen sie hier BITTE!!! Then he would count to ten in German. That was a very, very bad thing to hear.