Feedback wanted please!!
Dec 26th, 2013, 01:42 PM
#41
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,566
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Using Melbourne as a departure point I did some searching directly on several airlines sites and only found a difference of roughly $200 for an open jaw, so I still have no idea where you are finding it to be one thousand dollars.
Royal Brunei is a good deal but again you are limiting yourself to using only London as your hub in Europe and its a long flight at around 27 hours as against 22 on a Singapore flight. Is the flight to Rome also from Heathrow? Does it include 20kg baggage? You will also have to collect your baggage and find your departure gate, this will take some time.
Cathay Pacific may be worth a look but again I think you may be too late with the early bird deals, we picked up a very good fare to Vancouver earlier this year so you might be in luck if they have a sale.
I think it might be wise to sort out your itinerary first then look at flights, open jaw really is the best option.
Royal Brunei is a good deal but again you are limiting yourself to using only London as your hub in Europe and its a long flight at around 27 hours as against 22 on a Singapore flight. Is the flight to Rome also from Heathrow? Does it include 20kg baggage? You will also have to collect your baggage and find your departure gate, this will take some time.
Cathay Pacific may be worth a look but again I think you may be too late with the early bird deals, we picked up a very good fare to Vancouver earlier this year so you might be in luck if they have a sale.
I think it might be wise to sort out your itinerary first then look at flights, open jaw really is the best option.
Dec 26th, 2013, 02:18 PM
#42
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks everyone, yes I really was looking at open jaw. The cheapest it seemed to be at the moment is $2500 each, which is not cheap from Melbourne. I know I have missed the early birds but I will hopefully be able to get a better deal than that. Yes I agree Maudie and I think I need to finalise itinerary. I already know that I want to start in Rome/Italy first so we do that leg of the trip before the hotter weather sets in.
Dec 26th, 2013, 04:51 PM
#43
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,122
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
> Our main priorities: hiking, bike riding, wine tasting, beach lying and some city experiences (London, Paris, Rome)
That information is so helpful! I trust others will jump in, but from the last itinerary I saw you propose, you have a LOT of city experiences, a little bit of hiking, and little bit of wine tasting. Bike riding may be in there -- I really don't know. Lying on beaches is also not my thing, but I think you have very few options in there for beaches, and with the possible exception of Venice's Lido, and what you do have are some small pebbly beaches where you can rent a chair for a day -- which can be very pleasant, but if you're thinking of wide sandy stretches, you might be disappointed. But maybe I'm mistaken. For tasting wines, I generally prefer to test a glass or two at a lovely cafe with a stunning view, and I think you can do that at pretty much anywhere you plan to visit. Most actual "wine testing" tours I've taken just leave me feeling a bit whoozy and wondering why I gave up so much time that I could have used elsewhere actually seeing something. To each his own!
Hope this helps!
That information is so helpful! I trust others will jump in, but from the last itinerary I saw you propose, you have a LOT of city experiences, a little bit of hiking, and little bit of wine tasting. Bike riding may be in there -- I really don't know. Lying on beaches is also not my thing, but I think you have very few options in there for beaches, and with the possible exception of Venice's Lido, and what you do have are some small pebbly beaches where you can rent a chair for a day -- which can be very pleasant, but if you're thinking of wide sandy stretches, you might be disappointed. But maybe I'm mistaken. For tasting wines, I generally prefer to test a glass or two at a lovely cafe with a stunning view, and I think you can do that at pretty much anywhere you plan to visit. Most actual "wine testing" tours I've taken just leave me feeling a bit whoozy and wondering why I gave up so much time that I could have used elsewhere actually seeing something. To each his own!
Hope this helps!
Dec 26th, 2013, 05:47 PM
#44
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks kja. We now have five cities - Rome, Naples, Venice, Paris and London. Naples and Venice are there to pass through and I don't plan to spend more than a day in each, en route to Amalfi Coast and Dolomites.
Coast is there for the hiking/scenery - not so much for beach lounging. I live in a beautiful Australian coastal town so I can do that at home!
Dolomites and French alps are for hiking and hopefully some cycling. The cities I plan to visit and stay for several days are because I really want to go there and hopefully we can do some day trips from Paris and ride our bikes too.
I agree re wine tours. I love my vino but have never actually been interested in a tour. I'd much rather find a lovely place to while away the afternoon with some local wine after a morning of hiking or on the bike.
With all that said, any other suggestions/amendments would be welcome.
Coast is there for the hiking/scenery - not so much for beach lounging. I live in a beautiful Australian coastal town so I can do that at home!
Dolomites and French alps are for hiking and hopefully some cycling. The cities I plan to visit and stay for several days are because I really want to go there and hopefully we can do some day trips from Paris and ride our bikes too.
I agree re wine tours. I love my vino but have never actually been interested in a tour. I'd much rather find a lovely place to while away the afternoon with some local wine after a morning of hiking or on the bike.
With all that said, any other suggestions/amendments would be welcome.
Dec 26th, 2013, 07:00 PM
#45
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,248
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Venice is not really a place to pass through - it's at the end of the line. In my opinion, it's a wonderful destination and should have it's own time.
Don't try to do everything - you will come back.
Don't try to do everything - you will come back.
Dec 29th, 2013, 10:10 PM
#46
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ok so I have changed some things and come up with a new version. Open to all thoughts, criticisms and new ideas on this. Essentially though we are at the moment starting and ending in London because it is so much cheaper than open jaw - that could change by feb but even the travel agent couldn't find open jaw less than $1000 more than the flight to and from London ex Melbourne. We then go to rome because I want todo italy before it gets hotter and work our way back. Also I want to be in champagne for Tour de France on July 11 so some things are working around that. But if people have constructive alternatives to this itinerary I'd love to hear it.
Tuesday June 3
Depart Melbourne
Wednesday June 4 - Sunday June 8
London
(3.5 days, after Wednesday arrival, depart Sunday morning)
Sunday June 8 - Thursday June 12
Rome
(3.5 days, after Sunday arrival, depart Thursday morning)
Thursday June 12 - Saturday June 14
Florence (or just out of city on way to CT)
(1.5 days, arrive Thursday afternoon depart Saturday morning)
Saturday June 14 - Tuesday June 17
Cinque Terre
(2.5 days, arrive Saturday afternoon, depart Tuesday morning)
Tuesday June 17
Travel to Venice
Wednesday June 18 - Friday June 20
Venice
(2 days, arrive late Tuesday evening, depart Friday morning)
Friday June 20 - Wednesday June 25
Dolomites
(4.5 days, arrive Friday afternoon, depart Wednesday morning)
Wednesday June 25
Travel to Chamonix or somewhere else???
Thursday June 26 - Sunday June 29
Chamonix region/zermatt Valley (Matterhorn) - or alternative???
(3 full days)
Sunday June 29
Train from Geneva to somewhere - Dijon region?
Monday June 30 - Wednesday July 2
Dijon or alternative??
Wednesday July 3 - Monday July 8
Paris
Monday July 8 - Friday July 12
Eperenay
Friday July 12
Barcelona via Paris
Saturday July 13
Barcelona
Sunday July 14 - Wednesday July 17
San Sebastián via Bilbao
Wednesday July 17
London via Bilbao
Thursday July 18
Home
Tuesday June 3
Depart Melbourne
Wednesday June 4 - Sunday June 8
London
(3.5 days, after Wednesday arrival, depart Sunday morning)
Sunday June 8 - Thursday June 12
Rome
(3.5 days, after Sunday arrival, depart Thursday morning)
Thursday June 12 - Saturday June 14
Florence (or just out of city on way to CT)
(1.5 days, arrive Thursday afternoon depart Saturday morning)
Saturday June 14 - Tuesday June 17
Cinque Terre
(2.5 days, arrive Saturday afternoon, depart Tuesday morning)
Tuesday June 17
Travel to Venice
Wednesday June 18 - Friday June 20
Venice
(2 days, arrive late Tuesday evening, depart Friday morning)
Friday June 20 - Wednesday June 25
Dolomites
(4.5 days, arrive Friday afternoon, depart Wednesday morning)
Wednesday June 25
Travel to Chamonix or somewhere else???
Thursday June 26 - Sunday June 29
Chamonix region/zermatt Valley (Matterhorn) - or alternative???
(3 full days)
Sunday June 29
Train from Geneva to somewhere - Dijon region?
Monday June 30 - Wednesday July 2
Dijon or alternative??
Wednesday July 3 - Monday July 8
Paris
Monday July 8 - Friday July 12
Eperenay
Friday July 12
Barcelona via Paris
Saturday July 13
Barcelona
Sunday July 14 - Wednesday July 17
San Sebastián via Bilbao
Wednesday July 17
London via Bilbao
Thursday July 18
Home
Dec 29th, 2013, 10:28 PM
#47
You are double counting days - what you actually have is:
Wednesday June 4 - Saturday June 7 London
Sunday June 8 - Wed. June 11 Rome
Thursday June 12 - Friday June 13 Florence (or just out of city on way to CT)
Saturday June 14 - Monday June 16 Cinque Terre
Tues. June 17 Travel to Venice
Wed. June 18 - Thurs June 19 Venice
Friday June 20 - Tues. June 24 Dolomites
Wednesday June 25 Travel to Chamonix or somewhere else???
Thursday June 26 - Sat. June 28
Chamonix region/zermatt Valley (Matterhorn) - or alternative???
Sunday June 29 Train from Geneva to somewhere - Dijon region?
Monday June 30 - Tues. July 2 Dijon or alternative??
Wednesday July 3 - Sunday July 7 Paris
Monday July 8 - Thurs. July 11 Eperenay
Friday July 12 travel to Barcelona via Paris
Saturday July 13 Barcelona
Sunday July 14 - Tues July 16 San Sebastián via Bilbao
Wednesday July 17 London via Bilbao
Thursday July 18 Home
(though you will get a better handle on things if you count nights rather than days)
Wednesday June 4 - Saturday June 7 London
Sunday June 8 - Wed. June 11 Rome
Thursday June 12 - Friday June 13 Florence (or just out of city on way to CT)
Saturday June 14 - Monday June 16 Cinque Terre
Tues. June 17 Travel to Venice
Wed. June 18 - Thurs June 19 Venice
Friday June 20 - Tues. June 24 Dolomites
Wednesday June 25 Travel to Chamonix or somewhere else???
Thursday June 26 - Sat. June 28
Chamonix region/zermatt Valley (Matterhorn) - or alternative???
Sunday June 29 Train from Geneva to somewhere - Dijon region?
Monday June 30 - Tues. July 2 Dijon or alternative??
Wednesday July 3 - Sunday July 7 Paris
Monday July 8 - Thurs. July 11 Eperenay
Friday July 12 travel to Barcelona via Paris
Saturday July 13 Barcelona
Sunday July 14 - Tues July 16 San Sebastián via Bilbao
Wednesday July 17 London via Bilbao
Thursday July 18 Home
(though you will get a better handle on things if you count nights rather than days)
Dec 29th, 2013, 10:34 PM
#48
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I wasn't actually counting the days, just labelling them but often as half days - ie half a day when arrive to a new city as half will be spent travelling. Nights are good but don't really show if I am arriving one evening and leaving the next day - this would still be deceptive ...
