I had been planning to go to Australia in 2011, but now it looks as if it will be 2012. My bucket list keeps getting longer, so I'm toying with the idea of actually waiting until maybe June to book for July, and deciding where to go by where I can get the best deal. (I'll be traveling solo, and late-ish July will be the only time I can go.)

There are sometimes some good deals on OAT for last minute, and the same thing with Untours; I don't mind tours or set-ups like those, but I'm not much on big group tours. I travel independently most of the time, but again, not totally averse to a small group or "semi-independent". What has worked out well for you in getting a last minute deal?

I'd sign up for travelzoo's weekly top 20 -- they sometimes have amazing offers (but usually priced at per person double occupancy and single supplements can add up).

They aren't all last minute - some are good for several months in the future so somewhere around April/May you'll start finding deals for July.

Thanks! I do get that one--I'd forgotten. Good idea to keep looking at it. (Those single supplements can be a bummer, though. Sigh.)

Most tour packages don't work out for solo travel (because of the dreaded 'single supplement').

If I were in your shoes, I would just pick a couple places and wait & book an independent trip. For me here in Seattle, I can usually get great prices on a plane ticket for Honolulu, or PV or Cabo in Mexico , and I know cheap hotels in all those places. That's what's worked well for me in the past.

Have you looked for deals on Qantas? Personally I'd never wait for a month before to book airfare, or trains, but I suppose I might for tours. If you don't mind going budget look at Intrepid. But for Oz a tour may be overkill.

Oh, the not going to Australia is about my friends not being able to go--otherwise, I'd just go this year. (I've got the trip all planned out, but it's not as important to me as it is to them to go to Oz, so I'm willing to wait for the next time.) That's why I'm kinda toying with the idea of randomness on the last minute deals. Most of the time I'm traveling solo/independently (and kinda cheap, anyway) but there's no one place "calling" me right now: I want to go to Syria, Lebanon, and/or Jordan; finally get to Prague and Budapest; Romania; Egypt; Finland with a stopover in Iceland (Icelandair's fares are usually great for that); Japan; and a host of other places...pretty random, eh?

Prague & Budapest would be an easy trip to plan last minute and independent I think, and summer a good time to go.

Except for the "end of July" part I would have said Egypt. Go there when you can go in December'ish, it's fantastic!

Finland and Iceland would be fun in July. Lots of daylight to explore with. Prague and Budapest would also be fun at that time of year.


Write out your top bucket list places on slips of paper. Remove all the ones that would kinda suck in July (as amazing as Egypt is, July would suck a bit) and drop the slips in a bowl. Pick one out and find a plane ticket. Or, pick out two or three and go with whichever has the cheapest plane tickets.

Or start a post in the Lounge asking where you should go. There's a lot more traffic on that board and there were some fantastic ideas posted when I asked.

Iceland is wonderful in July. Or any time, really.

I've got the bucket list, and it includes a lot of places that won't be great in the summer (much of the Middle East, for instance, and parts of SE Asia I've not been to)--but summer's what I've got to work with, so...that might include climbing the Great Wall in 44C heat (yes) and exploring Varanasi in the middle of July (ditto) but that's all part of the joys of my life.

I'm actually looking into going to Yellowstone instead (after 26 years of going abroad at least once a year) but that has its own issues; I don't drive, and, well, it's not easy getting around out there carless! I am finding some buses out of Salt Lake City that I might be able to deal with; I just don't wanna be on a bus tour for too long. My grandfather was stationed at Fort Yellowstone as part of the cavalry (needed to defend from hunters/poachers at the time) and I'm sorta nosing in that direction. (And I know I'd better make up my mind soon, as Yellowstone books up quickly!) Oh, and it'll probably be mid-June, I found out today.

Too many places, not enough time!