Travel Thread

#2462

@Gnik, we are about to do a JP trip:
5 nights Tokyo (arrive Narita)
4 nights Kyoto
5 nights Osaka (fly home)
with a few day trips (Nara, Nagoya etc) in there.
The number crunching we did showed a 7 day JR Pass just wasn’t worth it. It was costing the same as the buying the tickets individually.
In our case though there’s really only one longish trip (Tok -> Kyo). For you, it may well be different.

#2463

I think our trip from Kyoto to Kii Tanabe has made the pass worthwhile.

#2464

I thought Doha’s 1C lounge is pretty ordinary. Emirates’ in Dubai is the clear best of any I have been to. Even their BC lounge is better than most airlines’ 1C lounges.

#2465

The Business Class in Dubai is good enough for my tastes.

The important thing about choice of airlines is that we must get QFF points.

#2466

Both Airlines will get you Qantas points however the earn rate on Emirates is better.
Just off the top of my head the one way earns are:
Qatar, MEL-DOH-FCO 10,000 points plus 140 status credits.
Emirates, MEL-DXB-FCO 18,000 points plus 280 SC’s as minimum on business sale price. Can earn slightly more if just regular business fare.
Just need to make sure all legs on Emirates are booked with a QF number not EK number. I’ve seen some TA’s accidentally book it all with EK numbers on Emirates website as it can be slightly cheaper but you get almost zero earn

#2467

Let us know how you go with the deer in Nara. One bit me on the ■■■■ and ate my map when I didn’t give it any crackers!!!

#2468

My wife was bitten on the upper thigh there by a deer which thought she had food in the pocket of her jeans.

#2469

Yeah, I’ve read the deer can be a bit demanding these days…

#2470

Fricken aggressive. They’re all over the place too, in the park, in the temple, on the road.

Anyway, there was some very cool temples there so it was all worth while.

I’m Nara I had one of the funniest experiences of our trip, trying to explain to the hotel restaurant staff that I would not be eating breakfast, so my daughter would be using the breakfast voucher instead of me. It was like a real life Japanese rendition of some twisted Fawlty Towers skit. (Didn’t mention the war tho…)

#2471

There’s a whole industry built on hiring deer suits to lonely japanese men.

#2472

It’s when you’re on the bullet train you’ll start to save money. Your maths seems sound.

The Jr pass definitely won’t be worth it if your are using only the local systems.

#2473

What is it with ■■■■■ getting on planes then deciding they’re not going after all? Simple enough getting the ■■■■■■■ off, but then they have to get the ■■■■■■■ luggage off too… Then they have to rejig the whole flight schedule to fit the flight back in…
Two hours after scheduled takeoff and we’re still stuck on the ■■■■■■■ tarmac…
Third ■■■■■■■ time it’s happened to me recently…

#2474

Anyone been to Uluru? I’d be keen to know best time of year, what else there is to do nearby and how long to spend there.

This would be a family holiday staying in hotels etc, not a 4x 4 driving holiday.

#2475

Has been several years but Yulara is the small town in the NP and has a couple of motels and resorts aswell as a small airport. The best place to stay but can be quite pricey.
Uluru is a good 5-6 hour drive from Alice Springs but many people do go out on day trips from there. End of April to mid September is probably the best time to visit as it will be a lot cooler.
I’d do a couple of days from Alice and include Kings Canyon in your itinerary with perhaps a helicopter ride which you won’t forget

#2476

floods in Venice but the eating goes on

#2477

Qantas having a massive sale at the moment. I’ve just booked flights to the USA in May - $850 return.

Just letting people know in case they’re looking for some good prices. My boss looked and saw $800 return to London through Dubai in June too apparently.

#2478

Agreed with this, @Gnik

Grab the 7 day JR rail pass for your Shink & other travel within that period (keep in mind that the pass covers only JR lines) & use a Suica for any remaining travel. If you make it down to Hiroshima & back (which I highly recommend) - there will be savings to be had.

#2479

I haven’t seen London that cheap but if so it’s a good price through Dubai as that will be with Emirates

#2480

Qantas do a code share to London with Emirates don’t they?

#2481

Back from South Africa a couple of weeks now. All went well - no issues whatsoever (though you have to be cautious & vigilant of course).

HL itinerary:

  • Couple of days Joburg for Apartheid Museum & Cradle of Humankind.
  • Drove to Graskop for Panorama Route & Blyde River Canyon.
  • 5 days Kruger NP with Wild Wings Safaris (recommended)
  • Flew to Cape Town for 4 days.
  • Drove Garden Route / Klein Karoo over a week or so with stops in Hermanus, Oudtshoorn & Plettenberg Bay.
  • Flew back from Port Elizabeth.

Gold medal: Kruger National Park
Silver Medal: Whale watching at Hermanus
Bronze Medal: Cape Town

Exceeded expectations: quality & value of wines in Western Cape.

@GRR

@saladin took the G85 which did a pretty good job. I’ll post a bunch of pics next. Can’t load my MP4s to Win10 though - not sure what’s going on there.