So. We leave in a week. Less, in fact -- this time next week, we'll be dragging our jet-lagged selves into a comfy bed in Istanbul, hoping to catch enough sleep before the drums signalling the dawn fast of Ramazan begin.
I'll be blogging on our trip on this handydandy little computer which we're taking with.
I'm so excited I could just about pop. No, really!
I've not been on a holiday since I was, what? fourteen? Since the last time I went with my parents to the UK. Now, I've been camping a ton, and taken weeks to camp at Clinton, and gone home for Christmas -- but not a HOLIDAY in the 'get on a plane and fly somewhere' kinda way. Now, not only am I going on a holiday, but I'm going on a plane, I'm going with my husband and I'm going to TURKEY! And we're going for a month!
Yes, a month -- I've squeaked out some extra days by working Saturdays we ended up with the Wednesday before our scheduled trip and the Monday after off... at that point it seemed worthwhile to leave Wednesday... or Tuesday night... or get Tuesday off and leave Sunday instead! Which is what we did :-)
Orbitz already jerked us around and rescheduled our other flights, so we knew raising a stink and cancelling was an option. We knew there were better flights -- better in terms of timing and, well -- timing. When Air Canada cancelled a flight on our way home from Turkey, we found that our entire trip with three different airlines were all booked by Orbitz through Luftansa. That wouldn't have been the problem, except that Luftansa weren't willing to accomodate us given that it was an Air Canada flight that caused the problem -- so their Great Big Concession was to fly us out of Isanbul at 5:30 am. Given that option, it was worth it to cancel and give ourselves up to the mercies of the airplane gods.
After finally cancelling the Orbitz flight (having spent a grand total of some 8 hours on the phone (mostly on hold) trying to resolve the first issue and then the cancellation), I spoke to the local travel agent, who found an AMAZING flight. Now we leave Sunday afternoon and get into Istanbul on Monday afternoon -- thanks John & Gayle for your help!
We ended up getting the sticky end of the currency exchange stick when we cancelled, but them's the breaks, I guess.
I learned several important things in booking the flights. First of all, don't book eight month in advance, no matter how excited you are! Things will always change in the interim. Secondly, when you book online -- you get what you pay for, in term of customer service and the English skills of the call centre. I'm not sure it's entirely worth it, especially if you think you might ever change part of your itinerary. Thirdly, related to number two, try your local agent. Their rates are not so bad. When we looked online, the prices available were within $50 for the flights we wanted. Last, unless you're travelling to somewhere remote or at a peak time, I don't think you need to book more than a few weeks in advance. Admittedly, we ended up with tickets -- this morning -- a little last-minute!
Ah well, it all adds to the excitement. And We're Excited!!
AAAAAAAAhHHH!!! A month! We're going to Turkey for a month! In a week!
Did I mention AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!?
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