2015 Gallipoli Ballot - 100th anniversary of the ANZAC landings

[Pushka]

The traffic is horrendous. Car parking on a freeway.

 

[amaroo]

<snip>

I've looked at some dates / flights.
The question is: London BEFORE or AFTER the Service on the 25th.
I don't think I could say where I'll be ( for the purpose of AFF Meeting / drinks etc. ), until I've got confirmed flights.

Congrats on what looks like a certainty in securing a spot.

FWIW we've left our London visit till the end. We fly into LHR and head straight over to ATH for a few days before descending on IST and then Gallipoli. Pull up stumps on the 26th and enjoy three nights in London before catching QF2 home. Should be fun!

 

[Atleastonce]

We are doing London first (arrive 2 April) then parts of Europe and then to Istanbul and Gallipoli. Then Abu Dhabi on the way home.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Ours has grown a bit - there always seemed to be just a little extra that needed to be added. It is now depart Australia on the 10th April and arrive back on the 19th May! We are having 5 nights in Venice before we get on the cruise, then leave the cruise in Istanbul on the 27th, then Ephesus, Pamakkale, Cappadocia, Lakes District, London, New York (booked to see Chicago), Yosemite, San Francisco to see our son (works at Google) and then home.

 

[amaroo]

Ours has grown a bit - there always seemed to be just a little extra that needed to be added. It is now depart Australia on the 10th April and arrive back on the 19th May! We are having 5 nights in Venice before we get on the cruise, then leave the cruise in Istanbul on the 27th, then Ephesus, Pamakkale, Cappadocia, Lakes District, London, New York (booked to see Chicago), Yosemite, San Francisco to see our son (works at Google) and then home.

Nice trip! We wanted to squeeze in Ephesus, Pamakkale, Cappadocia however, school aged children and work commitments got the better of us Hot air ballooning ?

BTW, congrats on breaking the 1,000 posts threshold

 

[Pushka]

We were very surprised how well Ephesus had been organised for the tourists after the uncared for Olympia site in Greece. Do visit the bathroom before you enter - there is nothing on site and you will spend at least two hours there. Same applies for water - nothing to buy onsite. And do pay the extra to see the Terrace Houses. They are amazing.

I'd say it's worth a few days off from school to see them. It's surprising how many things I learnt onsite rather than a lesson at school.

Bathroom facilities and local shops are at the exit. And the sellers are quite exuberant! Captive market as you have to walk past them to get out.

 

[Flying mermaid]

We were very surprised how well Ephesus had been organised for the tourists after the uncared for Olympia site in Greece. Do visit the bathroom before you enter - there is nothing on site and you will spend at least two hours there. Same applies for water - nothing to buy onsite. And do pay the extra to see the Terrace Houses. They are amazing.

I'd say it's worth a few days off from school to see them. It's surprising how many things I learnt onsite rather than a lesson at school.

Bathroom facilities and local shops are at the exit. And the sellers are quite exuberant! Captive market as you have to walk past them to get out.

Thanks for all the hints - at my age bathrooms are important . Totally agree with you about school and actual experiences. We took our kids out of school all time and they learnt so much from their travels.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Nice trip! We wanted to squeeze in Ephesus, Pamakkale, Cappadocia however, school aged children and work commitments got the better of us Hot air ballooning ?

BTW, congrats on breaking the 1,000 posts threshold

Oh dear - definitely spending too much time chatting Yes we are lucky now to have no commitments (apart from two dogs who get depressed when they see suitcases). Definitely hot air ballooning - we are actually both scarced of heights but we have heard the terrain in Cappadocia is stunning from a balloon so just have to do it.

 

[turtlemichael]

We were very surprised how well Ephesus had been organised for the tourists after the uncared for Olympia site in Greece. Do visit the bathroom before you enter - there is nothing on site and you will spend at least two hours there. Same applies for water - nothing to buy onsite. And do pay the extra to see the Terrace Houses. They are amazing.

I'd say it's worth a few days off from school to see them. It's surprising how many things I learnt onsite rather than a lesson at school.

Bathroom facilities and local shops are at the exit. And the sellers are quite exuberant! Captive market as you have to walk past them to get out.

Agree. Ephesus is amazing and the Terrace Houses are quite unbelievably impressive as more of the site gets excavated. Definitely a must.

 

[medhead]

If I get a pass then I'll be travelling to Bruges

I understand your position now.
Thought there may be others with 2 or even 3 double passes in the one family.
Anyway, this week's news = the "900" passes to be distributed.
My number is 82*
Then there were about 350 issued.
That left me sitting at around number 480.

That means, I should be IN easily ...
Just waiting for the Official message now ...

I've looked at some dates / flights.
The question is: London BEFORE or AFTER the Service on the 25th.
I don't think I could say where I'll be ( for the purpose of AFF Meeting / drinks etc. ), until I've got confirmed flights.

Your number really isn't making much sense to me. Number 82 on the list has already been offered a pass weeks ago.

 

[BNEFlyer]

I was also lucky enough to be offered a double pass! I decided to go alone and am really looking forward to it. I'll be joining a 13 day Fanatics tour which goes from Istanbul to Ankara to Konya to Antalya to Ayvalik to Gallipoli (and a few spots in between including Ephesus). I'm only doing Turkey then heading home.

Flying BNE-KUL-DOH-SAW/IST-DOH-KUL-BNE on MH/QR. It's a once in a lifetime experience and I'm really looking forward to it. I imagine the emotions will be running high leading up to the service and the time at Anzac Cove.

 

[amaroo]

We took our kids out of school all time and they learnt so much from their travels.

Indeed. Our kids have probably missed (due to travelling) the best part of two/three terms over the course of the junior years ... we've still got one in junior school.

They didn't get a gig for this trip due to the spontaneous nature and the fact we only pulled one ballot win.

We'll be away for three weeks - due to other family members living their own lives we've run out of options for billeting them for longer. If we like the look of IST we'll go back with the kids and take the time to do Turkey justice.

 

[amaroo]

If I get a pass then I'll be travelling to Bruges

Fantastic place. They love their beer!

number really isn't making much sense to me. Number 82 on the list has already been offered a pass weeks ago.

I'm thinking the number is in the hundreds - 82* = 820 something

 

[medhead]

Fantastic place. They love their beer!



I'm thinking the number is in the hundreds - 82* = 820 something

Ah. Of course that makes sense. Der! (At me)

A bit of a long story, but the person who has made Bruges an option was considering bringing some beer for their trip to Australia last week. Beer seemed important. They didn't in the end because someone told them quarantine confiscates food.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Indeed. Our kids have probably missed (due to travelling) the best part of two/three terms over the course of the junior years ... we've still got one in junior school.

They didn't get a gig for this trip due to the spontaneous nature and the fact we only pulled one ballot win.

We'll be away for three weeks - due to other family members living their own lives we've run out of options for billeting them for longer. If we like the look of IST we'll go back with the kids and take the time to do Turkey justice.

Totally understand - for something special like this you just have to do it.

We were such bad parents we even took them out of high school (even year 12, which is a lot harder to wangle). In fact on our last visit to Istanbul we had Miss FM with us (who should have been stressing over her year 12 studies). Going through the grand bazaar with her was fun - we were offered camels for her and various other trades High school holidays did impact on their final ATARs - the girls got 95s and Master FM 98+, rather than the 99s they probably should have got. However Dr FM didn't want to do undergrad medicine - she wanted to wait until she was older before making that commitment and the others didn't need high scores for what they wanted to do, so were happy to travel.....Master FM still managed to pick up a scholarship to ANU as they were trying to attract bright kids into their computer science course and offered a scholarship to anyone doing it who had 98.8 or higher - he has always been lucky!

 

[Rick93]

I haven't actually received the official email as yet, to offer the Pass to me.

I believed I was going to get the 'offer', as my number was below the reported "900" new Wait List Passes to be offered.

Is it just me, or nobody has the latest round of offers at this time ( we are only assuming we have a Pass ? )

 

[Gogo65]

I haven't actually received the official email as yet, to offer the Pass to me.

I believed I was going to get the 'offer', as my number was below the reported "900" new Wait List Passes to be offered.

Is it just me, or nobody has the latest round of offers at this time ( we are only assuming we have a Pass ? )

Rick, the only thing I could think of, is that it was 900 passes, or 450 double passes??
Can you contact ticketek to ask if the next round of offers have gone out?

 

[Flying mermaid]

I haven't actually received the official email as yet, to offer the Pass to me.

I believed I was going to get the 'offer', as my number was below the reported "900" new Wait List Passes to be offered.

Is it just me, or nobody has the latest round of offers at this time ( we are only assuming we have a Pass ? )

Their e-mail was dated 31 October and it said offers would be made within the next fortnight - I guess they still have a week to go! Must be hard waiting- hope you get it next week

 

[discomatty]

Mr Disco Snr was fortunate enough to receive a double pass from round one of the ballot, I'll be travelling as his companion. I was eligible for all 3 categories of the ballot and came in around number 25000 on the wait list.

My itinerary is:

10 Apr - TSV-BNE-LAX-MSP-MKE, on VA and DL, with Mrs Disco and Disco Junior.
21 Apr - GRB-ORD-LHR-IST, On AA and BA, Solo
2 Nights IST
RSL 2 day tour.
1 Night IST
27 Apr - IST-LHR-ORD-GRB on AA and BA.
01 May - GRB-MSP-LAX-BNE-TSV on DL and VA.

I'll be meeting Mr Disco Snr in IST, he is travelling CFS-SYD-KUL-IST rtn.

 

[Rick93]

Got my official email notification yesterday ...

I'm in !!

Bit concerned about the requirement to have a full and complete itinerary by 1st. December !!

My travel partner hasn't even applied for a passport yet, yet alone not having settled on airfares and accommodation ...