Bargain hunter!

[k_sheep]

Well I've been lurking around for some time, but never really did introduce myself. Since I'm in a hotel room in KCH with nothing much else to do, figured I may as well do a quick bio!

I'm a "casual" frequent flyer - that is, no work travel. In fact, I'm a full time student (with several part time jobs!). But over the years I've learnt lots of tricks to make my meagre $$s stretch further, and I'm planning on continuing many of those from next year when (fingers crossed!) I'll graduate and have a decent wage to work with again!

I try to make all my domestic travel qantas, however if J* is say >$30 cheaper, I'll go with them. Don't fly with DJ anymore (couple of bad experiences with them), and have never flown with TT (don't fly out of BNE). I tend to book a whole lot of weekends away either by myself or with Mr k_sheep (the ever reluctant traveller) when the good QF sales are on (like the $189 BNE-PER or $9 JQ BNE-MKY flights). I'm strictly a window seat preferencer! I almost never get up during flights, unless they're >6hrs long (and even then, only once or twice). Hate aisles. Hate middles way more obviously!

Because of the reluctant traveller, I ended up splurging last year on a QC membership (very cheap through a corporate scheme) which has already paid for itself many times over. He's much easier to drag along on holidays now I'm also lucky in that I was able to wrangle a Westpac Gold Altitude card many years back, when I was earning a decent wage - luckily they don't require you to prove your income after that! - so free travel insurance for me.

Internationally, my flights are almost always with D7 (AirasiaX) or the asian equivalent (AK, FD etc). I've done the OOL-KUL return trip 10 times now! So I'm pretty well versed in that - feel free to ask any questions!

In terms of accommodation - I'm pretty much a cheapie hostel kind of girl. However, when travelling with Mr k_sheep or friends, I'm known to splurge on a hotel in the ~$100 range. The free gold membership promos to SPG and A-club have helped tremendously with that!

Now, in terms of firsts .... had a few lately! Had my first "business" experience dec 2009, with a JQ starclass SYD-HKT. Loved it. Have my first real status with an airline as of may31, silver with QF. Loving it. Having my first overseas trip on a "real" airline (QF, not a LCC!) in August (well I have flown QF to NZ ages ago for a school trip ... and did fly MH KUL-LHR years ago ... but I'm not counting them!). First A380 flight (hopefully!) in September (MEL-SIN - who took my 80A/K dammit!) Not that I've ever had a 747. Hmm. But exciting never the less.

So that's me and my travels in a (rather big) nutshell! I know I'm not a patch on the WPs and 30+hotel night people, but I like to think I can contribute to the budget end of things. Thanks for reading, and for all the great knowledge contained within these boards

 

[Grooba]

Interesting read there k_sheep, thanks for sharing.

I can see you're itching to start a career that involves lots of corporate travel, it's so much different traveling on someone elses dime.

Well I've been lurking around for some time, but never really did introduce myself. Since I'm in a hotel room in KCH with nothing much else to do, figured I may as well do a quick bio!

I'm a "casual" frequent flyer - that is, no work travel. In fact, I'm a full time student (with several part time jobs!). But over the years I've learnt lots of tricks to make my meagre $$s stretch further, and I'm planning on continuing many of those from next year when (fingers crossed!) I'll graduate and have a decent wage to work with again!

I try to make all my domestic travel qantas, however if J* is say >$30 cheaper, I'll go with them. Don't fly with DJ anymore (couple of bad experiences with them), and have never flown with TT (don't fly out of BNE). I tend to book a whole lot of weekends away either by myself or with Mr k_sheep (the ever reluctant traveller) when the good QF sales are on (like the $189 BNE-PER or $9 JQ BNE-MKY flights). I'm strictly a window seat preferencer! I almost never get up during flights, unless they're >6hrs long (and even then, only once or twice). Hate aisles. Hate middles way more obviously!

Because of the reluctant traveller, I ended up splurging last year on a QC membership (very cheap through a corporate scheme) which has already paid for itself many times over. He's much easier to drag along on holidays now I'm also lucky in that I was able to wrangle a Westpac Gold Altitude card many years back, when I was earning a decent wage - luckily they don't require you to prove your income after that! - so free travel insurance for me.

Internationally, my flights are almost always with D7 (AirasiaX) or the asian equivalent (AK, FD etc). I've done the OOL-KUL return trip 10 times now! So I'm pretty well versed in that - feel free to ask any questions!

In terms of accommodation - I'm pretty much a cheapie hostel kind of girl. However, when travelling with Mr k_sheep or friends, I'm known to splurge on a hotel in the ~$100 range. The free gold membership promos to SPG and A-club have helped tremendously with that!

Now, in terms of firsts .... had a few lately! Had my first "business" experience dec 2009, with a JQ starclass SYD-HKT. Loved it. Have my first real status with an airline as of may31, silver with QF. Loving it. Having my first overseas trip on a "real" airline (QF, not a LCC!) in August (well I have flown QF to NZ ages ago for a school trip ... and did fly MH KUL-LHR years ago ... but I'm not counting them!). First A380 flight (hopefully!) in September (MEL-SIN - who took my 80A/K dammit!) Not that I've ever had a 747. Hmm. But exciting never the less.

So that's me and my travels in a (rather big) nutshell! I know I'm not a patch on the WPs and 30+hotel night people, but I like to think I can contribute to the budget end of things. Thanks for reading, and for all the great knowledge contained within these boards

 

[markis10]

TT do fly from BNE if you are brave enough!

 

[k_sheep]

No such luck Vec - I'll just have to make sacrifices and use my own dime to full effect

Ah yes I see now TT fly from BNE. I might give them a go later this year from KCH-SIN and see if it's worth the price before I go experimenting at home!

 

[yohy?!]

If you can handle D7 and Ak then TT in Aus should be a breeze