Made any travel mistakes lately?

[Major]

I'm communicating with LE and the transfer company in Bali for my transfer next month.

First come the vouchers, both are for hotel to airport, not one each way.

Then the meet the driver instructions. Seem OK, until I reconcile with Google Street view, where you can follow the path from customs through the duty free out to the meeting area. The sign they picture to look out for is taken from the drivers (outside) point of view - I must walk under it from the other direction.

I query this and the original instruction to "bear left after you exit from customs" is now "go right as you exit from customs and meet next to the elevator" - which as far as I can tell, is to the left.

I'll manage - overthinking it too much!

If you bear left after customs, on the right hand side you will see about 50 drivers holding up signs. Hopefully your name is one of them

 

[andye]

My mother-in-law has been in UK for last 6 months but is returning.
Given cash price for one-ways is high she asked if I could help (2 weeks notice)
Bagged a LHR-LAX-SYD Y Velocity redemption on UA for decent value given the circumstances
Howver, have still likely lost any accrued brownie points as I'd assumed didn't need an Esta for US transit
(Fortunately she realised at T-24 and it came through in time)

 

[Flashback]

Had a flexible rate booked but forget to check for rebook and cancel - it dropped by 50% or so, which is odd for places like Cambodia and such where for non-chain hotels they tend to just be a set rate for a type of room and rarely move about.

 

[luxury-lizard]

OMG arrived Bali yesterday and Mr LL somehow had global data roaming turned ON on his phone - within a few minutes managed to rack up $50 in data charges - many thanks Optus.

 

[SYD]

OMG arrived Bali yesterday and Mr LL somehow had global data roaming turned ON on his phone - within a few minutes managed to rack up $50 in data charges - many thanks Optus.

Doesn’t he at least have Optus $5 or $10 per day roaming option in app?

The “PAYG” option (in app) will happily let you roam for $$$ per 10 MB!

But yes, rookie mistake for anyone to step onboard an international flight with “data roaming” turned ON (unless it’s covered by their Telco plan).

 

[luxury-lizard]

Doesn’t he at least have Optus $5 or $10 per day roaming option in app?

The “PAYG” option (in app) will happily let you roam for $$$ per 10 MB!

But yes, rookie mistake for anyone to step onboard an international flight with “data roaming” turned ON (unless it’s covered by their Telco plan).

No he (and I) have never considered this option - usually buy a SIM to cover the foreign countries we are travelling to; but on a recent trip to Europe used an e-SIM which required setting this option - somehow it was not reset in spite of me reminding him as we left home. (This was almost as bad as calling Norfork Island from Australia assuming it was "part of Australia" - another $50 charge for a few very short calls.) Would you believe we're both very technically savvy??

 

[SYD]

No he (and I) have never considered this option - usually buy a SIM to cover the foreign countries we are travelling to; but on a recent trip to Europe used an e-SIM which required setting this option - somehow it was not reset in spite of me reminding him as we left home. (This was almost as bad as calling Norfork Island from Australia assuming it was "part of Australia" - another $50 charge for a few very short calls.) Would you believe we're both very technically savvy??

For dual sim phones (eg with eSIM), you can turn “data roaming” on/off per line. Well, at least on iPhone.

 

[Flashback]

For dual sim phones (eg with eSIM), you can turn “data roaming” on/off per line. Well, at least on iPhone.

Likewise on Android.

 

[Major]

OMG arrived Bali yesterday and Mr LL somehow had global data roaming turned ON on his phone - within a few minutes managed to rack up $50 in data charges - many thanks Optus.

and the Singapore Government thanks you

 

[andye]

My mother-in-law has been in UK for last 6 months but is returning.
Given cash price for one-ways is high she asked if I could help (2 weeks notice)
Bagged a LHR-LAX-SYD Y Velocity redemption on UA for decent value given the circumstances
Howver, have still likely lost any accrued brownie points as I'd assumed didn't need an Esta for US transit
(Fortunately she realised at T-24 and it came through in time)

MIL texted mrsandye, distinctly unimpressed that she would have to pay for any F&B via the UA app (that she hadn't downloaded prior to boarding) for her 11 hour flight
I can only assume she had been reading the UA Domestic magazine in the seatback

 

[Buzzard]

Sometimes you might read a post where someone has left something at their hotel when checking out.
I usually carry some sticky notes with me and just leave myself a reminder on the door. Alternatively you can do something like this:

 

[sarfarazali]

Sounds like you've had some travel misadventures! Sometimes booking accommodations can be tricky. Enjoy the express train ride and hope you have a smooth journey ahead.

 

[RooFlyer]

Thinking an international departure is 30 minutes earlier than it really is and so therefore check-in is like this for 30 minutes

 

[Buzzard]

Thinking an international departure is 30 minutes earlier than it really is and so therefore check-in is like this for 30 minutes

View attachment 344264

Better than being 30 minutes late.
I was chatting to a couple of tourists who were in Oz during DST change over so missed their Jetstar flight.

 

[tdimdad]

Better than being 30 minutes late.
I was chatting to a couple of tourists who were in Oz during DST change over so missed their Jetstar flight.

They must have been using manual clocks where you need to set the time yourself. Phones, laptops, smartwatches, etc, get the time from the network (unless you've disabled it) so it'd be always about right.

 

[Buzzard]

They must have been using manual clocks where you need to set the time yourself. Phones, laptops, smartwatches, etc, get the time from the network (unless you've disabled it) so it'd be always about right.

Perhaps like me in Vietnam ATM as there is a nice clock on the bedside table.

 

[Happy Dude]

They must have been using manual clocks where you need to set the time yourself. Phones, laptops, smartwatches, etc, get the time from the network (unless you've disabled it) so it'd be always about right.

Flying out of OOL always gives me conniptions. Never quite trust the phone there in DST (is the phone is picking up a NSW or QLD tower!!) and I always have to triple check that the airport is on QLD time. I put my analogue watch on QLD time and I always lay up and head to the airport based on that and ignoring the phone. I am a QLDer and we're the finest folk in Australia but I am [whatever the opposite of proud is] to be one in DST.

 

[Flyfrequently]

This is only half a mistake.

Checked in online for our OPO to AMS flight tomorrow with KLM in extra comfort seats ( both on same booking.)
All good, boarding passes emailed and showing in app
I then noticed upgrade to J for only AUD 162, ok says Mr Flyfrequently go for it.
With only one seat taken, 1D &1F along with at least 7 others still available
Do my selection 1D and pay
Go in to do Mr Flyfrequently, unable to do.
Call KLM , apparently it is not for both pax on booking, only random selection.
Could upgrade him with agent over the phone but at AUD600 , no thank you.
Told to keep checking app but think unlikely.

Mr Flyfrequently has taken it rather well!!

 

[VPS]

This is only half a mistake.

Checked in online for our OPO to AMS flight tomorrow with KLM in extra comfort seats ( both on same booking.)
All good, boarding passes emailed and showing in app
I then noticed upgrade to J for only AUD 162, ok says Mr Flyfrequently go for it.
With only one seat taken, 1D &1F along with at least 7 others still available
Do my selection 1D and pay
Go in to do Mr Flyfrequently, unable to do.
Call KLM , apparently it is not for both pax on booking, only random selection.
Could upgrade him with agent over the phone but at AUD600 , no thank you.
Told to keep checking app but think unlikely.

Mr Flyfrequently has taken it rather well!!

are you calling this a mistake - I think it's just serendipity

 

[Flyfrequently]

This is only half a mistake.

Checked in online for our OPO to AMS flight tomorrow with KLM in extra comfort seats ( both on same booking.)
All good, boarding passes emailed and showing in app
I then noticed upgrade to J for only AUD 162, ok says Mr Flyfrequently go for it.
With only one seat taken, 1D &1F along with at least 7 others still available
Do my selection 1D and pay
Go in to do Mr Flyfrequently, unable to do.
Call KLM , apparently it is not for both pax on booking, only random selection.
Could upgrade him with agent over the phone but at AUD600 , no thank you.
Told to keep checking app but think unlikely.

Mr Flyfrequently has taken it rather well!!

Update: in the Lounge - together.
Mr Flyfrequently is now in J.

Arrived early at Opo airport and kind check in agent took pity on my shabby ankle - or the fact I got upgrade and he didn't - €119 later, he got the last seat and is now in row 1