The totally off-topic thread

[Happy Trails]

This is my family, who I had to explain to on the weekend that the Blarney Stone was in Ireland, not Scotland. And I was asked, "Really, are you sure?" twice.

Maybe they were confusing it with this stone?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_of_Scone

 

[JohnK]

Well there's the thing. You don't forget it. Well, I wouldn't anyway. Memories are priceless.

When you travel say to Thailand 5-6 times/year the flights are forgotten quickly.

That's right. Buy a couple of hundred toasters with the points and you can enjoy them for years.

Why? I am now going to Thailand 6 times/year and for 3 of those trips I am paying another airfare and soon will need to pay for 2 airfares.

I don't save points for once in a lifetime trip. I do multiple trips a year and I want to do more trips. The only way that is going to happen is to pay airfare for myself and use points for wife and daughter. But I still don't earn that many points so will need to pay extra flights.

Business class would be a nice novelty but that's all that it would be.

P.S. Some people might be satisfied with one x 4 week trip per year. I would rather have 4 x 1 week trips spread throughout the year. Much easier to achieve by purchasing cheap airfares and stay in 2*-3* hotels. Very small sacrifice to achieve what I want.

 

[Denali]

Maybe they were confusing it with this stone?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_of_Scone

No. My brother is just an idiot (a good-hearted, nice, will do anything for anyone but an idiot-saying this as a sibling so joking).

Then they found out that whiskey came from Scotland....

 

[purpleparrot]

When you travel say to Thailand 5-6 times/year the flights are forgotten quickly.


Why? I am now going to Thailand 6 times/year and for 3 of those trips I am paying another airfare and soon will need to pay for 2 airfares.

I don't save points for once in a lifetime trip. I do multiple trips a year and I want to do more trips. The only way that is going to happen is to pay airfare for myself and use points for wife and daughter. But I still don't earn that many points so will need to pay extra flights.

Business class would be a nice novelty but that's all that it would be.

P.S. Some people might be satisfied with one x 4 week trip per year. I would rather have 4 x 1 week trips spread throughout the year. Much easier to achieve by purchasing cheap airfares and stay in 2*-3* hotels. Very small sacrifice to achieve what I want.

I totally support you point of view JohnK. If more people were happy to take award flights in Y it might make J more accessible for me!

But seriously, I'd much rather fly with my kids in Y than take them in J. I save my J flights for my annual trip away without the kids so I can enjoy the whole experience!

 

[Denali]

...... and stay in 2*-3* hotels. .....

My husband thinks the Marina Bay Sands is "roughing it" (his words)

Then I remind him how 17yrs ago we stayed at that caravan park in Albury (summer uni course)... times have changed, thankfully.

Which is why we enjoy ourselves now, because 20yrs ago we never thought we would be able to travel how we now do.

 

[Pushka]

When you travel say to Thailand 5-6 times/year the flights are forgotten quickly.


Why? I am now going to Thailand 6 times/year and for 3 of those trips I am paying another airfare and soon will need to pay for 2 airfares.

I don't save points for once in a lifetime trip. I do multiple trips a year and I want to do more trips. The only way that is going to happen is to pay airfare for myself and use points for wife and daughter. But I still don't earn that many points so will need to pay extra flights.

Business class would be a nice novelty but that's all that it would be.

P.S. Some people might be satisfied with one x 4 week trip per year. I would rather have 4 x 1 week trips spread throughout the year. Much easier to achieve by purchasing cheap airfares and stay in 2*-3* hotels. Very small sacrifice to achieve what I want.

That's like comparing apples with oranges. This is a memorable trip for Denali not a multiple times a year thing. She's been planning it for ages. Your situations are very different.

My husband thinks the Marina Bay Sands is "roughing it" (his words)

Then I remind him how 17yrs ago we stayed at that caravan park in Albury (summer uni course)... times have changed, thankfully.

Which is why we enjoy ourselves now, because 20yrs ago we never thought we would be able to travel how we now do.

Absolutely ditto here. And I have AFF to blame and thank. To blame - gave me ideas about travelling in J and even F. To thank? Gave me the tricks of the trade to do it.

 

[Denali]

T..... gave me ideas about travelling in J and even F. ....

I think I could have swung F if they were available but then hubby suffers from point-loss anxiety so Ive left him with points to start to rebuild with.

He got an email that his SQ Kris Flyer membership was going to expire and freaked out. Me: Let it expire, they might have a 5000 join up offer again! (which I found out via AFF).

 

[JohnK]

So you would rather redeem your points for one of the worst use of points (Y) or are you saving your points for a toaster?

Economy not always the worst use. SYD-HKG on QF 747 and HKG-BKK on EK A380 for 35,000 QFF points + $160 is excellent value if you factor in SYD F Lounge and HKG EK/QF lounges.

My husband thinks the Marina Bay Sands is "roughing it" (his words)

Then I remind him how 17yrs ago we stayed at that caravan park in Albury (summer uni course)... times have changed, thankfully.

Which is why we enjoy ourselves now, because 20yrs ago we never thought we would be able to travel how we now do.

Again to each their own.

Holiday Inn Pattaya is ~$100-$150/night. Fantastic hotel but there's no way I could afford to stay there each trip. We stay in a Superior twin room in a hotel that is a little dated but close to everything we need during the trip. Beach, street food, loud music and golf bar. Currently costs ~$33/night for September trip including buffet breakfast for 2.

The JQ $25 hotel vouchers are fantastic as that brings the cost down to $8/night. Can't get any better than that....

 

[Pushka]

Gotta love instant karma.
https://youtu.be/943gMyU5-PQ

Crazy RAdelaide.

 

[drron]

Unfortunately travel is addictive.We first started to have regular travel because in my work I saw too many people who waited until retirement to start their travel but died within 6 months of retiring.
Initially we flew Y and stayed in Motel 6,Red Roof Inns and similar around the world.Then in the 80s I discovered the Sheraton Club International so our accommodations changed.In 1995 we did our first RTW in J on QF.No more Y long haul.Next came AFF and all the advice on loyalty schemes.So air travel now is at least 40% longhaul in F-on awards.
But that means our hotel stays needed to improve.In Europe and the UK it is now boutique hotels with Michelin starred restaurants-found out we love them.Back home it is places such as Saffire-nearly next door to rooflyer-and later this year the Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island.
Which is why at 70 I am still working and maybe will have to keep going until 80.

 

[Denali]

....and later this year the Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island..

I looked at this for our Christmas trip but hubby wont let me sell his kidney so we're staying not too far away from this and can gaze upon it with his camera lense.

 

[Quickstatus]

There's the rub. Value is very individual. The use of points whether for toasters on one extreme or F at the other is valid to the person spending it in the way they want.
Using points for an F trip is not any more valuable than JohnK's uses. I can see much merit in what he says.

 

[Flashback]

I looked at this for our Christmas trip but hubby wont let me sell his kidney so we're staying not too far away from this and can gaze upon it with his camera lense.

My cousin stayed there just recently and really loved it. I've been told by Mrs Flashback that we have to go there, too. Oh no.....

 

[Milboo]

Very similar to what I was about to say!

Value is all relative - I don't have the benefit of the time away from work to do multiple small trips short long international annually. I save my points and use them to make my trip an experience - and that means the whole thing from start to finish - flying J (or at least PE) where I can to be more comfortable, spending money to fast track lines, experiencing luxury hotels as I know it is unlikely I will return and paying for experiences I will not otherwise get to do.

That is why travel remains magical and addictive for me!

 

[Pushka]

There's the rub. Value is very individual. The use of points whether for toasters on one extreme or F at the other is valid to the person spending it in the way they want.
Using points for an F trip is not any more valuable than JohnK's uses. I can see much merit in what he says.

My son would say exactly the same.

 

[RooFlyer]

<snip> Back home it is places such as Saffire-nearly next door to rooflyer- <snip>

Sniff. Yes, we tried to complain about Saffire and it's blow-ins but they barged in anyway.

 

[JohnK]

Are you suffering from dementia? Expecting to anytime soon?

We were flying to SIN and there was an older couple on their "business class trip of a life time", and they were miserable and all they wanted to do was go home. They waited 40-50yrs to finally treat themselves and they were unhappy. At least this way, we have ticked a lot of boxes before we decide to settle down with domestic trips only.

We can always earn more points.

I wasn't being critical. Hope you enjoy your trip.

Travel for me is an obsession and I want to do as much travel as possible before I get to an age where I can't travel. But that's where the obsession ends for me. I can't afford premium travel or expensive hotels and unless I earn more money or inherit more points it's not going to happen.

So I have adjusted my expectations and I am entirely satisfied being able to travel as much as possible. Just because I'm not travelling First/Business class or staying in 5* hotels doesn't mean I don't enjoy travel as much as people that do.

Can't wait to plan 3-4 round the worlds with wife/daughter with the Qantas points I've been saving.

 

[RooFlyer]

<snip>
P.S. Some people might be satisfied with one x 4 week trip per year. I would rather have 4 x 1 week trips spread throughout the year. Much easier to achieve by purchasing cheap airfares and stay in 2*-3* hotels. Very small sacrifice to achieve what I want.

Whereas I'm barely satisfied with three X 3 week international trips in longhaul J, mostly on points this year.

 

[amaroo]

Whereas I'm barely satisfied with three X 3 week international trips in longhaul J, mostly on points this year.

Know the feeling. Only have 4 OS holidays planned for this year, but I suppose one of them is for 5 weeks

 

[Denali]

I like planning trips, everything from what gate is historically used to land & departure and how to navigate it to what to do at the airport, on the plane, once at whatever country we're visiting... I actually dont really enjoy the taking of them (edit: Its takes me a few days to relax). I should have been a travel agent of sorts.

I was just talking to my boss about the QF thread where someone got HGK>CDG return in F for a friend and VA for BNE>HGK. My boss has lots of points for both but doesnt make the effort and ends up booking/paying for Y - he just needs to give me his numbers and passwords to do it.