The totally off-topic thread

[Denali]

Thanks. I was thinking Hilton as Ive got some points to burn (either in Iceland or AMS) and its near/on a canal, which would make hubby happy. Plus I will be Diamond by then so will get lounge/breakfast/possible upgrade if available.

I was looking at prices and thinking similar, book flexi so I can change later on. We arrive during their tulip season

 

[Pushka]

Thanks. I was thinking Hilton as Ive got some points to burn (either in Iceland or AMS) and its near/on a canal, which would make hubby happy. Plus I will be Diamond by then so will get lounge/breakfast/possible upgrade if available.

I was looking at prices and thinking similar, book flexi so I can change later on. We arrive during their tulip season

And they are crazy about their tulips. That will be a great time to visit.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks. I was thinking Hilton as Ive got some points to burn (either in Iceland or AMS) and its near/on a canal, which would make hubby happy. Plus I will be Diamon then so will get lounge/breakfast/possible upgrade if available.

I was looking at prices and thinking similar, book flexi so I can change later on. We arrive during their tulip season

The Hilton is actually a little bit out of the centre of town. And it's not on what I would call a 'tradition' canal (the ones you see on postcards). Those are found in the centre of town by Centraal Station. But there is history with the Amsterdam Hilton

 

[Denali]

Thanks. Will look at some alternatives and keep the points for Reykjavik.

Tour prices ect in Iceland are horrendous! Said to hubby we should book a car for some day trips - the population is only 335K, how crowded can it be?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks. Will look at some alternatives and keep the points for Reykjavik.

Tour prices ect in Iceland are horrendous! Said to hubby we should book a car for some day trips - the population is only 335K, how crowded can it be?

There's a whole market of stopover traffic from both Iceland Air and Wow - both those carriers now serve about 10 US cities each, and fly to about 10 or more cities in Europe. Plus there are more airlines than ever flying from both Europe and the US just to KEF. Some of the US majors now also have dedicated flights (terminating in KEF) over the summer period. So there must be quite a big market.

Actually - looking at the Iceland tourism figures they're showing revenue from tourism as ISK357.9 billion in 2016 (which if my math is correect is about 3.4 billion USD). Total visitors in the same year was ~1.8m. And I'm guessing there'd be more in summer than winter.

Source: https://www.ferdamalastofa.is/stati...yndir/2017/juli/tourism-in-iceland-2017-9.pdf

Might explain the high prices!

 

[Flashback]

It's more so because it's so remote, that it's so pricey.....

 

[Denali]

As I said, we're not going all that way to nickle and dime. Im ok with making sandwiches or noodles for meals occasionally while on holidays to spend the money on bigger ticket items.

 

[Pushka]

As I said, we're not going all that way to nickle and dime. Im ok with making sandwiches or noodles for meals occasionally while on holidays to spend the money on bigger ticket items.

It’s all about priorities. I’d rather fly in comfort and do a more basic accommodation while overseas. Friends always fly in Y but then book expensive cabins on ships as an example. They don’t really do the FF points game thing.

 

[Denali]

Well hubby wants both J and nicer accommodation and private guides.

Looked at one private guide inc car and it was $3.5K for one day! I get its supply and demand but nope. If they're making that much, good luck to them.

Looked at a few smaller bus day trips for some ideas but paying $1K+ per day for scuba, won't go cheap on that. That's why we're going there, will even pay for exy photo as we're only taking gopro and not cameras.

 

[RB]

Not sure if things have changed but Amsterdam was a great spot to use priceline for 5 star hotels

 

[TheRealTMA]

Thanks. I was thinking Hilton as Ive got some points to burn (either in Iceland or AMS) and its near/on a canal, which would make hubby happy. Plus I will be Diamond by then so will get lounge/breakfast/possible upgrade if available.

I was looking at prices and thinking similar, book flexi so I can change later on. We arrive during their tulip season

Not sure what it’s like these days, but on business trips we have stayed several times in the hotel directly opposite the railway station. Amsterdam City Centre Hotels | Park Plaza Victoria Amsterdam

Excellent location and you can get a porter from the station for your luggage.

 

[JohnK]

Easy just get cremated and scatter the ashes.

Or maybe Tesla guy will shoot ashes capsule into deep space. Wonder how much that will cost.

I’ll have my LTG status on the plaque

That would entirely depend on how religious you are and whether your religion accepts cremation. Ours doesn't.

And I want to be buried with all the cash after selling all my assets. And no cheques either.

 

[RB]

The world is full of compromise

 

[RooFlyer]

Iceland. First time I visited I was siting next to an English couple on the plane and they told me how expensive it was for them on a prior visit I saw why. You just had to stop converting the FX else you'd just sit in the hotel and sob.

After the GFC it got a bit better but still expensive.

After the GFC, when Iceland all but went broke, the joke was:

What's the Capital of Iceland?

About $10.

 

[Milboo]

Already plotting for Amsterdam (next year). Can you ever had too much cheese?

If anyone has any Amsterdam hotel recommendations, please advise.

View attachment 125362

Re cheese - how is this even a question??

How long are you in Zurich for? Enough time for fondue??

 

[Quickstatus]

That would entirely depend on how religious you are and whether your religion accepts cremation. Ours doesn't.

And I want to be buried with all the cash after selling all my assets. And no cheques either.

Cremation not allowed but disinterment allowed when the plot lease is up? Religion makes life and death complicated

 

[RooFlyer]

As a family historian, it's a granite headstone for me, with 3 generations of family named, with dates. TWKWIW.

 

[marki]

TWKWIW

please explain?

 

[JohnM]

They would know who I was? (ie. nobody else - except presumably some AFFers, would ). Ain't anonymity great?

 

[RooFlyer]

Close: They Will Know Who I Was . It'll be spelled out on the headstone, with links to former generations.

In this digital and 'private' world, there's a good chance that when many of us shuffle off, there will be little, if anything, of us for future generations to know about us. You know all your digital pics will simply be deleted if not in 1 generation, then certainly in two, or made inaccessible, don't you? Except all those ridiculous and drunken images posted on Facebook. Is that how we want to be remembered? Descendants will find that very frustrating, same as today when we family history researchers can't nail a particular ancestor.

I've ticked the "Keep my census form" for as long as I can remember.