planning a trip back home !

[nazali]

So after 10 years, and (18 for home-land) I'm trying to plan a vacation back home for the fam, (3 of us, 2 adults 1 kid) looking to book for May next year, if everything is confirmed booking in February.

The idea is to go back to the UK, 3 day stop over to catch up with family then 3 weeks in Sri Lanka, then a direct flight back.

Maybe the last time I can do this, maybe.

Plan is BA, business class, staying in a bog standard airport hotel in the UK, then Hilton in Columbo

Sharp intake of breath, business class which is ACTUALLY cheaper than Premium economy and 3 times the price of economy $35k - YES thats Canadian folks. Hilton is about 7 grand

Were going to divi up the bills, I'm going to pay for the airfare, car hire and expenses (food etc) OH taking care of the hotel and some expenses.

Funny, a Multi-City booking is a lot more expensive, than a round trip, about double the price, but no return will give me more time in the UK.

I have the money, (need to play around with some resources) and personally I hate economy unless I really have to, be good to have lounge, lie flat seats etc.

I always book from the BA site directly, I've heard horror stories for these cheap bucket shops, and also had a problem with a flight I booked UK to SRI Lankan many years ago.

Your thoughts as always are appreciated,

and I'm sure I'll have some of the more ... vigorous thoughts as well

[chassis]

Originally Posted by nazali

Your thoughts as always are appreciated

Thoughts on what, specifically? Have fun on the trip.

[nazali]

Any aspect really, even things I may have thought of, I decided to make a list

Insurance (Travel/health = ex (due to be released from out patient )-heart patient)
Visa's
When to book
Car hire (UK from Can)
Travellers checks (as well as cards)
local Sim for mobile or get international
Stop watching youtube videos on subjects like "disaster in the air" , "why flight 123 crashed without a trace"
Travel adaptors
Laptops/devices to take
Dont drink the local water

Haven't traveled in like 12 years, feels a bit daunting ! Especially as a responsible adult and not a happy go lucky single person

I guess when I'm finally poolside sipping mai-tai's and thoes cute drinks with umbrellas, cherries and pineapple I'l have fun

Originally Posted by chassis

Thoughts on what, specifically? Have fun on the trip.

[Alfisti]

Fuck me there's a lot here. I travel a LONG way, a LOT ... here's my 2c.


Insurance (Travel/health = ex (due to be released from out patient )-heart patient)

Elaborate please, who was a heart patient? First step is do you have a proper credit card like a VISA Infinity with proper insurance?

Visa's

This is easy, look up what you may need and apply, UK will be simple but check well ahead for Sri Lanka.

When to book

Now.

Car hire (UK from Can)

Autoeurope, no question.

Travellers checks (as well as cards)

WHAT? Jesus H christ, all you need are credit cards and debit cards. It's not 1991.

local Sim for mobile or get international

If staying more than a week always go local and get it from the airport when you land. Don't forget the little pin thingy to access your SIM compartment.

Stop watching youtube videos on subjects like "disaster in the air" , "why flight 123 crashed without a trace"

For someone who travels so much and so far so often, I still feel uneasy the entire way but just look past it. Remember, seat belt ALWAYS on in case you hit turbulance.

Travel adaptors

You will need them so buy them. Lots of them if family has cell phone or multiple devices.

Laptops/devices to take

One per person, absolute max.

Dont drink the local water

UK will be fine, bottled only in Asia outside of Japan/Korea

Haven't traveled in like 12 years, feels a bit daunting ! Especially as a responsible adult and not a happy go lucky single person

OK so a few other things. Paying business/first it utterly INSANE. I don't care what you and the mrs make, it is INSANE. Grind it out princess, put the money away for the kids deposit on a house. 35K is absolutely mind-boggling nuts. Harden the fuck up.

I highly recommend a proper travel credit card like the Infinity ones mentioned, they have excellent cancellation protection and insurance though there are length limits so you may need to add a little insurance if travelling longer than the coverage period. They also have excellent car insurance but you MUST A) book with your card and b) reject all insurance from the rental agency.

Read ALL THE FUCKING FINE PRINT on pre-existing conditions as you may need supplementary coverage. You touched on a heart issue for someone in your party, if you have that on record and you need a hospital visit on anything heart related you may not be covered so make sure you are or you risk being fucked super hard.

[vreihen16]

When you get to Sri Lanka, please snap a picture of a kottu roti street vendor and post it to one of the food threads.....

[chassis]

Originally Posted by nazali

Any aspect really, even things I may have thought of, I decided to make a list

Insurance (Travel/health = ex (due to be released from out patient )-heart patient)
Visa's
When to book
Car hire (UK from Can)
Travellers checks (as well as cards)
local Sim for mobile or get international
Stop watching youtube videos on subjects like "disaster in the air" , "why flight 123 crashed without a trace"
Travel adaptors
Laptops/devices to take
Dont drink the local water

Haven't traveled in like 12 years, feels a bit daunting ! Especially as a responsible adult and not a happy go lucky single person

I guess when I'm finally poolside sipping mai-tai's and thoes cute drinks with umbrellas, cherries and pineapple I'l have fun

What do your family members have to say about these topics when you asked them?

[dradernh]

Suggestion: to the extent you are able to do it, get your body onto Colombo time before departure. Then, as much as possible during the flights and stopovers, continue to sleep and be awake on Colombo time.

Most of us don't have the flexibility to do that, but if you can, your body will thank you after you land.

[nazali]

Thank you sir, I truly appreciate your reply to all of my "things", no... seriously I do. It is your 2c's but MUCH APPRECIATED

I'll answer dem (BTW the list is what I thought of at the time)

Elaborate please, who was a heart patient? First step is do you have a proper credit card like a VISA Infinity with proper insurance?

Myself, I had a STEMI 2 years ago, nearly died, if anyone understands, my EF was 15% and steadily risen to now 40%, my cardiologist has me on some gold label drugs, but my progress has gone from near death to being fine and releasing me from out patients to once yearly checks, last echo/ecg were fine I have a stress test lined up in November I think

This is easy, look up what you may need and apply, UK will be simple but check well ahead for Sri Lanka.

yes thanks I think as I have a brit passport I'm good, OH and DD are canadians so they need a visa


Now.
Yikes really my research said at least 5-6months prior, I guess early is also good, I only got the green light from work last week, OH has to arrange there holidays and there is a bone of contention for DD as there is a concern as this year is supposed to be critical for her (12) ?

Autoeurope, no question.
OK I'll look into that, last time I used Hertz for 2.5 weeks and the experience was awesome they upgraded me to an Audi estate

WHAT? Jesus H christ, all you need are credit cards and debit cards. It's not 1991.
when I went back home (UK) about 10 years ago, I used my TD visa card, there was a glitch, when I tried to use it in the UK, some secuirty issues, but afterwards I was good, I was able to use it in shops ATM's, but there are charges right and conversion rates
The last time I was in Sri Lanka, was nearly 20-25 years ago, I had Travelers checks, I basically paid cash with everything, every week I'd go to the bank and just cash them, I need some spending cash, cash is king back home, but yes they do use cards, I guess I COULD use an ATM to get cash, but not sure how good with rates etc

If staying more than a week always go local and get it from the airport when you land. Don't forget the little pin thingy to access your SIM compartment.
Yes I agree with you, there dead easy to get, I think last time I got airtel or some crap, maybe check in with Chatr and see what there international plans are like

For someone who travels so much and so far so often, I still feel uneasy the entire way but just look past it. Remember, seat belt ALWAYS on in case you hit turbulance.
ok cools

You will need them so buy them. Lots of them if family has cell phone or multiple devices.
ok good point

One per person, absolute max.
I think we'll probably do one laptop and an ipad, I'll not use my own one, I think I'll see if my work has an old junky loaner I could borrow, or get one of ebay for a ton or summet

UK will be fine, bottled only in Asia outside of Japan/Korea
Good, apparently (when last there) there was a scam with bottled water from some road vendors,they would fill up with tap water and resell, if you weren't paying attention to check if the seal was broken, shops were all good, I used to take the free bottled water I got daily out with me. Or just buy cans of pop.

OK so a few other things. Paying business/first it utterly INSANE. I don't care what you and the mrs make, it is INSANE. Grind it out princess, put the money away for the kids deposit on a house. 35K is absolutely mind-boggling nuts. Harden the fuck up.

BA prices currently are
Economy 9.5k
Premium Economy 47k
Business 35k

Still even 9.5k is expensive, Canada and a big frigging ocean, UK travel is about half the price, plus I need a 3 day stay in the UK, so I can't do a standard trip, I have to break it down by multi-city.

I / we haven't traveled abroad like this in 20 years, OH has never been home since leaving Sri Lanka in 1996, so this is a special trip and something special. I'm not struggling for money, but I have my own business, and various savings strategies, plus I'm going to try and save up a bit more, maybe 10k coming out of my business, see how I can write it off, out of 13% HST I charge, I only pay 9%, so 4% I keep.

Yes it may sound nuts, after my heart attack, and I was wheeled out on a gurney and literally 5 minutes from death, your outlook on life changes, I had a year of work but couldnt travel due to covid and heart not fully recovered.

I think this is one thing I'm not going to sacrifice, or "man up on" or "grind it out" I had the chance about 25 years ago to fly 1st class, I saved the money 1k GBP and not 6k GBP, I still made a mint bought my first BMW, but would have done that anyway, the expereince would have been nice, if you have the money do it.

BUT........... I hear ya

[nazali]

yes Sir,

Sri Lankan Kotti, is a tad too spicy for me, DD would be able to eat and the OH,
My Dad when I was young, due to my inability to eat hot food, would refer to me as (I can't remember the term) but essentially a Coconut

Brown on the out side, English on the inside. He took great joy on teasing me on that. Especially as being born in the UK and speaking English without an accent.

but yah, will do

Originally Posted by vreihen16

When you get to Sri Lanka, please snap a picture of a kottu roti street vendor and post it to one of the food threads.....

[nazali]

We haven't got that far yet, initial conversation started as , "hmm you do understand the time rang you picked, is an essential time for your daughter at school"

(May-August is off peak, DD is in a School for gifted Children, have no idea why may-august is "important") My moms is also pretty sick and has dementia so is on her last legs.

Then saying, "we shall talk about it on Sunday"

Originally Posted by chassis

What do your family members have to say about these topics when you asked them?

[nazali]

Thank you sir, that's why I'm planning business class, those lay flat seats !

Originally Posted by dradernh

Suggestion: to the extent you are able to do it, get your body onto Colombo time before departure. Then, as much as possible during the flights and stopovers, continue to sleep and be awake on Colombo time.

Most of us don't have the flexibility to do that, but if you can, your body will thank you after you land.

[nazali]

Naughty problem, I thought to save money, just do business on the long haul from UK to SL, but BA wont let you change it mid city, if you go economy it is all the way.

[nazali]

OH another question, on the way back were not doing a long stop over, just to change planes and carrier.

With interconnecting stops, what is a good time span, not too long or short, anyone missed there connecting flights ? can you just get on the next one ?

Another advantage to business class, we can hang in the business class suite for a few hours !

[Alfisti]

OK so the two biggies on that list are;

1) Absolutely LOCK DOWN your insurance, and I mean have it explicitly state that it DOES include coverage for issues previously diagnosed and make sure you have a letter from a physician clearing you to travel.

2) As a frequent long haul flyer, I strongly, strongly recommend just saving the money and flying in economy, to make it more tolerable break up the long hauls into 7 or 8 hr segments and do a two night stop over.

For example, when we fly home, the fastest route is Toronto > West coast (5 hrs) > Sydney (16 hrs). This is brutal, especially as it is all red eye and you land 7am sydney time ffs.

Instead we go Toronto > Honolulu (10 hrs or 2 5 hr flights) then do 2 to 3 nights there then Honolulu to Syd (10 hrs).

There's no comparing the two, it's night and day experience.

[nazali]

thanks you sir

[dradernh]

Another option for getting onto destination time in Colombo before departure (so that you arrive free of jet lag) is detailed in a 1985 book entitled Overcoming Jet Lag. Used copies can still be found on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Je...dp/0425089053/).

The wife and I used the routine described in the book when traveling regularly from the West Coast to Asia and Europe during the 80s, 90s, and 00s. Compared to the shape we used to arrive in (days recovering from jet lag), the book was a godsend for us.

[nazali]

I was once told many years ago, maybe pre-interwebs

To not try and adjust your time if it's dark on the plane, sleep, if you land when it's morning or light, ignore all attempts to sleep until night time, then knock your socks out, you'll sleep a good 12 hours and then some, and then be fine

However the ozzie I was staying with I went to stay with had me up all night in a night club, we drove right from the airport to a club/bar as I wasnt the least bit tired and was feelin in the mood for a bit of partying, got drunk, danced and that was it was totally trashed the next day

OH to be 18 again