Flight search update:
I just found a flight going to Venice and coming back from Rome for about $690 per person, roundtrip, including all taxes and fees, so I'm thinking that I might just go directly there as a first stop, and maybe skip the Parma thing.
I haven't seen any flights cheaper than about $620, no matter what destination or time I've tried, and anytime I've looked at flights to Venice, it's been in the $800 range.
I'm thinking this is a pretty good deal.
Holy crap, I think I've found my flight. I just found one going to Venice, and leaving from Naples. That's perfect, since I will be on the Amalfi coast at the end of the trip. Same price as the Venice flight that I just described above, except I don't have to get up and take a damn train all the way to Rome on that last day to catch the plane.
Where were all these prices last week when I was looking? I think I'm getting close to victory here!
kickycan wrote:I just found a flight going to Venice and coming back from Rome for about $690 per person, roundtrip, including all taxes and fees, so I'm thinking that I might just go directly there as a first stop, and maybe skip the Parma thing.
I haven't seen any flights cheaper than about $620, no matter what destination or time I've tried, and anytime I've looked at flights to Venice, it's been in the $800 range.
I'm thinking this is a pretty good deal.
I've looked at 'opodo' for these flights: 323.28 = $420.78
American Airlines (AA 172) to Bruxells, American Airlines (AA 7777) to Venice
American Airlines (AA 6516) to London-Heahtrow, American Airlines (AA 107) to New York
There several more under $600!
Okay, I'm going to check that site.
Nope. It's still cheaper through airbookers.com. Airbookers gave me a total price roundtrip for the three of us of $2015 USD. Opodo is $2050.
I think I'm going to call British Airways. That's the airline that these flights are through.
The Venice Naples one sounds perfect... even if it were slightly higher in money, makes more sense in sanity.
I agree. And I just booked it. Yes! Now I don't have to drive myself insane with the flight search anymore.
So now I'm thinking that the four major spots I'm going to hit are Venice, Florence, Rome, and the Amalfi coast. In two weeks. I can do this.
Thanks, littlek. Now if I can just stop procrastinating and fill out my passport application, I'll actually be able to go!
Sure would suck to lose that flight because you waited too long to fill out your passport.....
Good grief, do it. A passport is a lovely thing, to me.
I'm going to do it the minute I get off A2K.
Which reminds me of a story. Blush.
Remember when I said we were shunted to Milano on our first trip, because we missed the connecting flight to Rome? (we followed our luggage to Milano). We got off the plane last - we weren't in any hurry, and of course we were in the cattle car so were sort of last anyway.
John went through customs first, no problemo. They took one look at my passport and said un momento. The fellow flicked another fellow over. He said my passport was expired.
I said of course not, huffily.
He flicked another fellow to meet me. This one had epaulets and stuff on his uniform. They showed me the passport, it was expired.
I nearly died on the spot.
Seems I had been hoping for that long to go on such a trip, and when John got his passport, it was for 10 years, so I didn't think to look, mine was only for 5.
My neck starts getting red. John looks at me bemused. I am adamant about being right until I have to face facts. Omigod. Will I have to go back?
Stay tuned, bring up the violins...
No. They took a good look at desolate me and said to go see the consulate in Rome. I've since learned that an expired passport (this being prior to 2001) is cause for, at the least, a severe fine.
Nah. We went to the embassy on the Via Veneto the next day, and now I have a souvenir passport from Roma, and I think I just had to pay for the photos. It's not quite the Via Veneto of La Dolce Vita, but it's still a pretty street. Of course we were sleepy by then, but no big deal. Just the business of passing the guards...
You all know me, I am nutso about gearing up for a trip, I love it, and did then too. But it never occurred to me the thing would be expired. I am soooooo glad I didn't check it in the plane, I would have gone into some kind of tharn. And, heh, they didn't catch it in the US, and as I remember, they had checked it.
One should always have a valid passport.
That must have been a scary moment. I wonder what they would have done nowadays. Probably thrown you right out of the country immediately. Or had you shot...I'm going to fill out my passport now...
Yikes, I just checked mine. It expires in alomost exactly one year.
I wouldn't look as lovely, shot.
Yeah, especially as the guy with the epaulets came from an Office...
I just checked, my present passport is up in '08. I sigh peacefully.
now you just have to make some use of it!
