Category: Plans

In some ways this was the funnest part. By booking so far out (9 months out) we’re guaranteed to get first pick of any place we wanted. By and large I was after places with history and character, rather than places that were either cheap or luxurious. . Coming from New Zealand, where the oldest…

In late August 2018, with about half our budget saved, Cathay Pacific had specials on for around the time we wanted to travel. Unfortunately their algorithmic pricing means if you put in an itinerary and back out then the next time it’s more expensive. I tried clearing cookies, private browser settings and VPNing from other…

The Plan and the Budget are very speculative without an Itinerary. First, make a list of places you’d like to visit. Manila and Hong Kong were a given. My itinerary 20 years ago was Rome -> Naples -> Florence -> Padua -> Milan -> Rome. My biggest regret was not going to the Amalfi Coast,…

Travelling so far it’s easy to look at the headline cost of flights, add on a couple of thousand for accommodation and think that’ll be a rough estimate. Estimating the budget is hard! How cheap can you do it for, and then do you really want to do it that cheap? Optimistic Budget With potentially…

Ten months ago we decided to start saving for a trip to Philippines to visit family, and since we would be halfway around the world already, to tack on a trip to Italy, one of my favourite countries. I’ve been to Italy as a very young child, and for skiing in the Alps, but my…