T8191

Phew ... I bet that wouldn't happen on BA [emphasises sarcastic smiley ]

However, I do note There we are ... the new definition for WT+

I'm finding this entire search for a week away from December's rain and grey skies quite depressing. I just keep tripping over so many negatives

HIDDY

One reason why I do things on the cheap. If it turns out to be a poor experience at least I'll have the satisfaction of knowing I didn't waste much money on it.

uk1

WT+? Wally Turmoil +?

Well ... for what it's worth - I'd suggest somewhere NO ONE else will!

Singapore. I'm besotted with Singapore. Not just a stopover - but if you love food then this really is the place to go. Street food that must have originated the whole idea of fusion food. It's relatively cheap to eat and sleep in luxury and it is laid back - not too much to do other than walk and eat and drink ..... but we like it. Sydney has got shorter and Singapore longer on our trips. But thankfully we are all different ..... and I speak as someone who knows my place as a minoirty ......

It does have a beach or two .... but nothing I'd worry about.

T8191

A true Scottish perspective, and on this occasion I agree that makes a lot of sense. ^

When we're looking at burning £5k+ for a week, I'm actually asking myself if that makes sense. I honestly haven't got my head round the equation yet ... we spend that over 4 weeks in the USA, so for a single week?

However, you get what you pay for, and there's no doubt we both suffer from 'Winter Gloom'. The cost is not, in itself, an issue. But getting away is a really nice idea ... if we could work out where 'away' is, and whether it's actually worth the £££. Neither of us believe in shredding £££, which is probably why we have a lot of them

Hmmmm ... it's not easy. But we really do appreciate all the inputs: the weekend will be spent sharing this nice large 24" display and trying to reach some sensible conclusion.

Of course, the bottom line is that there's a sale on [which is irresistible] and that this trip [if it happens] makes Silver for 2012/13 so much easier [a quickie JER>LGW, collect Duty Free, go home]

henkybaby

You can always do the cheaper side of Florida. Just fly to MCO or MIA, rent a car, see the sights, stay in Holiday Inns and the likes and end with 3 days in a nice resort or in the Keys. Best of both worlds and you'll have some leftover change too. If you want more you can fly from MIA to an overpriced Caribbean resort for a couple of days (instead of all 7). If you want adventure you can fly to Costa Rica.

meester69

Mauritius, Maldives?

Exactly.

December is not that easy, you either have a long, unpleasant flight in Y or a long expensive flight in CW, or else you can go somewhere rather dubious like Benidorm or Tenerife.

This last December we did Thomas Cook to The Gambia, the food was basic and so were the hotels but it was very charming, the flight is fairly short, the weather hot and dry, the beaches glorious, and we'd certainly go back.

Sandy Lane it is not, I should add...

T8191

Thanks, Henk. Not really sure that we want FL, or what the 'sights' are [swamps and Disney?] ... and we don't do 'cheap'. However, The Keys is an interesting thought [once I've done a weather check!].

Valuable thought, and appreciated. ^

henkybaby

In that case you rent a really expensive car and you stay at expensive places. It is actually not that bad for a short road trip. Oddly enough I found the Space Center very entertaining and impressive. There are some nice National Parks too. Quaint little towns in the NE of FL. You can even drive (or fly) to New Orleans for a day or two.

The Keys have excellent weather in that period. You can do $300 a night and be perfectly comfortable of $700 a night and get screwed in comfort.

T8191

A completely new angle ... need to think that through. The OH is considering cleaning the white-board completely and starting again, but the FL Keys might just do it. At least we speak the language quite well

But £2k pp in the sale for Club ...
And an MFU won't do the TPs we need. Hmmmm

More tomorrow ... thanks, folks. ^

henkybaby

So the difference is only £350 each. For that money you get a real destination instead of a holiday island. You'll earn that back in 4 days. Besides, you don't do cheap.

Last but not least, ex AMS the flight is E 1988.

HIDDY

To be honest I would never spend that much on a weeks holiday for two...I would be too scared plus I don't think I would ever feel I got value for money no matter where we went.

Even flying round the world in premium cabins couldn't match our best holiday....a week in Nerja at Christmas time.
Warm sun, lovely drives....over the mountains to Grenada, along the coast and inland to Sevilla and several small places along the way.All done for £150 each on a Airtours package. Most relaxing holiday we have ever had and we still talk about it.
If I lived in the UK I would do it again although it would be BA down to the Med and a decent villa which can be had for a reasonable price at that time of year.

T8191

I understand that exactly. I have the £££, I'm just not sure that the numbers make sense. But I'm not flying whY, especially with my back and knees
I don't need to get off the aircraft half-crippled.

The Med in Winter? Hmmmm ... another thought, but won't generate the TPs we also need/want.

Summary ...
1. Want a winter burst of sunshine for a week in Dec.
2. A bit of luxury.
3. Fly Club to get the TPs we need for 2012/13.
4. Minimum hassle anywhere ... want to go brain-dead for a week.
5. Decent grown-up environment.
6. Not shredding £££ for the fun of it.

Matching all those is proving an interesting challenge.

HIDDY

So it's the tier points you're really after?

No point in trying to hold a reasonable discussion with you then.

meester69

Hmm.

1, ok.
2, fair enough.
3, hmmmmmm. £5k is a lot of money for this purpose. How often do you fly, there are other lounges than the BA lounge.


Cancun is a fairly affordable option (don't stay there though), there are some great hotels, good food, but I think a week of brain-deadness and a week of sight-seeing makes more sense.

Try Mayakoba for the brain-dead part though, easy to get there from CUN and three luxury resorts. The Banyan Tree is the best of the bunch, about £300/night (expedia, plus 12% cashback from quidco if you book right now) for a private pool villa (the cheapest room, and 3000 square feet plus the same again for the pool - http://www.banyantree.com/en/mayakob...en_pool_villa/). If you want cheaper, try the Fairmont. It's worth emailing the Banyan Tree direct for discounts though.

T8191

No, not exactly a £5k+ TP run, but we will waste a lot of TPs [in our terms] for 2012/13 if we don't do this. We can juggle the Apr/May TATL a bit, but we hit the year-end one way or another.

No, it's really the "Seasonally Affected Disorder" we're trying to escape. We can manage the TPs with me doing another exciting run to LGW for some DF, and home by 1400 the same day! But that means bringing the next VA trip forward a few weeks, to when the weather is a bit less reliable, and that makes 2012/13 more complicated ... etc etc etc.

There are times when I wish I'd never discovered this Forum