Well, the holiday has finally begun. My airfares are booked and so is the hike itself.
Planning for this actually began in January 2007, which is a long time in advance even for someone as anal-retentive as me. But I can plead extenuating circumstances.
Back in January 2007 I was considering what holiday to tack onto the Fusion conference. However, it was in Quebec, which I've been to before and didn't feel was worth a second visit. Also, the rest of Canada was not so appealing and the USA was right out. Finally, I was frantically busy and the thought of having to put somethng together by February was all too much. I ended up deciding, "Stuff it. Skip Fusion that year and have an extra long holiday tied into the Fusion in 2008 in Europe."
Thus began the planning, and boy did I plan. There was a radar conference in Rome at the end of May and then Fusion itself in Cologne in the first week of July which left June all for me. I decided on 2 weeks in Italy at an Italian language school and 2 weeks hiking in the UK. After many hours of research (hey it was what I did for a living) I chose the Istituto il David in Florence, an apartment in the Residenza il Carmine and hiking the Cotswold Way with Contours. I was all set.
Then by the end of 2007 I thought "Stuff it" again and decided to give up the job entirely. Banking (and the promise of more money) beckoned. I scored a new job with a largish dollop of good luck due to help from Mark Joshi and started my new life in April 2008 at the NAB. Unfortunately, they weren't about to send me to conferences and I didn't have any leave so the grand plan was off.
After yet more dithering/reseaching I decided on 3 weeks off in May 2009 made up of a few days in London, then hiking the Cotswold Way and then a few days in Bath, I've now been at the NAB long enough to pass my probation and be in my boss's good books so I asked for pre-approval of my leave so I could book flights now while they are still (relatively) cheap.
Yet more planning to do. I was happy as a clam. Step 1 - find a good airfare. The cheapest I came across was $2200 with Etihad, the new airline of the United Arab Emirates. I knew I should have booked this but I just wasn't comfortable with the idea of travelling on the flag carrier of an Islamic country. At least it is legal for women to travel alone there but it is unusual. Alcohol is strictly illegal. The idea of travelling on an airline where the mere fact I was there by myself and wanted alcohol with my meal would be, at the very least, frowned upon if I'd done it in their country was just too unsettling.
I found a fare with Finnair, via Helsinki of course, for $2600 and asked Kym to see if she could get it for me. I'd also found a fare with Singapore Airlines for $2850 and ended up settling for that. Too conventional and safe for words but it will be comfortable, well organised and with less changes and travel time than the Finnair option. I also arrive in London mid-afternoon rather than early evening, which is more convenient. Enough rationalising. It's done. At least I get to travel on an A380 for the SIN->LHR legs, so that is something a little out of the ordinary (for now). Jim will be envious.
I started looking into hotels as well. I only need one for 1 night in Reading on the way home and one for 4 nights in London. Couldn't find anything very appealing. All my recommended hotels either have no rooms or are charging rack rates for them. I guess it is too early to be booking (at least I hope that is what it is). Odd that hotels should be so different from airlines. I'll try again in January 2009.
Who am I kidding? I'll check again and again over the next few months.