Stupid Intertubes

[xraytheenforcer]

I'm trying to use the Star Alliance RTW airfare calculator (it's never too early to get depressed about missing WC 2010) and it's giving me all kinds of grief trying to fly from Perth (because there are a couple of dorks there, and their limpet cat, who I might want to visit) to either Sydney or Melbourne. Like, what, you people take fucking camel trains between your major metropolitan areas?!

Maybe I'll try again tomorrow. Better computer juju.

Used another site (oneworld.com), and I've got it down to between 4,500 and 4,200.
Holy shit - round trip NYC to Perth = $2400
Round trip to Sydney = $2100

Comments

[kama-police.livejournal.com]

I think it's kangaroo trains, actually. Camel trains are in Africa.

[misunderstruck.livejournal.com]

Or wombat buses. They're never damaged when rear-ended.

[xraytheenforcer.livejournal.com]

but what happens to their cute noses?

[misunderstruck.livejournal.com]

They grow ever hairier.

[sivestrit.livejournal.com]

Hmm, not so sure about that:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel_train

In the English-speaking world the term "camel train" often applies to Australia, notably the service that once connected a railhead at Oodnadatta in South Australia to Alice Springs in the center of the continent.

[xraytheenforcer.livejournal.com]

Vindicated!

[kama-police.livejournal.com]

pffft

[catrionamacnair.livejournal.com]

Boo expensive :(

I've looked at flights to NY (I LOVE the party train idea), and although 340 pounds return isn't that bad it's still grieving me. That's more than a month's rent already. I hate being a student, financially.

[xraytheenforcer.livejournal.com]

sell a kidney on the black market?

[manipul8.livejournal.com]

The camels here are mostly wild feral creatures not suited to train work.

Your problem is Star alliance... Our one domestic carrier that was involved in Star alliance was Ansett which got itself bankrupt and dissolved almost 10 years ago.

Fares can be found through Virgin, Qantas or Jetstar from Perth to Sydney/Melbourne (although you better come visit if Melbourne you're anywhere near Melbourne).

[xraytheenforcer.livejournal.com]

THAT makes sense now! I could not understand why things were so dodgy once I got onto your continent.

As for Melbourne, hells yes I will visit. One of the reasons for the trip is the World Science Fiction Convention will be held in Melbourne in 2010. (this is what I was desperate to get to last week in Denver). But the other reason is for seeing all of my antipodean people. :)

[fenryng.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the whole idea of needing the better part of five thousand dollars JUST to get there and back, without a single other expense added in yet, is a definite kick in the groin/ovaries/pick an area of your choice. Gah.

The hope is there, but....damn good thing we have two years to decide if we can do it or not.

[xraytheenforcer.livejournal.com]

Word. Although this far out, I did find some decent flight prices on Expedia. With judicious planning, I think the flight can be done for a relatively modest price. Modest in relative terms, anyway.

[regina-of-york.livejournal.com]

I've started researching credit cards that could let us earn points towards this trip (Doug may have mentioned that I already picked his brain on the subject earlier).

For example, via United, you need 25,000 points to fly from here to CA. Or you need 50,000 to get to London. But to get to Australia is 150,000 points!!! At a dollar a point, that would obviously never happen. Heck, the signing bonus of 25,000 miles doesn't even make a dent.

Ahem, sorry for the rant there.

[xraytheenforcer.livejournal.com]

youch. got a bank to rob?

[stubbycarey.livejournal.com]

Did you investigate the possibility of a round the world ticket?

Also, the Jetstar and Virgin (no-frills lines) in Australia do a better price overall if you book the legs one-way.

[xraytheenforcer.livejournal.com]

gods, your avatar is making me laugh.

Yeah, looking into the round the world tickets turns up (so far, but it is early) prices in the $4000USD range, whereas I can fly to Sydney and back for $1699, and do a Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Sydney leg for a further $695. So, two years out, it's cheaper to fly direct! Crazy, non?

And it's still cheaper than I would have thought all around. We still have major scheduling issues (Doug has to be in school in early September, but we are trying to work with/around that). I really want to tap a wombat ass. Uh....that sounds pretty bad, don't it?

[manipul8.livejournal.com]

For wombats... http://www.zoo.org.au/HealesvilleSanctuary

wombats good.

[parrismcb.livejournal.com]

and healsville is a great place, would be nice to get together a bunch of Bros and go out there.

Maybe you can go early, leave right after the con?

The real experts on getting good flight packages for fans would be the smofs of our acquaintance, especially Janice and Stephen.

Maybe look into a separate flight plan, see how much it would cost to go to London, or Hawaii, or LA, then on to Oz on two different carriers. Would take more time and hassle, but you never know. It's so far out though, I expect that by 2009 - when tickets would probably go on sale for 2010 - the frequent flyer offers will have gone up and so will airfares given the spiral upwards of energy.

[dajamieson.livejournal.com]

Poking around on Expedia, there's flights in June, London to Melbourne for around £830 ($1660) on Quantas. Not too bad - assuming we can get something similar for 2010 we'll definitely be there.

Worth remembering the price of fares starts at a peak, drops, and then picks up again....so booking too far in advance may be counterproductive.

[xraytheenforcer.livejournal.com]

Now that's good to know -- about the peak/drop/peak. I'm definitely going to be monitoring this over the next 6 months to see how things pan out.

[sivestrit.livejournal.com]

Martha, these people share your pain:
http://www.ayersrockresort.com.au/images/ayers/ayers_touring_27lg.jpg

How long would Perth to Melbourne take by camel anyway? Four weeks?

And do camel owners still have to be put indicator lights on their camels?

[xraytheenforcer.livejournal.com]

LOL now THAT is what I'm talking about!!

Perth (because there are a couple of dorks there, and their limpet cat, who I might want to visit)

[regina-of-york.livejournal.com]

Darn, for some reason I thought they were in Adelaide...which is much closer, of course.

So, who from the BWB is from Adelaide?!? Maybe I'm still delusional from lack of sleep.