Vocal Voices

...and a long, long time to get to Australia if you do it the Amy & Dan way.

And also cheap if you do it the Amy & Dan way.

This was their journey:

Birmingham to Amsterdam.

Amsterdam to Budapest.

Budapest to Dubai.

(6 days in Dubai with Amy's best friend and her husband as he is a pilot for Emirates.)

Dubai to Kochi (India)

Kochi to Kuala Lumpur.

Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne.


Total cost of flights £1400.

Dan's mum paid half which left them 350 each to pay.

Jackie's just whatsapped me to say they've just landed in Melbourne.

I would've done this too at their age (23) to save cash but at my age now it would be BA all the way.

Wow! What a journey

I honestly don't think I'd have the patience to fly to Australia. I get so bored on long haul flights.

You may as well see what you can on the way

It would be emirates for me now business class all the way with a stop in Singapore and a visit to raffles hotel to Brisbane and friends

saundra wrote:It would be emirates for me now business class all the way with a stop in Singapore and a visit to raffles hotel to Brisbane and friends

Good on you Saundra!

Mum and dad stopped in Raffles on their way to Oz.

It's an old trick, Ally, and one we boomers used all the time. If you do not have to be in a particular place at a particular time then go the scenic route.

We used to holiday a similar way. Fly out and jump in a taxi:

"Where to?"
"Don't know, we have no hotel booked. Do you know anywhere?"
"Sir, my ex wife's cousin used to walk her dog with a neighbour who had a friend who... We can go there."
"Drive on, and do not spare the horses."
"Horses?"
"Just drive..."

Good to hear the system is on the way back.

Good for Amy & Dan.

They didn't do it for any scenic views Frank..apart from Dubia they didn't leave the airport.

When Craig was 5 we booked last minute flights to Majora (remember teletext?)

At the airport, with Craig asleep in a luggage trolley we got outside and asked the taxi driver to 'take us somewhere nice'

He took us to Santa Ponsa where we got a family room in a hotel and so good was the holiday we went back the following year!

Remember Teletext? You stole my words.

Me and the ex flew to Larnaca, Cyprus, thinking we might go to Paphos, Aphrodite's rock area.

We jumped in a taxi and told the driver we were there for two weeks but with nowhere to stay..... We ended up in a brand new villa in Aya Napa (not even on the map then) for peanuts.

We did a similar thing in Yugoslavia (as it was). Landed in Split, ended up in the most cosy pension in Makarska.

Those really were the days. Trivago. Sod off!

That's just reminded me of a holiday we had in Crete Frank.

The twins were 4 and Craig was 11 and we booked (teletext again! ) flights with the accommodation 'unknown but would be at least 2 star.'

We stayed in a beautiful hotel and had a fantastic holiday.

When I look back we were quite gung-ho with our travelling even with small children.