The excitement of oversees Travel

Last weekend Lauren and I booked tickets for oversees travel. The reason we did it then, was due to a free travel expo that was on. The expo is a place for airlines and tour companies to sell their services with specials and discounts. They wine and dine you with the specials and then you go to a Flight Centre booth to book it.

Before we headed to the expo on Saturday, we went to our local Flight Centre to check prices. We wanted to do an around the world ticket and go to Bangkok, Helsinki and Toronto. Because we wanted to go to Helsinki, we learned that Finland’s national air carrier – FinnAir has special deals to entice you to visit Finland. But unfortunately our travel consultant could not navigate the various rules and conditions. So we were left without a quote. But with a price in mind, of what it may cost. As well as the cost for a direct flight to Toronto, it’s very expensive. Toronto is on the other side of the world from Australia and that’s the reason for the cost.

We then went into the city to visit the Expo; we bypassed all the sale booths and went straight to the Flight Centre booths. There must have been over 100 Flight Centre booths, representing all the Flight Centre locations in the city. No one was at our local Flight Centre; so we tried a different location. A young woman sat down with us and took down our details. She then went away and came back to the Flight Centre booth and was in deep discussion with two other travel consultants. After about a total time of 15-20 minutes she came back and gave us a rough estimate for an Around the World ticket. She told us it was crazy here and computers were down and she would call us on Monday. We thanked her for time and wondered off. We decided to try one more Flight Centre agent and tried the next suburb over from where we live. We told her about this FinnAir deal and she said come in tomorrow and we’ll work it out for you.

On Sunday morning at about 11:30am we headed to Flight Centre. Working with the travel consultant for more than an hour; a lot of it just waiting while she worked out the routes. We were able to get our flights and most of it direct, on well known air carriers. But what shocked us most was the price. It was much cheaper, than a direct flight to Toronto. This summer in the northern hemisphere and winter for the southern hemisphere; Lauren and I travelling around the world. We are going to Bangkok, Helsinki and Toronto. Most flights are direct, expect for a few legs where we transfer from one plane to another. We booked the ticket that same day and later in the afternoon paid for the flight and even chose seats on some of the flights.

We were very excited and happy. We couldn’t believe it happened so fast, the quality of flights we got and especially the cost. We are flying Qantas, FinnAir, British Airways and American Airlines. The best part I like, is our return journey to Melbourne, we are flying direct as possible - Toronto to LA, LA to Melbourne.

I am very happy; I get to visit an exotic Asian country – Bangkok. Visit a dear friend in Helsinki and come home for a month to see family and friends in summer time.

In 4 months time I will be back in Ta-ronn-to, TO, The Big Smoke; after 18 months living down under in Oz. I am looking forward to it, being a visitor in my own city, seeing changes in people and the city itself.