At this time three weeks from now, I’ll be on a plane from Toronto to Vancouver!
As much as we have all the ‘big’ planning out of the way, its starting to dawn on me just how many little small things there are to still take care of before the games. Gotta get our Jersey’s crested, pick up a Canadian flag, verify this, look into that, print off this.
It’s going to keep me busy right up until I leave!
Just got a notice from Air Canada, saying that they'd modified our flight times for the way out there. We're still on the same flight, but now it leaves/arrives about an hour later.
No big deal really, get to sleep in an hour later now, but it would have been nice to have that extra hour out there before the Opening Ceremonies. We now get in about 11:00 AM, so it might be like 1:00 PM before we get all checked into the Hotel.
So today in the National Post, there is a story on how to goto the Olympics on a budget. I think its pretty funny, becaue its almost exactly the way we're doing things for Jen and Beth.
Included in their recommendations are:
So….I remember a magical time……one of unicorns and lollipops and cotton candy clouds….a land where I had already sorted out all the flights and hotels and transportation and tickets for this trip……oh, it was ever so grand…
Well the dream died last night…. Thanks a lot Jen and Beth! Jerks….the both of you….
With Jen having officially gotten the time off work, it was time to start booking things for her and Beth!
In order to keep things cost efficient, Jen and Beth are going to be doing the ‘roundabout’ Buffalo-->Seattlle-->Vancouver route. It certainly takes longer than flying direct from Toronto to Vancouver, but it’s also a whole heck of a lot less expensive.
Anyways, here are the details….
Coming In
Saturday, February 20th
Fly from Buffalo to Seattle, via Chicago
Depart 4:05 PM, Arrive 9:48
Spend the night in Seattle
Sunday, Feburary 21st
Take the train from Seattle to Vancouver
Depart 7:40 AM, Arrive 11:40 AM
Going Home
Sunday, February 28th
Take the train from Vancouver to Seattle
Depart 7:45 PM, Arrive 12:10 AM
Monday, March 1st
Fly from Seattle to Buffalo, via Philidelphia
Depart 8:45 AM, Arrive 9:43 PM
All told, we were able to get them there and back for about $450…which is a little less than half of what Pam and I are paying to fly direct….so there are significant savings. We still have more details to work out, like 100% if they are going to stay at the YWCA, a hotel for Seattle, and more tickets….but all in good time….
It’s been in the works for a little while now, as you can see from Beth’s posts….but I’d like to give an ‘official’ welcome to Beth and Jen on our little trip!
They’ll be coming out starting the 21st, and staying through the end of the games more or less. Tickets and flights are still to be sorted out, as is really lodging…but we’ll find a way…
I’m also glad to actually have other posters on the blog as well…makes my nerdiness somewhat less apparent when I’m not the only one…
Out in Nova Scotia this past week doing work on the Toll Facility on the Trans-Canada Highway. One of the neat aspects of the job is that between this trip, and the upcoming trip to Vancouver, I’m going to have a chance to have been to both coasts of the country. Halifax now, Vancouver in February!
So…speaking of the west coast…I’ve been asked by IBI to move to Seattle! How crazy is that?! If it all goes through, I’ll probably end up cancelling the YYZ-YVR flight for myself and end up taking the previously mentioned train up from Seattle. I’m a little disappointed that I won’t have a chance to be on that flight, those 5 hours and all the excitement involved was something I was actually really looking forward to. I’m sure the train ride up will still be really cool, but it will also be predominately Americans I’m sure.
With Beth and I moving out to Seattle, I might look at getting her up to Vancouver for a weekend during the games or something. That 5th ticket to the CAN-SVK game might just have her name on it.
Well...had a change of heart. We're going to fly direct both ways to Vancouver from Toronto. Booked the return flight for $448 each last night, flying out at 12:30 on March 1st. Once you figure the 'total cost' of going through Seattle, and the extra day off work it costs, and all the hassle....its just worth the extra $200 or so to fly direct.
So, with that...we're totally booked up! Tickets, flights, hotels...the whole deal. The final price tag for me:
Flight There - $448
Hotel - $1,118.35
Tickets - $1,406
Flight Home - $448
Grand Total: $3420.35
No wonder I have a steep credit card bill! At least though, I know I'll have this paid off long before I actually go on the trip. It'll be really nice to know that everything is all already bought and paid for when we're out there!
The only thing really left on the table is to get our tickets all finalized. Phase II tickets go on sale June 6th, so hopefully we'll be able to pick up a bit of a 'bonus' there....get ahold of one more event or something. And eventually, we still have to sell off or swap the crappy hockey tickets that we ended up with.
Either way, things are certainly rounding into form.
Ok, so NOW its official...we're booked into the YWCA for the Olympics. There was a bit of a delay as our reservation had to be 'confirmed', but just this morning I sent in our final application form. Total cost for Pam and I came to $2236.69, half of which we have to put down now ($1118.35) and the other half in September.
In terms of flights, on Friday I booked our way out there. We're going to still take a direct flight out, rather than go through Seattle, primarily because the latter option would require us to take an extra day off work. The Seattle-Vancouver train leaves at 7:00 AM each day, so there is no way to get on that train except to be in Seattle the night before. The cost for just the way out there is $448.
Its just as well really, I prefer Air Canada over the American carriers.....and there is something to be said for the atmosphere that will be on that flight from Toronto to Vancouver the morning of the Opening Ceremonies.
We leave Pearson at 8:00 AM, and get into Vancouver for 10:14 AM. A quick shot up the Canada Line...and we'll be at the hotel!
Kinda came out of nowhere, but we are going to be booking a hotel tomorrow! We're going to be residents of the YWCA Hotel, which has an amazing location and is coming pretty cheap.
Located spitting distance away from GM Place, I'm really surprised that we're getting this place for only $118 a night for Pam and I.
That will come in at $1184 each. Pretty solid for an 18 night stay.
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