I was excited in March last year...I turned fifty years old...But that's not what got me excited...It was the gift my wife got for me that had me feeling good. You can take a look at the post here if you're interested. If you don't want to then I'll break it down...
We were flying to Tasmania for a week off and Faith had arranged an hour-long aerobatic flight in a World War Two fighter-trainer in which the pilot does dog-fighting, strafing runs, barrel rolls, dive-bombing and anything else one wants. The post I linked above shows video of it. I was very excited and looking forward to it on the 28th of March.
[Image removed]
But then came the pandemic
The restrictions around the pandemic meant our flights to Tasmania were cancelled. We rebooked them for October at the cost of an additional $600 and...They got cancelled too. Oh, and in the interim period our Scandinavia trip was cancelled as well...What a debacle!
The Scandinavia flights were refunded in full fortunately, although it took a long time. The other airline, however, gave us credits for the Tasmania flights as over the period they had gone into receivership. Talk about a comedy of errors right?
The aerobatic flight down in Tasmania was not refundable though; He kept it assuming we'd make it down there for the flight sometime.
That was back in October last year and a few weeks later Faith's mum was diagnosed with a secondary cancer and given a fairly short life-expectancy date, was operated on and is still convalescing; She will succumb to it at some stage as it is not curable and so we're really focused on the Tasmania trip; We would like to take her with us.
This week we started talking about trying to make it happen but, we've come across some seemingly insurmountable roadblocks.
The pilot has limited time this year as his Air Force commitments are keeping him on the mainland. The airline is not playing nicely with our flight credits either. We can't book online you see, we have to ring them and they keep telling us there's no seats available for when we may want to fly, despite us showing a lot of flexibility. They are being assholes about it.
Having to line up my work, Faith's work (she runs our business), her mum's health requirements, the pilots availability and the flights to Tasmania all at once is really hard...The fact we could have border closures and quarantine issues at any time also doesn't make it any easier.
We're really struggling to bring this together and considering the no-refund policy on the aerobatic flight we don't have much choice but to work at it...Losing the $1000+ isn't something we want to do.
I'm not sure how this is going to play out...There's many variables. I'm really hoping it's third time lucky though and we make it there but at this stage I don't know, I just don't know.
How about you? Have you had similar scenarios over cancelled flights or bookings? The pandemic has cost so many people a lot of money and lost opportunity and the hits keep coming. What has happened to your own travel plans if you were were booked or were supposed to travel?
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised.
Be well
Discord: galenkp#9209
This is my first post in the Rant, Complain, Talk Community and whilst this is not really a rant, more of a I'm really frustrated post I'm working up a decent rant about it I think. Stay tuned.
,,She will succumb to it at some stage as it is not curable and so we're really focused on the Tasmania trip; We would like to take her with us.''
Sorry to hear this.
It is good that my travel around the world can't be stopped. Even if it is in a puzzle.
I hope that third time will work out for you. Who knows maybe third time with hivefest will be lucky for me as well?
I agree and will put some effort into making it happen. I'm not overly confident, and we need to be prepared for more roadblocks and changes, but I'll give it a go!
Thankfully, we finished our travel and came back from Ahmadabad, on 1st week of March. The first case of Corona was reported on the same day there :)
We traveled last year just as things were starting to hit the news and came back a couple weeks before the intense lockdown crap started happening. Hoping that people will start to just ignore it considering that it's not nearly as bad as they keep trying to tell us it is.
It's fortunate that you made it back just in time...Good planning or luck. either way it's a good thing.
My round Australia trip has been put on hold. Unfortunately I think this year is going to be more unsettling than last year 😵
Unsettling is a good word for it...I've been trying to book something with Virgin today again and am getting the run around. I'm ready to break something, or should I say, someone.
Damn that's tough man, sometimes life get's annoying and throws some roadblocks in front of you for things that you are looking forward to such as this. It's certainly thrown some stuff at us!
My wife won a trip to Mexico and it's looking pretty sketchy if we will ultimately be able to take the trip. I've never been to Mexico and it would be a trip that would just be her and I but of course she won it at a time when this nonsense is going on, trying to restrict people from traveling and living their lives for "safety" reasons (that ultimately end up not being any worse, in fact in the US slightly better than the year prior, but don't pay attention to that! listen to us tell you to be utterly terrified and shitting in your pajamas listening to us tell you what to think).
For the non-refundable section, it makes you try that much harder to get it done so you don't waste your money. Hopefully the stars will align and you can get this awesome experience!
That's a bummer about the Mexico trip...I'm sure you two could have used a little getaway like that! What's the likelihood of it happening and is there an alternative prize that can be given to you if it doesn't happen?
The third time's the charm.
The truth is, nothing like you has happened to me. But I have. I had problems with my vacations from work since for 2 years I was waiting for them with great emotion and at the moment that they gave me my months of vacation, the pandemic came insane.
Hahaha things don't go as expected.
Cheers!
You're right, life doesn't always go to plan and mostly it's ok, we're ready for it, have alternative options or accept it but...This pandemic situation is totally different and quite out of control. I think some operators are also using it as an excuse for poor service and cost cutting. "Covid" seems to be the most advantageous excuse for many businesses to take advantage of clients and customers. It sucks.
I have thought that COVID is what the system needed to make things even more difficult.
But time will tell!
Things are certainly more difficult, there no doubt about it. I called Virgin Australia yesterday as I had been of asking someone something. Their automated message directed me to the website and then said, because if covid 19 we're experiencing a high demand of callers. Please try later. Then hung up on me.
So much for technology creating jobs which is some bullshit line people use to make them feel better...Jobs? Yeah right, only if one wants to be an uber food delivery schmuck...Until drones do that job. Not even jobs in call centres these days, just a recorded message left by a single human...Or probably computer generated voice. It's all pretty fucked and covid 19 has helped accelerate the decline.
So, no luck booking obviously...I'm thinking I'll give up as they don't seem to want to let me use my flight credits.
Sorry about what's happening to your wife's mom... I really hope the trip works out... The memory will be worth it
Thank you I appreciate it. That scenarios is why we need to push so hard on it and try and get something happening. It would be nice for my wife Faith to have that time with her mum to remember. I'm sure we'll get something sorted and will have some nice memories. Thanks for commenting.
I hope that you will be able to make this trip although the odds seem against it G. Because it sounds amazing
!ENGAGE 20
I hope so too...It's a lovely spot down there and it would be nice to be able to have my mother in law there as that would make Faith happy. I'm sure something will happen...Well, not sure, but hopeful.
You're a man with a plan and that will always lead to something good
ENGAGEtokens.Ah, a rant is also a frustrated moment. So many plans scuppered - or grounded - you know my story so I won't go on about it here. Hope you get to do what you want to do soon. What a shitty year babe, what a shitty year.
Shitty yes, get to do what we want, not looking good. I don't know how this is going to pan out to be honest.
The flights I booked to Tassie were $900 for March. Covid hit and they were rescheduled for October at a cost of an extra $600...Virgin Australia have given me $1220 worth of flight credits. I don't know who's doing the numbers there...Some dick head clearly.
Anyway, it's proving difficult to book the flights now and then there's the uncertainty around border closures etc. I'll be honest, I'm fast getting over it. I'll lose the aerobatic flight money but to be honest I don't really care...I just want to move the hell on.
I'm too broke to have any travel plans in the first place but I hope the coming lockdown here doesn't hinder my wedding plans
I hope your wedding plans are not disrupted...When is the big day?
In June
OK
See, I told you u are an alien..... all that and daily Hive and curation. {smile} ... sounds LIKE A PRETTY GOOD SUMMARY OF WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MILLIONS OF FOLK AROUND THE WORLD (sorry hit caps lock, too lazy....errrr I mean busy to retype) . To be honest me personally I would be soooo grateful I could not make that Tasmanian aerobatics flight {turns a pale green at the thought....}
Yes, so many people are far worse off than I am although in my mind that doesn't negate my own issues...Which, as it turns out, are not getting better in respect of this aerobatic flight I'm afraid. Oh well, time to focus on something else I'd say.