artnbarb
1000+ Posts
I've booked our transportation for next summer, along with a few nights lodging - filling in the blanks will be the most challenging part, esp for Ireland. Here's where I am now, departing the last week of June:
I was satisfied with the airline prices, esp since we have luggage to consider. We'll be allowed one checked bag each (50 lbs), one 18 lb carry-on, and one smaller item. Some of the smaller airlines have tighter restrictions on the carry-on sizes, so we ended up using British Airways and Lufthansa because they had the best allowances, and competitive prices.
I feel like one weight has lifted, just getting all of this organized and booked, but I still feel a lot of pressure about organizing the day to day stuff. I don't like to have rigid plans, but I do like to know what things there are to see, decide which ones interest us, and have a loose idea of what we might do. Weather is always a factor, and there are days when you just want to relax, or do laundry. Figuring out when to do laundry in Ireland is my only real challenge - the other places have washing machines.
I have 4 folders - Yellow for Ireland, Red for England, Green for Germany/Austria and Blue for Italy. Now to fill them up!
- Fly to DC for a long weekend with our granddaughters - flight booked, rental car booked. Will check periodically to see if prices drop since the flight is with SWA and the car is with AE. If for some reason the grandgirls aren't there we can switch the flight directly to Philly and cancel the rental car.
- Drive to Philly, drop of rental car, then fly to Dublin. Flight booked with FF miles
- Spend our first 4 days (Tues-Fri) in a 1 BR apt I found on Booking.com. €434 for 4 nights, good location, good reviews.
- Pick up our 2 week rental car at Dublin Airport - booked
- Still have to book rooms at 5 locations throughout Ireland
- Last night in Ireland will be spent at an airport motel, due to the early flight time - Radisson booked, but it's pricey, and I'll continue to check for a better price or a different hotel.
- Flight from Dublin to Leeds - booked with BA, but we have to fly thru London (LHR) due to luggage restrictions on the partner airlines.
- Rental car for 4 weeks in England booked
- 2 weeks in Yorkshire booked
- 2 weeks in Sussex booked
- Last night at LHR Novotel booked
- Flight from London to Munich booked
- Car rental, 1 week MUC-MUC, booked
- Still have to select a 2 BR apt in Stubaital, Austria. We'll be sharing with friends from Switzerland
- Room at Munich airport Novotel booked
- Morning flight from Munich to Rome booked
- Rental car from Rome - researched but not yet booked.
- Staying with our friend in Umbria again - she actually wants us back!
- Returning home via transatlantic cruise - booked.
I was satisfied with the airline prices, esp since we have luggage to consider. We'll be allowed one checked bag each (50 lbs), one 18 lb carry-on, and one smaller item. Some of the smaller airlines have tighter restrictions on the carry-on sizes, so we ended up using British Airways and Lufthansa because they had the best allowances, and competitive prices.
I feel like one weight has lifted, just getting all of this organized and booked, but I still feel a lot of pressure about organizing the day to day stuff. I don't like to have rigid plans, but I do like to know what things there are to see, decide which ones interest us, and have a loose idea of what we might do. Weather is always a factor, and there are days when you just want to relax, or do laundry. Figuring out when to do laundry in Ireland is my only real challenge - the other places have washing machines.
I have 4 folders - Yellow for Ireland, Red for England, Green for Germany/Austria and Blue for Italy. Now to fill them up!