Shock and Horror
Something I have been dreading is checking out the prices for the flights for the upcoming trip. When I was looking 4 months ago The prices were literally half the price of what they are today. With all the delays that we have had thus far with the travelling documentation like the visas it has left me with little choice but to pay. Upper economy is cheaper than economy so I guess everyone is going to be upgraded and not just myself. The trick question is do I take a flexible ticket and pay the extra which is the equivalent in cost of another 1.5 tickets or not? I need to save wherever I can and not overspend due to the overall costs.
I checked Virgin's prices and they are double Air France so it is doubtful my friend who is a travel agent with Virgin priority can reduce these prices by 50%. I will ask as you don't know and the only stupid question is the one not asked.
Scary none the less with the other worrying part is the accommodation which I am more concerned about Paris as we will be dodging the Olympics by 3 weeks and any more delays would mean we are going elsewhere. The budget has been completely blown out the water and what is evident is that there is no budget anymore and we are just going.
Must Do Trip
This is a must do trip due to an illness in the family and expect this to be the first of many and not just a once off for myself anyway as I cannot afford to pay for everyone having multiple trips over the next 12 -18 months. This is not a holiday even though there will be time for a break and why Paris has been thrown in.
What amazes me is how anyone can afford to travel anymore as these prices are not cheap and I have found the cheapest airline. This is looking more like $10K for 10 days without food and spending money when I had an original budget of around $5K for flights and hotels. The 4 month delay has seriously cost me and has left me with no other choices.
This is not only inflation, but one has to factor in the seasonal prices as this will be peak season being summer so I knew prices would be rising, but never thought they would be more than double.
Another Unexpected Delay
I have factored in the departure date of the 28th this month as my wife now needs a gall bladder operation which hopefully will be done this week and factored in 10 days for recovery. Any more delays and these prices may seem cheap next month so we go now or I go and they can wait a few months and then we go together. I am sure that will go down like a lead balloon with the amount of work gone into getting this far ad the entire family being disappointed with delay after delay. The operation was something you cannot plan for and that is life going with the flow. Surely that has to be the last speed bump and then we can go.