Holiday babble

[erilyn]

My travel agent is a miracle worker. Seriously, I'd highly recommend her to locals next time they're planning any travel.

My itinerary (at the moment):
Fri 17th June - Depart Sydney 9:45 am
Fri 17th June - Arrive LA 6:05 am
Transfer to the hotel is included, and I can check in straight away. So I'll have most of that day to do something (and try and stay awake), and Saturday and Sunday in LA too. Might go to Universal one day? Maybe meet up with some LA girls for a meal if we can organise it?
Mon 20th June - LA to Vegas 9am. I have most of the day free to see Vegas and shop (iibnf - I need to talk you about this *g*).
Tues 21st June to 27th June - tour which includes Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Lake Powell, Grand Canyon, Montezuma Castle, Sedona and back to Vegas.
Tues 28th June - fly to Vancouver.
Wed 29th June to Sun 10th July - tour through Canadian Rockies, includes Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Yoho National Park, train to Prince Rupert and boat trip from there to northern end of Vancouver island, then head down to Victoria, then back to Vancouver.
Mon 11th July - see more of Vancouver
Tues 12th July - fly to Chicago
Wed 13th (and 14th) July - see more of Chicago
Thurs 14th July to Sun 17th July - Challenge!
Sun 17th July - flight leaves Chicago at 5pm for LA. Flight leaves LA at 10:30pm.
Tues 19th July - arrive in Sydney at 6am, broke and exhausted ;)

I still need to organise flights from Vegas to Vancouver and Vancouver to Chicago. She recommended Air Canada (who they can't ticket, different alliance), would anyone have any other suggestions (I'm checking United as well, but Air Canada do seem cheaper)? Also, would anyone be able to recommend hostels in Vancouver or Chicago? I'm gonna have two nights in each place by myself, so I might as well try and save money at some point on this trip. And I'm gonna need to find people to room with at Challenge. I don't snore, promise! *g*

Comments

[bachelor-girl.livejournal.com]

Ontario.

You should come to Ontario.

[bachelor-girl.livejournal.com]

but, on a more serious note, I think that the roommate stayed in a couple of hostels in Vancouver a couple years ago. I'll ask her when she gets back from visiting her sister this weekend.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

That would be very useful, thanks :)

And I really wish I could, but my travelling time is restricted, I do my last exam of the term the week I fly out (possibly the day before), and term starts the day before I get home (ooops *g*).

[bachelor-girl.livejournal.com]

According to the roommate, any of the Hostelling International hostels in Vancouver and safe and clean and nice places to stay. [info here] Apparently the one in downtown Vancouver is the nicest of them all, but the one at Jericho Beach (one of the ones she stayed at) is right on the water and there are kayak and windsurfing rentals right there, if you think you might want to check that out.

Anything else? I'll be sure to ask her.

And, alas. If you don't want to come and visit me, I'll just have to come to terms with the fact that you obviously hate me. (*g*, I kid! I kid! Maybe sometime we'll be in the same place at the same time.)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm all about the hate. It's a little known fact about me. Though clearly, you hate me too. Or you'd live in Vancouver ;p

Thank you so much for the recommendation, the downtown Vancouver hostel sounds great, and a personal recommendation is worth a dozen others :)

Hmmm, can't think of anything else at the moment, apart from general things, like what is umissable in Vancouver that might not normally be top of a normal tourist to-see list?

[bachelor-girl.livejournal.com]

Vancouver downtown here - click
Jericho Beach here - click

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

Las Vagas Outlet Malls. It's a $10 taxi fair from the Strip. It's huge, it's so frikkin' cheap!, and there's a lot of interesting things there. It's not a tourist place, it's just a very simple mall, but it's huge. It's also online, although I no longer have the link. That's where you can get Rockport shoes $19 for one pair, $1 for every pair after!

There is also the Designer Outlet Malls, but I didn't go there.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what I was going to ask, thank you! :)

Mmmm, shoes. Now I'm just gonna have to carefully plan what I take with me, so I have room to buy stuff.

[canalbaby.livejournal.com]

Fri 17th June - Arrive LA 6:05 am

Well, damn. I'm leaving LAX on the 15th for my trip to the UK. Sorry I'll miss seeing you.

Sounds like a marvlous trip!

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

What timing! But have a fantastic time in the UK :)

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

Here's some links...

http://www.vegas.com/shopping/lasvegasoutlet.html

http://www.lasvegastouristbureau.com/shopping/index.asp


http://www.fashionoutletlasvegas.com/

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Oooooh, thank you again :)

[chrismm.livejournal.com]

Sounds wonderful!

I can probably drive up to Vancouver, if you're interested in a meetup--I've been meaning to anyway, to visit lance_nerd and chootoy and all... I'd have to confirm with the boss, but it shouldn't be a big deal, just taking one day.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Whoa, that'd be great if we can! It's not too long a drive for you, is it?

We can plot specifics once my travel plans have firmed up a bit, see when would be good :)

[chrismm.livejournal.com]

A couple hours? Depending on the border thing. But no, not too bad. And it's a pretty drive.

Sounds good!

[trickyjazzer.livejournal.com]

wow that's impressive. :)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

It looks exhausting to me, I'm glad a lot of it's gonna be on tours, doing all this by myself would be very stressful :)

[saba1789.livejournal.com]

Wow, this sounds fabulous. Makes me want to go on a trip as well :-) .

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Heh, this one's gonna have to do me for sometime ;) But if I'm going all the way there, I need to do a lot to make it worthwhile!

[saba1789.livejournal.com]

But if I'm going all the way there, I need to do a lot to make it worthwhile!

Yep, sounds like the only way to do it :-) .

[lucybass.livejournal.com]

Whoa. I got tired reading that. LOL.
Sounds awesome though. I mean, seriously, how often do you get to do something like that?? It's crazy. (Seeing the boys is just an EXTRA SPECIAL Bonus :) )
Hope you have a lots of fun and don't go too crazy ;)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

That's it exactly! It's a trip I've wanted to do for years, and going to Challenge is an amazing bonus *g*.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bettina_/]

Oh, wow! That looks like a fantastic vacation! Whee! :-)

I stayed in this youth hostel when I was in Vancouver years ago. It was very nice and I liked it a lot :-).
http://www.hostels.com/en/hosteldetails.php?Pic=5&Images=7

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, that link just ends up going back to the main page. I could look it up by name, that might be the easiest. And thank you :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bettina_/]

Ah, oops, sorry. The link worked for me before. It's the Vancouver Downtown youth hostel. I just saw bachelor_girl already linked you to it. :-)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Another rec? I think I'll book this place tonight, its looking good :) Thanks!