GRcade Travel Topic

All my clothes are bought now

Asking here because I'm struggling googling for an answer.

Looking at Virgin Atlantic flights on Skyscanner, they show prices for Economy or Economy Premium but from what I understand Virgin have these in-between choices, 'Economy Classic' and 'Economy Delight'. Does anyone know if you can book through these budget, Economy Skyscanner results and then go to the Virgin website and upgrade through there? Or are Virgin going to charge an insane fee to do that?

The basic flight on Virgin is already £1800 compared to £400 on Skyscanner.

edit, nevermind, Google Flights was cheaper anyway and gives the options

Gonna try get a long weekend in Rome, and separately a long weekend in Naples, before the end of the year. Rome by myself, Naples with the mrs.

Always wanted to visit Rome. Am constantly astonished by how good the food is every time I visit Italy also so there's that to look forward to on top of all the main attractions.

Rocsteady wrote:Gonna try get a long weekend in Rome, and separately a long weekend in Naples, before the end of the year. Rome by myself, Naples with the mrs.

Always wanted to visit Rome. Am constantly astonished by how good the food is every time I visit Italy also so there's that to look forward to on top of all the main attractions.

I can give you lots of recommendations for Rome if you want, both food and things to do. I lived there for a bit and go back often. Luckily all my favourite restaurants survived COVID.

SandyCoin wrote:

Rocsteady wrote:Gonna try get a long weekend in Rome, and separately a long weekend in Naples, before the end of the year. Rome by myself, Naples with the mrs.

Always wanted to visit Rome. Am constantly astonished by how good the food is every time I visit Italy also so there's that to look forward to on top of all the main attractions.

I can give you lots of recommendations for Rome if you want, both food and things to do. I lived there for a bit and go back often. Luckily all my favourite restaurants survived COVID.

Tbh I actually remembered that from ages ago so was planning to search for your posts in this thread! I'll have a look through them and if I still have any questions I'll definitely hit you up, appreciate it.

Rocsteady wrote:

SandyCoin wrote:

Rocsteady wrote:Gonna try get a long weekend in Rome, and separately a long weekend in Naples, before the end of the year. Rome by myself, Naples with the mrs.

Always wanted to visit Rome. Am constantly astonished by how good the food is every time I visit Italy also so there's that to look forward to on top of all the main attractions.

I can give you lots of recommendations for Rome if you want, both food and things to do. I lived there for a bit and go back often. Luckily all my favourite restaurants survived COVID.

Tbh I actually remembered that from ages ago so was planning to search for your posts in this thread! I'll have a look through them and if I still have any questions I'll definitely hit you up, appreciate it.

Ah cool. There are a few new places actually that I visited in the Summer that are certainly worth a visit. Two pizza places actually, one of which is also a brewery if you like craft beer. Seu Pizza Illuminati and L'Osteria di Birra del Borgo. Kind of experimental but also classics.

I wasn't sure whether to start a new thread for this since it's not really holiday related. If anyone would rather it not be here let me know and I'll start a new thread.

I'm hoping to be studying abroad next year. Japan (my preferred country) is officially off the cards now (thanks covid!) so I'm looking at other options. Has anyone lived or travelled to: Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore or Auckland (a bit out of left field but they have some great modules).

I have been to Hong Kong but was only there for just under a week. I'd love to live there but I am a bit concerned about the current political climate. When it comes to Singapore my main concern would be the heat and humidity but I figure big chunks of my day will be in air conditioned lectures and libraries. I think with both Singapore and Hong Kong I am a bit worried that I won't be able to travel as easily since they're essentially city states (yes, I know HK isn't really but I'm not sure how easy it would be to travel to the mainland) I've never been to South Korea or New Zealand.

I lived in NZ for a year working and travelling around. Went to most of the major places.

Rocsteady wrote:Gonna try get a long weekend in Rome, and separately a long weekend in Naples, before the end of the year. Rome by myself, Naples with the mrs.

Always wanted to visit Rome. Am constantly astonished by how good the food is every time I visit Italy also so there's that to look forward to on top of all the main attractions.

Cool I'm going to Rome as well next week for four days on my own. Again always wanted to visit for all the fascinating history and buildings.
Surprisingly I only found out what the Vatican City was after checking out some YouTube travel guides this week.

No:1 Final Fantasy Fan wrote:

Rocsteady wrote:Gonna try get a long weekend in Rome, and separately a long weekend in Naples, before the end of the year. Rome by myself, Naples with the mrs.

Always wanted to visit Rome. Am constantly astonished by how good the food is every time I visit Italy also so there's that to look forward to on top of all the main attractions.

Cool I'm going to Rome as well next week for four days on my own. Again always wanted to visit for all the fascinating history and buildings.
Surprisingly I only found out what the Vatican City was after checking out some YouTube travel guides this week.

Ach if you'd have been going a few weeks later we could've grabbed a beer

Rocsteady wrote:

No:1 Final Fantasy Fan wrote:

Rocsteady wrote:Gonna try get a long weekend in Rome, and separately a long weekend in Naples, before the end of the year. Rome by myself, Naples with the mrs.

Always wanted to visit Rome. Am constantly astonished by how good the food is every time I visit Italy also so there's that to look forward to on top of all the main attractions.

Cool I'm going to Rome as well next week for four days on my own. Again always wanted to visit for all the fascinating history and buildings.
Surprisingly I only found out what the Vatican City was after checking out some YouTube travel guides this week.

Ach if you'd have been going a few weeks later we could've grabbed a beer

Ah thanks yea that would have been cool actually.
So glad I didn't book with Alitalia as they just went bust. Flying with BA out of Heathrow instead. Ryanair had lots of decent flights but BA had good hotel and flight deals in their sale so went with them.

I always get a weird kind of jealousy when people visit Rome for the first time. Rome has its fair share of problems, such as its horrendous waste management and corruption, but its such an amazing city. I've been going since I was five or so as I have family nearby, but every time I go I still get kind of awestruck. I used to live quite near the colosseum and would go for walks past it every day, and every time I walked passed it I would just stare at it and get an odd kind of feeling, like I'd been transported back 2,000 years. All the locals on the tram stare at it too like they've never seen it before. When me and my girlfriend left there she literally cried the whole journey back to England. You could spend a month there a barely scratch the surface of it. The food, the history, the people, it's such an amazing city. If the job situation was better in Rome there is no chance I would have left. Along with London it's easily my favourite city.

SandyCoin wrote:I always get a weird kind of jealousy when people visit Rome for the first time. Rome has its fair share of problems, such as its horrendous waste management and corruption, but its such an amazing city. I've been going since I was five or so as I have family nearby, but every time I go I still get kind of awestruck. I used to live quite near the colosseum and would go for walks past it every day, and every time I walked passed it I would just stare at it and get an odd kind of feeling, like I'd been transported back 2,000 years. All the locals on the tram stare at it too like they've never seen it before. When me and my girlfriend left there she literally cried the whole journey back to England. You could spend a month there a barely scratch the surface of it. The food, the history, the people, it's such an amazing city. If the job situation was better in Rome there is no chance I would have left. Along with London it's easily my favourite city.

That's great to hear. I'm really looking forward to it

Victor Mildew wrote:I lived in NZ for a year working and travelling around. Went to most of the major places.

What did you think of Auckland? That's where I'll be based for university. How easy would you say it is to get around (Auckland and New Zealand in general if I decide to do some travelling?)

No:1 Final Fantasy Fan wrote:

SandyCoin wrote:I always get a weird kind of jealousy when people visit Rome for the first time. Rome has its fair share of problems, such as its horrendous waste management and corruption, but its such an amazing city. I've been going since I was five or so as I have family nearby, but every time I go I still get kind of awestruck. I used to live quite near the colosseum and would go for walks past it every day, and every time I walked passed it I would just stare at it and get an odd kind of feeling, like I'd been transported back 2,000 years. All the locals on the tram stare at it too like they've never seen it before. When me and my girlfriend left there she literally cried the whole journey back to England. You could spend a month there a barely scratch the surface of it. The food, the history, the people, it's such an amazing city. If the job situation was better in Rome there is no chance I would have left. Along with London it's easily my favourite city.

That's great to hear. I'm really looking forward to it

I've got my flights booked for the first weekend of December now. You'll need to let us know how you got on!

I'm extremely hyped for it. One of the last great European cities I've never visited.

SandyCoin wrote:

Rocsteady wrote:

SandyCoin wrote:

Rocsteady wrote:Gonna try get a long weekend in Rome, and separately a long weekend in Naples, before the end of the year. Rome by myself, Naples with the mrs.

Always wanted to visit Rome. Am constantly astonished by how good the food is every time I visit Italy also so there's that to look forward to on top of all the main attractions.

I can give you lots of recommendations for Rome if you want, both food and things to do. I lived there for a bit and go back often. Luckily all my favourite restaurants survived COVID.

Tbh I actually remembered that from ages ago so was planning to search for your posts in this thread! I'll have a look through them and if I still have any questions I'll definitely hit you up, appreciate it.

Ah cool. There are a few new places actually that I visited in the Summer that are certainly worth a visit. Two pizza places actually, one of which is also a brewery if you like craft beer. Seu Pizza Illuminati and L'Osteria di Birra del Borgo. Kind of experimental but also classics.

That would be much appreciated. I am a big foodie too. Will note those two pizza places.

Outrunner wrote:

Victor Mildew wrote:I lived in NZ for a year working and travelling around. Went to most of the major places.

What did you think of Auckland? That's where I'll be based for university. How easy would you say it is to get around (Auckland and New Zealand in general if I decide to do some travelling?)

This was back in 2003, so a long time back to remember, but I wasn't that taken with Auckland as a city really (although I'm not a city person anyway). From what I rememeber, it was more of a big high street vibe than some sprawling metropolis (I stayed right in the centre for a while). This was back in my more out there days and I found the night life a bit dull, but I'd probably love the place now

Getting around couldn't be easier. They have a network of coaches, national express style (I think it might have even been called national express) that run to all the major places in the north island. I went around from place to place using those, and the drivers treat it like a guided tour, so talk you through all the places you go through. A few times I even crossed major distances with them for the hell of it, just becuase it was so beautiful and interesting. Went from one side to the other, stayed a few days in a hostel, went back. Felt like a real adventure just going off on my own with no real plan

Did some seasonal fruit picking & thinning, painting and decorating in lieu of rent, things like that. My Mrs at the time came over after 4 months, and we worked in a hotel in the middle of nowhere by a glacier for 3 months. Saved a load of money, bought a campervan and then toured the entire north and south islands for 3 months. I'm gutted I don't have my lonely planet guide from that time any more, because I crossed every place off on the map that we visited, and there wasn't much left unchecked by the end of it. Sold the van for more than we paid for it too, then spend a load on 2 weeks in Thailand on the way back

Victor Mildew wrote:

Outrunner wrote:

Victor Mildew wrote:I lived in NZ for a year working and travelling around. Went to most of the major places.

What did you think of Auckland? That's where I'll be based for university. How easy would you say it is to get around (Auckland and New Zealand in general if I decide to do some travelling?)

This was back in 2003, so a long time back to remember, but I wasn't that taken with Auckland as a city really (although I'm not a city person anyway). From what I rememeber, it was more of a big high street vibe than some sprawling metropolis (I stayed right in the centre for a while). This was back in my more out there days and I found the night life a bit dull, but I'd probably love the place now

Thanks for all of that, it's really useful!

Outrunner wrote:

Victor Mildew wrote:

Outrunner wrote:

Victor Mildew wrote:I lived in NZ for a year working and travelling around. Went to most of the major places.

What did you think of Auckland? That's where I'll be based for university. How easy would you say it is to get around (Auckland and New Zealand in general if I decide to do some travelling?)

This was back in 2003, so a long time back to remember, but I wasn't that taken with Auckland as a city really (although I'm not a city person anyway). From what I rememeber, it was more of a big high street vibe than some sprawling metropolis (I stayed right in the centre for a while). This was back in my more out there days and I found the night life a bit dull, but I'd probably love the place now

Thanks for all of that, it's really useful!

Auckland has a nice ice cream shop, and is nice for running with plenty of safe jogging areas.
I found Auckland expensive and quite busy. THe most like a UK city of any of new zealands locations. Still a bit nicer though.
You can also jump on a boat and go to the wineries. Coramandle national park is also a stones throw away. Wellington is about a 6 hour drive, South island, you'd be better off getting a Ryanair to Christchurch and exploring from there.

I booked a short break for next summer to Liverpool, never been and it looks really neat there (especially the beatles museum and stuff).

Might also look at maybe doing a european break of some sort, but at the moment i have no idea what.