StS Posted March 9, 2021 Share #61 Posted March 9, 2021 Advertisement (gone after registration) Last time in Venice was in an appartment in San Polo. It is a completely different experience to actually live in the city and shop at the local bakers and supermarkets. I started to wonder how DIY stuff is brought in, if you actually need to fix something at your place - do you hire a boat to have tools and wood delivered? Stefan 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 9, 2021 Posted March 9, 2021 Hi StS, Take a look here 2021 Athens One Challenge - Save The Date. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
andybarton Posted March 9, 2021 Author Share #62 Posted March 9, 2021 We had an apartment booked last year, but had to cancel. We were really looking forward to it - as you say, renting an apartment is a completely different experience. Will definitely do the same next time we go. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandokan Posted March 14, 2021 Share #63 Posted March 14, 2021 I have an apartment in Athens booked for Monday to Monday ... looking forward to it already. May well go somewhere in Greece in summer, providing I have had both jabs by then (hoping being a fat, asthmatic, unhealthy wreck will accelerate me in the queues of Europe) 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted March 15, 2021 Author Share #64 Posted March 15, 2021 We have a hotel in Delphi booked, post-Challenge, then one on the coast before we fly home. I just need to hire a car Sunday - Wednesday now, but that can wait a while. This is our "annual holiday" this year. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom.w.bn Posted March 19, 2021 Share #65 Posted March 19, 2021 Am 16.11.2020 um 13:28 schrieb andybarton: Nearly forgot... I am 100% confident that we will be able to meet up on Athens next year, so here is the Save The Date notice for the next One Challenge. Saturday 16th October 2021. Noon. Somewhere in Athens... How is your confidence level right now? I'm generally intersted and blocked a couple of days but I will begin to think about booking in August or September. Depends on the situation. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share #66 Posted March 19, 2021 58 minutes ago, tom.w.bn said: How is your confidence level right now? Dipping... but I still think it’ll happen. It’s still 7 months away and Greece sounds like it’s desperate to allow tourism to restart. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayD28 Posted March 20, 2021 Share #67 Posted March 20, 2021 Advertisement (gone after registration) Just reviewed the prices of flights and they have increased about 10% since about two weeks ago. That tells me the airlines are forecasting more demand so I'm optimistic. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StS Posted March 20, 2021 Share #68 Posted March 20, 2021 Well, I'm planning to join. Should the situation shortly before travel change, I might have to change plans. But in my perception it is better to have a plan and change it, when necessary rather than having no plan at all Stefan 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandokan Posted March 22, 2021 Share #69 Posted March 22, 2021 (edited) I have booked an apartment and flights - all cancellable, but I am hopeful to see you there Thomas - even if the food is less spicy than the last two times we met I have booked a one week holiday to Crete in the summer - that is more risky, but I hope to be vaccinated in next few months. Edited March 22, 2021 by Sandokan 3 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom.w.bn Posted March 28, 2021 Share #70 Posted March 28, 2021 Am 22.3.2021 um 23:37 schrieb Sandokan: I have booked an apartment and flights - all cancellable, but I am hopeful to see you there Thomas - even if the food is less spicy than the last two times we met I have booked a one week holiday to Crete in the summer - that is more risky, but I hope to be vaccinated in next few months. I just discovered that the date is in the middle of the German autumn school holidays. That makes late booking more difficult. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
octo Posted March 30, 2021 Share #71 Posted March 30, 2021 I shall have the second injection in three weeks' time and we will very probably have a "health passport" of some kind by the end of June. Yet, I haven't reserved either flight or accommodation. I think I'll wait at least until the Summer before deciding. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StS Posted May 12, 2021 Share #72 Posted May 12, 2021 As always, it can be helpful to read the small print. If you book a cancellable flight at LH, there will be a cancellation fee for both flights, forth and back. If you book a non-cancellable flight, you get taxes and airport fees back. The sum of the cancellation fees is higher than the price for the non-cancellable flight ticket without taxes and airport fees. Naturally, the price for the cancellable flight is higher on top. This could be partly psychology, we are willing to spend more to avoid a direct loss of money rather than writing off a given amount of money, if a trip does not work out. Stefan 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_parker Posted May 12, 2021 Share #73 Posted May 12, 2021 18 hours ago, StS said: As always, it can be helpful to read the small print. If you book a cancellable flight at LH, there will be a cancellation fee for both flights, forth and back. If you book a non-cancellable flight, you get taxes and airport fees back. The sum of the cancellation fees is higher than the price for the non-cancellable flight ticket without taxes and airport fees. Naturally, the price for the cancellable flight is higher on top. This could be partly psychology, we are willing to spend more to avoid a direct loss of money rather than writing off a given amount of money, if a trip does not work out. Stefan The ethic of the travel industry remains that of the Wild West - let the buyer beware and manipulate the websites as he dares... 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayD28 Posted May 14, 2021 Share #74 Posted May 14, 2021 The USA announce fully vaccinated people can be indoors or outdoors without a mask if you are not immune compromised. Airlines still require masks. There is light at the end of the tunnel. And the tunnel ends in Greece. Hopefully. . 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted July 1, 2021 Author Share #75 Posted July 1, 2021 Despite my optimism in the original post on this thread, after much deliberation and with somewhat heavy hearts, Ann and I have decided that we will not be going to Athens for the Challenge this year. The flights and hotels have been cancelled and Avios returned to the account. The thought of sitting in Heathrow for 3 hours then on a plane for a further 4, in the current conditions, isn't an attractive one, no matter how attractive the destination is and how much we have enjoyed the Challenges over the years. The social side of things has always been one of the principle reasons for going to the wonderful cities each Autumn, and we will very much miss that, but we will be giving it a miss this year. I have discussed this with a few other members who have been regular attendees, and offered my services to organise the voting etc, should other members be less reluctant to travel than we are. Hopefully, things will look different next year, for us all. 3 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandokan Posted July 11, 2021 Share #76 Posted July 11, 2021 I fully understand people not taking the risk, especially when we are not as young and invulnerable as we used to be At the moment, I am still bullish, but lets see how the variants behave and what travel or quarantine regulations are in place closer to the time. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayD28 Posted July 19, 2021 Share #77 Posted July 19, 2021 I’m cancelling my plans to attend the Athens Challenge. A coworker has major health problems and I need to be readily available. Best wishes for those that can attend. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
octo Posted July 22, 2021 Share #78 Posted July 22, 2021 I have given up on Athens, very reluctantly, but it is too much of a gamble on whatever restrictions might be enforced. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted July 22, 2021 Author Share #79 Posted July 22, 2021 Let's set up an alternative as we did last year. 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StS Posted August 4, 2021 Share #80 Posted August 4, 2021 So, next attempt 8th or 15th October 2022? Stefan 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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