sayhello
Have Camera, Will Travel
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2006
- Messages
- 16,823
So... As the title says, I feel like I owe you guys a bit of an explanation. When my Portugal ABD got cancelled, a day and a half after I finally purchased my airfare that I'd agonized over and which, like most airfare these days, *wasn't* cheap, I was pretty pissed at ABD. I didn't feel like they'd handled things well, they were causing me to lose or tie up a considerable amount of money, and they weren't being very forthcoming about why my trip was cancelled. I was pissed and exhausted, there wasn't a good alternative Portugal trip for me to switch to, and, honestly, I just didn't want to think about them anymore, so I asked for a refund (which ABD *did* process very quickly).
So... You can probably see where this is going.
Right after I posted that I was NOT re-booking an ABD for 2023, and wasn't sure what I was going to do for 2024, and was going to take a "wait and see" attitude for that, I got DM'd by @WeLoveABD lamenting the fact that I did not have an ABD scheduled for 2023, and very sweetly inviting me to join he and his wife and 2 other couples on their March 2023 New Zealand ABD.
I told him I'd already asked for a refund for my Portugal trip and it was on it's way, so I'd lost any benefit I'd've gotten from re-booking (protected pricing on the new trip, where I'd get the price that the trip cost when I booked Portugal back in May). And I wasn't sure I could afford it, and the airfare was horrific, etc, etc. So I told him I would think about it, and pretty much decided I was *NOT* going to do it.
But I couldn't stop thinking about it. New Zealand has been high on my bucket list since I saw "Fellowship of the Ring" in 2002. I follow Adventure Guide Kira on Instagram, and she was posting *amazing* stuff (and is supposedly going to be doing the March ABD). And *then* @Grifdog22 and @Mathmagicland started posting about their fabulous trip. That, coupled with the really amazing idea of getting to meet and travel with @WeLoveABD and his lovely wife (and their friends) in real life, was just more than I could take. And to top it off, the husband of a very good friend of mine was hit by a car while crossing the street in a crosswalk (he survived, but 2 major surgeries and 1 to go later, he's still considered critical but stable). That definitely put me in a "Just take the damned trip" state of mind.
So, despite my protests to the contrary, I have signed up for this New Zealand ABD in March 2023! My amazing Travel Agent managed to talk ABD into honoring the price protection even though I'd already gotten my refund, so I got the trip for what it cost last May. The first thing I did once it was official was book a tour to Hobbiton!!
I *just* booked the airfare, because there aren't a lot of options out there yet, and Premium Economy on the only good return flight was almost sold out (only 2 seats left). I was able to use the credit from my Portugal airfare for a part of the trip (SO glad not to have to deal with that anymore, what a nightmare!). I had found flying from Columbus to San Francisco, spending the night, then flying SFO to NZ was WAY cheaper than one ticket from Columbus to NZ, so I used the United credit for the Columbus to SFO part. But I'll tell you, I had a serious freakout when it came time to hit "Purchase" on the airfare! Like *serious* freakout! I ended up chatting with @preedymtnwest and another good friend to calm myself down and work up the nerve to actually purchase the airfare. I think the feeling that I really needed to purchase it sooner rather than later because of the tiny availability did not help things. But they finally talked me through it (Thanks!!) and I bought it. Fingers and toes seriously crossed now!
Booking so close to the trip is SO not my normal modus operandi! But it does have the advantage of less time to worry and freak out about various scenarios! Airfare is taken care of, now all I have to do is figure out what to do on pre-/post-days (except the one where I'm GOING TO HOBBITON!)
Well, if you're still reading,
Thanks!
Carry on!
Sayhello
So... You can probably see where this is going.
Right after I posted that I was NOT re-booking an ABD for 2023, and wasn't sure what I was going to do for 2024, and was going to take a "wait and see" attitude for that, I got DM'd by @WeLoveABD lamenting the fact that I did not have an ABD scheduled for 2023, and very sweetly inviting me to join he and his wife and 2 other couples on their March 2023 New Zealand ABD.
I told him I'd already asked for a refund for my Portugal trip and it was on it's way, so I'd lost any benefit I'd've gotten from re-booking (protected pricing on the new trip, where I'd get the price that the trip cost when I booked Portugal back in May). And I wasn't sure I could afford it, and the airfare was horrific, etc, etc. So I told him I would think about it, and pretty much decided I was *NOT* going to do it.But I couldn't stop thinking about it. New Zealand has been high on my bucket list since I saw "Fellowship of the Ring" in 2002. I follow Adventure Guide Kira on Instagram, and she was posting *amazing* stuff (and is supposedly going to be doing the March ABD). And *then* @Grifdog22 and @Mathmagicland started posting about their fabulous trip. That, coupled with the really amazing idea of getting to meet and travel with @WeLoveABD and his lovely wife (and their friends) in real life, was just more than I could take. And to top it off, the husband of a very good friend of mine was hit by a car while crossing the street in a crosswalk (he survived, but 2 major surgeries and 1 to go later, he's still considered critical but stable). That definitely put me in a "Just take the damned trip" state of mind.
So, despite my protests to the contrary, I have signed up for this New Zealand ABD in March 2023! My amazing Travel Agent managed to talk ABD into honoring the price protection even though I'd already gotten my refund, so I got the trip for what it cost last May. The first thing I did once it was official was book a tour to Hobbiton!!
I *just* booked the airfare, because there aren't a lot of options out there yet, and Premium Economy on the only good return flight was almost sold out (only 2 seats left). I was able to use the credit from my Portugal airfare for a part of the trip (SO glad not to have to deal with that anymore, what a nightmare!). I had found flying from Columbus to San Francisco, spending the night, then flying SFO to NZ was WAY cheaper than one ticket from Columbus to NZ, so I used the United credit for the Columbus to SFO part. But I'll tell you, I had a serious freakout when it came time to hit "Purchase" on the airfare! Like *serious* freakout! I ended up chatting with @preedymtnwest and another good friend to calm myself down and work up the nerve to actually purchase the airfare. I think the feeling that I really needed to purchase it sooner rather than later because of the tiny availability did not help things. But they finally talked me through it (Thanks!!) and I bought it. Fingers and toes seriously crossed now!
Booking so close to the trip is SO not my normal modus operandi! But it does have the advantage of less time to worry and freak out about various scenarios! Airfare is taken care of, now all I have to do is figure out what to do on pre-/post-days (except the one where I'm GOING TO HOBBITON!)
Well, if you're still reading,
Thanks! Carry on!
Sayhello
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New Zealand is gorgeous and I'm thrilled you'll be able to experience it
Hopefully it will be a totally epic trip report! 
