Bilikiki in 2006 - hooray!!

[vetdiver]

We are booking the 12-day itinerary today! I just had to post it, I cannot concentrate on anything else right now...

Oh, gosh, the vacation time I'm gonna have to take off of work...

 

[BacardiSpice]

[sung to the tune of 'I'm so pretty, oh so pretty':]

I'm so jealous! oh so jealous!
I'm so jealous, and envious and green!
I'm so jealous, that I hardly can believe it's meeeeeee....

Nah, seriously and all raging green envy aside, goodonyer! You'll love it - I don't usually revisit a vacation spot or liveaboard as there's so many new destinations to see in the world, but I am absolutely adamant that I'm going to go back to the Solomons again in the next few years, on either of the Bilikiki boats.

 

[vetdiver]

Don't be jealous...I am taking a big bag o' gear and a small bag o'clothes. I own a big, person-sized bag, though. If you want to pay the weight fee on Solomon Air and find a place to stow away on the boat, meet us in Brisbane next June!

I am a little too excited about this, given that it is about a kazillion years away. I keep trying to brag about it, but no one at my work knows where the Solomons are. In fact, no one at my gym knew either when I tired to rally up some envy this morning. Curses.

 

[peterjmaerz]

...I'd be ENRON!

I've been slobbering over Solomons (as well as Raja Ampat) for some time now. Found that my Delta Skymiles would NOT get me to Manado as I had hoped for the latter(they stop short in Singapore) but WOULD get me to Brisbane, though by a ridiculously circuitous route, from where I could grab the newest Solomon Airlines flight to HRE. .

I'm looking these days at the possibility of a 14-day extravaganza on the Spirit in late November (at least the T-giving holiday would ease the vacation day expenditure). Forking over the cash, however, is another consideration.

Anyway, I do envy you and, hey, having time to dream about the trip ain't bad either!


Regards,

 

[vetdiver]

...I'd be ENRON!

I've been slobbering over Solomons (as well as Raja Ampat) for some time now. Found that my Delta Skymiles would NOT get me to Manado as I had hoped for the latter(they stop short in Singapore) but WOULD get me to Brisbane, though by a ridiculously circuitous route, from where I could grab the newest Solomon Airlines flight to HRE. .

I'm looking these days at the possibility of a 14-day extravaganza on the Spirit in late November (at least the T-giving holiday would ease the vacation day expenditure). Forking over the cash, however, is another consideration.
QUOTE]

Yeah, I suspect we will not be having dinner out (except maybe at Taco Bell) any time soon, so don't feel bad. Guess that also means I have to curtail shoe shopping this year (I'm a girl, it's on the X chromosome, though at least mine also includes a desire to own too much dive gear).

Don't get me started on the budget magic I am having to pull to travel the way we do - we are in our 30's and starting to save for retirement...fortunately, having no kids makes it a bit easier for us. Let's just say - budgeting for this trip has been painful, even with the lack of little ones!!

I know what you mean with the miles...we are using United miles and have to go to Brisbane via Auckland - we are using all miles for business class for one of us, paying for an upgradeable ticket for the other...AND the "free" ticket doesn't include the fare to Bisbane from NZ. Circuitous, but at least business class will make it somewhat more comfortable.

Our next goal? To stock up Continental miles for a trip over to Micronesia in 2008 - we've decided that's the best way to do stuff for future trips, just start stocking up miles for the appropriate airline...we book everything we can on airlines that codeshare with Continental...


Good luck - hope you make it!

 

[peterjmaerz]

Thanks for the encouragement! Vis a vis Continental: while I realize that Delta, along with the other lumbering dinosaur airlines, is on the brink of bankruptcy, but my lovely Delta Skymiles Amex card racks up miles like crazy (double for gas, groceries, cell bill, home depot, etc). I use it for absolutely everything, from pizza purchases to car downpayments. Continental is one of their partners.


May we all be doused in the waters of the wilderness...


Best,

 

[gfac]

Good on you for nailing it down. I too have been salivating over Solomons/Bilikiki and am considering a 12-day trip for sometime in 2006. This year I'm using my American miles to get me to Lembeh Strait in Sep. Can't wait. By next year, hoping for enuf on United to get at least close to HRE. I agree too, if you can do business, by all means its worth it. I went out to Thailand last year Business class, for 30k more miles what a difference.
Glo

 

[_Bella_]

The bilikiki is the only place in the world my husband and I not only visit every single year, but we try and do it more than once. It's well worth it. As yet, no other place can compare to their boat and itinerary.

 

[vetdiver]

Good on you for nailing it down. I too have been salivating over Solomons/Bilikiki and am considering a 12-day trip for sometime in 2006. This year I'm using my American miles to get me to Lembeh Strait in Sep. Can't wait. By next year, hoping for enuf on United to get at least close to HRE. I agree too, if you can do business, by all means its worth it. I went out to Thailand last year Business class, for 30k more miles what a difference.
Glo

Gfac - FYI - from Boston, we were told that the closest we can get is Auckland via LA with United miles, as they don't do the codeshare to Brisbane (Virgin Blue does) - not sure why we can't do Sydney, but that's what we were told. So we're waiting for that 11-month-prior date to book 1 miles-upgradeable flight and 1 all-miles business class flight to Auckland, then buy the tickets on Virgin Blue. Will let you know if it changes. We're using 150K miles, and the upgradeable ticket was estimated at around $2200. Ouch - but actually probably around what 2 economy class tix would cost anyways, so that's OK with us.

 

[BacardiSpice]

Guess that also means I have to curtail shoe shopping this year (I'm a girl, it's on the X chromosome, though at least mine also includes a desire to own too much dive gear).

Brace yourself...it's not only worth curtailing the shoe budget...it's even worth curtailing the boot budget! (Sigh...I'd even give up my new pair of nutmeg knee-length pointy toes for an extra day on board the 'Spirit').

Just make sure you bring enough cash to pick up a spirit carving or two! They really get the lithe shark-shapes perfect.