Author Topic: 30 days in Europe staring in London  (Read 8394 times)

OLKE_TEXAS

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Re: 30 days in Europe staring in London
« Reply #50 on: March 20, 2020, 03:08:38 PM »
Did he go on the trip? Hope he did not lose his money?
O

Agnostic007

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Re: 30 days in Europe staring in London
« Reply #51 on: March 22, 2020, 11:19:41 PM »
AGNOSTIC!


TALK TO US!


Hope you are well


I think it was around March 11 when it became apparent this trip wasn't happening. We booked everything around Feb 7th so being so close to leaving and in good health I didn't bother with trip insurance. Had I bought trip insurance I doubt it would have been the expensive "cancel for any reason" version so it wouldn't really have mattered. We booked some hotels through Booking.com, Expedia and the rest directly with the hotels. Had about $7K tied up at the time with airfares, trains, hotels, tours etc. When Italy shut down Expedia was the first to refund our money even though all hotels were booked Non-Refundable. Booking.com did try and reach out to the hotels we booked through them. London, Paris and Amsterdam basically said "Yes, we know you can't get to us, we know its not your fault, but too bad".  even when we tried to get vouchers instead of refunds. At the end of the day we were about $3900 in the hole when a friend mentioned he had to cancel a trip for the same reason and his credit card company stepped in and covered it. With nothing to lose I called my Chase CC, we used it to book everything. it took an hour and 20 minutes on hold but when I got through to a human they had me list out all the hotels, flights, dates etc and then covered them all. I had the credits back on my account the next day. They wouldn't normally do that but he said due to the special circumstances with the virus they were doing that a lot.


harmankardon1

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Re: 30 days in Europe staring in London
« Reply #52 on: March 23, 2020, 12:16:35 AM »
Wouldn't even do vouchers! Fucking pieces of shit...

AbrahamG

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Re: 30 days in Europe staring in London
« Reply #53 on: March 23, 2020, 12:17:10 AM »
Glad to hear you covered. Stay healthy and well.

Kwon

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Re: 30 days in Europe staring in London
« Reply #54 on: March 23, 2020, 02:00:27 AM »
I think it was around March 11 when it became apparent this trip wasn't happening. We booked everything around Feb 7th so being so close to leaving and in good health I didn't bother with trip insurance. Had I bought trip insurance I doubt it would have been the expensive "cancel for any reason" version so it wouldn't really have mattered. We booked some hotels through Booking.com, Expedia and the rest directly with the hotels. Had about $7K tied up at the time with airfares, trains, hotels, tours etc. When Italy shut down Expedia was the first to refund our money even though all hotels were booked Non-Refundable. Booking.com did try and reach out to the hotels we booked through them. London, Paris and Amsterdam basically said "Yes, we know you can't get to us, we know its not your fault, but too bad".  even when we tried to get vouchers instead of refunds. At the end of the day we were about $3900 in the hole when a friend mentioned he had to cancel a trip for the same reason and his credit card company stepped in and covered it. With nothing to lose I called my Chase CC, we used it to book everything. it took an hour and 20 minutes on hold but when I got through to a human they had me list out all the hotels, flights, dates etc and then covered them all. I had the credits back on my account the next day. They wouldn't normally do that but he said due to the special circumstances with the virus they were doing that a lot.



GREAT!

So money back AND you didn't catch any Corona!

Love ya Gnostic that yer still here with us!

It was for the best that the trip didn't happen!
Q

Moontrane

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Re: 30 days in Europe staring in London
« Reply #55 on: March 23, 2020, 02:39:09 AM »
No insight but, dude, in light of the COV-19 I'd expect the travel agency/entities involved would accommodate
a rescheduling of such an expensive trip. "No" is an opinion until you give up.



Have you learned from me on this? 

Yes or no?

Primemuscle

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Re: 30 days in Europe staring in London
« Reply #56 on: March 23, 2020, 11:41:54 AM »
My cousin is presently in Germany visiting her daughter. Her visitor's visa will expire shortly. If no flights are allowed out of Germany or into the U.S., she's likely stuck there. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. While her visitor's visa be extended or will she be forced to fly back to the states and then what happens once she's landed? If she had her druthers, she'd stay there longer. She wisely has no desire to be on a crowded plane for several hours.

May son, who also lives in Germany and is employed by the U.S. government is presently on leave. When that leave expires, it isn't clear what happens. Does he go back to the base he works on which is about 150 miles from where he and his family live, or does he continue to work from home? He's petitioned to be able to come into the office one day a week so he can keep current on his work. My daughter-in-law is able to work from home.  One of my granddaughters works in the medical profession. She's be going to work every day. She wears a mask and gloves as protection from potentially infected patients.

When my great-granddaughter is born sometime late in April. Only her mother and one other person will be allowed to attend the birth or visit. There will not be the whole family showing up to see the newborn, as is usually the case.

Life for all of us is going to be disrupted, if it isn't already. It is something we will just have to put up with for our own safety and that of others. 

Agnostic007

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Re: 30 days in Europe staring in London
« Reply #57 on: March 23, 2020, 02:20:16 PM »
GREAT!

So money back AND you didn't catch any Corona!

Love ya Gnostic that yer still here with us!

It was for the best that the trip didn't happen!

Thanks! Its all good. Yeah it sucks but damn... who would have thought this would happen? Things are getting serious. Olympics will likely be cancelled. Some medical sources are saying the rate of infection is where it doubles every three days. Last Monday we were at 70 deaths, today over 500 in the US. in the big scheme of things, my trip really doesn't matter.

The Scott

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Re: 30 days in Europe staring in London
« Reply #58 on: March 23, 2020, 02:27:28 PM »
Thanks! Its all good. Yeah it sucks but damn... who would have thought this would happen? Things are getting serious. Olympics will likely be cancelled. Some medical sources are saying the rate of infection is where it doubles every three days. Last Monday we were at 70 deaths, today over 500 in the US. in the big scheme of things, my trip really doesn't matter.

Kwon is right.  The important  thing is that you and your family are still here to make more memories, albeit at a later time and perhaps a different place. Be well.

OLKE_TEXAS

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Re: 30 days in Europe staring in London
« Reply #59 on: March 23, 2020, 03:11:09 PM »
My cousin is presently in Germany visiting her daughter. Her visitor's visa will expire shortly. If no flights are allowed out of Germany or into the U.S., she's likely stuck there. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. While her visitor's visa be extended or will she be forced to fly back to the states and then what happens once she's landed? If she had her druthers, she'd stay there longer. She wisely has no desire to be on a crowded plane for several hours.

May son, who also lives in Germany and is employed by the U.S. government is presently on leave. When that leave expires, it isn't clear what happens. Does he go back to the base he works on which is about 150 miles from where he and his family live, or does he continue to work from home? He's petitioned to be able to come into the office one day a week so he can keep current on his work. My daughter-in-law is able to work from home.  One of my granddaughters works in the medical profession. She's be going to work every day. She wears a mask and gloves as protection from potentially infected patients.

When my great-granddaughter is born sometime late in April. Only her mother and one other person will be allowed to attend the birth or visit. There will not be the whole family showing up to see the newborn, as is usually the case.

Life for all of us is going to be disrupted, if it isn't already. It is something we will just have to put up with for our own safety and that of others.  

Great-grand children? Wow that is very impressive to mePrime.
You had children very early in life and so did your children?
Calculate it for us who are interested.

My kids are under 10 years old.
Can't imagine ever having grand children let alone great grand children.
O

OLKE_TEXAS

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Re: 30 days in Europe staring in London
« Reply #60 on: March 27, 2020, 02:39:28 PM »
Wouldn't even do vouchers! Fucking pieces of shit...

2x
O

Primemuscle

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Re: 30 days in Europe staring in London
« Reply #61 on: March 27, 2020, 03:29:50 PM »
Great-grand children? Wow that is very impressive to mePrime.
You had children very early in life and so did your children?
Calculate it for us who are interested.

My kids are under 10 years old.
Can't imagine ever having grand children let alone great grand children.

Okay, here you go:

Married at 20; son born when I was 22, daughter when I was 30.
Son married at 22; his first daughter born when he was 24; my granddaughter married at 24; her first born when she was 25; second born when she was 29
Daughter married at 19; her son born when she was 22; my grandson (23) and his fiancee's first born is due next month.

Not so early. By today's standards, I think we all married and had kids at about the average age of or a little younger than many people. There have been no divorces or separations in our family, which is uncommon. My parents divorced, my wife's parents did not.

OLKE_TEXAS

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Re: 30 days in Europe staring in London
« Reply #62 on: March 28, 2020, 02:35:02 PM »
Okay, here you go:

Married at 20; son born when I was 22, daughter when I was 30.
Son married at 22; his first daughter born when he was 24; my granddaughter married at 24; her first born when she was 25; second born when she was 29
Daughter married at 19; her son born when she was 22; my grandson (23) and his fiancee's first born is due next month.

Not so early. By today's standards, I think we all married and had kids at about the average age of or a little younger than many people. There have been no divorces or separations in our family, which is uncommon. My parents divorced, my wife's parents did not.

Thanks Prime, great explanation. Amazing what can happen within one lifespan!!

All married and had kids young by todays standards where I am from (western europe).
I am 42 and my kids are 10,9,5 y/o.
O

Primemuscle

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Re: 30 days in Europe staring in London
« Reply #63 on: March 28, 2020, 02:56:23 PM »
Thanks Prime, great explanation. Amazing what can happen within one lifespan!!

All married and had kids young by todays standards where I am from (western europe).
I am 42 and my kids are 10,9,5 y/o.

Many people strive to be financially set before they start a family. You cannot argue with this. I makes good sense. Did you wait to have kids until you thought you could afford them? There's nothing wrong with this.

There were times when my wife and I barely had the proverbial "pot to piss in" much less provide our son. By the time our daughter was born, we were financially better off. Both our kids became admirable adults. I think youngsters are less affected by a lack of money than their parents believe them to be.

Times have changed things for young people starting out. My kids and my granddaughter were much more solid even though they were young. My grandson and his fiancee aren't in a financial position to have a child, which is why they are living here with family. Hopefully, this will help them catch up to where they should have been before having a baby. My daughter says it is just temporary. Although I hope for the best for them, I suspect 'temporary' is going to last awhile.