Hey, what's money anyway? I often say to family and friends when the prospect of me and/or Veronica travelling comes up in conversation - I don't spend my money at the pub or on the pokies, travel is my 50's midlife crisis. Even more enticing when a football game is a drawcard.
Japan is often said to be expensive, but that really depends on your accommodation tastes, and whether you make your own way around, or travel in organised groups. A bed in decent hotels should only cost 5,000Y to 8,000Y (about $60 to $80).
Where this trip came unstuck money wise was my change in flights home. In my haste and desire to sort out flights quickly, I went online. Not able to get a flight until Wednesday night from Tokyo on Qantas (I had a return ticket for the next Sunday), I bought another one on Jetstar from Osaka for $600.
Back at home, I spoke to Qantas who said that had I phoned them they would have got me an earlier flight at no extra cost. Strong lesson learnt there!
What about travel insurance I hear you say. Well that is unresolved, but I am not hopeful as it was my choice to change flights online myself - there was no directive from the Australian Government to leave Tokyo (strongly worded advice though on the Smart Traveller website.)
This blog now at www.tonyj2japan.wordpress.com
- Tony and Veronica Jarrett
- Hazelbrook, Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia
- A world Cup football game between Australia and Japan in Yokohama was the driver for Tony's first trip to Japan in February 2009. Since then, Veronica and Tony have traveled together, and Tony has been back two more times - an abbreviated holiday in March, 2011 at the time of the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami, and in July/August, 2011.
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