December 2010/January 2011 Trip Planning Thread.

[steve2]

http://www.spg.com/mastercardfreeweekend

 thanks but when you will be paying for 6 nights in Asia/Pacific, Middle East or Africa? seems you Thai are comped or are C&P which wont qualify for the free weekend night

 BTW in SYD IMO your best bet is Home Hospitality , its not called ChabadLand for nothing. The main shul w/o a Shomer Shabbos minyan is apx a 25 min walk from the Hyatt. FWIW the Shearton on the Park is right next door to it

 although with the right room the view from the Hyatt is great or the park that its in, but a shame to be so close to a Jewish Religious area and not stay with it

[Dan]

BTW in SYD IMO your best bet is Home Hospitality , its not called ChabadLand for nothing. The main shul w/o a Shomer Shabbos minyan is apx a 25 min walk from the Hyatt. FWIW the Shearton on the Park is right next door to it

 although with the right room the view from the Hyatt is great or the park that its in, but a shame to be so close to a Jewish Religious area and not stay with it

I guess that means the Great Synagogue isn't a shomer shabbos minyan?

I'm not really one to call random people for accommodation, just not my thing.

[steve2]

I guess that means the Great Synagogue isn't a shomer shabbos minyan?

 correct no Jews live downtown those that come live in near Bondi and travel in to shul. In Florence this past Shabbos if it wasnt for the tourists also no Shomer Shabbos minyan , which is not what I thought was the case before getting here

 as to calling random people I hear you, but the last time I was in SYD and by afriend for Shabbos he had 3 kids staying by him (Chabadniks, hes not) we ate rnight by the guy that runs the Chabad schools and it was his guests these 3 kids that he was putting up. They didnt know anyone but 1 had a friend who knew people etc etc thats how Chabad works, why not have a Aussie member on here see what they can do at least only for Fri night and hit the Hyatt Motzei Shabbos

 I could understand if you were going to be somewhere where there wasnt any Religious community for miles & miles, but thats not the case in SYD If I had to be in Youngstown very early say sun morn I wouldnt spend Shabbos there when an hours drive theres CLE. If I had to be there the min Shabbos ends that would be something else. If NYC was the closet minyan and I wasnt able to drive all sat night long again that would be something else

 a pity as Bondi is a very nice area over Shabbos and tons of Chabad minyans to boot 1 on every corner and a few non-Chabad minyans as well

[Dan]

As a bochur I might have rang up the local shliach and asked if he needed any help and to be put up.
Did that in Japan for example and the shliach was thrilled for the offer and even bought us a bullet-train pass to do mivtzoim, etc.

As a married person I just don't feel comfortable ringing someone up out of the blue.

Also you know people in CLE and SYD so it's different. If you're in Caracas though would you really call the local rabbi and ask to be put up?

[steve2]

As a bochur I might have rang up the local shliach and asked if he needed any help and to be put up.
Did that in Japan for example and the shliach was thrilled for the offer and even bought us a bullet-train pass to do mivtzoim, etc.

As a married person I just don't feel comfortable ringing someone up out of the blue.

Also you know people in CLE and SYD so it's different. If you're in Caracas though would you really call the local rabbi and ask to be put up?

 I did spend 1 night in CCS back in '00 when I was doing the Latin Pass run

 But yes if I was going to be somewhere over Shabbos and it wasnt within walking distance to a religious minyan I have asked people I know if they can be of any assistance in getting me placed just for Fri night and Shabbos meals

 but SYD is used to putting up a few people and even couples. take LA there are a couple of Hotels on Beverly in Pico area but nothing in Hancock Park, and thats why people in HP even thou they live in Mansions are use to taking people in, some have bunk houses (where they have built a guest room/s over their garage so everyone has privacy others dont but just the same open up their homes).

 my 1st choice is hopefully staying in a hotel within a short walking distance to a shul I will attend, barring that I prefer home hospitality and a reg minyan then no minyan. Now If I asked around and nothing came thru that would be something else and then and only then would I not have a problem staying at a hotel and not attending a minyan

 SYD is no different then the CH, there are a couple of people doing kiruv but its a reg community where most hold reg jobs. Just as no one would expect you to do anything if you put up in the hood the same by SYD. I can hear Japan , Bangkok, Beijing where they are outposts and no real community but CH or SYD or MEL or Kifar Chabad or LA are reg communities and not kiruv outposts and anyone who will be putting you up to sleep and eat will expect nothing from you in regards to helping out as they themselves are reg working Joes and Janes. pack a nice bottle of wine or bring some other type of a gift thats it

 Now if you prefer staying at the Hyatt and forgoing a minyan thats something else

[Dan]

Personally I'd rather stay at the Hyatt and walk the 3 miles to Chabad of Kensington or Double Bay than start calling around to be put up.

And in LA there are hotels walkable to the Hancock Park row of shuls...I can't imagine calling up random LA folks to be put up.

[steve2]

Personally I'd rather stay at the Hyatt and walk the 3 miles to Chabad of Kensington or Double Bay than start calling around to be put up.

And in LA there are hotels walkable to the Hancock Park row of shuls...I can't imagine calling up random LA folks to be put up.

 its a personal thing and no Right or Wrong way

 as for HP in LA the closest I know of is the Hollywood Renaissance which is a 2 mile walk straight up Highland. I dont cold call anyone , I stayed 1 time at the old Beverly Grand got an invite didnt take it as I had my own food forgot about Havdallah. asked that guy who wanted me to eat by him and many yrs later and 4 Bar Mitzvas and 3 Weddings Im still very friendly with them and since I flew in to join in their Simchas they needless to say couldnt put me up but arranged for me to stay with their friends (whom yep Ive been to their Bar Mitzvahs and Weddings as well) so i have numerous places to stay when in HP more places to eat and sleep then I can use any 1 Shabbos

 just remember you will be in SYD during their Summer and not only wouldnt I want to have a 3 mile walk in CLE during the summer I also wouldnt want to do it during SYD summer, nor LA either but thats me since I sweat alot. the Westin in Florence is a 20 min walk from the shul, it was in the mid to high 70s on Shabbos by the time i got to the shul it looked as if I just walked out of a shower and I wasnt wearing a suit

 whatever you do Enjoy it, SYD is a nice place 2 days max to take it all in if that (the city itself), its gonna be a reg run for me 21k EQMs for $800. Next yr looking to hit SYD for Shabbos and MEL for a few days, then again I know some people from MEL in NY so maybe Shabbos can be had in MEL, but I prefer spending it in Bondi

[damaxer91]

It may not be mainstream, but the Great Synagogue is Orthodox and has a minyan with a similar crowd to a random Chabad House. There may be another option downtown as well. Email me later and I'll look into it tomorrow

[steve2]

It may not be mainstream, but the Great Synagogue is Orthodox and has a minyan with a similar crowd to a random Chabad House. There may be another option downtown as well. Email me later and I'll look into it tomorrow

 exactly why I try to avoid Chabad House minyans. When we went in to see the shul a woman working there sat with us and gave us a whole history it was she who said that the shul wasnt a place we would want to daven on Shabbos since most everyone drives in and arent Shomer Shabbos and wed be much better off in Bondi where we were going to be anyway but didnt tell that to her

 The shul may be offically Orthodox but its make up isnt, at the same time I wouldnt be comfortable davening say in a MO type shul where a man can walk over to the mechitzah and simply put his arm on his wifes shoulders or where the women almost all go w/o their hair being uncovered and are in full sight. Im sure plenty of people wouldnt have any problems with any of that

 to each their own

[Dan]

More itin changes!  I now have a tight 1:05 connection in LHR...hopefully that will be OK!
And I've eliminated the long layover in HKG.
I'll be in Thailand now from Tuesday morning until Sunday morning.
I'm thinking of doing Chiang Mai for 2 days and Phuket for the weekend and completely skipping Bangkok, make sense?

Su 12/19 AA 3457, CLE-DFW, 11:30am-1:50pm, First
3:05 connection in DFW
Su 12/19 BA 192, DFW-LHR, 4:55pm-7:35am+1, First
1:05 connection in LHR
Mo 12/20 BA 270, LHR-AMS, 8:40am-10:55am, Business
2:10 connection in AMS
Mo 12/20 CX 270, AMS-HKG, 1:05pm-7:05am+1, First.
2:05 connection in HKG
Tu 12/21 CX 713, HKG-BKK, 9:10am-11:00am, Business
Insert Air Asia Flight BKK-CNX here
Insert Air Asia Flight CNX-HKT here
5 nights split between Chiang Mai and Khao Lak/Phuket
Insert Air Asia Flight HKT-BKK here
Su 12/26 CX 702, BKK-HKG, 7:05pm-10:45pm, Business
1 night in Hong Kong
Mo 12/27 QF 30, HKG-MEL, 9:50am-9:45pm, First.
6 nights in Melbourne/Great Ocean Road
Su 01/02 QF 2051, MEL-DPO, 8:30am-9:35am, Coach
4 nights in Tasmania
Th 1/06 QF 5720, HBA-SYD, 9:25am-11:10am, Coach.
4 nights in Sydney
Mo 01/10 QF 5842, SYD-HTI, 11:55am-1:25pm, Coach
3 nights in the Whitsunday Islands
Th 01/13 QF 5863, HTI-MEL, 10:55am-2:50pm, Coach
9:05 connection in MEL
Th 01/13 QF 29, MEL-HKG, 11:55pm-5:50am+1, First
5 nights in Hong Kong/Macau
We 01/19 CX 826, HKG-YYZ, 4:35pm-6:25pm, First
1 night in Toronto
Th 01/20 AA 4633, YYZ-LGA, 3:20pm-4:50pm, First
1:05 connection in LGA
Th 01/20 AA 4674, LGA-CLE, 5:55pm-7:40pm, First

[aussiebochur]

Gotta love AA's extended holds...

[Dan]

Gotta love AA's extended holds...

Nah it's not that long (I wish!)
I had to ticket, but date changes are still free.

[YudiG]

Hope you aren't connecting in the new terminal in LHR...it's huge and poorly managed...it can take forever to clear security and catch a flight...enjoy your trip!

[Dan]

Hope you aren't connecting in the new terminal in LHR...it's huge and poorly managed...it can take forever to clear security and catch a flight...enjoy your trip!

Seems like both DFW-LHR and LHR-AMS are from T5.  The minimum connect time for T5-T5 on international flights is 60 minutes.

Maybe because we're flying in F they'll help us make the connection?

[Dan]

Gotta love AA's extended holds...

What I do love is the ability to hold CX flights on AA and that they always go immediately back into award inventory when canceled on AA.com

[SuperFlyer]

They go immediately back? Almost, I speak pretty fast, and if the agent is fast, she has to wait a minute or so.

Little question.

Are you not over doing your stays down under?

Take MEL for instance, if a little organized you see the place in a day.(2 days max).

Have you visited LON, and AMS before?

PS: sorry about the late reaction, I don't plan more then a week ahead usually, kal vochoymer for other guys.

[Dan]

They go immediately back? Almost, I speak pretty fast, and if the agent is fast, she has to wait a minute or so.

Little question.

Are you not over doing your stays down under?

Take MEL for instance, if a little organized you see the place in a day.(2 days max).

Have you visited LON, and AMS before?

PS: sorry about the late reaction, I don't plan more then a week ahead usually, kal vochoymer for other guys.

I'm not spending more than 2 days in MEL.  Half of the time will be on the Great Ocean Road and in the Grampians.

I've done LON before, doesn't excite me.  And it's cold now.
Is there anything in AMS that's a must-see?

[SuperFlyer]

Besides the coffee shops?

Does beautiful architecture interest you (not talking about museums), you should go.

If its just nature and relaxing, skip it.

[AsherO]

Is there anything in AMS that's a must-see?

Kosher 'Special' brownies, duh!

[Dan]

If this trip doesn't show that I'm mentally unstable I don't know what will 

Su 12/19 AA 3457, CLE-DFW, 11:30am-1:50pm, First
3:05 connection in DFW
Su 12/19 BA 192, DFW-LHR, 4:55pm-7:35am+1, First
1:05 connection in LHR
Mo 12/20 BA 270, LHR-AMS, 8:40am-10:55am, Business
2:10 connection in AMS
Mo 12/20 CX 270, AMS-HKG, 1:05pm-7:05am+1, First.
2:05 connection in HKG
Tu 12/21 CX 713, HKG-BKK, 9:10am-11:00am, Business
1:45 connection in BKK
Tu 12/21 FD 3027, BKK-HKT, 12:45pm-2:00pm, Coach
2 nights in Khao Lak/Phuket
Th 12/23 FD 3976, HKT-CNX, 7:20pm-9:15pm, Coach
3 nights in Chiang Mai
Su 12/26 TG 113, CNX-BKK, 4:00pm-5:10pm, Coach
1:55 connection in BKK
Su 12/26 CX 702, BKK-HKG, 7:05pm-10:45pm, Business
1 night in Hong Kong
Mo 12/27 QF 30, HKG-MEL, 9:50am-9:45pm, First.
6 nights in Melbourne/Great Ocean Road
Su 01/02 QF 2051, MEL-DPO, 8:30am-9:35am, Coach
4 nights in Tasmania
Th 1/06 QF 5720, HBA-SYD, 9:25am-11:10am, Coach.
4 nights in Sydney
Mo 01/10 QF 5842, SYD-HTI, 11:55am-1:25pm, Coach
3 nights in the Whitsunday Islands
Th 01/13 QF 5863, HTI-MEL, 10:55am-2:50pm, Coach
9:05 connection in MEL
Th 01/13 QF 29, MEL-HKG, 11:55pm-5:50am+1, First
5 nights in Hong Kong/Macau
We 01/19 CX 826, HKG-YYZ, 4:35pm-6:25pm, First
1 night in Toronto
Th 01/20 AA 4633, YYZ-LGA, 3:20pm-4:50pm, First
1:05 connection in LGA
Th 01/20 AA 4674, LGA-CLE, 5:55pm-7:40pm, First