Holibobs 2020

[Im_On_Safari]

yeah, took out the insurance about 3 days before they stopped doing it for COVID and thanks to @drownedinsoundcommunity!
Basically BA and travelcompanywhoevertheyare were a total pain and I just kept saying “Contact AA this is what travel insurance is for” and it got sorted.
This is of no help to you at all and is even quite an annoying tale, but I hope this happy ending story brightens your day

[laelfy]

@Slicky

Costa Rica!

Did I mention it enough times that it implanted in your brain?

[Slicky]

That and the race programme.

[laelfy]

Let us know if you do decide to book and I’ll let you know the places I liked the best

[guntrip]

@plasticniki

because everyone was cancelling all their booked leave for this quarter

That definitely happened here, they were trying to encourage us to take time off still when this started but I think they quickly realised it was a non-starter.

[aboynamedgoo]

@aboynamedgoo

BA lets you apply for a voucher online, but for a refund you have to call them. And they don’t answer their phones.

After 3 days of dialing their number constantly, just managed to get through and request a refund. Received a confirmation email and should get the money back in 14 to 21 days.

For anyone trying to get in touch with BA, the trick seems to be to just let all the messages finish when you get connected, and not select any of the options. Sometimes (but not always) you get into the holding queue that way and if you wait long enough you get to speak to a real person.

[shrewbie]

Lucky that I’ve had more holidays in the last few months than in the preceding few years so I’m alright. it’s my mum’s 60th party in October though and it might not go ahead but will be sad if I can’t go back home around then anyway

[aboynamedgoo]

@aboynamedgoo

should get the money back in 14 to 21 days

BA refunded me on Friday, so that’s a result.

[roastthemonaspit]

Ryanair man

What does it having passed mean? When we can fly again? When there’s a vaccine? Gimmie my fackin’ money.

[rob.orch]

I should probably give them another call. Cheers!

[woweezowee]

@roastthemonaspit

What does it having passed mean? When we can fly again? When there’s a vaccine? Gimmie my fackin’ money.

Yeah, I saw that too. A generous interpretation would be when their staff can return to the office (as per their claim that their staff cant process refunds from home). The less generous interpretation is of course the one I’d be more inclined to believe where Ryanair are concerned…

[rob.orch]

100% of my money refunded from BA. I’m feeling rich again now!

[Epimer]

Has anyone tried getting the flight voucher out of easyJet? I’m stuck in a Sisyphean loop on their website trying to find out how to get the fucking thing.

[Epimer]

You have to call them. I was on hold for a bit over an hour.

[AQOS]

@laelfy which countries did you visit on your central americas tour? me and a friend have commited to a jaunt in 2022 (lol), with the only certainty being Costa Rica. Where else should we go to? Anyone else welcome to chip in on this too

[laelfy]

Only Costa Rica. It’s quite different to the others I think. I can talk you through where I went if you want or when you get to that stage of planning.

[AQOS]

Excellent, thanks! How long were you there?

[laelfy]

Bout three weeks. I’m walking home right now but I can give you a breakdown when I get home if you want.

[laelfy]

@AQOS

Ok so here’s the route I took. If you start off in CR you’ll need to fly into San Jose via somewhere in the US.

San Jose was boring, don’t waste your time, you’re not there to spend time in a city anyway.

Quepos

• beach town on the Pacific coast
• next to Manuel Antonio National Park. Beautiful beaches, water sports, bars, monkeys, sloths, dolphins

Monteverde

• up in the ‘cloud forest’ - basically there’s this really weird horizontal misty rain, very weird and refreshing. Great place to go on nighttime animal hikes, lots of ziplining, bungee jumping, quad biking. Trees you can climb up the inside of. Monkeys outside your hotel etc.

La Fortuna

• large town near the Arenal volcano, completely based around water sports. White water rafting, paddle boarding, canyoning.

Tortuguero

• on the Caribbean coast, this part of the country feels very Caribbean compared to the more Mexican-y rest of the country. You’ll go here specifically to see turtles hatching on the beaches (unfortunately they hatch every month except Dec-jan when we were there ). Still a nice place and tons of other wildlife (caymans, alligators, toucans, parrots, monkeys, giant crabs)

Puerto Viejo

• party beach town
• very laid back and Caribbean
• great beaches and surfing

Prepare to spend a lot of money, this country is not cheap, and if you want to do a lot of activities it will add up (but still much cheaper than places like New Zealand and Canada). Be prepared to eat a LOT of rice and beans. It’s pretty much all they eat. Pick the time of year you go carefully. You don’t want it to be too wet, or too hot, or at the end of the summer season because there’ll be no water for water sports. Dec-Jan is a good time. Let me know if you have any questions.

[aboynamedgoo]

@laelfy

If you start off in CR you’ll need to fly into San Jose via somewhere in the US.

British Airways fly twice a week direct from London to San Jose (or they used to before the current pandemic). It’s worth paying the premium if it means you can avoid switching planes in the US.

It’s what I did.