I'll need a vacation after I PLAN the vacation!

Oh, Lord have I opened up a big messy can of worms.

On my trip a few months back to Mazatlan, a friend of my friend David inquired why I would only take a one week vacation to Mazatlan as it was simply too short.. and why wouldn't I look into 10 days, because 7 days is not too short (true) and 14 days is a little too long.

10 days is perfection, apparently.

So, with that, my head was filled with 10 day trip possibilities. 

Seeing as my work requires us to book our holidays (at least summer ones) by the end of the fiscal year (April 1) I started looking into if I would have enough holiday time to pull off a 10 day holiday - and I did!  I was able to book some great summer holidays, but had enough time left over to basically be off from Mar 17 - April 1, so I booked it off already. 

This is the joy of not working Mon-Friday - you end up being able to get huge chunks of time off with only taking a week of work off.  Crazy, I know.

I knew I wouldn't BOOK a holiday 9 months before I would actually leave, as too much could happen in that time - BUT I was also curious to see what the prices were like.. Could I afford a 10 day trip?  What would it hurt to just LOOK at prices?

So, with that, I bring you to the giant ? that has formed over my head and the new wrinkle on my forehead. 

I CANNOT book a 10 day trip.  I could  go for 7 days, or 14 days... or 8.  Not 9.  Not 10.

I plugged in EVERY day combination from Mar 17-April 1 to find something - nada.  WestJet - why advertise 10 day trips when you make it impossible to take one?

Correction - I could take a 10 day holiday if I wanted to have an overnight layover in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver OR Minneapolis... but WHY book a 10 day holiday if you are not THERE for 10 days.. I fail to see how having to pay for a taxi to go to a hotel overnight is worthwhile?  The prices for these 9 night trips - No thank you!

Part of the problem is that is waaay too early to look for some travel sites.  WestJet does not even list the majority of their partner hotels to book a flight/hotel package with.. So with that I said, let's look at 8 days!

Aye dios mio.

I ventured off WestJet vacation packages and onto Expedia.  8 days I could do!   (And WHY is Expedia so much cheaper??  I feel like I'm missing something.  How can the same package through WJ be more expensive on there (minus transportation) compared to Expedia???)

I plugged in a Friday - Saturday 8 day trip and found some great prices.  So, why not watch prices for a bit in the am AND pm to see how they differ, I told myself.  Did you know the prices of the SAME trip varied between $200 during the SAME week depending on the day (weekends are pricier then weekdays to book ON) and TIME of day (After noon the prices appear to jump).  I became obsessed watching!

So yesterday I decide to plug in 8 day trips for every combination in my holiday time to see how THOSE prices differed and if I would HAVE to do an over night. If I wanted travel for any day other than Friday or Saturday, my 8 days turned into 7 nights because of the wonderful world of layovers. Grumble grumble... and prices? $200 difference for SAME hotel SAME days if I flew Monday compared to Tuesday. 

THEN, I discovered Sat-Sun.  $400 cheaper?? Whaaaaaaat?!  Where did you come from??

This was flying Delta instead of WestJet with a brief daytime layover in Minneapolis. 

My messy can of WestJet Fri-Sat worms knocked over the can of Delta worms. 

I could leave Winnipeg the same time as the WJ flight would be leaving IF I left the day prior, but land 2 1/2 hrs earlier AND save $200?!  So I looked further..

I have never flown with Delta - how are they for travel? 2 hours of Googling later, not as many great reviews as WJ, but I also came to realize people are WAY more apt to post a negative review (about silly things like the seat was not comfortable ENOUGH for them) compared to send in a positive review.  I threw my questions onto Trip Advisor and got good enough answers to feel it would be worthwhile..

Also a 'worry' - WJ packages INCLUDE your transportation to and from the airport, Expedia bookings do not.  While I am perfectly fine to travel by myself (as it appears I will  most likely be doing again), I enjoyed having my transportation arranged FOR me.  I worry about missing flights in a foreign country.   So how much would transportation cost?  Is it safe? 

I spoke to my friend David as well as 2 other friends - one who lives there as well and another who I met through David from the US.  They basically all said it was SAFE, about $25 but would agree to be my transportation... I just like options in case my friends are not able to do me the favor.

Oy.

So now my bit of time just looking turned into 2 weeks of watching prices for ONE set of days and now has morphed into a homemade chart to start watching TWO sets of days.

APPARENTLY, you will get your BEST prices 6-8 weeks prior to travel - so I have time.. Maybe.. It depends on what you read heh

Then I think - what IF I found a great price NOW.  Would it be silly to book so far in advance?  I believe WJ would reimburse, Delta I have heard not so wonderful things about..  AND seeing as our PST is increasing July 1, would it make sense to book PRIOR to save that 1% increase? 

I don't know about you, but I am feeling like this is WAAAAAY more complicated then it needs to be.  Last year, I logged onto WJ, found the hotel I was at last year and clicked purchase.  Bing bang boom.  Aye Aye Aye.

Any experiences from anyone flying with Delta?  Expedia experiences?

A little bit about me..

A little bit about me..


I'm the type of girl who takes great pleasure out of driving barefoot.  Don't ask me WHY, but I find it so freeing to drive down the highway barefoot.. possibly singing as loudly as I can to whatever is playing on my stereo... and rather badly at that.

I'm the type of girl who goes to the gym daily.  Why do I go? It's not that I am THAT health conscience.. I eat well, I exercise.. but I also go to the gym so I can justify chowing down on some Reese Peanut Butter cups.  If my abs are never going to be defined because I refuse to give up carbs and sugar? So be it!  I'm happier for the indulgence!

I'm the type of girl who isn't high maintenance. I can't curl my hair for the life of me.  I have never mastered the art of eyeshadow trios... and really could care less to do so. I'm a complete girly girl as I love wearing dresses - but I will also hop on a quad in the same dress.

I'm the type of girl who doesn't quite GET fashion.  I take pride in my appearance, don't get me wrong.. but I am also the type of girl who doesn't get cramming my feet into $600 shoes that are uncomfortable.. bring on the flip flips and sneakers!  I have NOTHING against 'popping tags' as they say - if I can score a cute used dress

I'm the type of girl who cannot keep perfectly manicured nails... and trust me, I am FINE with that.  I have no qualms about getting my hands dirty.  I'd rather get 'in there' then stand back and let someone else 'do' it for me..

I'm the type of girl who has a hard time asking FOR help.  I'm strong to a fault.  It's not that I feel like I can do it all on my own, because I know I can't.. It's that I'm often afraid to ASK for fear of looking weak. 

I'm the type of girl who thinks more than she speaks.  Sometimes it may come across as I'm snobby because I don't say much - but I'm just a nervous person.  When I'm nervous, I don't know what to say.. and will often say something completely inappropriate or random. 

I'm the type of girl who loves fully.  If I love you, I love you.  I often struggle with listening to my head when my heart is telling me something else.  I try to lead with my head, but my silly heart ALWAYS gets in the way.. and that's okay.  I'd rather be someone who loves hard and falls harder then someone who doesn't give love a chance.

I'm the type of girl who doesn't fall in love easily, but I fall in love fooly.  When I feel it, I feel it immediately and blindly.  I don't settle for less than what I want, but I will 'put up with' a lot less then I deserve.

I'm the type of girl who doesn't QUITE fit in all the time.. Surrounded by married friends with children - I'm a minority.. and that's okay.  I know I get strange looks when I am excited to slap on some fake blood and makeup to participate in the yearly Zombie walk.. but that's what makes me happy. I will probably never be the type of girl who thinks discussing cracked nipples from breast feeding is stimulating conversation and fun.. 

I'm the type of girl who cries often - the recent video of the elderly lady who found her pup on live TV after the massive tornadoes tore through the US? Sobbing.  Thinking of people who are no longer in my life?  I'll break down in private.. and more often than people know.  I'm okay with it - because I am okay with FEELING so strongly.  Tears aren't weakness in my eyes.

I'm the type of girl who just wants to be me.  I want people to love me for me.  I don't want to change myself to suit anyone else's idea of who the think I should be... I think I'm pretty perfect in my imperfections!