Found lots of great deals.Beginning with Christmas 2018, I travelled to Panama for $550.00 CAN and a great Christmas celebration. Spent New Years in Colombia then back to Panama for a week (return flight Panama to Colombia was about $300.00 CAN). Returning home to Calgary, had just over a week break before my big trip to Australia where I will catch up with old friends. Being a bit cold in Calgary, found a cheap week all inclusive to Cuba so flew down with my buddy Norm. Found great deals. Found a great deal $850.00 CAN return Calgary to Sydney, Australia (the price dropped further to $651.00...wow!). Visiting Australia,I travelled 300k south to Perth and explored the south coast for about a week. Moved on to Brisbane ,and made that my home base for train travels north to the Sunshine coast (Mooloolba) and south to the Gold coast .For my last few days in Australia, I stayed where I started my travel bug 17 yrs ago at Sydney Central Hostel ! It was nice to catch up with a few of my Australian friends again. Arriving back to Calgary, I wanted to relax but I really needed a holiday to relax! I found a great price to Cabo, Mexico. Actually, there was little time to relax because I have never been there before and wanted to see everything!! Never stopped! I had a 38 hour stop over at home then off to Mexico again. Finally, made it home to Calgary for the spring and summer. Only trip I took was to Toronto for my buddy Tim’s surprise birthday party. Also, spent a bit of time camping around Calgary! I wanted to take a trip in late summer to Belfast, Ireland and Dubai, after booking my ticket, British Airways cancelled a few days later because of a company pilot strike. I had the travel itch I had to go somewhere. I found a great deal with my own room at 4 Star, all Inclusive for $859 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic! Had many options and ended up booking a flight to Dubai. Weather was good and it was before high season begins. It was of the most amazing places I’ve ever travelled to, full of intrigue and excitement! I could have travelled cheaper today vs 17 years ago, but I'm a man of my word, like I said last year I was too burnt out from travelling too much. I wanted more relaxing after being burnt out from my travels last winter. I booked a great 2-bedroom condo in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico for the next three months (saved 55% by booking condo by the month!) From here I may still travel to Cuba, Florida, Belize and maybe even Panama ...I love that travel bug! I traveled around the world alone 16 years ago with Star Alliance for about $3,500.00. Today, with all my travel experience, I can beat that price and below is how I could achieve that goal. Traveling around the would 2019... Start from Calgary to Manila, Philippines $595.81 CAD, Manila to Bali, Indonesia $106.92 USD, Bali to Singapore $87.66 USD ,Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia $41.69 USD, Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok, Thailand $46.51 USD , Bangkok to Colombo Sri Lanka $109.0, USD ,Colombo to Dubai $267.03 USD, Dubai to London, England $159.00 USD, London to Belfast return $99.91 CAN, and finally London to Calgary $337.32 CAN.... Total for trip so far is ($2,175.63)CAN,= $1,654.36 USD = $1,485.00 EUR so I can take another trip which is still less expensive than my trip 16 yrs ago! I can Add in Calgary to Panama City, Panama $295.91 CAN, Panama City to Cancun Mexico $356.41 CAN and my very last flight Cancun to Calgary $191.05 USD...Add in baggage charges at average $30.00 USD per flight... Grand Totals for all 12 countries above for 2019 flights: $3,019.39 CAN =$2,283.41 USD= 2,064.00 EUR.....WOW! When I traveled around the world 16 years ago, For about $3,500.00 CAN, I visited 13 countries. I started in Tahiti, Cook Islands, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Italy, Spain, Portugal then went south to Brazil and on to my my final destination Mexico. I will not do the round the world this year as I'm moving to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, read below. My Winter Home Base 2019/20 will be in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico" !!!I passed on the the around World Trip this year, as I will be moving to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico (home base] . I found a nice, new two bedroom furnished condo for $713.00 CAN. a month on Airbnb. Plan to do more than just bask in the sea and sun. I am very flexible with my travel plans....From Cancun airport ,I can still travel to Cuba, Florida, Belize (by bus) and central America. From my Home Base in Mexico, See below, I saved 55% monthly priced discount at an airbnb in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.
I have no idea why I wanted to go to Dubai, but I am glad I did. I love to see new buildings, cities, countries and other cultures in our great world. The United Arab Emirates is an Arabian Peninsula nation settled mainly along the Persian (Arabian) Gulf. The country is a federation of 7 emirates. Abu Dhabi, the island capital, is home to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, with crystal chandeliers and room for 40,000 worshipers. Dubai is the site of ultramodern Burj Khalifa tower, enormous shopping centers, with skating rinks and indoor skiing and extravagant entertainment attractions. Burj Khalifa tower, When I arrived in Dubai, I bought a transit pass at the airport so I could get around the city. The pass included bus, tram and the Metro (subway train). I also picked up free sim card from Dubai immigration for my phone. Before I booked my travel, everyone said how expensive it was to visit Dubai. So I did what I do best and found the best deals! To my amazement, the best flight was $1163.00 CAN return from Calgary, Canada. I enjoy staying in hostels when I visit a new country because fellow hostel backpackers know where and how to give me insight to things I can see and do in the city. (Most hostels around the world offer better prices for tours, restaurants and historical sites etc.!). I stayed at Backpacker Dubai in Internet City, as well as a 66-story hostel called At The Top across from a ritzy area called Palm Jebel Ali. For about $30.00 to $35.00 CAN a night, I stayed in in a 6-bed mixed dorm which was very nice and clean. I ended up staying at both hostels longer then I thought because I met so many great people from around the world. My last 3 nights in Dubai I found a great deal on Airbnb for my own apartment, fully equipped with pool in the beautiful Merina area. Can you believe I only paid only $54.00 CAN a night? At the Calgary Airport, I met some young Canadian students I saw on the news earlier that were going to Dubai to represent Canada in the World Robotic competition. I received free tickets to the amazing event and heard that the Dubai Government picked up the tab for most of the 192 countries that competed. I saw a big media scrum at the event all trying to take pictures and wondered what all the fuss was about? I discovered that government ministers in Education and the Environment were there along with a mystery high ranking government official? I walked up to the 3 of them asking for a picture with me wearing my World Map shirt (WorldTripPete.com). After a few laughs, just maybe that Mystery person was the Prime Minister?.lol During my visit there, I took a couple of tours. First, I went to Abu Dhabi, capital city of the UAE. An amazing site to see there was the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque where 40.000 people could meet for Muslim prayer. I also saw the Emirates Palace, and other modern, shaped architectural buildings that were incredible to the eye! . The second tour costing $54 was to the Sand Dunes in a 4x4 SUV, rode a camel, served an East Indian dinner and watched an amazing fire, dance musical extravaganza... Abu Dhabi and Mosque Tour. BelowSand Dunes in a 4x4 SUV, rode a camel, dinner and watched an amazing fire, dance musical extravaganza... Tour belowBoth Fido and Rogers mobile telephone workers have never seen this before.Both Fido and Rogers mobile telephone workers have never seen this before. I changed providers about a month ago. Maybe my phone # can work in two places at the same time, I am off to Dubai next week and will take the new phone with me and keep the old one with a friend. They can answer it while I am gone. Funny, I did cancel Fido over a month ago. Two phones for the price of one .haha More blogging from Dubai at WorldTripPete.com Trip to Dubai, United Arab Emirates! I disagree with the impression that the city is expensive to live. Far from the truth...I booked a hostel at $154 for 5 nights at a great location. I like staying in hostel’s the first time I visit a new country . Here I can meet travellers who can help me find the best area sites and deals.Later I will stay in a 4 star hotel or Airbnb for the rest of my holiday, Can you believe I found a 4 star hotel at 83% off, just $57.00 a night in Canadian $$$$$...Dubai, here I come!!! Big road trip south when I get back |