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What’s interesting about the current USA right now is that, while we may disagree with many other countries, their conflicts are internal and usually affect only those inside or near their borders.
Meanwhile, president Trump is out on TV talking about being pillaged and raped by countries and then complains Vietnam sells too much and buys too little from the US. Ffs they even had the commerce secretary moan that EU’s VAT was stealing money from US patriots as it made their products more expensive. It is the whole idiocy of it that seems to have triggered the rest of the world.
Personally, I need to go there for work but have discarded the US as a tourist destination given the current prices, pound weakness and 20% tips for taking a cab. It is just too out of control (btw, you will find expensive crappy hotels and same tipping culture in Canada with waiters “reminding” you it is 20% tip if you dare round a bill and give less than that for some reason). I will simply take my custom somewhere else right now.
@yonasl – but it’s not just the US that expects huge tips. We were chased after when we left a restaurant recently in Wimbledon because we didn’t leave a tip. The service was appalling and food not great and we had already complained. When we were confronted outside the restaurant we stood our ground and gave our reasons. They finally backed off, but were not happy.
@LD27 Gosh, would you mind sharing which one, or just hinting if you don’t want to commit it to pixels? Though totally understand if you’d rather not. Not been out in Wimbledon for a while, but it’s a convenient ‘halfway’ point for us and some other friends so we tend to go there when we do manage catch up with them
I love our US road trips, but not planning anything at the moment. Our Colorado trip last September was noticeably more expensive, and the tipping culture just ridiculous.The current incumbent of the WH and his minions are doing a grand job of ensuring my future travels are east bound and southbound. My wee anti US protest
@LD27, that’s completely unacceptable harassment – the place needs naming and shaming!
Anyway, I went to the “Topography of Terror” exhibit in Berlin today, and one paragraph resonated slightly ominously:
How spooky!
I was only looking at that last night! I was scanning the IHG map for the location of a hotel and the ToT was on the map but with its rather French sounding name – https://www.topographie.de/
So it’s now on the list to visit whilst I am over there for Easter.
Topographie is the German word, they pronounce the final “e”.
Berlin is fascinating because you can still see bullet and mortar holes in some of the buildings from the Battle of Berlin when the Russians took the city, including inside the Pergamon Museum. Doing a walking tour with a historian is usually very rewarding as well. Also remember the Americans were on our side and ironically vital to the cause at that point!
We have 2 day trips to NYC pre and post a holiday in the Dominican Republic this summer. It was far easier to secure JFK Avios flights and better seats from LHR than the old club seat out of LGW.
Although we booked hotels a year ago for reasonable rates (and haven’t dropped below yet – I keep checking) the trip appears to be costing more and more each passing week as food and other items seem to be ever increasing in price. We are taking 3 teenagers who can eat for GB.
I have no real options though for this trip now, but I probably would have seriously considered the LGW direct flight if I was able to book 4 x LGW seats T-355 and put myself in PE probably, if I was planning now for next summer. I also have Avios ‘first’ flights down to Punta Cana from JFK and doing the flights same day on separate tickets is too much of a risk I’m willing to take for 5 of us.
Let’s see how much 4 days in NYC can be done for – $1 pizza slices for lunch!
NYC has always been an expensive option. Do you have breakfast included at the hotel? US customs does seem much more relaxed about foodstuffs being brought into the country these days, so you can also pack your favourite snacks as long as they don’t breach the regulations on stuff like fresh fruit and veg. We always take cereal bars, dried fruit, packs of nuts, etc because it’s a lot of hassle trying to find alternatives (and American snacks are full of additives, and their chocolate is disgusting!)
Again, it depends where you’re staying, but in Florida last month all the IHG hotels provided decent fresh hot drinks in the lobby which would save a small fortune on trips to Starbucks!
As an aside, anyone else changing their USA plans or just me?!
No, not just you.
Our best mates live just outside LA and we’d go 2 or 3 times a year but we are meeting them in Canada this summer instead.
We won’t go back until Trump is gone.
Anyway, I went to the “Topography of Terror” exhibit in Berlin today, and one paragraph resonated slightly ominously:
How spooky!
I was only looking at that last night! I was scanning the IHG map for the location of a hotel and the ToT was on the map but with its rather French sounding name – https://www.topographie.de/
So it’s now on the list to visit whilst I am over there for Easter.
Topographie is the German word, they pronounce the final “e”.
Berlin is fascinating because you can still see bullet and mortar holes in some of the buildings from the Battle of Berlin when the Russians took the city, including inside the Pergamon Museum. Doing a walking tour with a historian is usually very rewarding as well. Also remember the Americans were on our side and ironically vital to the cause at that point!
Some of the buildings around Stauffenberg Straße are absolutely riddled with bullet holes, which was fascinating.
I’ve always loved the fact that Berlin proudly wears the scars of its history.
As an aside, anyone else changing their USA plans or just me?!
No, not just you.
Our best mates live just outside LA and we’d go 2 or 3 times a year but we are meeting them in Canada this summer instead.
We won’t go back until Trump is gone.
So you are waiting for JD Vance to win in order to return?!
Let’s see how much 4 days in NYC can be done for – $1 pizza slices for lunch!
I appreciate there are 5 of you, but Jongro BBQ Market in Koreatown does lunchtime all-you-can-eat
for around $38! Also Becco on W 49th for around the same price, with house pastas.Otherwise, it’s Los Tacos nº 1!!
I love the US and it’s people. My dad was American. I have friends and family there. But I will not be going back there while either Trump or Vance are in the White House. As I will be 68 in a couple of months, it’s possible that I may never return.
I feel sorry for the majority of Americans who did not vote for Trump, but I refuse to support the American economy under the present regime.
Trump was of course democratically elected, but I am very glad that I live in a country where our Parliament has the power to chuck out the Head of Government when necessary.
People are citing Canada as an alternative but I don’t feel I could be comfortable in a supposedly liberal democratic country where this is going on 😩:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/christine-gauthier-assisted-death-macaulay-1.6671721
Back to the question – ‘usually‘ the points and voucher reappear almost immediately. The cash can take anything from a bit longer to a lot longer, so you might end up with a small period of double spend no refund. You also get that minor worry that the availability you’ve seen might disappear while you are in the cancel and re-book window.
You could also do it by calling – where they can ‘effectively’ change the booking. In fact it will probably be processed as a cancel and rebook but the benefit is that they will hold the new seats while they are processing the change. I say effectively as you will see a complicated refund and re-debit of the avios but any change of taxes is usually just for any difference between the new and the old. Costs should be the same in either case – £35pp canx fee online or £35pp fee to change.
I say ‘usually’ as I am still waiting on an online reward cancellation made 5 days ago which still says ‘We’re currently processing a cancellation for this booking’. There seems to be a lot of turmoil still going on in the weird world of BA IT following the big 1 April changes.
Well we have two trips booked and not getting cancelled this year: a week in the Carolinas, and 2 weeks where we mix New England in autumn with DC/Philly. We are thoroughly looking forward to both and the US part of the second trip is likely the cheap bit.
15% vs 20% tips is annoying, but this difference is lost in Fx fluctuations. And yes it’s expensive, but so are very many destinations: just look at all the HfPers trying to score MLE redemptions. As for politics, I’ve said this many times: people pick sides in the strangest of ways whilst looking the other way at so many global or local injustices.
FWIW, my vouchers have also been recredited instantly on cancellation. Cash I agree takes longer.
We are at Hiltons both times, with both adults being Diamond so the F&B credit will be used for some form of breakfast I hope.
My kids have a taste for Matche latte at Starbucks unfortunately. We will definitely be taking cereal / protein bars though – good shout!
NYC has always been an expensive option. Do you have breakfast included at the hotel? US customs does seem much more relaxed about foodstuffs being brought into the country these days, so you can also pack your favourite snacks as long as they don’t breach the regulations on stuff like fresh fruit and veg. We always take cereal bars, dried fruit, packs of nuts, etc because it’s a lot of hassle trying to find alternatives (and American snacks are full of additives, and their chocolate is disgusting!)
Again, it depends where you’re staying, but in Florida last month all the IHG hotels provided decent fresh hot drinks in the lobby which would save a small fortune on trips to Starbucks!
Yes, I saw that BBQ place, thank you. Also found a decent smash burger place online that we will check out.
Let’s see how much 4 days in NYC can be done for – $1 pizza slices for lunch!
I appreciate there are 5 of you, but Jongro BBQ Market in Koreatown does lunchtime all-you-can-eat
for around $38! Also Becco on W 49th for around the same price, with house pastas.Otherwise, it’s Los Tacos nº 1!!
As I travel to the US as often as I can afford it , I love the country done all 50 states now trying to do all 63 national parks
I invested in a global entry pass and it’s a breeze through imagration I’m usually waiting for my luggage within 15 mins if getting off the planeAlthough the USA is way more than just the orange idiot and also with plenty of really nice people, we’ve decided to shorten our usual 6 week visit to St Augustine to just 2 weeks. We have a condo there, so need to go as there’s always something to sort out. It’s also convenient this year to have a shorter trip for IRS reasons. I can completely understand why some people won’t go at all.
As I travel to the US as often as I can afford it , I love the country done all 50 states now trying to do all 63 national parks
I invested in a global entry pass and it’s a breeze through imagration I’m usually waiting for my luggage within 15 mins if getting off the planeGE does not guarantee admission into the US though.
You can still be subject to questioning, secondary questioning and be sent back and have it revoked ahould the DHS determine that.
As I travel to the US as often as I can afford it , I love the country done all 50 states now trying to do all 63 national parks
I invested in a global entry pass and it’s a breeze through imagration I’m usually waiting for my luggage within 15 mins if getting off the planeHalfway through my second all 50, and 50 parks done. Only aiming for 57 parks as the others are too expensive/too time consuming to get to/I’m not an off grid wilderness type.
Never bothered with GE as I only go 1-2 times a year. Not sure if I’ll go this spring as I’ve been several times since the post pandemic re-opening and there are other countries that I feel like I should visit sooner rather than later. Just waiting on the Chicago blues festival programme to be published before i make up my mind.
Just make sure you don’t have any gang tattoos!
Never bothered with GE as I only go 1-2 times a year.
I’d have GE for $20 with even one visit per year, it is magic. Pre check can occasionally be good as well, but that’s just a bonus.
People being carted off by ICE for writing a blog is clearly very un-American, but shooting Brazilian plumbers in the head and jailing bloggers is not overly British either, but yet it is.
Something like 40 million people pass through the US borders each year. “I had a longer chat than expected about my tattoos” is hardly Midnight Express.
I appreciate we all have a risk threshold, but US immigration is way down on my list of threats.
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