The Drama Continues, or how I spent yet another hour of my life getting a ticket

Man, I have the worst luck with these ticket things. After all the calls to my credit card company to have THEM approve my purchase, the AIRLINE doesn't approve my purchase! I can't show up in New York or Chicago to show them the card, so I got it approved electronically. At least, it is pending now, not just suspended.

See, if I hadn't been doing all this stuff to figure out this plane ticket, I would know what I'm doing in Istanbul (or Doha for that matter). I haven't packed, I've barely started saying my goodbyes... and don't even talk about studying for finals!

The itinerary thus far is:
Dec. 28th : Leave Seattle
Dec. 29th : Arrive in Istanbul, head to hostel
Dec. 30th - Jan. 3rd : Do stuff and don't die
Jan. 3rd : Fly to Doha
Jan. 5th : Orientation starts
Jan. 10th : Classes start (yes, that is a Sunday)
Feb. 25th - March 6th : Qatar Spring Break
March 6th - March 14th : CMU-Pittsburgh Spring Break (so saying hi to the IMPAQT group!)
April 25th-26th, 28th-29th, May 1st-2nd : Finals
May 26th : Leave Istanbul, arrive back in Seattle

...which leaves 11 weekends (13 if you could those right before and during finals) to travel!

Updated: Quarter a Minute, or how I still don't have a ticket to Doha

After another call, and another 3 transfers, I talked to an "account specialist" who didn't see a transaction for Air Arabia, but did for Etihad Airways. So he allowed that merchant and finally, FINALLY, I have a (more expensive) ticket to Doha.

Whew. Thanks, credit card company, for trying to protect me, but this was a bit ridiculous. And who knows if I'll ever be able to by an Air Arabia ticket!

Now, to plan, scheme, mastermind, and pack! 24 days until take-off!

The One Way Question, or the reason I haven't bought my flight to Doha

I was reading the fine print at the end of an Air Arabia flight, and it said, "One way fares exclusive of taxes and surcharges. Standard terms and conditions apply. Not valid for sale from Qatar."

That last bit mystifies me. I can't buy one way fares in Qatar? I can't buy a flight from Qatar? I can't buy from Qatar? The ambiguity of the sentence is too much to bear!

I also am having trouble deciding between my options: January 2nd or January 4th. (I have to be in Doha by the 5th.)

January 2nd:

• Pros: cheaper by $30, less than 2 hour layover, arrive at 9am
• Cons: leave earlier in the week (only spending 3 full days there), leave at 1am on the 2nd

January 4th:

• Pros: another 2 days (spending 5 full days there)
  
• Cons: more expensive, 10 hour layover, leave at 1am but arrive at 6pm

I mean, the really good news is that AirArabia is pretty cheap regardless.

I'm still a bit scared about the one way bit. Does that mean that I'll have to buy a roundtrip ticket to get out of Qatar (when the time comes)?

If you have any suggestions, comment away!

Time Travel, or how I bought my plane tickets

The first round of plane tickets are bought. I am freaking out because I just spent $1000 dollars. And I have to use them now. Which means it is real.

I've been researching how to get to Doha for weeks now, and going the direct route seemed silly, since I am staying for an extra 3 weeks after my classes end. So I looked into going through Dubai or Bahrain, but, though they are bigger hubs, the flights there weren't any cheaper than going straight to Doha.

So Tuesday night, with two days left in the British Airways fare sale, I still didn't know where I was going. I looked at the cheap transatlantic flights; flying into London or Madrid or Frankfurt did nothing for me, since the money saved was less than the flight from there to Doha. Finally, finally, Istanbul caught my eye.

So Istanbul it is! I'll be there over the New Year, leaving Seattle on Dec. 28th, then returning home on May 26th (I know, happy birthday Dan and Rosie). I think it is pretty funny, but getting back from nearly half way around the world only takes "6 hours." I'll leave at 14:00 and get back around 20:00. That isn't as amusing as a flight I saw between Sharjah and Doha which takes 0 hours, leaving at 12:55, and getting to Doha at 12:55.

Whew.

My next step should actually be looking up flights from Istanbul to Doha. (Anyone know anything cheaper than the $270 ticket I found through AirArabia?)

Holes in Both Arms, or how my bloodwork is preventing me from buying plane tickets

I have been researching tickets to Europe/Middle East for weeks now, and I promised myself I would get them bought by Monday, the last day of fare sale at British Airways. However, then I discovered it lasts until Thursday, and that promise ended.

One of the requirements for entering Qatar is to be HIV and TB negative. I finally went to Health Services today and got blood drawn and a little bubble of dead TB put under my skin. I'll be going back on Thursday to get the results, and, being the irrational worrier I am, I'll buy the tickets after that.

I've decided that going to Istanbul on the 28th, then taking a plane to Doha a week later is my plan of attack. Slightly cheaper than going straight to Doha and back, and could provide more flexibility and fun. (If you really want to know the breakdown, it'll be about $1100 to go to Istanbul, then $270 to get to Doha one-way, versus $1600 to roundtrip Seattle to Doha.)

This post feels a bit drab. I'll spice it up with a picture of myself!