Around The World With Expedia!

Thanks Arti. Oh and as for your gift shopping, sure, take along larger items like handbags and stuff for specific people whom you know you will be meeting. But what about last minute gifts? You go there, you meet someone, become friends, and oops. You really wanted to give them something to remember you by but all you've got is your email ID. heheh so carry along some smaller stuff that can always be stashed in your purse or something. Like small keychains with decorative elephants etc. 

I'm not sure if this qualifies as "off topic" but while we're wishing the top winners all the best on their impending trip (that's finally happening) I've already used my 10k voucher on a quick weekend holiday. And it was beautiful. Thank you so much Expedia & Indiblogger (that includes all fellow bloggers who wrote some beautiful posts).

PS: You can read all about my (free) holiday here.

Thats great Revati! Glad you had a wonderful time! Am off to read more on that right away! :)

I will be going on my trip very very soon!! Any general tips for a first time traveler setting foot on a foreign land? Also, I will be visiting some of my Japanese blogger friends - any suggestions what I should be taking for them from our country? 

Don't be too surprised if they all look alike.

sorry poor joke.

Give them a copy of the indian constitution. They'll enjoy reading it.

sorry poor joke.

and bring me a few great blog posts on your experience will you???

take some hancrafted stuffs for them... I guess they will like it.

we gifted sandalwood crafts to our colleagues from USA, Japan, Chaina last time when they were in India... and they loved it

As I  first time travelling to foreign, do carry copies of all your documents - visa, health/travel insurance, passport etc. Do check with your Bank that your credit/debit card is internationally accessible or not, and the charges too. Have a research on the best Mobile network of the country which would be giving best roaming rates....

And, do carry Camera and few GBs of memories...click a lot...share all :D

For the gifts, I copy sweta tiwary's suggestions...Indian Handicrafts are just loved by Japanese... All the best, Happy Journey....

*a for I in very first line ;)

Xeno, hahahaha... and you know what, I am already having a tough time remembering their names  They are similar too- Keiko, yoko, tomoko, etc  Just a few days back I addressed Yoko as Tomoko in one of the mails, and later apologized for that 

Posts, definitely yes Given how costly a country Japan is, I guess that's the most cheapest (and the best too ) thing I will be bringing back for all my friends here, from there

@sweta I have been thinking of Handcrafted items as well, someone advised me against sandalwood ones though citing problems with airline regulations for luggage. Thinking of taking something in fabrics like handbags may be, that will be easy to carry for me too. What say?

@Punit Thank you! I needed this checklist! Still to tick some of these docs that you mentioned..

Thank you Everyone and Wish me luck!!! I am more nervous than excited!

Have a nice trip Arti!

The trip is going on full steam... Sydney is a fascinating place and i'm enjoyinh every moment of this trip. the hotel is fab... the facilities are A+, and my 'josh' is at a high point! :) Posts on sydney will be UP once the expedia protocol is over...

Wow! Enjoy your trip!!! Good Luck!

I will be going on mine very very soon!! Any general tips for a first time traveler setting foot on a foreign land? Also, I will be visiting some of my Japanese blogger friends - any suggestions what I should be taking for them from our country?

Mast Arvind  ji....Have a great holiday....waiting for your log :D

Passport with Australian visa is with me now... and the tentative date for travel to Sydney is 20 May.

I have a few days to read up on Sydney and Australia.

Any suggestions?

Hope the other winners have got their visa by now... seems Australian HC took the longest this time.

Have been contacted by Thomas Cook... my visa for Australia seems to be approved... will be going to their office in CP to collect my passport today at 11.

More on this later.

Does anyone know if this voucher is valid for hotels only or for holidays(hotels+flights) as well?

Although the e-mail says "hotel coupon", the attachment which shows how to use the voucher includes a section for "holidays" too.

as it says for domestic hotel booking only and only one time usage. like if you book 750/- hotel, then rest 250/- goes down the drain. you cannot use it again. 

I am rather disappointed with the vouchers. A 1000/- off on a hotel booking doesn't seem enticing to me. It would have been much better had we got a cash prize for that much. Anyhow, I hope some of us will find use to it. Mine is going to go waste, unless something pops up out of the blue.

Anyhow, a prize is a prize. Thank you, Expedia! 

No info about my Australian VISA yet...

...and even the Rs 1000/- voucher seems to be eluding me so far.

As they say, don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

after all the fuss about address and all, you get the voucher on e-mail 

but coupon's only valid for hotels 

nevertheless, feels gooooooooood.........

can't think of traveling to somewhere else; will have to find some expensive hotel nearby (Delhi) 

Okay, I got my voucher by e-mail. Sucks the Rs. 1000 can only be used for domestic hotel bookings. Oh well, it's something.

similar emotions

i am with you all on this, what happens to my friends all over India, like i visit pune and stay in a hotel, captain will kill me. so in a nutshell, it's gonna go waste.

though i dreaded something like that only

Thanks guys... I've submitted my visa papers to the Australian HC through Thomas Cook. Hope to get more info this week.

So far as the Kissan contest is concerned... IF all winners end up going to the same Nature Trail, it will surely become one massive jam-session for indibloggers! :)

wow Arvind ji, rock on, 

Galti se mistake ho gyi..and I posted my wishes for Kissan Contest winners here...Vaise, to Expedia Winners too...Congratulations again :)

Congratulations all...

Special mention to Arti and Arvind ji! You guys rock!

No word on the vouchers. Really, what is going on? Some answers, any answers, team Indiblogger??

Yeah, I have also been waiting eagerly...no news yet on the vouchers!

I had recieved my clear trip prize vouchers almost 3 months later after winning them. Dont worry, vouchers and all may take some time to come but they surely will, that I can assure.

vouchers galore, 

Anybody who won the vouchers got them? Did you get them by post or did Expedia send the code via e-mail? Because I haven't from them even since I was named one of the Rs. 1000 voucher winners.

No Mithun, I havent received any communication yet...

Me neither.

I hope that was a typo!

Shit ! I did not realize. Obviously.

And yeah, I am sorry in case you assumed it was something other than a typi.

Okay, i think things are moving ahead now.

Congrats. All set for your strip?