Hey guys

Just wondering if there is anyone else planning on doing this tour?
I know there's already a few people going.... are there any others out there?
Should be an awesome tour!

Maybe we can use this thread to count down the days till we go away?!!

Anyway, hope to hear from some people!

Hiya Todd.
I'm not on the Grand Northern, but I am doing the North by North East tour departing the same day. Do they combine the tour groups?

I'm all for the countdown! 208 days till I fly out. How do we make time pass quicker?

Natalie

Hey Natalie, yep the North by North East tour is the first half of the Grand Northern so we'll be doing that first couple weeks together!

Hey Guys,

I'm booked on the Grand Northern, April 30-May 24! I plan to have a few days in New York pre-tour to do some sight seeing and shopping in 5th Ave!! I did Canada & Rockies inc, stampede last year which was fantastic and can't wait for this tour.
Jess

Hey Jess, great to see another person on board our tour! I'll be spending 3 days in NY before the tour also!

So what are everyone's plans for after the tour? After I leave you guys in Chicago, I'm spending some time there with a friend before flying to LA for the LA to the Bay tour starting 19th May. I'll have a couple of days in San Francisco before flying home again.

Where are you from, Jess?

Hey Todd & Natalie,

3 days pre-tour is a good amount, NY accom is quite pricey so 3 nights will at least give 2 full days to have a look around.

Will probably be coming straight home after the tour - there's not alot I want to see in LA plus I don't think I could stretch my 5 weeks off work out to much more :-).

Natalie, I'm an Aussie from country Victoria. How about yourself?

Natalie, after the Grand Northern I'll be spending 2 days in LA and then doing the Grand Southern departing 27 May (I know most people do it the other way around, but this way I get more time to see NYC). After the GS, I'll spend a couple more days in NYC, to make sure I've seen EVERYTHING that I wanna see, and then I'll be spending some time with my cousins in Indiana. LOL it's quite a massive trip I'm planning, so I'm sure to be wrecked after it!

Oh my! That is some trip. You're going to be absolutely shattered after that. Makes me look a little ***** for scheduling my break in Chicago to recove from my first tour.

Jess, I'm a West-Aussie. From the sounds of things there are a lot of Aussie's on the USA contikis.

I know what you mean about stretching the annual leave bank. I've stretched mine to 5.5 weeks. I tend to stockpile my leave and management have started to give me a hard time about it, so I responded by booking nearly 7 weeks leave within 6 months

Hey! My friend and I are about to book this particular tour! Sounds like it's gonna be lots of fun! Can't wait to meet everyone

Hey Sarah, welcome aboard - It's gonna be awesome.

Yes I'll be doing this tour as well, the Grand Northern leaving April 30.

I'll be doing a week in New York beforehand (got a great deal on a Hilton Garden inn hotel for like $160aud a night in Chelsea), and then a couple nights in LA before going back to New York to fly back home (I managed to get a return flight to NYC from Perth for under $1400 score)

I've been to New York before, even spent a week there and still didnt get to see as much as I wanted to see, so much to do, so little time to do it in.

Hey David,
We are flying out of Perth too... where did you get such a cheap flight from? I haven't seen anything that low yet!

I booked through expedia, qantas/continental airlines combo through Tokyo, though the flights only operate on certain days (I booked a departure on friday and return on friday as well)

Of course the catch is after the tour you'd have to make your way back to New York from LA, I'm planning on waiting till about a month or so before the tour starts before booking that one since the domestic US flights seem to be cheaper the closer in to the date.

*Edit, yeah try a booking with departure or arrival dates of any combo of Tue/Fri/Sun to get the cheap fares to NYC return

Thank you so much for that! I've used expedia before, but it wasn't bringing up anything that cheap. Will definitely try a Friday date, then at least I will have more time in NY before the tour starts! Thanks