Question

Best of USA tour September 20, 2012 (start in L.A)

31 May 2012 SarahG asked

My friend and I booked into this tour last weekend.. we are getting pretty excited and the contiki tells me its 112 days till the tour starts. Is anyone else on here doing this tour? Would be great to start chatting with some people before we go. Were also staying the night of the 19th at the Kyoto. Would love to hear from people booked into or considering this tour plus anyone who's done it before.

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9 Jul 2012 Georgia said

Sarah when I was in the states last year I got a T-mobile sim card which they cut down in size so it would fit into my iPhone. It had free calls to australian landlines (AMAZING) and also data so you could use the internet. So I just used it to call my sisters US number and then the data I just used to access viber to chat to people in Australia. Probably will do the same thing this year. Just a matter of finding a T-mobile store which you’d hope wouldn’t be too hard!

Sarah when I was in the states last year I got a T-mobile sim card which they cut down in size so it would fit into my iPhone. It had free calls to australian landlines (AMAZING) and also data so you could use the internet. So I just used it to call my sisters US number and then the data I just used to access viber to chat to people in Australia. Probably will do the same thing this year. Just a matter of finding a T-mobile store which you'd hope wouldn't be too hard! or Cancel
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9 Jul 2012 Georgia said

Just make sure your phone is not ‘sim locked’ before you go!

Just make sure your phone is not 'sim locked' before you go! or Cancel
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9 Jul 2012 katharine said

Hey guys, Just wondering what extras you were planning to do? My friend and I are going to do Alcatraz and do a Cirque Du Soliel show in Vegas. Anyone else?

Hey guys, Just wondering what extras you were planning to do? My friend and I are going to do Alcatraz and do a Cirque Du Soliel show in Vegas. Anyone else? or Cancel
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15 Jul 2012 Kelly said

Hey, I booked this tour this weekend!! So excited!!! But Im nervous as Im travelling alone and it’s my first overseas trip : / It’s been good reading your posts though, thanks. I am arriving on the 19th and staying at the same place the tour leaves from… then am only staying 1 night after the tour in New York. Keep the chat up with any tips or ideas :)

Hey, I booked this tour this weekend!! So excited!!! But Im nervous as Im travelling alone and it's my first overseas trip : / It's been good reading your posts though, thanks. I am arriving on the 19th and staying at the same place the tour leaves from... then am only staying 1 night after the tour in New York. Keep the chat up with any tips or ideas :) or Cancel
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16 Jul 2012 RoseJ said

Hi girls – I only just saw this post. A friend and I are doing this tour too and staying at the same place the night before. She is a travel agent and has done a Contiki through Europe. I have travelled but not Contiki. We are from Aus too and are doing a couple of days in San Diego and Mexico before the tour leaves and staying in NYC for a few days after then heading down the East Coast – almost a month in total so excited!

Hi girls - I only just saw this post. A friend and I are doing this tour too and staying at the same place the night before. She is a travel agent and has done a Contiki through Europe. I have travelled but not Contiki. We are from Aus too and are doing a couple of days in San Diego and Mexico before the tour leaves and staying in NYC for a few days after then heading down the East Coast - almost a month in total so excited! or Cancel
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16 Jul 2012 SarahG said

Great Thanks so much Georgia! I will look into the closest store. I would like something with some data, will definitely make sure my phone is unlocked. Katharine I haven’t looked into the vegas extras as of yet, but I am very interested in Alcatraz and would definitely be interested in joining you and your friend if you go and do it! I will have a look at the extras mentioned over the next few days and let you know what I am thinking. I really want to do the helicopter ride over the the Grand Canyon..

Hi Kelly and rjamieson, nice to have you on board! Very exciting to be able to ‘meet’ and talk to other people on our trip before we go.. seems like such a great group so far! Don’t be too nervous Kelly! There are a few people on here travelling alone and I am sure we will bond and make new friends with this group. It is my first overseas group too. It’s great that you are doing this alone, what a wonderful experience! We are thinking drinks/dinner at the hotel and then maybe on o Teddy’s Nightclub after on the first night to get to know each other and have a night out before the tour. Where are you flying from?
Rjamieson, where are you and your friend flying from? A month!! So lucky! What are you both looking forward to on the tour?

How are people taking money over? Converted currency and credit card? I am trying to suss this out too..would love to hear some opinions, especially from people who have travelled to the US before.

Great Thanks so much Georgia! I will look into the closest store. I would like something with some data, will definitely make sure my phone is unlocked. Katharine I haven't looked into the vegas extras as of yet, but I am very interested in Alcatraz and would definitely be interested in joining you and your friend if you go and do it! I will have a look at the extras mentioned over the next few days and let you know what I am thinking. I really want to do the helicopter ride over the the Grand Canyon.. Hi Kelly and rjamieson, nice to have you on board! Very exciting to be able to 'meet' and talk to other people on our trip before we go.. seems like such a great group so far! Don't be too nervous Kelly! There are a few people on here travelling alone and I am sure we will bond and make new friends with this group. It is my first overseas group too. It's great that you are doing this alone, what a wonderful experience! We are thinking drinks/dinner at the hotel and then maybe on o Teddy's Nightclub after on the first night to get to know each other and have a night out before the tour. Where are you flying from? Rjamieson, where are you and your friend flying from? A month!! So lucky! What are you both looking forward to on the tour? How are people taking money over? Converted currency and credit card? I am trying to suss this out too..would love to hear some opinions, especially from people who have travelled to the US before. or Cancel
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16 Jul 2012 SarahG said

P.s and don’t forget to joing the ‘meetup’ of our tour!

P.s and don't forget to joing the 'meetup' of our tour! or Cancel
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16 Jul 2012 RoseJ said

Hi Sarah – we are flying from Melbourne to LA via Brisbane on September 17 and spending the 17th – 19th in San Diego then back to LA for the tour. We are excited about all of it. I am most looking forward to Vegas and NYC though I think.
In terms of money, im taking a cash passport which you can get in US dollars before you go and bpay money onto it online if you need to and my visa – always best to have a backup.

Hi Sarah - we are flying from Melbourne to LA via Brisbane on September 17 and spending the 17th - 19th in San Diego then back to LA for the tour. We are excited about all of it. I am most looking forward to Vegas and NYC though I think. In terms of money, im taking a cash passport which you can get in US dollars before you go and bpay money onto it online if you need to and my visa - always best to have a backup. or Cancel
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16 Jul 2012 SarahG said

Thanks Rose, I will look ino the cash passport, its a card right? (sorry if that is a dumb question lol, just don’t know). Yeah I am most excited about NYC, have wanted to go since I was little, dream come true!

Thanks Rose, I will look ino the cash passport, its a card right? (sorry if that is a dumb question lol, just don't know). Yeah I am most excited about NYC, have wanted to go since I was little, dream come true! or Cancel
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16 Jul 2012 RoseJ said

Yep its a card. Its a multi currency cash passport. http://www.cashpassport.com/1/en/au1/multi-currency/
I am the same about NYC – never thought I would actually get there! So excited!

Yep its a card. Its a multi currency cash passport. http://www.cashpassport.com/1/en/au1/multi-currency/ I am the same about NYC - never thought I would actually get there! So excited! or Cancel
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16 Jul 2012 SarahG said

Thanks so much! I will have a look. I know!! I can’t believe in not too long we will be there! Breakfast at Tiffanys? I think so :))

Thanks so much! I will have a look. I know!! I can't believe in not too long we will be there! Breakfast at Tiffanys? I think so :)) or Cancel
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16 Jul 2012 katharine said

Thanks for getting back to me, with the card I am going to get the multi currency cash passport, I believe we are getting something called a travelex Card, which you can by from most post offices. I think we have also decided on keeping out phones and just taking out the sim cards and going just on Wi-fi. Which I believe is free for most of our hotels, If you have a iphone you can get an app which can call people without a sim, using wi-fi. I am so excited, 65 days.

Thanks for getting back to me, with the card I am going to get the multi currency cash passport, I believe we are getting something called a travelex Card, which you can by from most post offices. I think we have also decided on keeping out phones and just taking out the sim cards and going just on Wi-fi. Which I believe is free for most of our hotels, If you have a iphone you can get an app which can call people without a sim, using wi-fi. I am so excited, 65 days. or Cancel
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16 Jul 2012 katharine said

Also whats this meet up thing? :-)

Also whats this meet up thing? :-) or Cancel
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16 Jul 2012 SarahG said

No worries, sorry for my late reply, I have been working alot. 12 hour shifts so I was exhausted! Ok cool, plenty of options to look in to! Thanks! Cool, I hadn’t looked at the wifi available at the hotels.. The meet up is on this conitiki site, if you go to the homepage of your profile it comes up with join meet up i think, I’ll put the link on it. It’s a place to post info, questions for each other and pictures before, during and after the trip.. It can become a gallery of our trip once everyone uploads their pics. Il post a link :)

No worries, sorry for my late reply, I have been working alot. 12 hour shifts so I was exhausted! Ok cool, plenty of options to look in to! Thanks! Cool, I hadn't looked at the wifi available at the hotels.. The meet up is on this conitiki site, if you go to the homepage of your profile it comes up with join meet up i think, I'll put the link on it. It's a place to post info, questions for each other and pictures before, during and after the trip.. It can become a gallery of our trip once everyone uploads their pics. Il post a link :) or Cancel
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17 Jul 2012 Georgia said

In terms of money I’m taking a few options. I’m taking some cash (limited because I’m going to Europe first so I don’t want to carry too much, but it’s really good to have cash in the states for tipping etc. Then I have a CBA cash passport loaded up, I also am taking my debit card, linked to my normal savings account, and my credit cards, one is a GE 28 degrees master card which I have loaded money on to (so it’s in credit) and it has no international fees like currency conversion fees or o/s atm fees. Hopefully I won’t have to use my debit card at all if I’ve planned it well haha.

I’d be Keen to do something the night before but I don’t think I fly in until 7pm so by the time I get to the hotel off an international flight I’m not sure how it would work! Ill see how I go I guess

In terms of money I'm taking a few options. I'm taking some cash (limited because I'm going to Europe first so I don't want to carry too much, but it's really good to have cash in the states for tipping etc. Then I have a CBA cash passport loaded up, I also am taking my debit card, linked to my normal savings account, and my credit cards, one is a GE 28 degrees master card which I have loaded money on to (so it's in credit) and it has no international fees like currency conversion fees or o/s atm fees. Hopefully I won't have to use my debit card at all if I've planned it well haha. I'd be Keen to do something the night before but I don't think I fly in until 7pm so by the time I get to the hotel off an international flight I'm not sure how it would work! Ill see how I go I guess or Cancel
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Then in no time Sara and Karamajit thought of singing there first song, ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’ and releasing there first album ‘Row as Folk’ in USA. Sara and Karamajit left Innisfail in 2008 to start their new band. <a href="http://www.zimbio.com/Weight+Loss/articles/jE_kf4cmIlq/Lichi+Super+Fruit+Diet+Ingredients+Get+Free">Visit here to get more information Lichi Super Fruit Diet Ingredients</a> or Cancel
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17 Jul 2012 SarahG said

Oh also, the meet up can only be accessed by people ‘checked in’ to our tour :)
Oh thanks Georgia, yeah I will definitely take some cash, will have to get used to the tipping too! Thanks for that info, I will be looking into all of these options over the next week or so.

We will work something out, we don’t have to go into Teddy’s or we could all do drinks/dinner in or around the hotel and head out after you get in. Would just be good to kind of meet up and start to get to know you all in the flesh. I might leave the number I will be using at the desk for you, so you can contact us when you are checked in. We can discuss what we want to do over the next 60ish days :)

Oh also, the meet up can only be accessed by people 'checked in' to our tour :) Oh thanks Georgia, yeah I will definitely take some cash, will have to get used to the tipping too! Thanks for that info, I will be looking into all of these options over the next week or so. We will work something out, we don't have to go into Teddy's or we could all do drinks/dinner in or around the hotel and head out after you get in. Would just be good to kind of meet up and start to get to know you all in the flesh. I might leave the number I will be using at the desk for you, so you can contact us when you are checked in. We can discuss what we want to do over the next 60ish days :) or Cancel
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17 Jul 2012 Clare407 said

Is anyone interested in see the Criss Angel Believe Cirque du Soleil show? we were thinking of booking tickets for the second night we are in vegas which i think is the 27/9/12. thinking of booking in the next couple of days

Is anyone interested in see the Criss Angel Believe Cirque du Soleil show? we were thinking of booking tickets for the second night we are in vegas which i think is the 27/9/12. thinking of booking in the next couple of days or Cancel
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17 Jul 2012 SarahG said

I’ll suss it out and talk to Maja (who is currently signing up to the site) and get back to you. X

I'll suss it out and talk to Maja (who is currently signing up to the site) and get back to you. X or Cancel
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18 Jul 2012 Georgia said

I was thinking I’d love to see Holly Madisons Peepshow as tacky as it sounds, I’ve heard good things, if anybody is keen let me know!

I was thinking I'd love to see Holly Madisons Peepshow as tacky as it sounds, I've heard good things, if anybody is keen let me know! or Cancel
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