Thursday, September 06, 2007

I need a vacation!!


I've been so busy this whole week. My wards gave me a ton of problems when I wasn't around. When the cat is away, the mice came out to play. Will post all those problems for you all soon. :)

The travel bug is biting. I need a relaxing holiday to get away from the madness. But not before I attend to my overseas projects first.

As my hubby is unable to abandon his patients (even for a few days), and my friends have other commitments, I would be travelling alone. I detest package tours and travelling with a group of complete strangers. I prefer to be a FIT (Free & Independant Traveller). I usually book my air tickets and hotels online.

Queuing seems to be Singaporeans' favourite past-time, ...... actually we are a disciplined lot. :) We queue for food at hawker centres and restaurants; queue for tickets, queue for school places, queue to shake hands with VVIPs ...... etc. But it's really absurd to queue for a holiday!

In the past, I've been to a few Travel Fairs, they were not good venues to book for a holiday. There were such huge crowds. People turned up hours before opening time to queue for freebies and limited special low fare items. And at NATAS, I have to pay an entry fee!

Although the organisers staged some interesting performances from overseas, the long queues to book for special promotional priced airtickets was just not worth the time spent. And you could never seem to get that specified date you want. grrrr.....

That's why I use my favourite travel booking website ZUJI a lot. I'm sure you have heard of ZUJI? It was voted 'Asia Pacific's Best Online Travel Agent' in 2005 and 2006. I love it because I have access to a choice of over 77,000 hotels, 400 airlines as well as thousands of cruises, car hire, attraction bookings, package tours ..... etc. There is instant Confirmation of flight and hotels. Free ticket delivery and no credit card charges. :)

I can create my own package online by selecting both my airline and hotel. As the hotels are by star ratings and room types, the total package price is determined by my choices. I enjoy total savings on my package compared to buying flights and hotels separately.

When booking hotels on ZUJI, I would do a 'neighborhood search' or indicate preferred hotel chain and desired amenities to help narrow down search. I can even compare the prices of 4 selected hotels of my choice. One interesting feature here is the interactive destinations maps to zoom in on specific locales and uncover points of interest around my choice hotel neighborhood. I love this!

There is a Travel Sale now on ZUJI till 23 Sept. Airtickets from its huge choice of 400 airlines are selling from $79 (by the way, it's going to Penang via Malaysia Airlines). Pick from its list of 77,000 hotels, the lowest hotel room rate starts from $30 (the last I saw Bangkok was at $31 per night, and Hanoi too!). I'm not interested in Tour Packages, but the low starting price from $78 is tempting - why not? Even if it's a short getaway to Bintan.

I would probably be using my VISA card as I can get up to $20 off all airlines, $60 off all Great Buy hotels, and $100 off any packages I create. Gotto go make my booking now!


57 comments:

  1. Always nice to have a holiday. But do remember to be careful with that ankle ya? :D

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  2. I love using Zuji too, especially the price comparision feature cos it is so user friendly. And my irritating friends keep getting to fly those super cheap promo fares from Zuji! Dammit!

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  3. awww... moby.
    Thanks for the concern. I'll be very careful this time. I don't want to spend another month in bed! hehe...

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  4. Hi glacier topaz,
    Yup, I can understand your frustration when friends get to fly on super cheap promo fares!

    This time round, I'm turning the table on them! haha....

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  5. I hope you plan and take a great vacation, my friend.

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  6. eastcoastlife: hi 5!!! So where you planning to go to for your holiday?

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  7. Next time ajak me... can??

    Oh and... please watch your steps! Hee...

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  8. Thanks for the recommendation.
    I will try it next time.
    But it really sounded like PPP, haha

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  9. Yeah, travelling alone can be quite good sometimes as no compromise is needed. Where you off to leh? Come to New Zealand!!! (^_^)

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  10. Bunny Beth,
    Yup, I plan a 'work plus destress' trip. :)

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  11. iz reloaded,
    I'm going to Macau and Hong Kong for a vacation before going to work in China. :)

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  12. My angel,
    Yes, yes, I will! :)

    This trip is a working one with a few days of detour. hehe.....

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  13. yenjai,
    haha.... really!? My bad. Lousy writing skills.

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  14. Doreen,
    After reading about your trip to Hong Kong, I must make a stop there for its yummy Mango Pudding. Then to Macau to try my luck at the new casino. hehe.....

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  15. WAAA WAAA WAAAAA!!!! You gonna stay at The Venetian Macao suites ahh?? WAAAA!!! Hehehe... When I grow up, I also wanna go horniday and stay at The Venetian Macao Resort...

    Hey, dun forget the Portuguese tarts in Macau... hot yummylicious!

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  16. My Angel,
    Wahhhh! You're more excited than me! hehehe.... I won't forget the Portuguese tarts and the Macau Pork Buns!!!

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  17. me too i wanna go vegas!! online tour:P

    i hate to Q. i wld opt for other options if i have to Q ...

    but if the thing is really special and it's a once in a lifetime experience, the probably i wld. :0) msians got no patient:P

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  18. winn,
    I hate to queue too. I would go elsewhere than queue and even if it costs more.

    I'm looking forward to our horniday!!! hehe...

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  19. Try the Philippines, my friend! It's a very nice place to visit! And i kid you not! :)

    AnitoKid at www.anitokid.blogspot.com

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  20. I need another vacation to Singapore! How about we trade places. You come to Washington DC and I go to Singapore :)

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  21. I don't know ZUJI until I read this post. Ok, obviously, I haven't been travelling much overseas of late.

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  22. The Anitokid,
    I've been to the Philippines several times.:)

    I love the food! And the warm Filipinos! I'm planning to go Cebu, Boracay and Baguio.

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  23. Mike,
    Oh yeah!! Let's do it. I so want to go to Washington.

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  24. oceanskies,
    Maybe after your exams, you can consider a short trip nearby. KL? hehehe....

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  25. wah.. you are going to stay at the Venetian Macau suite!!! Great choice,do blog about it when you are back.

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  26. Queuing is pretty popular here as well.

    Look after yourself on your trip, ECL.

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  27. ecl, have you got a rough idea, north, south, east or west? Come to Judy cos she's the best!! :)

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  28. So where you going for vacation? :D

    I used to go to NATAS too coz of special deals and it's crowded loh, like what you say. Anyway, even if NATAS is on and you don't be down there, you can always go to the travel agent and ask for NATAS price. Heee hee...i think some better travel agents will give that to you. Aiyo, travel agents who know how to do business should do that lah!

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  29. Sounds like a sponsored post.

    I never go on package tours anymore. Holidays are meant to be relaxing. Cant imagine waking up at 6am, loaded onto buses and herded off somewhere with time constrains - where got fun and what kids of holiday is that? I am a FIT too!

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  30. I used Zuji at times too. I booked a really good deal for a flight to Penang to attend a wedding on it.


    hehe... i had a feeling like stay-at-home-mum about her first sentence in the comment.


    BE EXTRA CAREFUL hor... Look where you are walking.

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  31. my biggest problem is committing to the times so early in the year for a holiday that's 10 months down the road! ok will check out Zuji. I think I've heard of them before...

    so ha... Sydney's part of your travel plans, yes? ;-)

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  32. Come! Come! We go Cambodia together. Me also hitch hike this time.

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  33. I am very suaku... Have not heard of ZUJI. Thanks for the recommendation :)

    We have already booked our tour in Dec and of coz not thru the fair! Kekeke... I went to have a look at one of the fairs and we decided not to queue!

    Enjoy your holiday :)

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  34. This weekend Malaysia has MATTA FAIR 2007 too. I believe there will be very crowded too..

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  35. eastcoastlife,
    Hope you have a wonderful holiday!:)

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  36. malaika's mummy,
    Yup, will definitely blog about my Macau trip. There are so much to do and explore in HK and Maucau. :)

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  37. Captain Picard,
    I appreciate the queuing in Singapore after staying in some countries in Asia. There's always a mad rush for buses, trains, food.... everything!

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  38. Judy,
    I'll certainly go visit you. Can I bring Jaymes?

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  39. tigerfish,
    I'm going to Macau and HK.

    Oh yes, during the NATAS fair, other travel agents also offer discounts to match. Actually a few travel agents are already offering discounts before the NATAS fair! It's a very competitive industry.

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  40. stay-at-home mum,
    I hope ZUJI can get its partner airlines and hotels to sponsor me on my trip ar. Then I can blog about the facilities and services.
    hehehe...

    As a FIT, I can plan my own itinerary and have a relaxing trip. See what I want to see. Most important, no strangers to irk me -wait for them to finish shopping, rushing for food at EVERY meal, fighting over choice seats on coaches... grrrr.......

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  41. simple american,
    Yup, probably next year. hehe....

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  42. keropok man,
    Whoa! You got a good deal huh. Sometimes need a bit of luck.

    I also hope ZUJI sponsor my airticket and hotel stay leh!!! Not asking a lot, right? haha...

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  43. May,
    Sydney is definitely on my travel plan. I'm gonna cook for you mah.

    Wah! Looks like I'm resuming my travelling life. hehe....

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  44. hijackqueen,
    You going Cambodia!? When? Going to your blog now....

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  45. lzmommy,
    So early you book your December holiday trip!? Oh yah, you need to beat the holiday crowds. You have to pay more and also jostle with other holiday makers. yikes.

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  46. keeyit,
    Ooo.... Malaysia also having mega travel fair. Probably more crowded than Singapore's.

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  47. kok,
    Thank you very much. I will visit you in Perth too, when I go Australia.

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  48. eastcoastlife,
    Are you seriously coming to Australia?!:D

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  49. Although I haven't used ZUJI before, I've used its 'sister' site, travelocity/lastminute.com, recently to book a trip to Paris. They had a v good deal that my hubby and I are v happy with it. I guess I'm gonna mention it onto my paris post.

    Hope you will have a good vacation soon... and hope the history won't repeat itself (i.e. your porky foot...)

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  50. i thought u hurt ur legs recently.
    is it okay now?
    i cant travel by myself unless friends are waiting at airport.
    u are sooo brave!

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  51. I need a vacation too.. but first i'll have to take care of those fibroids of mine.. muahahah!!
    Hope you have a good one.. ECL..!

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