I booked my own trf from Man to Heathrow for £78.00 return with Brish Airways. JY quoted £99.00 with BMI

You will be lucky if you get your final flight times a month in advance.

I just rec'd mine and am going next Wednesday. !!

Sandra

I have looked at the flights from Manchester to Heathrow.We have to book these orselves. The prices I have found our BMI £69 with 20kg of luggauge and BA £79 with 23kg of luguage. I think I will be using BAjust for the extra baggage allowance.

The fishing trip has to be paid in Kenya, the price is around 300usd but may finda better deal once there. Most of the boats take a max of 6 people and they will help you with everything.

Iam doing the add on as well.

Steve

Welcome to the October Gang. I think there are about half a dozen of us so far and hopefully a few that haven't been on the message board. I got my booking confirmation today so now I know I'm definately going I'm really excited - 4 months and counting :0). Where abouts are you travelling from. I live in West Yorkshire so am flying to Heathrow from Manchester and with anyone else doing the same hopefully. I think from what I've read the trips are booked when we get there but information is included in the final pack from JY. I am so looking forward to the balloon ride - have been watching that 'Wild at Heart' chap on Sunday evening. Am hoping to do as much as possible, cash and tiredness permitting. Have been looking at the messages from the people going in a few days to get some tips. Going to Spain for a week on Tuesday so if anyone sends a message will reply when I get back. Bye for now,

Janet

Started to count the days.If you are flying from Manchester maybe we should see about getting them booked so we could all travel down together. I have no problem giving Olley my e-mail so he can pass it on.

What do you think?

Steve

Have just checked prices of flights and BMI were £69 return plus credit card charges, luggage etc. British Airways are £83 plus extras. Obviously that is todays prices and they can go up and down on a daily basis. From experience travelling to Plymouth the prices go up by quite a lot the nearer to the departure date so maybe we should take a chance and book now. Only problem is we don't have confirmation of the return flight from Kenya to connect with the one to Manchester. Doesn't matter going out cos we can get there early and have a coffee or something to eat till we can check in. Alternative is to book something late morning/lunchtime and then hang about at Heathrow - what do you think. I have emailed Ollie to ask him to pass on my email address as its probably easier to communicate that way. IF ANYONE ELSE IS FLYING FROM MANCHESTER PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU WISH TO JOIN US - THE MORE THE MERRIER!!

I was wondering how many are going on our trip. So far I know there's me , you, Steve and a lady called Pollie (I think). I'm sure there's more of us, they just haven't posted messages, but if not at least we should have a safari jeep to ourselves!!! So looking forward to it and can't wait now.

Just back to work today, arrived back home yesterday.

The holiday was fantastic, you will not be disappointed.

Met Dawn Jean and Moyra at Heathrow before we went to the exec. lounge. Now that is a good perk.

We all got along really well. Infact it was a good group of 22 people.

20 women and two men. So the guys on your trip could find themselves out numbered. No bad thing. !!!!

The Ashnil Lodge is fantastic, clean friendly good food. No worries there for you.

A tip.

When you arrive at Mombassa and you are told to make your way to the safari vehicles, look for a Kenyan version of a sumo wrestler, and that will be James, our driver for the week.

He is a great spotter of animals and very accomodating for the photo taking.

Any questions feel free to ask.

Sandra

I am on facebook and don't mind communicating that way but I don't think you can put your surname on the message board for security reasons so I have sent a message to Olly asking him to pass on my email address to you. Regards Jan

Just seen Ozzy's mail and 14 feels like a good number. Not sure how many are doing the extension. Are you still thinking about doing the balloon flight? It seems like the last group had a great time.

Ozzy, I will ask Olly to pass on my e-mail address in case you wish to contact me.

Steve

Take a bag of spearmint chews and Jelly babies.

I took bags of sweets to keep my mouth from getting dry, and introduced James to the above two varieties.

In fact they were very well received by all us passengers on the bus.

Then if all 14 of you dash for the bus, you will have an advantage and he will pick you both for his bus. Each one takes 6 people.

You will have a fantastic time.

Sandra

Thanks for the info will go and stock up on jelly babies. Did you enjoy the excursions? Which ones did you go on?

Steve

Thanks very much for your tips. Did you manage to get to an orphanage whilst in Mombassa. I've heard the children are desperate for pens, pencils and notepads but don't know whether to pack any or can you buy them there? Let us know if you or any of the ladies are putting photos or testimonials on the website. How long before your holiday did you apply for your money/travellers cheques and what currency did you go for? Sorry to bombard you with all these questions but its nice to hear from someone who has already done the trip. Where are you going next??!!!!

I ordered my money two weeks before my holiday.

It took a week for it to arrive.

I took african shillings and american dollars and sterling.

You will manage quite well with just shillings and sterling.

Do not take travellers cheques, no one wants them, unless you pay JY for your trips with them.

The trips at the hotel/somak are not cheap, and are priced in dollars.

We went on the night trip to the fort jesus, around $90.00 not worth it really.

The day trip to the craft village $80.00 approx. Can't remember exactly. That was worth it for the visit to the village, and the feel good factor you get from buying loads like we did and helping the economy in the co operative.

Only two of the group went to an orphange, which cost them over £100.00 and they were very disappointed. I think they thought it was an elephant orphanage and a childrens orphanage. No elephants !

I went on the Dolphin safari $100.00. Which I thought was expensive for what you got, but, it's a 2.5 hr drive there and then back again. So that adds to the cost I suppose, the food on board was ok, the wine a matter of tase. Only had white in a bag - like wine in a box, only with out the box, and it tasted like Cider.

The boat very basic. If you not a good sailer dont go, as it is very very rocky.

When you get off the boat the local children will ask you for pens and sweets.

Yes they do want pens pecils etc, they will ask you for them where ever you go.

If you have any clothes that you no longer want and have room in your case take them. shoes as well.

The hardest thing to hear was that they buy second hand knickers and bras. The bra's bearable, but, wearing second hand knickers had us all going OMG.

They are lovely people but very poor.

We had a great time in all. The goup was a very good mix 25 to 69 yrs.

Think I have answered all your questions. Trouble iwth this message board is you can't see the message you replying to while typing. !!! If I have missed any thing I will do another :-)

Sandra

Getting really excited now... and 14 sounds like a nice number. Good to hear the positive feedback from the June trip. I may have dreamed this as no-one else has mentioned visas, but seem to recall reading somewhere that we get them via JY ? Pollie

No you did not dreram it. You need to get a visa before you go. Just You did mine. The form came with my holiday confirmation I think.

Cost £47.50. You can always go to london and do your own for less. If you live near london and the African embassy then its ok. Living in Lancashire Just You was the best option for me.

If you do not have one you will have to fill in the forms when you arrive in Kenya and the queue is that long you will miss your connecting flight to Mombassa.!

Sandra