for the £3,500 you've agreed to give me due to miss sold PPI. this will enable me to travel to Australia in february to coffs harbour to watch the mighty wire!
i'm chuffed to little mint balls to coin a phrase. time to book flights me thinks, any suggestions from people who are or have booked flights already. i've not been since 1997 and then it was sydney & Aukland, i imagine it'd be better to fly into melbourne this time?

Slim; I'd seriously think before spending money on this. If you want a holiday in Aus fair enough but this is just a pre-season training camp for Warrington with a couple of low key friendlies thrown in - think Boxing Day games.

Have an holiday to watch State of Origin instead. I think I'm doing that in 2013.

I've had 6 loans since 1997, i love the fact i read the small print and double and triple check and never once paid a penny in PPI.


Nice one though Slim, that's plenty of Australian beer tokens

tbh paul, the wife has agreed, i don't like missing matches, i even went to st esteve on a cold february a few years ago to watch wire win 70 nil, my dad lives in perth so will probably fly over to meet up. and i can still view the SOO as a future goal, if i didn't go the wife would fritter the money away on petty things like a new car or kitchen or some such e, i know what you mean though but having been to coffs harbour in the winter before the thought of spending a week to ten days there in the summer appeals!

That's a great story - good luck to you, mate.

i have a little windfall on its way don't think it will be as much as yours though slim good on you fella

I got about £850 earlier this year through the miss selling of an Endowment Policy in 1984.
It pays to go back over all your policies.

Nice 1, but why fly into Melbourne when Sydney is nearer?

As for the flights, check the usual sites, travelbag etc, then cut them out and book directly with the airline. A little known tip for you, if using travelbag etc, get up in the middle of the night and book it then. We've done it before for trips to the States and you'll save yourself a fair few bob. Apparently, this is done by travel agents to tap into the American market. strange, but true. as for hotels, find 1 you like and book directly with the hotel. Most countries just charge for the room and NOT per person. And finally, be careful which flight you book, the cheapest is not always the best. You could find yourself in a foreign airport for upto 10 hours waiting for a connecting flight.

We flew, Manc-Dubai-Bangcok-Sydney with emirates. 21 hours flying altogether. For me, i did'nt get jetlag, proberley due to having 2 stops for 2 hours apiece and had a walkabout.

Melbourne is the wrong end of the country but well worth a visit (we went to the F1 this year then Sydney).
I got this off an Aussie mate of mine yesterday

"Never been to Coffs Harbour but I think it is meant to be nice. If you are going to come over for it then it would be worth flying into Brisbane and doing Byron Bay and the Gold Coast on the way (and if you wanted to take a bit longer you could go to FNQ - Far North Queensland and even do one of the Whitsunday Islands resorts like Hamilton Island and the Great Barrier Reef) - did you want me to draw up a schedule for you ;D I just checked Manchester-Brisbane and it is only £914 return - which is a great price. "

Good work, Slimster.

Well done Slim, enjoy yourself.

Lucky b*stard.

Would definitely agree on the Whitsundays, Whitehaven Beach is paradise on earth. Barrier Reef slightly overrated IMO, but has to be seen if you make it that far north. Brisbane like all the other major Australian cities is worth spending a few days in, and I would also recommend Fraser Island.

Been to Coffs Harbour, but only passing through on the way from Newcastle to Byron Bay. There didn't seem to be much there from what I remember, maybe Moran will fly you somewhere on his private jet after the match as it's a fair distance from the other places mentioned.

i meant brisbane not melbourne! thanks for all the good wishes, went with travelbag in 97, very good service tbh.
v73, thanks for the tips!

can't book yet until club anounces date of the 2nd match, but as soon as they do, booked it packed up & fooked off.

p.s thanks for all the nice messages!

I've got £5,200 on way from sainsburys bank(halifax) and still waiting to hear from toytown bank(tsb) but looking at a little more off them