RALLY LOVE (HOW MANY $$ IS IT WORTH?)

[guitaroboe]

Hey!
I've been putting the final touches on my ROAD RALLY trip and I have some figures regarding
the cost, traveling from Europe. Here's what I came up with so far:
Best airfare I could shop online comes to about $1200
4 nights at the Westin LAX cost $540
A non-immigrant tourist visa to the US costs $150 (can you believe that??)

The total so far is $1890 !!! not including meals, wifi, phone bills and stuff...
Oh and the round-trip flight will last 41 hours! I will be flying for 20 hours there and 21 back!
It better be a kick-ass experience! !!!
cheers
Adonis

[mazz]

It will be as kick ass as you make it! Be open and try not to put a dollar figure on it, that's way too much pressure.

[Casey H]

As mazz said, don't but a dollar figure on it as far as whether it's worth it. Too much pressure and it's hard to measure what may give return over the coming years.

A couple of helpful cost savings hints:

Buy an international phone card when you are here if you need to make calls overseas. With a card, it can be only 5-10 cents a minute. Do not make any calls from your hotel phone except room to room.

If you don't want to pay for wi-fi at the hotel (they charge about $12 a day), there is an internet cafe up the street you can use for internet access. Very inexpensive there.

The same internet cafe has very good & affordable meals- breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We eat a lot of our meals there during the rally. There is also Denny's, Subway, and Taco Bell right there. Do not eat meals at the hotel unless you want to pay a lot (not that the food isn't good).

Sometimes someone with a car will make a run to a local store and get cracker packs, granola bars, pretzels, meal bars, soft drinks, etc... So if you want to snack for lunch and save even more that may be possible.

And if you don't know, don't touch the hotel room mini-bar. You could end up needing a mortgage to pay for your pack of cookies.

Looking forward to meeting you!
Casey

[guitaroboe]

Thanks for the tips guys!

Looking forward to meeting you too!!! It's my first road rally and I feel bit nervous...BUT...
I get a feeling that with you folks around, it will be UNFORGETTABLE!

cheers
Adonis

[matto]

I feel for you Adonis, that's a major chunk of change. But I think it bodes well for you that you are willing to invest some cash in your career.

I think it came out quite clearly in mazz' Taxi live show that just like any other business, you have to invest some money in your composing business in order to see a return later.

If you look at the money you're spending on attending the Road Rally as such a career building investment, I think you'll find it's money well spent.

And don't be nervous, we're all pretty easy going. Make sure you come say hi and don't forget to wear your dot...

[mazz]

Oh yeah, at your first Rally, you must wear the dot in the middle of your forehead. Some folks choose the tip of the nose as an alternative location.

[guitaroboe]

Middle of the forehead sounds good!!!
BTW, I went to the US embassy today to get my visa!
see you soon!
Adonis

[davewalton]

Middle of the forehead sounds good!!!
BTW, I went to the US embassy today to get my visa!

They take Mastercard too

[suzdoyle]

Hi Adonis;

You might consider sharing a room at the hotel to cut costs. Just post a "roomie wanted" notice on the forums and --voila! -- you've cut your room costs in half!

See you at the Rally!
Suz

P.S. A certain Taxi member is somewhat famous for wearing his dots in an -- ahem -- shall we say geographically unusual area . . .

[guitaroboe]

Thanks Suz!
never thought of that idea!
Looking forward to meeting you
Adonis