Help And Advice Needed! - America/Canada Discussion Forum, Holiday Forums

Help And Advice Needed!

bates1972

2008-07-13 23:38:37

Hi everyone i was just wondering if anyone out there could help i am wanting to go to america to visit a friend i have met on the web through myspace etc.... and was looking into going to see her and before you think it just friends

she lives in bell,florida she aint got no room for me to stay so my plans are to fly to maybe gainesville airport that being the best option i think but if anyone can suggest another way please let me know.
Right now to the other problem that being hotel one closest to her place would be cool but not to sure i know it would be best to ask her but i want to sort something out myself so i'm ahead of things you seenow my plan is to go this november for thanksgiving but only stay in the us for 5-7 days. Another thing is that i don't drive and as i'm gonna be travelling on my own i know hotel prices will be dearer than normal and also i was unsure of taxi prices from gainesville to bell,florida?
One thing i've seen is a return flight from manchester for just under £600 but its knowing how much i would need for spending and so on sorry if i've put too much information to take in but i really want to visit her this year all being well and at least i would have all this sorted out and i've never been to usa the thing i noticed about the flights was that its 9hr or so there but 21 hrs + coming back.
So any advice would be gratefully appriecated.
So to sum it all up i want to go to gainesville airport then stay at a hotel near to bell, florida as possible and also prices for taxi's etc.... i know it would be easier to stay in gainesvile but its to far from bell fl so i'm gonna just wait and see what people can come up with.
kind regards
dave

emdia43

2008-07-14 02:52:41

Re: Help And Advice Needed!

Why don't you check some prices on flights from the UK to Atlanta and then on to Gainesville...that would probably be the most direct way for you- any time close to Thanksgiving will be expensive as it's one of the biggest holidays. Gainesville is about an hour drive from your final destination- taxi rates in general are around $2 to $2.50 a mile here, but since you are headed to a rural area from the airport they may well charge more since they are not likely to be able to pick up a return fare
From Google it looks like Bell has a population of 340, so it's just a wide spot in the road- http://www.Hotels.com doesn't show any in the town itself, the closest looks to be about 20 miles away. I would ask your friend to assist you with your plans, maybe to pick you up from the airport and deliver you to the hotel you choose..... even though you want to do it independently- you are headed for a country area that does not have much available. Is there maybe a B&B close to her home anywhere that you could stay at so that she could drive you back and forth?
Gainesville is home to the University of Florida, there is a lot more to do there- the climate is humid subtropical, even at Thanksgiving it is still warm.
In general without a car in the US you are at a BIG disadvantage, unless you are in one of the larger cities- there is not much public transportation in smaller towns, not like Britain, you can't hop on a bus/train easily.
I'm not sure why the flight times you have looked at are 9 hrs out and ?21 hours back- have they given you a long layover somewhere or are you not taking into account the time change?
Hope this helps..

luci HT Mod

2008-07-14 06:11:31

Re: Help And Advice Needed!

Look further into the flights as it should actually be about an hour less coming back than it is going. Have a look at http://www.airline-network.co.uk

luci :wave

bates1972

2008-07-14 09:34:55

Re: Help And Advice Needed!

thanks to both of you the more i think about it the more i worry about the trip etc....
it looks like the women i'm talking about is not that well of she as been doin a lot to her property.
When i looked at flights there is one going from manchester here to gainesville just under £600 and if your saying it's a good hour from the airport to her place it would cost me a lot maybe £50-75 in taxis each way???
If i wanted to go shopping i know i would have to stay in gainesville and i know that *Person's name removed to protect her privacy. Pippy* the women im talking about wants me to visit her house i didn't realise that the public transport was so bad well i mean for local travel buses/trains i just can't see another way it seems like she wants me to go but then sometimes she trys to put me off so to speak travel/hotel etc....
:tup

to both of you again :cheers

kind regards
dave

Pippy

2008-07-14 11:26:23

Re: Help And Advice Needed!

Please keep personal details of the person you are intending to visit private.

Thanks.

Pippy

bates1972

2008-07-14 11:29:00

Re: Help And Advice Needed!

sorry about that i didn't realise :whoops

sorry

dave

emdia43

2008-07-14 16:00:05

Re: Help And Advice Needed!

I think you are right to "feel nervous" about the trip- if your friend is hot and cold about you going- I would not invest the considerable money/time and effort in going unless I was assured of a warm welcome, some hospitality, and transportation- as I said you will be in a rural area with few services. If you were going to a city and the visit fell flat at least you could do some sightseeing, amuse yourself, but I don't know that you could do that in her area. I don't want to rain on your parade but I think I would give this a bit of time and thought and see how much she is prepared to do.

bates1972

2008-07-14 16:10:01

Re: Help And Advice Needed!

You know what that is the best advice i've had see what i don't wanna do is be a whats that work a spare part but what makes it worst is that she says i can't stay at hers there is only her and husband i wouldn't wanna go round to her place once while i was there i wanna go at least 3-4 times pity there aint any caravan parks near or something she keeps saying i will have to see if my husband will like company for a few days so you see were im coming from plus it's a strange country when i say that i mean a new place for me i've been on my own like this you see i'm waiting for her to get back to me to let me know what they thing???

It just when you get something in your head and they your unsure and with the way she is coming across but i'm sure that she would know not to leave me on my own there!
:wave:

thanks again :tup

kind regards
dave

mehmeh1

2008-07-14 17:01:53

Re: Help And Advice Needed!

My feeling is that if you go, you will be extremely bored! You will be going to a place right in the middle of nowhere, with no transport. Nothing to do except wait for your friend. Remember, while you may be on holiday, they won't be. They will be going on with their normal day to day life, which is probably pretty busy and just fitting you in whenever. If you are going to spend all that money, why not have a proper holiday in a holiday destination?

bates1972

2008-07-14 22:07:56

Re: Help And Advice Needed!

You have just said exactly what my friend from work said he told me to go and watch nascar which is what i like so then if something went wrong and i couldn't see them well i would have something to fall back on i would deffo go and watch nascar i know going on my own might be a bit dangerous not knowing anyone there but i could meet this woman and her husband for one day out of the 5-6 days maybe and because that is 2 people within 2 hours has said this well what more can i say but thanks i know she lives in bell,florida maybe i could find the nearest nascar venue to her and build on that as my holiday you are right i would get bored and people are opening my eyes a bit more so it's nascar route planner time i think maybe atlanta speedway or another one that is closer what do you think then at least i would still see and not get bored and it might even make the holiday cheaper.
Thanks for your very important advice and the other people :tup

kind regards
dave

emdia43

2008-07-15 01:23:03

Re: Help And Advice Needed!

For Nascar- Daytona Beach is much closer for you- a couple of hours drive from your friend.
don't know what their calendar is though, if there is anything in November? Daytona is a beach town so if you were going at some other time than November you could see the Nascar and have a beach holiday.
I hope it all works out for you.

bates1972

2008-07-15 09:45:03

Re: Help And Advice Needed!

thanks for the advice if i do finally decide what i'm gonna do i will post it thanks again to you and the others very helpfull indeed

kind regards
dave :cheers

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