Tickets bought with difficulty. Opodo.co.uk called up to say that the airline’s price went up after I’d bought my ticket outside of office hours and before they’d put it through. I had to pay the extra £108 or cancel and rebook. I chose to do the latter and save my cash. I now return on 28th. What made it hard was that Nationwide thought the second, practically identical transaction looked rather rum, so I had to call them to let it through. They were great, though. No holding, just a call straight through to Swindon. If I have to call them from the wilds of Patagonia, I’ll feel very comfortable knowing that Swindon has the answers to all my money problems.
What I have learned:
- Don’t do important things (like shopping for flights two days before you fly) out of office hours. It may come back to bite/haunt you.
Bonus is that my return flight is now via GIG rather than GRU. I’m trying to avoid São Paulo if I possibly can. Apparently, 25% of the population has been held up at gunpoint there. Mind you, I’m going to Rio, so the difference in terms of absolute violence won’t be that great, I don’t suppose.