[TRIP] Important Webites

A few websites to keep handy:

1. At the very beginning, open an account with TripIt. It allows for tracking reservations, tickets and schedules by emailing them in and then viewing them online from anywhere, even when on the road, in Europe.

2. Plan your trip using an online map site, like Google Maps. An alternative to it is ViaMichelin, my personal favorite. It is in my opinion, more flexible, allowing choosing directions by the type of desired route: Recommended, Quickest, Shortest, Sightseeing and Economical. Just like Google Maps, it allows bookmarking trips, which can later be imported into TripIt.

3. When it is time to spend some money, it is best to spend as little as possible. First, the airfare, there are two options: Lufthansa offers 2-for-1 tickets, so during high season, it is most often the best option. Second ticket is free, only taxes and airport fees must be paid. Also, when booking with Lufthansa, using the promotion, the production number must be supplied and only 30 days before the departure the ticket will be issued and credit card charged.
The alternative is an aggregate fare search like Kayak. It searches through tens of websites, both wholesalers and individual airlines to find the best price. Highly recommended! All the reservations received can be forwarded to TripIt so they will be added nicely to the itinerary.

4. Now, that the groundwork is laid, tickets purchased, European Delivery scheduled, it is time to add some more content to the trip. Here are some websites: BMW own website with a section on European Delivery trips, Wikitravel is another favorite with facts and tips useful when traveling. Another one is TripAdvisor, an enormous community of travelers. Great source of information and subjective opinions, which sometimes need to be taken with a grain of salt.

It is just a beginning and a starting list of websites, I will be adding to it as the date gets near.

Approved!

Hehehe, I am so excited now.

On Saturday we learned that we got approved for a lease on a new 328xi with a delivery date of 4/18/2009.

On 1/12 I contacted Alex Dytko from BMW of Peabody, one of the sponsors of Bimmerfest. I have to admit, it was a slam dunk. After having such bad experience with the other guys, I didn't have high hopes, but Alex turned out to be very responsive, attentive to details and just plain down-to-earth guy. After exchanging couple emails and a few phone calls, we decided to go and check the place ourselves.

After about 1.5 hour drive we arrived at BMW of Peabody. Alex met us in the lobby, but he was with some other couple. We were invited to a beautiful waiting room with a flat screen TV and an unlimited supply of Coke and coffee. Then, Alex came and met us, we went to the parking lot, picked the color (Beige on Crimson Red) and returned to finish paperwork. We got our passports xeroxed and we filled out some paperwork, Credit Applications and such.

A week passes by with a few emails exchanged and couple documents scanned and emailed (BIG plus while working with a Internet/email/Blackberry addicted CA) and just last Saturday, I got an email you see above. We were on town, coming back from a dinner with friends and I decided to check my email. My heart skipped a bit, when I saw it. My wife smiled when she saw it, but we didn't spill the beans and we kept our mouths shut until the end of the night. Great news! Thanks Alex.

Places to see: Fuerstenfeldbruck Abbey

I decided to post some places to see, while in Munich/Bavaria. I will expand on the selection, as time and my research progresses. Here is a first one:

A short 30-minute drive away from Munich lies Fuerstenfeldbruck. With its famous Fuerstenfeldbruck Abbey, it makes for a great, short drive. The main turist attraction is a cathedral, which supposedly is the best example of an European baroque. The number of ornaments is staggering, everything overburdened with colors and a light-color play. Can be interesting!