Going for the Gold In Athens

Dear Penny Pincher:

My nephew was the 2000 Gold Medalist for the United States in Beach Volleyball at Bondi Beach. I did not get to see him score this amazing feat. I am determined to see him win in Greece in August 2004. Do you have any suggestions for scoring cheap airline tickets, lodgings, and food in Filero, Greece? I am a poor school teacher and can't afford much.

Thanks for your help.

Barbara Wong

Hi Barbara,

Congratulations on your nephew’s excellence in sand volleyball. I am a big fan of beach volleyball and have a few friends who compete on the AVP circuit. As for planning your trip, I suggest that you start familiarizing yourself with airfare pricing as soon as possible. This will give you a good feel for the general range of fares from your home city to Athens Greece. In general a good fare should cost between $399 and $525. However, I suggest holding off on actually purchasing your ticket until the summer European Fare Sales begin in May.

With respect to lodging and food I recommend that you stick with the local boutique hotels and smaller neighbor restaurants. You can find these types of local establishments by doing an internet search for Greece and then refining your search to the neighborhoods that you plan to visit.

For the most part Greece is an affordable travel destination as long as you stay away from the big tourist spots. This will be especially true during this summer Olympic Games. As long as you plan in advance and think like a local you should be able to have a pleasant and affordable trip.

Enjoy.

Barbara Wong's reply:

Joel, you are awesome! Thank for the great advice and for the encouragement for my nephew, Dain Blanton. Do you know him? I was pricing tickets to
Athens at $1,600 right now and passing out! I am encouraged by your
suggestion and more moderate pricing at $399 to $525. We have looked
at some local hotels and restaurants in the Falaro area where he will
be playing. We also hear there might be some lodging for family and
friends provided by one of the sponsors. In Australia, AT & T reserved
a restaurant for the family and friends that was free all day for all
the eats you wanted! We are hoping for the same in Athens.

Thanks for all your help.

Barbara Wong