AmaWaterways has unveiled a new seven-night "Best of the Danube" itinerary inspired by co-founder and President Rudi Schreiner.
08.08.2024 - 10:40 / insider.com / Taylor Swift
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Bianca Capazorio, a 41-year-old Swiftie based in Cape Town, South Africa. It has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified her expenses.
I became a Swiftie the way a lot of Swifties became Swifties — through heartbreak.
The first album that introduced me to Taylor Swift was the album "Red." The song "All Too Well" came out during a time when I was going through a massive breakup.
Her lyrics resonated with me so much.
But as much as I was a fan, I've never had the opportunity to go to a concert before. She's never been to South Africa, where I'm from.
So when she announced the Eras Tour, I thought it was the perfect opportunity. Not only would I get to see her perform so many old songs, I'd get to hear her new stuff, too.
My friend and I decided we would go to the first Europeancountry where we could score tickets.
A few different sales went live on the same day, and I ended up taking that day off work so I could focus on getting the tickets.
In the end, the day off wasn't necessary. My friend had secured tickets to the Vienna show the day before. It took her less than five minutes to buy the tickets, and we even got great seats in the front standing section.
We were surprised, but it was that quick.
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We had a budget in mind that we didn't want to go over. For me, my budget was between 5,000 and 6,000 South African Rand, or about $270 to $326, for a ticket. In the end, each ticket was about $197.
My flight ticket cost 14,828 Rand, or about $800. Since it's a long-haul flight — about 15 hours, including a three-hour stopover in Dubai — my friends and I decided to make a trip out of it. We'll be traveling around Austria for two weeks.
One of my friends made her own outfit, while the other had one made. I, too, bought an outfit for the concert — one of those tassel dresses that looks a lot like the ones Taylor wore in her "Fearless" era. It's blue and sparkly.
Together, the three of us made a whole bunch of friendship bracelets to trade at the show, too.
My friend and I were out at dinner when our third friend, who stayed behind in the hotel, called us to say that she saw chatter online about how the concert might be canceled.
Barracuda Music, an Austrian event organizer, had posted a notice about it. We hoped that it was just fake news but when we saw that Taylor Nation, the official social-media account for Taylor's team, reposting it, our hearts sank.
I was devastated. It's been a year in the planning, and I've been looking forward to it for so long.
Additionally, I feel like it's our only chance to see this show because the tour is finishing soon.
At the same time, I accept that the decision was probably
AmaWaterways has unveiled a new seven-night "Best of the Danube" itinerary inspired by co-founder and President Rudi Schreiner.
Even though Vienna won’t be hosting a Taylor Swift concert this week, it’s still getting a tourism boost from her fans.
A London getaway is always exciting—take it from someone who has lived here for a decade—but first, you must decide the best area to stay in London for you. Do you want to be in the center of the capital, close to the action and the best things to do in London, or a little further out in a more peaceful location? Is it important to be close to public transport options, major train stations such as King's Cross, or iconic cultural landmarks like the Natural History Museum? Or perhaps you'd rather stay in one of the best neighborhoods in London to get under the skin of life like a local? Thankfully, whatever version of London you're interested in experiencing—foodie London, arty London, cultural London, or iconic London—there'll be world-class hotels to book as your base. But we get it—as one of Europe's biggest and busiest cities, it can be overwhelming when you need to decide where exactly to stay. Below we've listed our favourite areas of London for every type of traveler.
For Olympics viewers that have recently caught Paris wanderlust, a low-cost carrier has affordable flights to make your trip to France a reality. Norse Atlantic Airways recently updated several one-way flight deals which include New York (JFK) to Paris (CDG) for as little as $112 one-way throughout the fall and even into 2025. From the west coast, travelers can score one-way flight deals from Los Angeles (LAX) to Paris (CDG) for as little as $188 throughout the fall. All of the deals are located on Norse’s main homepage. Travelers can filter the flight results by inputting their home city or destination, and even set a maximum budget. Beyond Paris, travelers can also get deals to London's Gatwick airport for as low as $72 one-way.
Europe dominates in a new ranking of the world’s most beautiful cities, filling nine of the top 10 spots.
As someone who's traveled to over 40 countries, there was one thing I never checked off my travel bucket list: flying business class. I always walked past the lie-flat seats and dreamed one day I would be able to.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kayla Sommese, a Taylor Swift fan who traveled from Los Angeles to Vienna to catch Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. It has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified her expenses.
It was eight in the morning, and the prickly July humidity had already seeped through my skin as I hopped out of the cab in Singapore’s Little India. Greeted by the bustle of vendors setting up, I was transported back to my childhood, to days spent wandering the neighborhood with my grandmother. The aroma of fresh coriander from vibrant spice stalls spurred memories of her tangy coconut prawn curry. The musky fragrance of jasmine adorning colorful flower stalls reminded me of how she’d woven them into my braids. She never would again.
Former American Airlines chief commercial officer Vasu Raja said he believes the future of the airline industry lies in loyalty programs and long-haul premium travel.
Aug 7, 2024 • 8 min read
Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, there’s an airport that best suits every traveler’s preference. Some passengers prefer to leave first thing in the morning to avoid delays, while others don’t mind a red-eye to make the most of their day.
If you're a regular TPG reader, you know we believe that the best use of hotel points is for hotel stays — other uses are almost always a bad idea. This is because you typically lose value on your hotel points when you redeem them for other things outside of booking a hotel.