Before I bought my ticket for BlogHer ’14 I did some research into the cost of flights, and quickly discovered that it would be (in my books, at least) expensive. With very little variation between airlines, it seemed as though I’d be looking at somewhere around $600 (usually more) for a round-trip flight between Detroit and San Jose (and don’t even get me STARTED on the cost of flying out of Canada instead – suffice to say that you can pretty much count on doubling it).
Undaunted, and encouraged by the magic words seat sales whispered in my ear by several well-intentioned enablers, I purchased my conference ticket anyway. In the weeks to follow I began to haunt various airline and travel web sites in dogged pursuit of a half-price ticket ($300 seems reasonable, no?) so that I could fulfill my dream and get myself to BlogHer ’14… and you know what?
There aren’t any.
Despite searching on various days of the week, at various times of the day, on different airlines, after clearing my cookies, when the planets were aligned, while crossing my fingers and toes and eyes and everything else that can be crossed (though that makes typing a bit of a challenge), the prices remain stubbornly fixed in the $600 neighbourhood.
I refuse to give up, however! I am holding out hope that one or more of the following fantasies come true (any would be fine – I’m not picky) before July of next year:
- An amazing seat sale materializes.
- I win a lottery (Note to self: start buying lottery tickets).
- A company who sells products or services I love decides that they need someone to rave about them at BlogHer ’14, realizes that I am just the person to do this, and offers to compensate me for my efforts by covering the costs of my trip.
- I get a raise.
- A wealthy benefactor turns up out of the woodwork and offers to pay me for writing my blog.
- I win first prize in some random contest (Note to self: start entering more contests) and receive an all-expenses-paid trip anywhere in the US.
- BlogHer decides to syndicate a dozen or so of my posts.
It could happen, right? Right?!
Here’s hoping for a miracle…
