Chat thread – Wednesday 2nd April
Discuss today's stories:
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Sonder Battery Park very precisely fits your stated needs. Kitchen, huge suites. I could not believe the size of the suite we got for the money, especially in NYC! But it is possible I stumbled upon an error rate as on other days it seemed pricier!
When my kids were young we had a great holiday in New York (and Boston & Marthas Vineyard) we stayed in the Millennium Hilton (it was Millennium & Copthorn in those days) at the UN Plaza. When the UN isn’t sitting its prices were really good but what my kids absolutely loved was the swimming pool on the 27th floor – which was a huge novelty.[/quote]
We’ve reserved here for Oct. (based solely on price!) but think the pool’s gone, sadly.
@davefl – That is an unusual symptom with your eyes, I’m sorry to hear this, my astigmatism is 160 & 10, and are fixed for now.
So not bad compared to yours fluctuating issue, I find Cooper vision are one of the only few manufacturers that I can purchase my lenses from, so I’m very restricted in that respect.
I have in fact just purchased some designer glasses and sunglasses at specsavers though their BOGOF deal, but due to having quite bad short sightedness (since the age of 10) the lenses had to be ultra thin so the cost was not as lucrative in the end unfortunately. I guess it’s something we are stuck with.
@davefl – That is an unusual symptom with your eyes, I’m sorry to hear this, my astigmatism is 160 & 10, and are fixed for now.
So not bad compared to yours fluctuating issue, I find Cooper vision are one of the only few manufacturers that I can purchase my lenses from, so I’m very restricted in that respect.
I have in fact just purchased some designer glasses and sunglasses at specsavers though their BOGOF deal, but due to having quite bad short sightedness (since the age of 10) the lenses had to be ultra thin so the cost was not as lucrative in the end unfortunately. I guess it’s something we are stuck with.
I’m -8 and -8.5, and also have bad astigmatism, shortsighted since age 7. I actually gave up on contacts when I was about 50, as found I was taking them out all the time, never wore them at weekends and took them out as soon as I got home from work.
I’ve found a brand of glasses called Swissflex that are super light, and marketed as ‘fees like you are wearing nothing’ or similar, but not very fashionable, & can cope with thick lenses, only trouble is the frames are about £200 and the lenses £500 or £600 dependant on how desperate my optician seems to be to sell them to me, he doesn’t hold them in stock so he has to order them in.
As you say it is something we are stuck with. I didn’t know you could get glasses in Costco.
@Misty The Costco Optical centre is amazing. Manchester has recently been expanded, double the size, more staff, double the numner of opticians and some really hi tech kist that I’ve never seen before. Seeing cross sectional imaging of my eyes last time was a revelation.
Unfortunately they dropped RGP contacts over 10 years ago, so I go to my local independent optician for NHS services. free tests as my eyes are so bad, and he opened a special account for me with a manufacturer years ago to get the brand of RGP that was comfortable for by needs. Nobody makes soft/disposable in my prescription. I did try a special multifocal soft lens a few years ago but my brain couldn’t cope. I’ve been wearing RGP for over 40 years. He also supplies distance glasses so I can drive with my contacts in.
The height of the lens for my glasses prescription dictate the weight and nobody in the world (I’ve checked in multiple countries) makes anything small enough. Bought some end of line Oakley ones on ebay a couple of years ago on the (sizing) advice of the Costco staff. The rimless ones from Swissflex and other manufacturers would technically work but I hate rimless and the prices you’ve mentioned would be more than double what I pay Costco for 1.9 index Zeiss lenses.
I envy those who can travel hand luggage only – My standard going away package is 2 pairs of glasses, 2 distance, 2 reading, a spare pair of lenses (because I’ll be travelling in one set) and at least 2-3 sets of fluids (because I’m allergic to some and others don’t give me as long a wear time as the Menicon Pure (which are not generally available in most countries inc America). So I split everything between carryon and hand luggage.
I’ve had some awful trips before I started carrying two of everything where my only pair of glasses got lost/broken.
One trip I left my glasses behind in a hotel in my washbag, (never found, cleaning staff chucked them away) then the next morning I lost one of my contacts down the side of a car seat. When you can only see around 4 inches with your naked eye it makes driving impossible with vision in one eye. Thankfully a local mechanic managed to remove the car seat and find the missing lens. I had 700 miles to drive before flying home, so it would have been a disaster if he hadn’t come to my rescue.
I associate these eye symptoms with great intelligence when I meet people with them – there seems to be some correlation 🙂
Would it be worth getting a Costco membership purely for online shopping? Unfortunately we don’t have any Costco stores here in NI, and it is something I’ve been wondering about for a while now.
I recently joined as a business member. I don’t know why I didn’t join before. A Costco membership gives access to Costcos worldwide and I could have ‘cleaned up’ nicely if I’d visited them on my trips to the US.
I think you’d only need 1 good buy per year to break even on the membership fee. I gather that for those near a Costco that sells petrol, that alone csn be a reason for families joining.
Note that prices for the same thing can vary by which Costco and so far I’ve found online prices not worth the fuss and many items I checked better priced instore. I think physically visiting the Costco warehouse is the way to go, unless you’re joining just for a particulsr online deal and not planning to do much else.
Gut feeling that some changes may be afoot in future years after reading some recent corporate snippets about them so I’d jump in now if I were you.
The only thing I have been disappointed in is their car hire quotes which haven’t seemed particularly good pricing at all. Previously when friends got me quotes a few years back they were priced like good corporate deals. Definitely not the case now seems like they’re not even trying.
But I already broke even on membership costs on my first visit and adding later visits this gets even better. But I’d like to see decent car hire quotes back.
One other big plus for Costco is tyres, they often have great deals if you buy two or four. I tend to join when I need some and let it lapse although that may change as work takes me near a store now.
The tyre deals are basically a semi permanent thing, it was good when it started many years ago, but I’ve found the likes of pirelli, Bridgestone, Goodyear and Michelin tyres can be sourced elsewhere for a better price, example “Black circles” online, even with the buy two and save £50 or buy four and save £100 offers that Costco have. I have not purchased tyres from Costco for many years now.
@Gordon, have you tried the wine, lol?!
@Gordon, have you tried the wine, lol?!
I don’t drink wine, but they do have a good selection to choose from. Oh and they also sell suitcases lol?!
Luton Airport to be allowed to double capacity
The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, granted a development consent order for the airport’s plans to expand its perimeter and add a new terminal, allowing for a potential 32 million passengers a year.
Luton Airport to be allowed to double capacity
The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, granted a development consent order for the airport’s plans to expand its perimeter and add a new terminal, allowing for a potential 32 million passengers a year.
Yes this popped up earlier! Expansions all round so it seems!
Gut feeling that some changes may be afoot in future years after reading some recent corporate snippets about them so I’d jump in now if I were you.
They’re changing the names of the tiers according to the recent costco magazine that was on the doormat when I came home from my trip. Can’t remember what the new ones are but I don’t think much else is changing.
The only thing I have been disappointed in is their car hire quotes which haven’t seemed particularly good pricing at all. Previously when friends got me quotes a few years back they were priced like good corporate deals. Definitely not the case now seems like they’re not even trying.
[/quote]2nd driver free is a big benefit for a lot of people who don’t play the Avis/BA game. The rates vary by location and country obviously. I got a great deal in the US last year but then my other 3 rentals on that trip were better priced with Avis.
@Strickers – Agreed. Tyres always from Costco, have done that for decades, usually black friday discounts as well as the regular coupons. Petrol if I’m visiting but the price differential has narrowed recently. I’ve see queues in the US of a hundred cars or more at Costoc stations and wasn’t worth it to save 10 cents a gallon. But hey, if you have a huge truck and fill up more than once a week you’re going to sit in that queue.I associate these eye symptoms with great intelligence when I meet people with them – there seems to be some correlation 🙂
In my case it’s great forgetfullness. I am very proud of the fact that I’ve just completed 8 weeks in 8 countries and didn’t lose, break or run out of a single thing.
Which reminds me, I must finish that trip report.
@Misty The Costco Optical centre is amazing. Manchester has recently been expanded, double the size, more staff, double the numner of opticians and some really hi tech kist that I’ve never seen before. Seeing cross sectional imaging of my eyes last time was a revelation.
Unfortunately they dropped RGP contacts over 10 years ago, so I go to my local independent optician for NHS services. free tests as my eyes are so bad, and he opened a special account for me with a manufacturer years ago to get the brand of RGP that was comfortable for by needs. Nobody makes soft/disposable in my prescription. I did try a special multifocal soft lens a few years ago but my brain couldn’t cope. I’ve been wearing RGP for over 40 years. He also supplies distance glasses so I can drive with my contacts in.
The height of the lens for my glasses prescription dictate the weight and nobody in the world (I’ve checked in multiple countries) makes anything small enough. Bought some end of line Oakley ones on ebay a couple of years ago on the (sizing) advice of the Costco staff. The rimless ones from Swissflex and other manufacturers would technically work but I hate rimless and the prices you’ve mentioned would be more than double what I pay Costco for 1.9 index Zeiss lenses.
I envy those who can travel hand luggage only – My standard going away package is 2 pairs of glasses, 2 distance, 2 reading, a spare pair of lenses (because I’ll be travelling in one set) and at least 2-3 sets of fluids (because I’m allergic to some and others don’t give me as long a wear time as the Menicon Pure (which are not generally available in most countries inc America). So I split everything between carryon and hand luggage.
I’ve had some awful trips before I started carrying two of everything where my only pair of glasses got lost/broken.
One trip I left my glasses behind in a hotel in my washbag, (never found, cleaning staff chucked them away) then the next morning I lost one of my contacts down the side of a car seat. When you can only see around 4 inches with your naked eye it makes driving impossible with vision in one eye. Thankfully a local mechanic managed to remove the car seat and find the missing lens. I had 700 miles to drive before flying home, so it would have been a disaster if he hadn’t come to my rescue.
@daveFL I agree with you about the rimless SwissFlex they are pretty grim to look at, as are most rimless.Fortunately my local Independent manages to find me something that is tolerable to the eye in both senses, and I fork out for the thinnest lenses I can afford. The older I get the less I care TBH, so provided I can see I’m happyish.
I get free eye tests as My Dad had Glaucoma and was blind by the time he died at 93, they sort of puff air into my eyes, and give me a clicker test. I’ve asked a few what my chances of getting it are, but nobody knows (why would they). I’ve had a couple say that Myopes tend to get everything, which as you can imagine made me feel wonderful.
I once lost my contacts in the US and visited a local optician who gave me an eyesight test, every time I got something right on the board he said ‘Way to go Misty, Way to go’ then told me he couldn’t prescribe for me, no idea why.
I dug out my spare ancient 20 year old glasses’ as I was in the Everglades at the time and didn’t want to accidently tread on an alligator.
Sounds like you have managed a good deal at Costco, I should probably investigate.
Fortunately my local Independent manages to find me something that is tolerable to the eye in both senses, and I fork out for the thinnest lenses I can afford. The older I get the less I care TBH, so provided I can see I’m happyish.
For me it’s not the looks, it’s the physical necessity. If I don’t get the 1.9 index and the smallest diameter lens possible (shortest vertical measurement on the frame) then the nose pads cause serious discomfort due to the weight and I get sores on my nose. Last time any optician (inc Costco) could supply a suitable frame from stock or special order was 2015 🙁
Next time you’re in Costco take your prescription along and ask them for options, there’s no need to have a test there if it’s a current scrip. If you don’t like the frames they have they’re happy to reglaze your current ones.
I get the glaucoma test for similar reasons, plus additional NHS tests at the health centre (again have to get the bus due to drops), it’s all a nightmare.
Anyway, I’ve had my moan, lets get back to travel 🙂 I need to finish my Sicily planning for easter.
Continuing the discussion on eyesight – I was becoming increasingly myopic and had astigmatism but my gas permeable contact lenses kept the astigmatism at bay. Because of the worsening myopia I had my cataracts removed which although not meant to reverse the astigmatism it did and I now have 20:20 vision for the first time since I was probably about 10!
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