The Chapel of Art on sat 21 jan 06
It is worth thinking about when booking courses,
accommodation and other costly undertakings
associated with the learning process in a free
market economy...
There is nothing worthwhile which comes cheaply
and when you add all the costs up, any course
costs a lot more than the initial "oh, that is
not bad. I can afford that easily/if I save/when
my inheritance comes through". Nor should any
course you decide to take be a real financial
strain, because that will nullify a lot of the
potential benefits... Being all uptight and
trying too hard to get your "full money?s worth"
is not an ideal state of mind to be in or
inductive to absorbing lots of new
knowledge/learning new skills!!
But a relatively small amount of extra cost can
give you complete peace of mind. Holiday
cancellation insurance is the way to go! And if
you attend several out of town workshops/courses
a year, an annual insurance is even better value
for money. Ours is a mere =A330 per annum per
person and would also cover "repatriation" if
taken ill once we are "away" or needed to return
home for other "emergencies". That means from
anywhere from a mile or two down the road to
worldwide. Most people think of travel insurance
only being applicable for when they are abroad,
but it ain't necessarily so.
It also includes all fees and costs incurred "up
front", including changes in travel arrangements
which can add huge amounts in the UK/Europe these
days. For example, my cousin`s partner took a
weekend trip to L=FCbeck/Germany with two
girlfriends to the Christmas market there in
December. To cut a very long and highly amusing
story (in a schadenfreude way) short, they ended
up returning to Prestwick/Scotland via
Bergamo/Italy!!! There were others amongst the
200 from the cancelled flight (next opportunity
to return home in their tender care was several
days later) who had no such luck and ended up
paying hundreds of pounds/euros getting home. A
class action court case seems inevitable with the
support of the German authorities, and in the
meantime we are increasingly aware of the
problems the low-cost air companies cause people
who are bound to be in a certain place at a
certain time, such as when booked for a course or
workshop...
Another tip: check out your own health and home
insurances and see what they actually cover and
see what can be added at little cost but of
immediate benefit... There are many ways of
interpreting some clauses. Try a little lateral
thinking... Maybe those were "other associated
costs" when you broke your leg and had to cancel
a workshop?? It would certainly be worthwhile
pursuing that road...
Janet Kaiser -- fully insured against
cancellation. If our =A39 from Manchester to
Hamburg later this year is cancelled for any
reason, we will be able to take a full fare
alternative at several hundred pounds both ways
each...
*** IN REPLY TO THE FOLLOWING MAIL:
>least, that's the plan. If I can do that, then
I should be able to
>finally reserve a workshop spot and NOT lose my
money AND
>the opportunity. That happened several times
last year. Once
>I was signed up for a wonderful workshop in
Tahoe ...... around
>4th of July...... fell..... drat...... lost
close to a thousand dollars
>in workshop reservation and campus housing!!
Can't afford much
>more of that.
*** PREVIOUS MAIL ENDS HERE ***
THE CHAPEL OF ART - or - CAPEL CELFYDDYD
8 Marine Crescent : Criccieth : GB-Wales LL52 0EA
Plan visiting The International Potters Path?
Contact: Janet Kaiser
Tel: ++44 (01766) 523122
http://www.the-coa.org.uk
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