I don't normally go on vacations-vacations... I sometimes have to take trips because almost my entire family is back home but, when I do, is never more often than every four years or so and just two weeks with my husband staying behind so the birds stay in their known 'world', getting the same diet, keeping exactly the same schedule as they always do and cared for by a person they see all the time. My 'real' vacations (if one can call taking a grandchild to Disney World and Universal Studios or going to visit a cousin who lost her husband or some such a 'vacation'!) are never more than five days to a week, never more often than once every other year and this is precisely because of the birds. The only reason why my trips back home last two weeks is that the trip itself is exhausting because there are no direct flights (it normally takes about 18 hours and, sometimes, up to 24!) so I need, at least, an entire day to rest after it and I also have so many visits to make or company to receive (lots of children with spouses and grandkids, cousins and cousins' children, nieces, brother and sister in law, old friends, etc) that I actually have to rush from one house to another and from one city to another so as to 'fit' everybody in the visit - and I go every four years or so precisely because these trips are so long.
I used to travel a lot and I loved it! But, since I got the birds, I've had to stop it and travel only when I don't have a choice and then space it out and make it as short as possible. Having pet parrots is not easy... I would much rather have 20 dogs and 20 cats than a single little GCC
I really don't have any other ideas to share with you. I would go with the friend that did it before (if she is willing) and hope the plucking doesn't become chronic because, with toos, is not only pulling feathers, it's also self-mutilation that you need to take into consideration...