Anyone got any travel planned?

[ivinsfan]

Do you mean the rug ate your travel budget for the next couple of years or that you are traveled out and taking a break?

[ElizabethT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bamaman My wife bought a big handmade rug for our dining room when we were in Turkey 2 weeks ago, and we won't be going anywhere for a couple of years.

Thank you for taking one for the team.

(Been to Turkey. Managed to escape unharmed, i.e
carpet free. :-)

[HFWR]

My Turkish rug was made in China. I also eat on China. Should I be hiding my wealth?

[KmmFIdreamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gayl Last night, I was considering a train trip -- SFO to CHICAGO or CHARLESTON by Amtrak. Flown over the country but only been to West Coast & New England, DC, Miami, New Orleans Then Edinburg Scotland is still on my 2016 list

We did Denver to SFO (and back) on Amtrak a few year back and it was lots of fun! We got lucky and went on a summer weekend when there were interpretive guides on board (they were volunteers from the railroad museums in Co and Ca). It was interesting to hear about the railroad history and all sorts of other interesting info along the route. We took sandwiches and snacks - but be sure to enjoy at least one or two meals in the dining car too.

The Denver to Chicago trip is something I have had on the back burner for a long while and just not gotten around to doing yet. If I recall right, I think that you could break up the ticketing to get a layover somewhere along the route for up to a week. That might be something you might want to consider doing if you want to see someplace like Salt Lake City area or Denver area/Rocky Mountains. Glenwood Springs Co is fun too and is a stop on the Zephyrs route - though the train is pretty full between there and Denver with locals going on weekend trips.....

Just be prepared to be flexible in your travel plans as Amtrak always seems to run a bit late....

[gayl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KmmFIdreamer We did Denver to SFO (and back) on Amtrak a few year back and it was lots of fun! ..... Just be prepared to be flexible in your travel plans as Amtrak always seems to run a bit late....

One good thing about being FIRE'd is that timing isn't crucial

Just wondering :

1. how much of the country were you able to see from the train
2. are you able to get off for the day multiple times
3. quality of sleeping / food

[brett]

The train trip across Russia to China on the trans Siberian railway (with many stops/interludes) is on my bucket list. Alas, not on DW's so I will have to either do it alone or find a complementary travel companion.


So for now, have to settle on driving from the west to Gaspe and the Maritimes in August and a who knows where trip to southern Europe for Sept/Oct from Toronto when and if we grab a good travel offer up until the time we drive start driving home.

[Souschef]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brett The train trip across Russia to China on the trans Siberian railway (with many stops/interludes) is on my bucket list. Alas, not on DW's so I will have to either do it alone or find a complementary travel companion. So for now, have to settle on driving from the west to Gaspe and the Maritimes in August and a who knows where trip to southern Europe for Sept/Oct from Toronto when and if we grab a good travel offer up until the time we drive start driving home.

I took the Trans Siberian from Moscow to Vladivostok. It was a fantastic trip
I would recommend a book by Bryn Thomas called "TranSiberian Handbook"

[brett]

Souschef...thanks very much. Just reserved it at our local library! I will give it a read.

[DrRoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronstar Finishing up the planning on this 11 day road trip. Fly Chi-Sea, Drive to LA, Fly back to Chi.

Ron, for my taste, you are covering too much ground in too little time. I would suggest trying to add in a visit to Crater Lake, which is just a bit off your route, or at least hitting Oregon Dunes which is on your route just south of Reedsburg.
Here's what you can see.

[scrinch]

I've got a one-way trip from Jakarta to SFO planned for next Tuesday! We're all packed up and living out of suitcases now, and we're getting the dog used to his crate for the day-long journey next week.

Repatriation Day!

[KmmFIdreamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gayl One good thing about being FIRE'd is that timing isn't crucial Just wondering : how much of the country were you able to see from the train are you able to get off for the day multiple times quality of sleeping / food

The scenic parts of the trip are during the daylight hours (mostly the mountains in Co and Ca....). As far as getting off, most of the stops are pretty short so only a quick stretch along the platform was possible. If you wanted to stop along the way, you would have to do an overnight as there is only one train a day in each direction. When we went they did some servicing in Salt Lake and stopped there for a couple of hours, but it was the middle of the night so nothing really exciting to see from the train platform.

The food was just okay, but it is fun to eat in the dining car and see how the service works. Unless there are 4 people in your party you end up sitting with others at your table, which can be part of the fun!

As far as sleep, we only got coach seats. I slept only a little sitting upright but DH and DS (still young) slept pretty good. The seats are wide and do recline a bit so they are not too bad. If you are going for more than one night I would actually recommend a sleeper (for a few more $), so that you can lie down flat and have some privacy. You can always walk around the train and sit in the observation car lounge, so that sleeper compartment is not claustrophobic....

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bamaman My wife bought a big handmade rug for our dining room when we were in Turkey 2 weeks ago, and we won't be going anywhere for a couple of years.

Reminded me of this:

[tulak]

I finished booking the last hotel for our trip to Europe this summer. This is probably our last major trip before our son heads off for college next year.

We'll be visiting Crete, Sicily, Rome, Czech, Paris and Reykjavik.

We'll be there in August, so it's going to be hot and in some places, busy, but I think we've got a good mix of less touristy places to visit, so hopefully it won't be too bad. And all of the hotels have AC.

Only six more weeks before we head out. Can't wait.

[gayl]

Cruise leaves on Sunday

[jabbahop]

Family of 5. Montreal - Newark - Honolulu. Visiting Pearl Harbor for a day then to Kauai for 9 days.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[grasshopper]

Back home in Paradise after 20 days in S.A. Spent 3 nights in Quito Ecuador, nice but could have been happy with 2 nights. 9 nights on a small ship (La Pinta) cruising the Galapagos Islands, Saw all the critters snorkeled with penguins, and sea lions, that was kool. Went to Cosco Peru, 3 days in the Sacred Valley, nice ruins, more bird watching. Off to Machu Picchu for a couple of days, one day at the ruins, and an early morning hike to the Sun Gate. Back to Cosco for 2 days more ruins and churches. Fly to Lima toured some ruins in churches, and flew on home. Took all the same postcard photos as everyone else, have a bunch will share my favorites later.

[Winemaker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jabbahop Family of 5. Montreal - Newark - Honolulu. Visiting Pearl Harbor for a day then to Kauai for 9 days. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Make sure you check out:

1. The fish stand in the Coconut Marketplace, it looks like a ice cream stand. They do sell shaved ice. Anyhoo, the cooks' husbands catch fish in AM for the stand, then the hubbies go to work at the hotels and restaurants in town. Save lots of moolah!
2. The Korean restaurant in Ka'paa.
3. Get a schedule for some of the farmer's markets held in various parking lots throughout Kauai, Hawaii for that matter. Excellent food, fresh fruit and veggies.
4. Have a great time.

[Bamaman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivinsfan Do you mean the rug ate your travel budget for the next couple of years or that you are traveled out and taking a break?

It wasn't the oriental rug that got me. When we got it in the dining room, our 20' x 35' living room looked naked.

It was the second rug that broke the camel's back.

Seriously, we've traveled enough in the last 3 years. During that time, we've not had time to enjoy our lake house and boat 18 miles away. We've also moved and still not got over the top unpacking all my tools and cabinet shop. And my wife's having mid foot arthritis and is quite miserable.

[audreyh1]

I have been working out all the details and am still hard at it - see my tag line.

• We are heading out late August, to spend a week in Amsterdam.
• Then flying to Lyon for 3 nights

Then by train to:

• Avignon for 6 nights - visit Nimes, Arles, Pont-du-Gard, Alpilles sites, Luberon sites
• Nice for 6 nights - visit Antibes, Cap Ferat, Eze, Grasse, interior sites, St. Paul de Vence
• Aix-en-Provence 2 nights - visit Cassis
• Carcassonne 1 night
• Barcelona 6 nights - mostly in city but will do at least one day trip out to Dali's home/museum.
• Fly home from Barcelona.

We are using the towns in Provence and the Riviera as bases, and going out on day trips just about every day via train/bus or pre-booked minivan tour.

The transfer from Nice to Barcelona, we're breaking up an otherwise long train ride at some interesting spots.

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bamaman It wasn't the oriental rug that got me. When we got it in the dining room, our 20' x 35' living room looked naked. It was the second rug that broke the camel's back. Seriously, we've traveled enough in the last 3 years. During that time, we've not had time to enjoy our lake house and boat 18 miles away. We've also moved and still not got over the top unpacking all my tools and cabinet shop. And my wife's having mid foot arthritis and is quite miserable.

Yep - time to slow down a little bit. That last one is the clencher!