Anyone got any travel planned?

[NW-Bound]

I have posted the following photo before, taken on Karlův most (Charles Bridge) in Prague. The place was swarmed with British tourists, as it was a popular weekend spot for them.

My wife has also been to Budapest on a trip with friends, but I still have to visit it. We should be traveling like crazy now that we are free of children support as well as care for parents, but my sudden health problem in 2013 still holds us back.

 

[scrinch]

Ladies collecting snails from the bottom of the river in the Tam Coc area near Hanoi. And the cave our boat is about to enter. The river flows straight through these caves and out the other side....right under the mountain!

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Meadbh]

That sounds like such a wonderful trip! So many people have raved to me about Budapest and Prague...they are definitely on my travel "wish list" now. And I hear ya on the bank account...I'm relucant to add up all of our expenses from this trip. Europe is expensive! (at least the places we went - especially Paris) We are not used to spending like that. It was all worth it, though.

Budapest is quite reasonable and Prague is moderately priced. Highlights of Budapest for me were the Dohany Street Synagogue and museum, the Communist tour, the spectacular river vistas and Vac Street, a pedestrian shopping street linking the Market and the plaza with Cafe Gerbeaud and the buskers.

Highlights of Prague for me included the ubiquitousness of music and cultural performances (Dvorak anyone?), the chocolate box architecture (reputed to have inspired Walt Disney), and a sobering visit to Terezin. The surrounding countryside was resplendent with yellow canola in early May and was quite beautiful.

 

[simple girl]

> So many people have raved to me about Budapest and Prague

Arriving in Budapest in the evening on a river cruise boat is very very nice.

We did this a couple of weeks back (Amsterdam to Budapest cruise - great trip!) and cruising into Budapest at night was one of the high points of the trip.

They light up the city on both sides of the Danube. It's rather breathtaking. Here's one photo I took of their parliament building:

That is beautiful! And I love the idea of a cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. We absolutely loved Amsterdam and would love a second visit. Thanks so much for the idea!

 

[Meadbh]

That is beautiful! And I love the idea of a cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. We absolutely loved Amsterdam and would love a second visit. Thanks so much for the idea!

My original plan was exactly that, but my travel agent found a cruise with no single supplement on Avalon Vista (which I highly recommend for new ships, great service and staterooms). My experience was that having several days in the larger cities at each end was crucial to maximum enjoyment. So, for example, 1.5 days in Vienna was simply too short to explore the city properly. But the river cruise is a wonderful way to enjoy the smaller towns, castles, abbeys, etc. In general, there are more attractions per kilometer the farther north you go. Another consideration about Amsterdam to Budapest is that it takes up to 15 days. That's a long time to spend on a river cruise ship unless you take every opportunity to go ashore. On my cruise, someone brought a respiratory virus with them and shared it widely. It was difficult to escape and most guests picked it up despite constant reminders to use the hand sanitizers. Every choice has its drawbacks, but I thoroughly enjoyed my river cruise experience!

 

[Cassie]

Went to Louisiana for a 4 day get-away, it was a profitable trip. Won enough to get my driveway repaved, buy a TV, get the sprinkler fix, put some in savings, make a charitable donation and have money for my next trip. I won't need to touch my savings, yay!

 

[citrine]

We are going to Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Phoenix, Tuscon, and Las Cruces in October....very excited as this is also a scouting trip to find our new home in the next 3 years

 

[aja8888]

Went to Louisiana for a 4 day get-away, it was a profitable trip. Won enough to get my driveway repaved, buy a TV, get the sprinkler fix, put some in savings, make a charitable donation and have money for my next trip. I won't need to touch my savings, yay!


View attachment 19060

Will you please elaborate on your secret gambling tactics?

 

[Cassie]

Will you please elaborate on your secret gambling tactics?

Pure luck! My "hobby" is part of my budget and funded after bills, savings etc. I took a big chance this time and played a slot that had multi-denominations, $5, $10, $25. I stuck with the $5 and occasionally went for the $10 and in error hit the $25 bet and won both times. I usually play penny machines so my money will last, as this is only entertainment for me. I don't expect to win. Luck, much appreciated luck. A turtle walked on the wet cement today, and the TV is in place.


.

 

[urn2bfree]

We are going tomstay in Point Arena, CA in July. I would appreciate any suggestions anyone has about what to see, do, eat, etc.

 

[kcowan]

Heading back to West Vancouver today for some relief from the heat. Right now it is 86 and 85 on our patio at 7:30 before the sun rises.

 

[NW-Bound]

... A turtle walked on the wet cement today...

Has that turtle been turned into soup yet?

 

[Cassie]

Has that turtle been turned into soup yet?

LOL, no I had it relocated instead of repurposed.

 

[EastWest Gal]

We are taking an Alaskan cruise and Canadian Rockies rail tour in July. I'm so looking forward to this for many reasons. When I get back I will have less than 2 months to go until ER!

 

[Ronstar]

DW wants to visit each of the states after she retires. I'm planning a circle Lake Michigan tour for starters, with most the time spent in Mackinac Island and Door County, Wi

 

[kcowan]

We are considering a trip to Machu Picchu and The Galapagos Islands in November. They are both bucket list items. Any comments?

 

[photoguy]

Machu picchu is great but I wouldn't do the hike on the inca trail if you are short of time or you are not in good shape and prepared for some fairly strenuous days.

 

[CoolChange]

We are considering a trip to Machu Picchu and The Galapagos Islands in November. They are both bucket list items. Any comments?

I am seriously jealous of the Galapagos trip which is definitely a bucket item for me.

Machu Picchu frightens me since I have experience altitude sickness in the Colorado Rockies.

You did say: Any comments?

Seriously, one comment that I have heard repeatedly: Do not try to combine a Galapagos trip with anything else to save time / money.

• You run the risk of being too tired to fully enjoy everything if you try and cram too much into a short time.
• Traveling in Peru and Ecuador still seems to be more challenging than in Mexico.

Please remember to update us with any pointers you pick up.

I am wishing you safe and enjoyable travels.

 

[grasshopper]

We are considering a trip to Machu Picchu and The Galapagos Islands in November. They are both bucket list items. Any comments?

This is our next adventure travel plan, it has been said to do MP first, and than GI, most GI travel is on a ship/yacht and may be a little less strenuous. A friend just did it last month, since we hike at 8000 ft and live at 4500 ft, he felt like it would be no big deal for us.

 

[kcowan]

Thanks for the feedback. The MP portion involves taking the train from Cusco. But I am concerned about the altitude. I have a touch of COPD and I did get tried easily in Guanajuato (7000 feet). I do hike regularly for 5km and have climbed 320 meters on some of the walks. But those are all sea level. I know there are pills for altitude sickness. I did get altitude sickness in Big Sky and on a plane so I am not immune.

 

[NYEXPAT]

We are considering a trip to Machu Picchu and The Galapagos Islands in November. They are both bucket list items. Any comments?

Both are amazing! November could be iffy (weather wise), but there are certainly less tourists. If you have trouble with altitudes than when you get off the plane in Cusco head directly to the Sacred Valley to overnight and hit Cusco on the way back, when you have had a chance to acclimatize.

 

[Tree-dweller]

My wife and I did MP a couple years ago. A few days in Cusco, followed by a couple of nights at the Tambo Del Inca hotel in Urubamba. The Tambo was a major splurge, but man, it was transplendant AND it had it's own railway station for the trip to Aguas Calientes at the foot of MP. I too was concerned about the elevation, but with the help of coca tea I didn't find it bad at all. A top 5 trip for sure.

 

[NYEXPAT]

It is the beginning of winter here in Lima and summer in the Andes. A few years ago we took the train to Huancayo and next month we are celebrating Independence day by going to the high jungle. We plan to visit with friends in Oxapampa (have a Dairy farm) and then head a few hours further into the jungle to see the Tyrolean community Prusia-Pozuzo. Several hours hike further in a friend who went back to Maryland has a Coffee plantation that he wants to unload cheap and I may buy it to produce Coffee for a joint I am thinking about opening in the States.
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/5sxuw4hlg4ilp37/AABbkQnAHF3CnjcGvhs7KwZga

 

[FUEGO]

No suggestions on Machu Picchu but it's on my bucket list too.

As for my big travel plans, we're heading out on a month-long 2300 mile road trip from Raleigh, NC to Canada and back.

 

[er33]

We just came back from Portland, Or and loved it.

Going to NYC next weekend again, then its Washington DC on the 4th of july, Dubai/India in August, san francisco in September, potentially vegas also in september, new orleans in october and then india again in november.

Most of these are weekend + 1 day trips except for the intl ones which are about a week each.