Anyone got any travel planned?

[RonBoyd]

Is anyone familiar with this travel agency... or is this "too good to be true":

At $1199-$1399 per person from 29 cities, this new China vacation package from Sinorama Holidays is the lowest price we've ever seen for a two-week China tour, including a Yangtze River cruise.
More reasons why we love it:

• Includes international flights and all intra–China transportation (air, cruise, coach, high-speed train)
• You stay in upscale hotels and in a balcony cabin on a deluxe riverboat
• In addition to visiting major cities, it's the first package we've seen to include a stay in Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) -- known for spectacular scenery and a frequent subject in Chinese art (pictured)
• It's fully escorted, which means guided tours of Beijing's biggest sites -- like Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall of China -- are included
• No need to figure out where to eat: Most meals are included

China Vacations: China 2-Week Trip: $1199-$1399 from Cities across the U.S. | Travelzoo

Wild China 15 Days < Sinorama China Tours for Your Family & Friends

 

[audreyh1]

There's snow in Oregon in July?

What else is up there? Long drive from Bay Area. Guess Shasta is worth a stop. Maybe continue up all the way to Portland?

Crater Lake is spectacular. The lodge at Crater Lake tends to fill up. And the towns of Medford and Ashland are not too far. Impressive rivers run down to the towns from Crater Lake (the Rogue and Umpqua). Great places to visit in the summer. Scenery, hiking, Shakespeare festival in Ashland.

 

[FIYes]

We took a Sinorama tour of China last fall. We enjoyed the tour and felt it was a good value for the money. Of course, it had all the advantages and disadvantages of a group tour. Advantages...all planning, transportation, luggage handling...disadvantages.....you are on their schedule and with your group of 30. PM if you want additional information.


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[whatnot]

I did a 2 week China trip with China Spree. Paid $2,900. It was very good. The guide picks you up at the airport and took care of everything. We did and saw a lot. Beijing, Great Wall, Forbidden City, Yangtze River cruise, Shanghai, terra cotta soldiers (awesome), etc. Hotels were very nice, food was good and varied, saw two shows, it was very well done. No long lines, no waiting at restaurants, basically, very well worth the money. Our group was only 24 people and they were a fun group. Normally I travel independently, but in China this was the way to go. Loved it.

 

[SpinDr]

Sounds like fun. In later August we are headed up that way and staying in Mammoth Lakes. I think we have done the Mosquito Flats hike. As I recall there was a small lake with a "turkey" or "chicken" name in it.

Trails we have liked in that region:
1) Several short hikes in Mammoth Lakes area
2) Trails around Tioga Pass and eastern Yosemite including Toulumne Meadows region
3) Saddlebags Lake just outside Yosemite

Saddlebags Lake region is pretty spectacular. You drive in a few miles on a decent road with some gravel. You take a boat across the lake (to avoid walking 2 miles around it) and then there are several small lakes around there above 10,000 feet. Not much elevation gain either.

Thanks. I've done a number of hiking trips in that area but have not come across Saddlebags Lake so will look out for that. Tons of cool scenery/hiking in that part of the Sierra and it sounds like another place I should check out. Thanks for the tip!

 

[EastWest Gal]

There's snow in Oregon in July?

What else is up there? Long drive from Bay Area. Guess Shasta is worth a stop. Maybe continue up all the way to Portland?

I've been to Crater Lake twice. We camped there a week when I was about 11. Nights were cold. There wasn't much snow, just a tiny bit on the peaks. There was a boat ride around the lake. We had to hike down to it, about a mile. I loved the trip.

Ashland has a fantastic Shakespeare festival. DH and I spent a week there and saw comedies in the outdoor theater. In fact it was so romantic in Lithia Park he proposed when we were there one night. There were many bed and breakfasts in Ashland. July is a good time to go.


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[RonBoyd]

Thank you, FIYes & whatnot.

 

[Koogie]

Just spent a relaxing week at a rented cottage in Muskoka cottage country in Ontario.

Been to this place numerous times before and we appreciate the solitude and quiet. Able to sit on the deck, drink a nice dark rum on ice, barbecue up my special ribs and listen to and watch the loons paddle by.

 

[Nemo2]

....and watch the loons paddle by.

There are numerous water birds in the area also.

 

[Koogie]

There are numerous water birds in the area also.

You quack me up. Is that a Merganser in your pocket or ..... ?

 

[Nemo2]

Is that a Merganser in your pocket or ..... ?

Common or Hooded?

 

[kcowan]

listen to and watch the loons paddle by.

Save the gas!
Loon sights and sounds

 

[GravitySucks]

Flew to British Columbia this Wednesday and now settling in to Vancouver. Dang this town makes me feel poor!

 

[Bamaman]

Flew to British Columbia this Wednesday and now settling in to Vancouver. Dang this town makes me feel poor!

Vancouver's a premier big city, and a wonderful, expensive place to be.

But I've given up both large cities and expensive large cities to live in.

 

[MBAustin]

A week from today we'll be taking our RV out to Ruidoso to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. We were hopeful of a break from the July heat but they are having a heat wave also. At least it looks like it will stay below 90...

 

[GravitySucks]

A week from today we'll be taking our RV out to Ruidoso to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. We were hopeful of a break from the July heat but they are having a heat wave also. At least it looks like it will stay below 90...

Congrats on the 30! It's a major accomplishment.


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[Car-Guy]

Heading back to Las Vegas in a few weeks [-] now that schools are going back in session and the summer vacation season is over.[/-] About 3 days and 1400 miles each way.

Here I go again... This will be my fourth driving trip there in the past 12 months. The drive seems to be getting longer each time. Maybe I should just think about moving there!

 

[Mulligan]

Here I go again... The drive seems to be getting longer each time. Maybe I should just think about moving there!

I was just out there last weekend...Had odd thing happen. Went to a sportsbook with best Charger over odds and asked for $1300 on chargers 6.5 over. He asked for my players card...I do not have one for that book and I told him so. He then says. Well I can only give you a $1000 then. So I said fine. Must of made him mad bluffing me into getting a card he then says I can only give you $900 action. I said whatever, give me a dollar if that is all you can do. So he relented at $900 and then I walked 10 feet over to their kiosk and put the other $400 in the machine to get my $1300. He was a major turd and I still got my way with same odds.


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[Car-Guy]

I was just out there last weekend...Had odd thing happen. Went to a sportsbook with best Charger over odds and asked for $1300 on chargers 6.5 over. He asked for my players card...I do not have one for that book and I told him so. He then says. Well I can only give you a $1000 then. So I said fine. Must of made him mad bluffing me into getting a card he then says I can only give you $900 action. I said whatever, give me a dollar if that is all you can do. So he relented at $900 and then I walked 10 feet over to their kiosk and put the other $400 in the machine to get my $1300. He was a major turd and I still got my way with same odds.


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I'm mostly a table game player in Vegas but as you know, I have been known to bet on football games/teams. For the most part, I only play at casinos where I have top tier player cards so it's actually pretty rare that I have any problems with the staff. If I do, my host will usually get things fixed PDQ. Heck they pay for my rooms, all my food and even travel cost and more (via comp chips). It's too bad they won't pay for "everything" else.......

 

[Mulligan]

I'm mostly a table game player in Vegas but as you know, I have been known to bet on football games/teams. For the most part, I only play at casinos where I have top tier player cards so it's actually pretty rare that I have any problems with the staff. If I do, my host will usually get things fixed PDQ. Heck they pay for my rooms, all my food and even travel cost and more (via comp chips). It's too bad they won't pay for "everything" else.......

Comps for sports betters are just scams designed to see if you are winning off them...so they can track you and try to limit you if they thinking you are getting over them...Sportsbooks run with razor thin profit margins unlike table or machines so they cannot be as generous. In fact many sportsbooks are unaffiliated with the actual casino itself and just rent that part of the building out.


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[GravitySucks]

Vancouver's a premier big city, and a wonderful, expensive place to be.

But I've given up both large cities and expensive large cities to live in.

Yes it's a very nice city and the surrounding lands are stunning.

The conspicuous consumption of Saturday night has toned down on Sunday, the Rolls, Bentleys, and high end German cars with 50 year olds along with their 25 year old dates have been replaced with a more down to earth crowd.

Still sobering to see what my stash would afford on a true high COL city though.


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[MrNickel]

I'm going to Colombia in February. 4 days in Bogota and 4 days in Medellin. Two things I'd like to do but can't really find any info on is soccer matches and a bullfight. Are there seasons for those two activities?

Also where would the best place to exchange USD into COP? I don't want to use ATMs.


Only three ways to get to other side of that hill: climb up, go around or dig through. I won't pretend it's not there.

 

[Big_Hitter]

heading to CDA for about a week in August - FORE!

 

[audreyh1]

I'm going to Colombia in February. 4 days in Bogota and 4 days in Medellin. Two things I'd like to do but can't really find any info on is soccer matches and a bullfight. Are there seasons for those two activities?

Also where would the best place to exchange USD into COP? I don't want to use ATMs.


Only three ways to get to other side of that hill: climb up, go around or dig through. I won't pretend it's not there.

Isn't it amazing that it's safe to travel there again?!?

 

[Sarah in SC]

Nickel I'd love to hear a report of your trip to Colombia. Always wanted to go and hope that we will get our road trip to Ushuaia together in the next few years so we can take the ferry across and visit Cartagena on our way south.