Anyone got any travel planned?

[Souschef]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KB Thanks. I'll get it too. Every book I read on the Camino has a slight different viewpoint. What I really need to do is get cracking on learning some key phrases in Spanish. Sadly, I took French in school so my minimal Spanish is very, very minimal.

There is a series of phrasebooks called "Just Enough". I have a set of them as i had many international customers. The book is small enough to fit in your pocket. I believe they are available on Amazon. I highly recommend it
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...=2FZMJPICURP6W

[KB]

Thanks, I'll check it out. Since I am carrying everything with me in a backpack, I will see about a kindle book to add to my phone.

[Souschef]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KB Thanks, I'll check it out. Since I am carrying everything with me in a backpack, I will see about a kindle book to add to my phone.

One thing I found out in other countries, Americans are too abrupt. The first thing you say is Buenos Dias, (before noon) or Buenos tardes (after noon)
Then ask your question.
I was able to buy hair spray for my wife in Costa Rica with my limited Spanish

[JAB1950]

heading to Alaska in June with wife and another couple - 2 days fishing in Seward and then cruise to Vancouver. Any recommendations from other visitors?

Jack

[Souschef]

Our 10th anniversary next year is in November, and we planned to go to the big island of Hawaii. In checking flight prices, there is a 2K difference between late October 2017 and November 2017 for First Class. We opted for October, and the difference will cover our lodging. DW found a great ocean front condo for us!

[Sunset]

if you have a smart phone you should check out translation apps. You download the language so no need to even roam or have a sim in it. Means it's free to use.

I tried one and it translate my spoken words to many different language. Plus you take a photo of a sign and it translates it for you as well.

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunset if you have a smart phone you should check out translation apps.

Do they have one yet that works in Yorkshire?

[Bigdawg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Souschef Our 10th anniversary next year is in November, and we planned to go to the big island of Hawaii. In checking flight prices, there is a 2K difference between late October 2017 and November 2017 for First Class. We opted for October, and the difference will cover our lodging. DW found a great ocean front condo for us!

We are following up our Oct 2016 Oahu trip with another in Oct 2017. We usually wait until Jan/Feb to get cheaper airfare. I am surprised that you even found one this far out. I was looking about a week ago and the flights were few and far between (and way expensive). This year we went non stop from Dulles for $1750/ea first class/round trip. Well worth it. Never felt better getting off a flight in my life.

[Lsbcal]

In mid August we are going to the Netherlands (Haarlem and Amsterdam) for 12 days and then to Munich, Salzburg, Hallstatt and Vienna for another 15 days. That's 6 hotels in 27 days which seems like a decent pace for us.

We've not been to these countries before so this should be very entertaining and hopefully enlightening.

Have booked almost all the hotels now (fully cancellable). I think some of the best value ones in prime locations are gone or are getting near gone. Have not pulled the trigger on the flight yet but probably will really soon.

It's fun to think about this stuff when it is raining outside. Getting plenty of rain here in Northern California .

[explanade]

Hmm I have a round trip ticket to Munich from late August to early sept.

But have not even looked at hotels yet or some general itinerary yet.

Better check on those hotels ...

[audreyh1]

When we looked at hotels for early Sept in 2014, in April there were availabilities in most hotels, by May when I booked several were already full. Lots of tourists in August, so making reservations earlier may be a good idea.

August is going to be warm. Munich wasn't warm in early September, but Salzburg and Vienna sure were. August will be quite warm and many Salzburg hotels don't have AC. We had to leave the windows open at night in Salzburg in early Sept, and DH really complained about the loud church bells! I thought they sounded great - probably nostalgia on my part as I lived in Germany as a young child.

[Bestwifeever]

This is the first time in forever that we have no concrete travel planned. It is a weird feeling not to have something booked at least six months in advance. We have glimmers of a trip to the British Isles and another to Portugal and Spain, and three or four short trips for family things will pop up in the late winter and early spring, but not on the books yet. Maybe it will be the year of traveling spontaneously for us.

[NW-Bound]

And this is the 1st time that we plan a trip 6 months in advance. In the past, it was mostly a flash sales that triggered a trip, and we were traveling weeks or a month after booking.

My wife used to surf the Web, spotted an airfare sales, and cried out to me about cheap tickets to Paris, or Chicago, etc... And I would reply "Why not?", particularly if it was to a place we had not visited.

[Lsbcal]

Sounds like you had basically good weather Audrey. I've learned to prepare for weather that is in the extremes of the ranges rather then expecting averages i.e. to pay attention to the highest highs and lowest daily high numbers. That was after a bad weather experience in the UK in May. The temperatures during the day were in the ranges but at the very low end. DW has a health issue that is aggravated by cold weather so that is why we are traveling in August-September.

Last trip I just took my running type shoes plus sandals. The objective is to just have the sandals to pack. Worked OK in Italy but in the north I'm not so sure. I'm trying to get some shoes that are very breathable but still have some reasonable water shedding ability. In California we don't have rain in the summer but in Europe it happens a lot. My latest try is a pair of REI light weather hikers (to arrive soon) like these: https://www.rei.com/rei-garage/produ...1524129&ev11=1
I'll have time to try them out around here in similar expected weather conditions.

[Bestwifeever]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lsbcal Sounds like you had basically good weather Audrey. I've learned to prepare for weather that is in the extremes of the ranges rather then expecting averages i.e. to pay attention to the highest highs and lowest daily high numbers. That was after a bad weather experience in the UK in May. The temperatures during the day were in the ranges but at the very low end. DW has a health issue that is aggravated by cold weather so that is why we are traveling in August-September. Last trip I just took my running type shoes plus sandals. The objective is to just have the sandals to pack. Worked OK in Italy but in the north I'm not so sure. I'm trying to get some shoes that are very breathable but still have some reasonable water shedding ability. In California we don't have rain in the summer but in Europe it happens a lot. My latest try is a pair of REI light weather hikers (to arrive soon) like these: https://www.rei.com/rei-garage/produ...1524129&ev11=1 I'll have time to try them out around here in similar expected weather conditions.

For your consideration--keep your eyes open on your trip for shoes, too: When we were in Germany last summer for a wedding my go-to Merrell sandals broke and I was able to find replacements in a tiny shoes store, a pair of dressy sandals made in Germany and also these Goretex Legero shoes, made in Austria, that fit perfectly right out of the box and that I wear all the time--these are women's: Legero - Women .

[Lsbcal]

Bestwifeever, I'll keep that in mind. We were in Paris in September and it was pretty warm. DW remembered the cold May UK trip and had not considered packing sandals. It was difficult finding a pair of suitable sandals as prices were very high and the sandals we saw were not sturdy ones with good arch support. So she suffered ... not in silence though.

One learns this stuff sometimes the hard way.

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lsbcal Sounds like you had basically good weather Audrey. I've learned to prepare for weather that is in the extremes of the ranges rather then expecting averages i.e. to pay attention to the highest highs and lowest daily high numbers. That was after a bad weather experience in the UK in May. The temperatures during the day were in the ranges but at the very low end. DW has a health issue that is aggravated by cold weather so that is why we are traveling in August-September. Last trip I just took my running type shoes plus sandals. The objective is to just have the sandals to pack. Worked OK in Italy but in the north I'm not so sure. I'm trying to get some shoes that are very breathable but still have some reasonable water shedding ability. In California we don't have rain in the summer but in Europe it happens a lot. My latest try is a pair of REI light weather hikers (to arrive soon) like these: https://www.rei.com/rei-garage/produ...1524129&ev11=1 I'll have time to try them out around here in similar expected weather conditions.

Netherlands are pretty comfortable in August - although they can have their heat waves too. But a lot of places we visit farther south then that are already hot in June and September. Next time we visit Spain it's going to be in May or October. And it was so hot in Provence even in late September.

[explanade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lsbcal Bestwifeever, I'll keep that in mind. We were in Paris in September and it was pretty warm. DW remembered the cold May UK trip and had not considered packing sandals. It was difficult finding a pair of suitable sandals as prices were very high and the sandals we saw were not sturdy ones with good arch support. So she suffered ... not in silence though. One learns this stuff sometimes the hard way.

I used these site to get an idea of the weather at the destination:

whereandwhen.net
Best Time To Go - Find the best times to go to the most traveled places on earth!
holiday-weather.com

Got my fingers crossed on late August, early September for Salzburg, Innsbruck and the Tyrol region to the west.

[Lsbcal]

Esplanade, maybe that site is good for many places but I think one should take into account the worst case possibilities. I see that site posts average weather expectations. This site shows ranges and comfort factors, etc. for the example of York, UK : https://weatherspark.com/averages/28...United-Kingdom

Had we looked carefully at that we would have avoided the May 2013 weather there. But sometimes it's a tradeoff between crowds and weather. Depends on individual preferences, schedules, etc.

[check6]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lsbcal In mid August we are going to the Netherlands (Haarlem and Amsterdam) for 12 days and then to Munich, Salzburg, Hallstatt and Vienna for another 15 days. That's 6 hotels in 27 days which seems like a decent pace for us.

We were ready to leave after spending an hour walking through Halstatt and an hour boat ride around the lake last Sept. Town was over run with tourist especially Japanese. Their past time is posing for pictures with their friends or walking around with their cameras on a stick to the detriment of other tourists. Drove us nuts especially on the boat. We have seen the same in other European towns.

If you are renting a car, you might consider St. Gilgen/St. Wolfgang which is about 20 miles east of Salzburg. Stay at Hotel Park Billroth and ask for a corner room which overlooks Lake Wolfgang.