Anyone got any travel planned?

[rodi]

Heading out to Sequoia for 4 days tomorrow after my Italian class.

Just finalized our trip in Sept/Oct. Vienna, Budapest, Prague. Then Malta. Then Sicily. Then one week not yet planned. Eight day cruise from Rome-Barcelona, then home the first week of November.

We did a Vienna/Budapest trip about 14 years ago - took a ferry up the Danube between them. I was so amazed at how cheap Budapest was. I think we spent $7 for a weeklong transit pass (buses, trams, streetcars all included.) We decided to have a fancy dinner and had a hard time spending more than $20. Even our hotel - which was on the Danube and had views of Parliament and Chain bridge was cheap. This was a welcome change after Vienna - where everything was pricey.

Where are you going in Sicily? I've been there a few times and it is a wonderful place to visit. If you're going to Palermo make sure you go to Monreale for the mosaic frescos. I love all the baroque towns on the southern part of the Island. Make sure you eat couscous con Pesce - one of the best foods I've ever had. It's on available on the Northwest part of Sicily - from Palermo down to Agrigento. Oh - and make sure you try Granita e Brioche. Locals have this for breakfast/lunch/brunch as a light meal that is refreshing.

 

[Meadbh]

We did a Vienna/Budapest trip about 14 years ago - took a ferry up the Danube between them. I was so amazed at how cheap Budapest was. I think we spent $7 for a weeklong transit pass (buses, trams, streetcars all included.) We decided to have a fancy dinner and had a hard time spending more than $20. Even our hotel - which was on the Danube and had views of Parliament and Chain bridge was cheap. This was a welcome change after Vienna - where everything was pricey.

Budapest is still the best value in European city travel. And what a magnificent city it is!

Budapest 'cheapest' for city breaks as holiday costs fall - Telegraph

 

[Nemo2]

Budapest is still the best value in European city travel. And what a magnificent city it is!

+1

 

[beach]

hey brett, those are some of my fav destinations. enjoy. I am jealous

btw I recently returned from Panama, CR, if anyone needs report on that, just ask.

 

[Sarah in SC]

DH is now within hollering distance of Moscow on his round trip from London to Mongolia! They will head from there to St. Petersburg and then down through Europe. After this trip, he will have the odd distinction of having driven from one end of Russia to the other (thanks to his drive from Mongolia through Siberia to Vladivostock last summer). Pretty cool!

https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=a39353c5a2bda4850
On the map, you can go to "History" and show all to see their entire route thus far. I love the Spot Tracker, can you tell?

 

[simple girl]

DH is now within hollering distance of Moscow on his round trip from London to Mongolia! They will head from there to St. Petersburg and then down through Europe. After this trip, he will have the odd distinction of having driven from one end of Russia to the other (thanks to his drive from Mongolia through Siberia to Vladivostock last summer). Pretty cool!

https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=a39353c5a2bda4850
On the map, you can go to "History" and show all to see their entire route thus far. I love the Spot Tracker, can you tell?

What an adventure! He is definitely enjoying his retirement!

 

[Bestwifeever]

Budapest is still the best value in European city travel. And what a magnificent city it is!

Budapest 'cheapest' for city breaks as holiday costs fall - Telegraph

+1. Just an amazing place.

Highly suggest a visit to the House of Terror museum for a moving history lesson: https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/articles/budapests-house-of-terror

Illustrating the grim decades of Nazi and Communist repression, the museum is the former headquarters for the secret police of both the Nazi and Communist governments. The building's awning has the word TERROR cut out of it, and when the sun projects through these letters, it symbolizes the terror which was projected onto the Hungarian people for fifty years.

 

[Meadbh]

+1. Just an amazing place.



Highly suggest a visit to the House of Terror museum for a moving history lesson: https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/articles/budapests-house-of-terror

I agree. The House of Terror makes one appreciate democracy.

Afterwards, go to the Dohany Street Synagogue and visit the Jewish Museum. Ask if Maria is doing a guided tour. She is awesome.


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[kcowan]

That sounds great Keith. Too bad the low tides aren't especially low right now - but hopefully low enough you can still find some critters.

Here is a picture taken pre-dawn at low tide. Walking out 1 km and lots of sand dollars, crabs, geoducks, clams and shells.

 

[Sea Kayaker]

Very nice Keith!

I actually had my honeymoon on the east side of Vancouver Island. DW and I spent a lot of time walking out on the sandy flats at low tide. Nice change from our usual rock/gravel beaches of the Gulf Islands. Water is nice to swim in once the tide comes in over the warm sand!

 

[TromboneAl]

Planning a hiking trip to Havasu falls in Arizona. 8 miles from the trailhead downhill to the lodge(only accessible by horse or helicopter). Check in to the lodge, then hike to 3 sets of falls and back to the lodge(another 6 miles). Spend the night in the lodge, and hike back up to the trailhead the next morning.


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We (mom, sister, & I) did that 48 years ago. No lodge then. We ran out of food and it was quite an adventure. Took horses. The falls are amazing. I remember jumping off the rocks a little below the pools.

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[brett]

rodi...we start in Taormina for three days. Then pick up a rental car for 10 days. We drop it off in Cefalu and will spend a few days there prior to ending in Palermo.

Then we have an unplanned week. Depending on weather, how we feel, it could be that we stay in Sicily, go to Calabria or one of Venice, Cinque Terre or Rome. We have not been to Calabria. Ishia was on the list but not much doing there at the end of Oct. Sardinia is also on the todo list. We shall see. Hoping for good weather-especially since so far the summer weather in Italy has been less than perfect.

 

[grasshopper]

Take plenty of food, unless you like Indian fry bread and pinto beans.

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[ohyes]

Fort Walton Beach, first week of October.

It has been a decade since enjoying that area. We are looking forward to days of the ocean, reading, beer and good food.

 

[Aus_E_Expat]

I am in Rabaul / Kokopo in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea this week for the Bita Paka centenary. It was the first battle that the Australian army and navy were involved in and the first Australian casualties of World War 1 were at Bita Paka.

Should be an interesting week.

I managed to get a round of golf in this morning before a tropical downpour.

Luckily the volcano at Rabaul has gone quiet this week.

These are photos of tonight's sunset over the harbour and then the moon rising over the volcano and harbour (sorry, not a great shot, taken in a hurry).

 

[beach]

Take plenty of food, unless you like Indian fry bread and pinto beans.

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hey, don't knock it. fried Indian bread and beans very nutritous

 

[beach]

Going to explore Florida in a couple weeks. Plan on Sarasota, Venice, Naples....any recommendations as to what areas are better, as I will not have a vehicle (hate driving) need buses/shuttles to get to the beach/es. I am traveling solo and very flexible, looking for a rental 3-6 months, preferably walking distance to beach and not looking to pay 2K/month.

 

[MRG]

Beach, you might want to check out Marco Island. It may be a little pricey.

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[karluk]

Planning a hiking trip to Havasu falls in Arizona. 8 miles from the trailhead downhill to the lodge(only accessible by horse or helicopter). Check in to the lodge, then hike to 3 sets of falls and back to the lodge(another 6 miles). Spend the night in the lodge, and hike back up to the trailhead the next morning.


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My entire family went on this hike in October, 2007. We took three days - one to hike in, two to explore, and the morning of the third day to hike out. As training, I insisted that we do a comparable amount of hiking before we left, or around 25 miles in a three day weekend. The kids were extremely reluctant to spend this much time in what they considered pointless exercise, but to me it made the difference between being well prepared to enjoy the experience and potentially coming up lame and hating it.

As Trombone Al says, it's easy to run out of food on the Indian reservation, so I strongly suggest carrying in a good supply of ramen noodles, or some similar light weight food supply.

It is possible to climb down the rocks to the base of Mooney Falls. We did so and I don't regret it, but I thought it was quite dangerous for our level of experience, so be cautious. The Havasupai web site has a good description of the dangers:

Extreme caution is urged when making this descent...There is a chain in place which should encourage visitors to be safe, as a fall from here would be fatal...Caution needs to be exercised at all times as the chains and ladders are constantly sprayed by mist from the waterfall.

Mooney Falls, Havasupai, Grand Canyon - havasuwaterfalls.com

It's probably no coincidence that Mooney Falls is named after a man who died there. But of course he died in the days before there were chains and ladders in place to assist climbers. Nowadays it's much safer.

I consider your intention to hike in, explore, and hike out the following morning to be extremely ambitious, but perhaps you can do it. It would require you to be in excellent physical shape, and even then I get the impression that you might feel rushed. Part of the charm of the waterfalls is the ability to linger and appreciate the beautiful surroundings without needing to move on right away to the next sight.

 

[FUEGO]

The four of us (me, DW, 8 and 9 year old) are going on a week long cruise from Miami on the Carnival Glory. Stopping in Cozumel, Mexico, Costa Maya (Mahahual) Mexico, Belize City, Belize, and Roatan Island / Mahogany Bay, Honduras. Maybe a little beach time and sightseeing on each port call. Otherwise we hope to do very little beyond eat, sleep, read, and watch the ocean. We booked 2 cabins this time since it was only $40 more expensive than a single 4 person cabin.

We're leaving the 2.5 year old at home. Er, with grandparents.

This is cruise #4 for us.

 

[Sea Kayaker]

In the planning stages of my first post-ER holiday. I'm thinking a 6 weeks in the Baja come November (just as the Vancouver monsoon season should be revving up).

 

[Sarah in SC]

Since DH came home just today from 8.5 weeks and 24 countries on his rally trip, I've planned a two week jaunt next month to join a couple of girlfriends on their Florida to SC leg of a cross country road trip. It is pretty tame as far as roads and such, but we will all be crammed into a small conversion van, so I will still get my suffering in!

 

[Lsbcal]

Since DH came home just today from 8.5 weeks and 24 countries on his rally trip, I've planned a two week jaunt next month to join a couple of girlfriends on their Florida to SC leg of a cross country road trip. It is pretty tame as far as roads and such, but we will all be crammed into a small conversion van, so I will still get my suffering in!

Could be fun. What are you looking forward to seeing between Florida and SC? We don't know that part of the country well but DW was looking into a Florida visit.

 

[Alan]

Having spent the last 7 weeks in 4 different locations in Queensland followed by a week in Vanuatu we are now in the middle of a 2 week stay in Melbourne (by the sea in St Kilda).

A good friend of ours was born and grew up in Adelaide, and has lived and worked in Melbourne, Sydney, Vancouver, Seattle and now LA (Santa Monica). Before we left he told us that his favorite city, by a long way, is Melbourne. We can see why, it is absolutely lovely, with loads to do, a fantastic tram network, safe and very extensive cycle trails, incredibly friendly people and loads of quirky wonderful places to eat.

In about 10 days time we will pick up a rental car for a week and plan on exploring Victoria's Great Ocean Road, before flying to Hobart, Tasmania for a month long stay.

 

[Sarah in SC]

I'm so jealous of the long time y'all are getting over there to see the whole country!!

Lsbcal, they will do the west coast and a bit of the Everglades without me, but we will start in Miami (Brits want to see the glamor spots) then a couple of days the Keys, followed by a day or so visiting a friend in Boca. Then the dreaded Disney part (j/k: I am secretly looking forward to it) for a few days. I want to show them St Augustine and Savannah, and probably stop in Beaufort SC as well before we get to Charleston.
I'm also planning (for next spring) a lazy person's paddling trip somewhere in central Florida with a girlfriend who lives in Dubai and wants a short adventure. Any suggestions on this would be most helpful!