Any Travel Plan for 2019?

[Scuba]

Air fares are low. Finally booked six weeks Sept/Oct in Europe. Fly into Athens and back from London. Very loose schedule other than the hard air travel dates. Preceded by a week in the Toronto area.



Start in Corfu and the Ionian Islands, then over to Athens and more islands, to Crete. Then either two weeks or so in Cyprus or we will fly to Morocco for two weeks if we want a change of scenery. Maybe pick up a last minute cruise. We are very pragmatic....we fill in the blanks later. Decided to pass on Israel this year since it is not high on out bucket lists.

If you haven’t been to Naxos or Milos, we loved them both. September is the perfect time for the Cyclades. Enjoy your trip!

 

[brett]

We visited Naxos last time. Love it. Will look into Milos. Thanks. Just starting to work out a very rough travel plan and to integrate it with the common ferry routes.

 

[brett]

Has anyone spent time in the Meteora/Ioannini areas of Greece?

 

[Nemo2]

Has anyone spent time in the Meteora/Ioannini areas of Greece?

Was in Meteora on an R&R with my late wife in the mid 1980s......(met a blind monk who received his medications from the Greek community on the Danforth).....

Here's a pic of her parents taking the cable car, (which appeared to be made from an old safe), from one of the monasteries....we walked down.

 

[NW-Bound]

... Here's a pic of her parents taking the cable car, (which appeared to be made from an old safe), from one of the monasteries....we walked down.

They did not have anything heavier to use?

 

[Nemo2]

They did not have anything heavier to use?

Heavy, and cramped.....they weren't very tall people.

Here she is helping them out of it:

 

[fosterscik]

Has anyone spent time in the Meteora/Ioannini areas of Greece?

We were in Meteora this year in mid March for two days/three nights and really enjoyed our visit. We rented a car to leave Athens and drove there (stopping for 1 night on the way to see Delphi). We stayed at the Dellas Boutique Hotel, Kalambaka. Pretty inexpensive with a great breakfast.

We took two of the hikes up to the Monasteries - very nice but not very strenuous. We also hiked from the "top" to the hidden monastery along some vertigo inducing cliff edges. The restaurant food was less inspiring. We didn't discover any great food (perhaps we made bad choices?) and were pretty much limited to the usual barbecue fare at local tavernas.

I strongly recommend the area, it's much less touristy than many other parts of Greece.

 

[euro]

3 week road trip on the West Coast of England and Scotland in September. Can't wait - a little leery of driving on the "wrong" side of the road, but hope I'll manage....

 

[explanade]

3 week road trip on the West Coast of England and Scotland in September. Can't wait - a little leery of driving on the "wrong" side of the road, but hope I'll manage....

Why the west coast instead of the east coast?

Is it suppose to be more scenic?

 

[Tiger8693]

Heading to Key West July 11th for a week. Man, it's going to be hot! I think most of the day time will be spent in Sloppy Joes, night time.... maybe sleeping.

Later in the year, going to NYC over Thanksgiving with niece and her SO. She graduated NYU Dental and goes back every chance she gets.

 

[NW-Bound]

3 week road trip on the West Coast of England and Scotland in September. Can't wait - a little leery of driving on the "wrong" side of the road, but hope I'll manage....

Why the west coast instead of the east coast?

Is it suppose to be more scenic?

Why not a longer trip covering both coasts, so as to leave nothing in doubt?

I have driven on the "wrong side" in New Zealand 20 years ago, and also in St. Thomas. On the highway, it's scary to see cars coming at you from the "wrong side". It's also scary when you have to pass another car. In town, you drive more slowly, and it allows more time to think. The only tricky places are intersections and round-abouts. I remember I kept reminding myself "keep to the left, keep to the left..."

I will not drive in countries like that now; I am older and get more easily distracted. One forgetful moment, and it's instant death. I know my limits.

 

[Nemo2]

I have driven on the "wrong side" in New Zealand 20 years ago, and also in St. Thomas.

In 1983 we rented a camper in South Africa.....picked it up in Jozi and immediately drove (with a small break in Pretoria) to Louis Trichardt.

No probs...(I won't mention the 20+ foot snake my late wife ran over in the dark)....next morning, not a vehicle in sight either way, I start driving.......a little while later it occurs to me that I'm on the wrong side of the road.....(and I'd previously driven in Oz).

 

[explanade]

I've driven in NZ and Australia, 3 times in the last few years.

 

[Souschef]

Why the west coast instead of the east coast?

Is it suppose to be more scenic?

The highlight of the west coast of England is the Lake District. Take a Peter Pan tour of 10 lakes. Take the steamer down to Lakeside and ride the Lakeside & Haverthwaite steam train
On the west coast of Scotlasnd Take the Jacobite steam train from Fort William over the Glenfinnan viaduct, made famous in the Harry Potter films.
Continue around to Dornie to visit Eilean Donan castle, made famous in the Highlander movie and my late wife's ancestral home.
Then take the bridge to Skye and visit Talisker distillery.

 

[NW-Bound]

In 1983 we rented a camper in South Africa.....picked it up in Jozi and immediately drove (with a small break in Pretoria) to Louis Trichardt.

No probs...(I won't mention the 20+ foot snake my late wife ran over in the dark)....next morning, not a vehicle in sight either way, I start driving.......a little while later it occurs to me that I'm on the wrong side of the road.....(and I'd previously driven in Oz).

In St. Thomas, after spending some time at a beautiful beach, I drove on for sightseeing. After pulling out to the road, a non-divided narrow one, I noticed in the mirror a police car. Told myself I'd better drive very legally, as I was being followed.

The cop turned on his siren briefly to let out a short "Whoop".

Darn! I was driving on the right side. A quick flick of the wrist, and the car got back to the "wrong side". The cop probably laughed at how quick I swerved to the other side of the road.

It was just a reminder. He did not stop me.

 

[PawPrint53]

Has anyone been to the Dordogne region of France? I'm interested in the area after reading some books that are set there.

 

[brett]

I drive in Australia and in the UK. I find it only takes ten minutes or so until to get used to it. Standard or automatic. But....I really have to watch myself at roundabouts, and right hand turns!

Fortunately DW keeps me in check on the right hand turns.

Only other thing is still, to this day after many trips, I still hit the wiper lever on the steering column instead of the turn signal on many cars. Our Oz friends make fun of me for this because I cannot seem to overcome the habit.

 

[Souschef]

I drive in Australia and in the UK. I find it only takes ten minutes or so until to get used to it. Standard or automatic. But....I really have to watch myself at roundabouts, and right hand turns!

Fortunately DW keeps me in check on the right hand turns.

Only other thing is still, to this day after many trips, I still hit the wiper lever on the steering column instead of the turn signal on many cars. Our Oz friends make fun of me for this because I cannot seem to overcome the habit.

My late wife and I put1000 miles on a car in England. We had names for each other- GET OVER & SHUT UP

 

[Fabeetz]

Has anyone been to the Dordogne region of France? I'm interested in the area after reading some books that are set there.

If you haven’t already done so, read every one of the “Bruno” books by Martin Walker. While St. Denis and the characters are all fictional, the locales, foods and customs in those books not only represent the area but when you visit will bring it to life. Each area, Bergerac, Les Eyzie, Limueil, the Lascaux caves replica, Beynac, Castlenaud, Milande had a gift for us in culture, history and ambiance. We stayed a week at wonderful La Cordeliere in Sarlat using it as a base to experience the superb food, wine and hospitality just as described in the Bruno books. Be there at least a week. And we hope you enjoy “carnard” (duck)!

 

[audreyh1]

Has anyone been to the Dordogne region of France? I'm interested in the area after reading some books that are set there.

Going in a October to see the cave paintings. Rick Steves has an episode on it plus articles, book etc.

 

[Fabeetz]

The cave as Lascaux is awesome. There is so much more too. Walk thru Beynac and you live thru the 100 years war. Read “Timeline” by Michael Crichton as well. The view of the Dordogne from Castelnaud is memorable. So much to experience in this beautiful land...

 

[DrRoy]

Has anyone been to the Dordogne region of France? I'm interested in the area after reading some books that are set there.

We went through there on our trip to France in 2015. Do see the drawings in the caves. Also went to Carcassone and a great cave in Clamouse.

 

[DrRoy]

This year -

Been: Southern Caribbean cruise, 3 weeks split between Sedona, AZ and Kanab, UT, Southern England.

To Do: Myrtle Beach, Glacier NP, and Acadia NP.
.

 

[iloveyoga]

Halfway through the year.....I head to Ohio this Friday for my granddaughter's dance competition at the Kalahari Resort. Later in July I am going to Lake Geneva with my GFs that all turned 60 this year. In August we join our kids in Breckenridge, CO for some mountain fun. My last planned trip is Orlando/WDW in December to see the Christmas decorations and do the Disney thing with my kids/grandkids.

 

[audreyh1]

Link to some Rick Steves videos and info about the Dordogne region. I need to rewatch these myself! https://www.google.com/search?q=rick+steves+dordogne