Anyone got any travel planned?

[NW-Bound]

...His landlord had a turkey that we managed to cook about perfectly. However, it was the toughest poultry any of us had ever eaten! Free range to the point of bush turkey!

My BIL once served a free-range chicken here in the US that was like jerky. Awful for the higher price.

 

[H2ODude]

FWIW. We haven't done a lot of European travel in last decade or so but did do 10 days in Spain in September with another couple. She bought our high speed train tix from Madrid to Barcelona through I guess Eurail. Big mistake. When we got to the station despite 2 hours negotiation (and she speaks fluent Spain Spanish) they wouldn't acknowledge the Eurail purchase and we had to buy again, at same day rates. This has been a problem for them once before, HER HUSBAND WAS QUICK TO REMIND HER . So if you're buying tix on the Spanish system go through their system, not Eurail or whatever it is called.

 

[braumeister]

She bought our high speed train tix from Madrid to Barcelona through I guess Eurail. Big mistake.

Never used Eurailpass, but sometimes buy train tickets online before a trip, when I know exactly when and where I'll be going.

Last year in Germany, I was surprised to find that buying tickets at a kiosk in a train station was actually cheaper than the online advance purchase price. Nothing to do with exchange rates -- it was cheaper in Euros.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

So, I thought I was all set with my hotel reservation in Casper, WY to see next year's total eclipse, but booking.com just sent me an email saying that my hotel "won’t be able to honour this reservation and accommodate you on the dates of your planned stay."

So now I'm back to Square One with my travel plans. I found a tour package that actually sounds quite interesting, combining the eclipse with a tour of the western national parks. A bit pricey, but as of now it might be the only option to see the eclipse from Jackson, WY.

The tour company is TravelQuest International and they specialize in eclipse and astronomically-oriented travel. I should ask around in an amateur astronomy forum, but I thought I'd ask if anyone here had actually used them. As I said, the cost looks high and the hotels aren't of a level to justify the price, but the guide should be experienced and able to get us under the moon's shadow for the main event.

 

[REWahoo]

...the guide should be experienced and able to get us under the moon's shadow for the main event.

If that's the main reason you are springing for the expensive tour, why not avoid the cost, find other lodging in the area and use this map to be where you need to be as the eclipse occurs? NASA - Total Solar Eclipse of 2017 Aug 21

 

[Bryan Barnfellow]

Almost finished planning and reserving for 2017: Rome in January, London in April, Sardinia in June, and some bicycling in Denmark in September. It helps that I live in central Europe (Switzerland) and getting to these places is easy and inexpensive using trains and budget airlines.

 

[stepford]

Dirt cheap airfare deals last week suckered me in. DW and I are headed to Spain for 3 weeks in December. United LAX to MAD RT was less than $400 a piece. How could we say no.

 

[audreyh1]

Dirt cheap airfare deals last week suckered me in. DW and I are headed to Spain for 3 weeks in December. United LAX to MAD RT was less than $400 a piece. How could we say no.

Wow!

 

[explanade]

Three weeks in December?

Even Spain is cold unless you go to the Canary islands off the west coast of NW Africa.

One bit of trivia is that Madrid is the highest altitude capital in Europe, higher than Bern.

I spent one of the coldest week in mid-March in Madrid years ago.

They may have Christmas markets though.

 

[Meadbh]

Three weeks in December?

Even Spain is cold unless you go to the Canary islands off the west coast of NW Africa.

One bit of trivia is that Madrid is the highest altitude capital in Europe, higher than Bern.

I spent one of the coldest week in mid-March in Madrid years ago.

They may have Christmas markets though.

And they have the Prado.

https://www.museodelprado.es/en

 

[stepford]

Three weeks in December?
Even Spain is cold unless you go to the Canary islands off the west coast of NW Africa.

We spent a couple of weeks over Christmas and New Years in Spain about 10 years ago - much of it in the colder north (Asturias, Bilbao, Barcelona). There was some colder weather, but nothing that a fleece jacket and rain shell wouldn't handle. Regardless, this time we'll be heading to the southern part of the country and Morocco where I suspect moderate temps are likely.

 

[explanade]

I went to Andalusia in late January, early February one year.

Sevilla was still mostly cold.

Granada was very cold too, because it's higher in elevation.

But generally, clear and sunny, no rain or snow.

Happy to get some clear pictures of the Alhambra, including from Albayzin.

One nice custom in Granada is that some of the bars will give you free tapa with each drink ordered.

Morocco sounds great. Andalusia definitely gives you an interest in Muslim/Arab culture, especially architecture and decorative arts.

 

[Lsbcal]

Three weeks in December?

Even Spain is cold unless you go to the Canary islands off the west coast of NW Africa.
...

My DW needs to stay away from trips that go to cold places. This gives me an idea to try going to Spain maybe late May.

Here is an average weather chart for Barcelona as an example:

 

[explanade]

Yeah check whereandwhen.net for average weather month by month, rainfall, etc.

 

[6miths]

Just got back from ten days in Kampala. Great weather and people. Long flights!

 

[braumeister]

Got a wonderful deal and will be spending a week in Zurich around the end of March. I know it will be cold, but we're fine with that. Never been there and always wanted to visit.

Any suggestions would be most welcome.
Things already on the list:

• St. Peterskirche
• Bahnhofstrasse
• Niederdorf
• Swiss National Museum
• Frau Gerolds Garten
• Freitag Shop
• Cabaret Voltaire
• Chinese Garden
• Nordamerika Native Museum
• Irchel Park
• Zurich Zoo
• Rhine Falls

Looks like the ZürichCARD would be worthwhile for transit/discounts.

 

[explanade]

Consider going elsewhere in Switzerland?

Go to Luzern, which is only an hour away by train but has some nearby mountains?

Bernese Oberland (Wengen, Grindlewald, Jungfrau) is about 4 hours by train, but you can get on the train directly from the airport though for the return flight, you want to be close to the airport).

 

[braumeister]

Consider going elsewhere in Switzerland?

Absolutely, but another time. We have more Switzerland time scheduled next Fall, including some days in Luzern. This will just be an end-of-winter getaway.

 

[audreyh1]

We have only been traveling to Europe once a year. I'm not sure I can handle the transatlantic RT flights more than once a year yet.

 

[explanade]

Lot of places in Switzerland to see. I want to go to the Engadin, ride the train through the Bernina Pass.

But Swiss Franc is still too high so I booked an award ticket to Munich for end of August, from which to visit the Tyrolian Alps in Austria, since the Euro relative to the dollar is a better value than the Swiss Franc.

 

[braumeister]

We have only been traveling to Europe once a year. I'm not sure I can handle the transatlantic RT flights more than once a year yet.

We probably take shorter European trips than you do (2-3 weeks at most), so twice a year is good for us. But when you can get a week in Switzerland paid for entirely with miles, it's well worth the hassle.

 

[explanade]

If you don't have to go to a job, you can take all the time you want to recover after these intercontinental flights.

I got back a week and a half ago from Australia. 15 hours from LA to Sydney and 17 hours on the return flight. Then I still had to travel to and from LA to the Bay Area. Only an hour flight but it adds up with the connection time.

That was the fourth international trip this year.

Of course, I was taking 4 trips, usually to Europe from the West Coast, when I was working, in order to earn frequent flier status every year.

Might as well take advantage of ER now.

 

[brett]

For anyone planning travel outside of North America it pays to consider booking those travel arrangements in the country you are travelling to. Over the past several years we have realized discounts from NA quoted prices.

We have realized significant savings by booking Turkish domestic flights on a Turkish website, Europe trips, hotel, etc directly with UK travel agents, and an Australian/NZ directly with the Australian cruise firm office. We also booked African travel directly with a South African travel firm-great service and substantial savings to our rptravel budget.

This week we booked domestic Argentine flights. We saved approx 25 percent by calling the Aerolineas call center in Buenos Aires rather than booking on line with their NA booking site. They spoke English, were very helpful. Doing this gave us access to promo fares that only showed up on their domestic sites or in the call center. Our 20 minute call saved us about $150 USD. It used up fifty cents of our long distance calling card.

There are ways to make the travel budget go further without compromising quality and sometimes even enhancing it. It pays to think out of the box.

 

[audreyh1]

I usually go directly to European company website for booking - they usually have an English language option. For example KLM for the Europe flights. Get quotes and make reservations in Euros.

If the train company makes it easy enough I'll book directly, although my experience with captaintrain has been really good for France - same price as direct without the credit card or redirecting hassles of SNCF.

 

[Bamaman]

Got a wonderful deal and will be spending a week in Zurich around the end of March. I know it will be cold, but we're fine with that. Never been there and always wanted to visit.

Any suggestions would be most welcome.
Looks like the ZürichCARD would be worthwhile for transit/discounts.

I'm sorry, but last time I was in Zurich they rolled up the sidewalks at dark. It's a great business city, but it's not even in the mountains.

I spend my time in The Alps in Austria--100 miles west of Zurich in Western Tirol. Throughout the years, I've found it cheaper and much easier to travel through than Switzerland. And you cannot get more beautiful than parts of Austria--which look like Switzerland.

And when you want a change of scenery, Munich is 2 hrs. and Venice is 3 hrs. away--by train.