Anyone got any travel planned?

[grasshopper]

DD just invited me to accompany her on a four day trek along the Inca Trail in Peru up to Machu Picchu. Having been to Machu Picchu previously by train, I am excited at the idea of returning via the Inca trail, the total trek about 26 miles. The daily mileage is totally manageable; it's the altitude that will be the kicker. I have three days to decide, but am leaning strongly toward 'Yes.'

We did MP in June, only had a chance to go to the Sun Gate on the Inca Trail on our own one morning. We are both 60's active and live at 4600 ft and had spent the previous 10 days at sea level with no altitude problems.

Go for it.

 

[Rosie]

Next month I'm going on a weeklong hiking trip in Crater Lake NP in southern Oregon. I've bicycled up to and around Rim Drive a few times but I never had the opportunity to hike there. It's such a glorious place, I'm really looking forward to seeing it from another perspective, away from the paved road.

My husband doesn't enjoy hiking so I'm going on my own.

It'll be my first trip with Road Scholar ( aka RoadScholar ), hopefully I'll enjoy dealing with them because I'm already considering a couple of their other hiking trips for next year.

 

[GravitySucks]

Drove the RV to Bar Harbor stopping every couple hundred miles for swimming and camping. Great view from my front window at Bar Harbor Campgrounds

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[Rosie]

Where did you eat that you enjoyed Rodi? Hubby and I will be RV'ing there in the fall and having already done Hitching Post II, are looking for someplace new.

I'm not Rodi but I thought I'd chime in. A couple of years ago, DH and I ate at Trattoria Grappolo in Santa Ynez and we really enjoyed it. I just checked the recent reviews on Trip Advisor and on the whole it still seems to be very highly regarded (except for a couple of reviewers who said they had very bad experiences, oops).

 

[Nemo2]

Are you finding a great price on this trip and are prices still dropping?

Should be able to provide the cruise costs shortly; for the 3 B2B cruises we currently have 2 different interior cabins, and 1 oceanview for the Norwegian section.

Here's our calculation thus far:

16 night Transatlantic Limon Costa Rica to Lisbon
$1,092 US (total for two)

9 night Lisbon to Rostock Germany
$1,334 US (total for two)

7 night Rostock to Bergen
$1,374 US (total for two)


Total: $3,800 US = ~ $4,910 Canadian

(Not included are 'mandatory gratuities', getting to Costa Rica and getting home from.......wherever we decide to fly home from.)

Seems the ship may be filling fast; we're in 3 different cabins (granted, the 3rd leg is an oceanview while the others are interior), and it wasn't possible to remain in the first interior for the first and second legs.

 

[explanade]

Next month I'm going on a weeklong hiking trip in Crater Lake NP in southern Oregon. I've bicycled up to and around Rim Drive a few times but I never had the opportunity to hike there. It's such a glorious place, I'm really looking forward to seeing it from another perspective, away from the paved road.

My husband doesn't enjoy hiking so I'm going on my own.

It'll be my first trip with Road Scholar ( aka RoadScholar ), hopefully I'll enjoy dealing with them because I'm already considering a couple of their other hiking trips for next year.

Bears?

 

[Rosie]

Bears?

Not sure what you're asking ...

 

[explanade]

Are there bears up there to deal with in the summer?

 

[Ronstar]

Finalizing plans for our England / Ireland trip. Making important maps - pub locations.




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[REWahoo]

Are there bears up there to deal with in the summer?

Not if you follow the "sell in May and go away" investment philosophy.

 

[Rosie]

Are there bears up there to deal with in the summer?

As far as I know, they're present, but they're not much of a problem. The times I've been up there in the past, the camping and picnic areas were well maintained and kept clear of trash. For the most part.

This might be helpful:
Black Bears of Crater Lake National Park

This time around I won't be camping, I'll be staying at a lodge at nearby Diamond Lake.


Ed. to add: I'm referring to Crater Lake in Southern Oregon. Turns out there were some camping areas at Crater Lake in Colorado that had had to be closed last summer due to assertive bears. http://www.aspentimes.com/news/17585385-113/bear-issues-force-camping-closure-at-crater-lake

 

[Sarah in SC]

Elizabeth, you should definitely go with your daughter!

Get a prescription for Diamox from your doctor. I know it is normally prescribed to take it for days in a row, but my personal experience was that I took it on the one day I had altitude sickness (traveling through the high mountains near Cuzco) and it worked almost immediately.

Altitude sickness is compounded by dehydration, so be sure to carry lots of safe water.

If you do take it for days in a row, it makes everything taste metallic, including beer (gross).

 

[HFWR]

if you do take it for days in a row, it makes everything taste metallic, including beer (gross).

 

[chris2008]

Mid September we will be flying into Boston, drive up to Vermont for some days to meet family, then to NY to start our first CRUISE: NY, Boston, Bar Harbor, Halifax, Quebec, Montreal, 10 days. Then some days on our own in Montreal and around, finally return flight to Germany.
We can hardly wait.

 

[kcowan]

If you have not spent time in NY before, plan on returning. Great trip BTW.

 

[braumeister]

Heading up to New England next week for a break (the Kentucky heat has been a bit oppressive lately). Probably a bit of sea kayaking on the Maine coast, and there will definitely be a lot of lobstah on the menu.

 

[Dogberry]

Am thinking of going to Slovenia and Croatia. Flying into Budapest and then taking Eurail into Lubjliana Slovenia and along the Croatian coast to Split. It is much cheaper to fly into Budapest. Since hostels are so common and having had a great experience with them in Iceland, doing the same this time.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Dogberry, be sure to check out Zadar, my husband stopped there on his drive with friends to Mongolia last year. There is a "sea organ" on the waterfront that is really very cool. Neat town--I hope to get there myself someday!

 

[GravitySucks]

View from Bar Harbor Campgrounds. Highly recommend this place for frugal campers. Best price and best views. Free wild blueberries for the picking.

 

[GravitySucks]

Here's our calculation thus far:

16 night Transatlantic Limon Costa Rica to Lisbon
$1,092 US (total for two)

9 night Lisbon to Rostock Germany
$1,334 US (total for two)

7 night Rostock to Bergen
$1,374 US (total for two)


Total: $3,800 US = ~ $4,910 Canadian

(Not included are 'mandatory gratuities', getting to Costa Rica and getting home from.......wherever we decide to fly home from.)

Seems the ship may be filling fast; we're in 3 different cabins (granted, the 3rd leg is an oceanview while the others are interior), and it wasn't possible to remain in the first interior for the first and second legs.

Great deal Nemo!

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[sengsational]

Yeah, nice set of cruises! DW said "eh" to another non-English TA, but she's excited for the BCN - Tampa in October on RCL. I told her it would be primarily English, but I didn't check

I hope nuthin "blows" on ya! That would be a memorable trip for your DW, but I suppose going out doing something you love is a plus.

 

[FUEGO]

Currently planning on spending most of summer of 2017 in Europe. No real plans yet, other than DW saying "let's go to Lisbon. Google Images shows me pretty pictures". And she liked the pics that google produces when you search on Prague. I have dreams of landing in the south (Spain or Portugal?) and working our way north toward Germany with stops along the way. It's our first time in Europe so we're open to pretty much anything. In terms of language, I have decent proficiency in Spanish and limited French.

We have the option of adding a trip to Thailand onto the beginning or end of the Europe trip for very little extra cost (weird frequent flyer loophole that treats Europe as a stopover en route to SE Asia, so marginal extra cost in airline miles is minimal). I think it will be too hot in the summertime for our kids to cope with the heat and humidity. Ankgor Wat is the main thing we want to see, but would probably spend 2 weeks exploring Thailand and/or Cambodia if we head that way. DW is fluent in a dialect of Thai and might be able to pick up some Cambodian from her family before we leave. Although I'm strongly leaning toward skipping the SE Asia leg since our youngest will be 5 next summer and the 24+ hour return flight schedule scares me (and the heat scares me too).

 

[Eagle43]

We're heading to Niagra Falls early next month. From there, a couple of days in Toronto. We've never been to either. Any tips about a "must-see or do" in either. We're flying into Buffalo, then driving from there.

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[doneat54]

One more RV Trailer trip/weekend in the Woodstock VT area Sept 30.

2017 is looking good and not just because last day of work is 12/22.......

10 Days in Grand Cayman in March, with some underwater time of course.

April will do a 2-3 week east coast trip with the RV Trailer to visit family and do some hiking

June to Europe for 2 weeks. I participate in a vintage VW caravan from Northern Belgium to the Hanover Germany area, and event that is held only every 4 years. As in years past, will be driving an original paint 1949 Beetle with cable brakes (!) 500+ miles in the weekend. Then to London to visit family, then back to Belgium for another car show the weekend after.

August down to Charleston SC to visit family and friends and see the eclipse.

That's all for now!!

 

[Koogie]

We're heading to Niagra Falls early next month. From there, a couple of days in Toronto. We've never been to either. Any tips about a "must-see or do" in either. We're flying into Buffalo, then driving from there.

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Depends whatcha like doing ?!!

Once you cross over, you'll probably be on the QEW highway in Fort Erie. Exit immediately and take the Niagara Parkway drive north. You'll go through Niagara Falls proper (great view of the falls/built up tourist tacky area). Then it follows the river north on a scenic drive that eventually takes you up through the wineries and into Niagara-on-the-Lake (very pretty tourist town). Then it's back on the QEW to Toronto.
Toronto has everything. Much like a Chicago or smaller NYC. See a Jays game if they are in town. Go to the Hockey Hall of Fame if you like hockey. There are a bazillion restaurants of every type and ethnicity.
I guess you'll be here around the same time as TIFF ? (Sept. 8-18) Lots of great movies...