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Post by tiffany on Oct 17, 2014 13:36:18 GMT
Hey Bet, I’d love to take my family with me on a Christmas Markets tour, but that won’t be happening. My dad and step-mother are only interested in travelling to Italy and France, and wouldn’t be interested in a Christmas Markets tour., and my mother and her husband like to go to Caribbean while on vacation, as they like to get away from the cold in the winter. My mother also doesn’t like to get out of bed before 10:00 a.m., so a tour would not work for her. I will eventually go on a Christmas Markets tour, but it won’t be anytime soon, as my boss wouldn’t want me to take time off at both the beginning of December and end of December, and, for now, I need to visit my family during the holidays.
I look forward to reading your tour tales once you have had time to write them.
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denise
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Post by denise on Oct 19, 2014 7:08:44 GMT
Thanks Tiffany for your tour tale. I'm in the process of posting my tour take of Spain and Portugal. I recall you mentioning how much you liked Portugal and that you in fact went on to do a Best of Portugal - I agree, Portugal was lovely and different to Spain. This was the 3rd tour that my daughter and I have done together. Next year we are planning on going to Athens, Crete and Rome in Nov/Dec and doing it ourselves rather than a tour. My daughter loves museums and isn't that interested in churches. After using the metro in Istanbul, Barcelona and Singapore and finding our way around we feel reasonably confident in basing ourselves in 1 city and making our own itinerary.
I note your comments re the enjoyability of this tour and agree also that it can sometimes be varying different reasons why a tour is not as wonderful as others. There are so many places to see in the world. My tour to South America last year was an absolute stand out and for so many reasons was a trip of a lifetime.
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Post by chech on Oct 19, 2014 12:32:51 GMT
Hey Denise, Which tour did you do to South America? Your comment about your daughter not liking churches sparked an idea....a tour that is church-free! LOL
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denise
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Post by denise on Oct 20, 2014 8:05:54 GMT
I think a church free tour would definitely have a good response!
2013 I did Trafalgar's Cultures & Contrasts of South America with the Peru extension - great tour, wonderful sights, great people and wonderful Travel Director. I posted a tour review on the Trafalgar website - not sure if it got copied across to this forum?
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Post by tiffany on Oct 20, 2014 11:36:27 GMT
Thanks Tiffany for your tour tale. I'm in the process of posting my tour take of Spain and Portugal. I recall you mentioning how much you liked Portugal and that you in fact went on to do a Best of Portugal - I agree, Portugal was lovely and different to Spain. This was the 3rd tour that my daughter and I have done together. Next year we are planning on going to Athens, Crete and Rome in Nov/Dec and doing it ourselves rather than a tour. My daughter loves museums and isn't that interested in churches. After using the metro in Istanbul, Barcelona and Singapore and finding our way around we feel reasonably confident in basing ourselves in 1 city and making our own itinerary. I note your comments re the enjoyability of this tour and agree also that it can sometimes be varying different reasons why a tour is not as wonderful as others. There are so many places to see in the world. My tour to South America last year was an absolute stand out and for so many reasons was a trip of a lifetime. Hi Denise, I look forward to reading about your Spain and Portugal tour. You are right, I did really like Portugal, and the Best of Portugal tours is one of the best tours I’ve been one. I also really liked Spain though, and hope to go back to Northern Spain some day. There are some similarities between the two counties, but there are also a lot of differences. You are right that every tour is different, and that there are a lot of reasons why one tour may be better than another. Overall I did enjoy this tour, just not as much as others. I did meet some great people on this tour though, and made the best of having a controlling tour director. Your travel plans for next year sound like fun. I too am planning on going to Greece next year, however, I will be going on a tour with Trafalgar. South America is also on my list of places to go, and as I get five weeks vacation as of next year, I will start looking at some of the longer tours. Of course, my boss doesn’t want me to be gone for more than two weeks at a time very often. I guess that’s a good thing as it means he needs me. It’s too bad your daughter doesn’t like churches. I love them, and never pass up going into a cathedral, and I’m not at all religious. I just think that most churches/basilicas/cathedrals, etc. are so beautiful.
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Post by chech on Oct 20, 2014 12:03:44 GMT
I think a church free tour would definitely have a good response! 2013 I did Trafalgar's Cultures & Contrasts of South America with the Peru extension - great tour, wonderful sights, great people and wonderful Travel Director. I posted a tour review on the Trafalgar website - not sure if it got copied across to this forum? Ah...I think I remember now. So you got to do the Bariloche adventure? We had great weather for our crossing.
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denise
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Post by denise on Oct 21, 2014 10:20:59 GMT
I think a church free tour would definitely have a good response! 2013 I did Trafalgar's Cultures & Contrasts of South America with the Peru extension - great tour, wonderful sights, great people and wonderful Travel Director. I posted a tour review on the Trafalgar website - not sure if it got copied across to this forum? Ah...I think I remember now. So you got to do the Bariloche adventure? We had great weather for our crossing. Lucky you! The day we did the crossing it started off cool and cloudy and deteriorated from there to raining all day and pretty cold. The whole getting on and off buses and boats of various sizes was certainly an adventure - not to mention crossing the border and temperamental border guards! Certainly part of the whole South American experience.
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Post by chech on Oct 21, 2014 15:30:25 GMT
Ah yes, I remember reading your tale now. I had my fingers crossed for a blue sky and it started out cloudy but cleared. We really lucked out. Did you ever get a glimpse of Osorno?
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denise
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Post by denise on Oct 22, 2014 7:30:22 GMT
Ah yes, I remember reading your tale now. I had my fingers crossed for a blue sky and it started out cloudy but cleared. We really lucked out. Did you ever get a glimpse of Osorno?
Thanks for the photo Chech - this is as close as I got to see it - totally shrouded by cloud for the time we were there. I knew it was out there somewhere and constantly hoped that it would appear - no luck!
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Post by tiffany on Feb 3, 2017 12:35:40 GMT
Daphne, this is my Switzerland and Austria tour tale. It’s a little long, but it’s very detailed. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
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daphne
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Post by daphne on Feb 3, 2017 14:36:02 GMT
I am going to read this with pleasure, LOVE detail tx!!!!!
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Post by tiffany on Feb 6, 2017 12:23:11 GMT
I actually gave my tour tale a quick re-read over the weekend, as talking to you about this tour has brought back memories. Now, I need to look at my pictures again.
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daphne
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Post by daphne on Feb 6, 2017 12:31:41 GMT
LOVE the detail!!! Still busy reading ... a question, when visiting Lake Maggiore, did you have time for shopping ..... when we visited the Isola Bella, I have some memory of little shops somewhere, nice handbags and scarves, not sure if it was there somewhere around? You see, we are not doing Italy next year, I am sooooooooooo sad, we only have that one day that we go into Italy... so I hope there will be some time and place for shopping, I will skip the lunch and grab something if I can just shop
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Post by tiffany on Feb 6, 2017 18:33:55 GMT
Hi Daphne, this tour goes to Isola Bella in Lake Majorie, and we had very little time when we were there. We got there late, and were rushed through the castle and gardens, which was a shame as they were both beautiful. If you’re willing to skip lunch, then you’ll have time to see the gardens and do some shopping, however, if you want to eat something, then you won’t have time. Our tour director made us a reservation at a pizza place overlooking the water, and it was really good. I could have skipped lunch, however, I knew that dinner would not be until later that evening, and I was hungry. That being said, when I did look at some of the stalls, I found the products to be very overpriced. Most of the stalls were selling purses and pashminas, and they were very expensive. You could get both elsewhere cheaper.
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daphne
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Post by daphne on Feb 7, 2017 5:38:29 GMT
Tx, yes I think I can remember the purses being pricey, almost as if it was designer stuff... then I will just settle for scarves... hubby will definitely want to sit down and have pizza, he can order me take away ))!!!
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Post by tiffany on Feb 8, 2017 12:48:07 GMT
The pizza place that Miranda took us to was really good, and there was a nice view from the patio. We ordered three pizzas between the three of us to share, and gave the left over’s to two friends who stayed behind to look at the gardens. I really enjoyed the Isola Bella, and wish we had more time there. If we hasn’t had such a long coffee stop just before entering Italy, we may have made it one time, but, what can you do.
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daphne
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Post by daphne on Feb 8, 2017 13:56:48 GMT
Tx will keep that stop(s) in mind, maybe ask our TD (if he/she is nice), to speed up the drive (not wasting too much time during stops), before entering Italy, as we only have the one day in Italy
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Post by chech on Feb 8, 2017 18:49:19 GMT
Our guide in Switzerland didn't make the stops too long. We had more than enough time on Isola Bella and it was worth it (it was an optional). We even stopped later at the silk place and some of the women bought bolts of silk.
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daphne
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Post by daphne on Feb 9, 2017 8:09:12 GMT
Oh great Chech, tx for the thumbs up, my spirits immediately lifted by the sound of shopping opportunities
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Post by tiffany on Feb 9, 2017 12:31:32 GMT
I think I just got stuck with a tour director who liked to make long comfort stops, and didn’t want anyone to go off on their own. I know that the driver needs to have a certain amount of breaks during the day, but I felt like her comfort stops were just too long, which didn’t leave us enough time for sightseeing. That’s what happened when we arrived in Innsbruck. We had two long comfort stops before entering the city, and then we arrived at our hotel late, and didn’t have enough time to see the city. I was very disappointed by this, as I really wanted to see more of Innsbruck. We didn’t stop at a silk place after leaving Isola Bella, as we didn’t have time. We just took the boat back to where the coach was parked, and then went to our hotel. Hopefully you don’t get Miranda Daphne. She was close to retiring when I had her as my travel director, so she may be retired now.
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Post by chech on Feb 9, 2017 13:25:17 GMT
And you'd know from tour previous tours that something was wrong. She really sounds like a piece of work. My guide was Vincenzo and the other guide on the tour behind us also got rave reviews. I'd say if Miranda was close to retiring, the odds are in Daphne's favour.
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daphne
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Post by daphne on Feb 9, 2017 14:45:01 GMT
Oh yeahhhh Tiff and Chech, your replies makes me even more excited!!! Still 17 months left, so FOR SURE madam will be retired!! Of course enough time in Innsbruck to walk around would be appreciated, we are going in July, so we have more than enough hours in the day before sunset to do some exploring...i.e. we arrive early!!!
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Post by tiffany on Feb 10, 2017 12:20:13 GMT
I hope you have better weather than I did Daphne. It rained almost every day when I did this tour, although we got lucky when we went to the Matterhorn and did the Bernina Express optional. Even if you’re dressed for the rain, after a while, it gets frustrating!
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daphne
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Post by daphne on Feb 10, 2017 14:32:43 GMT
Although we are going in July, could it be really cold and rainy? I see on pics at Matterhorn up the mountains, people wearing jackets etc, I normally dont take any wintery clothes during July in Europe, as it is soooo hot and humid. And I dont have space for extra bulky stuff, as we are out and about for 24 days!!!
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Post by purvis on Feb 10, 2017 15:48:54 GMT
I wouldn't bring a heavy jacket but would pack a heavy sweater which could be layered with a turtle-neck. Much easier to pack . A windbreaker jacket would also do. I was at the Matterhorn in late June 2011 and don't remember any of our group wearing heavy snow jackets. Purvis
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Post by tiffany on Feb 10, 2017 15:54:11 GMT
It was about -1 or - 2 Celsius when I went to the Matterhorn in September. I didn’t bring a winter coat with me, but I wore three layers under my fall coat, a cotton camisole, a light sweater and a cardigan sweater, and I was warm enough. I stayed outside most of the time, and even went tubing while there. There was a lot of snow, but you don’t have to walk in it if you don’t want to, and I wore rain boots with extra socks. As soon as we went back to Zermatt, I went to the hotel to change, as it was a warm and sunny day (one of the few we had). I don’t think you’ll need to bring any winter clothes with you, however, you might want to bring a few light sweaters, and a spring/fall coat, as it could get cold in the mountains.
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Post by chech on Feb 10, 2017 17:38:38 GMT
I was there in July and while it was chilly right at the top of the Klein Matterhorn, I walked around the area at the base of the Matterhorn in short sleeves. I got away with just my water/wind proof shell and a light fleece underneath up on the Klein. I had thrown in a cap and light knitted gloves (cheap $2 Walmart kind) and I wore them when I went outside on the Klein....where you don't have to spend a lot of time outside. That did me when I went up to the top of the Pilatus, Jungfrau and Piz Nair as well.
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Post by purvis on Feb 10, 2017 20:21:07 GMT
When I was up Mt. Pilatus it was so warm that folks were sunning themselves on lounge chairs. It was cooler in Lucerne. You never know what to expect on the mountains so layering is your best idea. Purvis
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daphne
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Post by daphne on Feb 13, 2017 13:11:06 GMT
Tx you all!! Ok, will take like a lightweight raincoat and a fleecy something underneath, it will anyway be high winter in South Africa when we leave, so I normally will wear a lightweight jacket with layering underneath, once we arrive in Europe (first stop after the all nighter flight, I change into summery clothes (the best feeling ever!!!!) Will maybe take a poloneck as well, one I can throw away or leave at the hotel after we went up the mountains, and of course a beanie (just for in case)!!!! O sooo nice having all you people giving tips and advice, lovit!!!!!!
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Post by tiffany on Feb 13, 2017 18:08:51 GMT
Sounds like a good plan Daphne. Out of curiosity, what is a beanie?
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