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Post by chech on Aug 26, 2015 11:50:23 GMT
I like it when I go to places like Australia cause I can pack less. I don't need as much in my pharmacy as one will be handy...or as much shampoo etc. Australia might be my lightest pack yet. But Cuba will be heavier...cause I'll need enough of everything to do me the 2 weeks.
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Post by mary on Aug 29, 2015 13:16:23 GMT
My next trip is a cruise on the Columbia & Snake Rivers in the U.S. on the Queen of the West, a paddlewheel boat. It is a themed wine cruise and there will be a wine expert on board. We'll be visiting several vineyards in the Pacific Northwest as well as seeing some of the areas traveled by Lewis & Clark. 7 days. It starts in Lewiston, Idaho and ends in Portland, Oregon. I've never been to Portland, so I plan to spend two days there sightseeing before returning home.
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Post by californian on Sept 1, 2015 17:21:26 GMT
Well....I will have to wait a few months but finally booked (with my daughter) The Best of Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, June 2016...and my daughter is treating me to a week in Paris.
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Post by marielouise on Sept 2, 2015 4:33:39 GMT
Wonderful Californian, I know it is a long wait but I am sure you will have a wonderful time.
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Post by marielouise on Sept 2, 2015 4:41:41 GMT
My next trip is a cruise on the Columbia & Snake Rivers in the U.S. on the Queen of the West, a paddlewheel boat. It is a themed wine cruise and there will be a wine expert on board. We'll be visiting several vineyards in the Pacific Northwest as well as seeing some of the areas traveled by Lewis & Clark. 7 days. It starts in Lewiston, Idaho and ends in Portland, Oregon. I've never been to Portland, so I plan to spend two days there sightseeing before returning home. Sounds interesting, I have never been in the area you will be travelling through but I have been at the source, in British Columbia and at Columbia Lake, where we went swimming. The Snake river I believe is famous for fishing, my fly fishing DH has mentioned it many times but he has never been there.
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Post by tiffany on Sept 2, 2015 11:50:17 GMT
Well....I will have to wait a few months but finally booked (with my daughter) The Best of Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, June 2016...and my daughter is treating me to a week in Paris. That’s great Californian. I really enjoyed the Netherlands when I went on the Best of Holland tour a few years ago, but would love to do this tour and see Belgium and Luxembourg. June is a good time of the year to go. It won’t be too hot or too cold. I went at the beginning of September, and it was cold and wet the whole time I was there.
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Post by Tulips on Sept 2, 2015 20:47:50 GMT
Down to 29 days to Ecuador and the Galapagos. Thanks to Chech's Panama tale, i know now what to do with a 7 plus hour layover in Bogota! Thanks Chech!
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Post by chech on Sept 2, 2015 21:03:35 GMT
Just watch out for the locals. They may cause you to miss your flight!
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Post by tiffany on Sept 3, 2015 11:47:26 GMT
Only three weeks to go before I leave for London and Greece. Right now it’s cool and wet in London, but hot in Greece. Hopefully it cools off in Greece before I leave as I can’t take the humidity. It’s been very humid in Toronto this week, and I can’t wait for this heat wave to end, especially since I don’t have AC at the moment.
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Post by marielouise on Sept 9, 2015 4:19:07 GMT
I picked up our tour documents today for Easy Pace Budapest, Vienna and Prague. One hotel had been changed, it seems to be very close to the original hotel right by the river and the Chain Bridge, but it is an Intercontinental hotel and they charge 25 euros per day for Wifi, apparently it was free in the original hotel. We only stay in 3 different hotels. I wonder how the migrant situation will impact our tour, which starts Sept 25.
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Post by tiffany on Sept 9, 2015 12:03:11 GMT
I’ve been wondering the same thing about my tour of Greece Marielouise. I’m a little worried that there might be problems, given the number if migrants travelling through Greece. My friend’s husband is worried about her getting off the ship in Kusadasi, Turkey, as he thinks it might be dangerous. I don’t think Trafalgar will take us anywhere that’s not safe, so for now, I’m not too worried. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what things are like when we get there.
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Post by marielouise on Sept 9, 2015 15:45:54 GMT
I think you will be ok in kusadasi, Tiffany. The migrants seem to be in other areas.
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Post by chech on Sept 9, 2015 16:50:13 GMT
I saw a post on the Monograms page referring to a tour that was going to take the train from Budapest to Vienna. It said due to the influx of the migrants, the train schedules were off and with the confusion and crowding, they decided to lay on a bus for those travellers to avoid delays. I don't think any of you have any worries. The tours companies are watching the situation closely and won't go anywhere or use a transport which might be affected by the migrants. Kusadasi won't be an issue at all - the dock is a secure one so even if there were migrants there, they can't get to the area where the ships embark and disembark. And Athens doesn't seem to be overly affected. The crowding seems to be on the borders north of Greece. One month from now, I'll be sleeping off my jetlag at the Menzies in Sydney.
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Post by marielouise on Sept 9, 2015 18:41:06 GMT
I think it should be ok but the traffic might be slowed down at the borders. We had planned to visit Bratislava when in Vienna but I am not sure we will be able to do that. DH's parents came from Slovakia, DH visited when he was 12, so it would be interesting to go there, even for a brief 1 hour. There is supposed to be an optional offered from Vienna but not sure it will run, so we were planning to take the train but it could be a problem now.
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Post by Boop on Sept 9, 2015 21:16:42 GMT
I picked up our tour documents today for Easy Pace Budapest, Vienna and Prague. One hotel had been changed, it seems to be very close to the original hotel right by the river and the Chain Bridge, but it is an Intercontinental hotel and they charge 25 euros per day for Wifi, apparently it was free in the original hotel. We only stay in 3 different hotels. I wonder how the migrant situation will impact our tour, which starts Sept 25. ML are you doing the same tour that I am? I'm leaving Dec. 14 and the itinerary says we "pass" Bratislava, which means, I guess, that we won't be stopping. As Chech mentions, I don't think the current issues with migrants should be an issue. I'd be very surprised if Trafalagar ventured into any area which could be considered unsafe. I hope you have an amazing time and will be anxious to hear your thoughts. I'm not too happy with the Trafalgar hotel in Prague, it's quite a distance from Old Town but I do have 3 additional nights booked prior to the tour start at the Grand Hotel Praha directly across from the Clock so that should allow me adequate shopping time! Packed yet??
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Post by chech on Sept 9, 2015 22:50:12 GMT
If Bratislava is offered as an optional, I can't see why they'd cancel it. It's a very short drive from Vienna. And worth the visit. I really enjoyed the visit.
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Post by marielouise on Sept 9, 2015 23:08:33 GMT
I picked up our tour documents today for Easy Pace Budapest, Vienna and Prague. One hotel had been changed, it seems to be very close to the original hotel right by the river and the Chain Bridge, but it is an Intercontinental hotel and they charge 25 euros per day for Wifi, apparently it was free in the original hotel. We only stay in 3 different hotels. I wonder how the migrant situation will impact our tour, which starts Sept 25. ML are you doing the same tour that I am? I'm leaving Dec. 14 and the itinerary says we "pass" Bratislava, which means, I guess, that we won't be stopping. As Chech mentions, I don't think the current issues with migrants should be an issue. I'd be very surprised if Trafalagar ventured into any area which could be considered unsafe. I hope you have an amazing time and will be anxious to hear your thoughts. I'm not too happy with the Trafalgar hotel in Prague, it's quite a distance from Old Town but I do have 3 additional nights booked prior to the tour start at the Grand Hotel Praha directly across from the Clock so that should allow me adequate shopping time! Packed yet?? i haven't packed at all or decided on the clothes, it depends on the temperature, it seems to vary 15-30C. I am taking the Insight Easy Pace Budapest, Vienna and Prague. We spend 3 nights in each place, plus we are staying 2 extra days in Prague at the end. We visit Szentendre near Budapest and Cesky Krumlov on the way to Prague. All optionals printed on the day to day info are not always offered so I wasn't sure the Bratislava optional will be offered.
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Post by Boop on Sept 10, 2015 17:20:41 GMT
Oh, you're an Insight tour. I'm doing the Trafalgar Christmas tour. The starting point is Prague and we end in Budapest. What was it you liked about Bratislava Chech? I'm packed....lolol!!
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Post by chech on Sept 11, 2015 11:33:57 GMT
I liked the old Europe feel to it including the street cars. It had a little Prague feel about it.
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Post by purvis on Sept 11, 2015 15:15:12 GMT
Chech: I loved Prague but my most favorite city is London which I will be travelling to in 9days for probably my last trip to that great city. Only going for 8days but beats sitting home. Hope to go on a tour next spring but will wait until April to decide when and where. Purvis
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Post by Boop on Sept 12, 2015 0:16:15 GMT
I liked the old Europe feel to it including the street cars. It had a little Prague feel about it. I'm really hoping we stop there and if there's an optional, I'm on it!
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Post by chech on Sept 13, 2015 11:57:05 GMT
Here are my pics for Bratislava.
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Post by Boop on Sept 13, 2015 23:33:08 GMT
Here are my pics for Bratislava. Really nice photos Chech! I hope we do more than "pass" it by..............do you have a tour tale?
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Post by chech on Sept 14, 2015 0:24:31 GMT
Yeah. It's part of the Highlights of Austria, Slovenia and Croatia travel tale.
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Post by tiffany on Sept 14, 2015 11:55:59 GMT
I started packing on the weekend, and, as usual, I’ve over-packed! I have a little over a week to take things out, so I’ll be fine by the time I leave. I like having options, and would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it, so travelling light is not for me!
Less than two weeks to go before I leave. So far, the weather is looking good, even in London.
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Post by californian on Sept 14, 2015 15:31:31 GMT
Traveling light is for when you go on your own, Tiffany, let Trafalgar handle your bag, (within reason, of course!), I have more than a few months away from my next tour, but we will be on our own taking the train from Brussels and either an apartment or hotel in Paris, and I am already starting to panic, will need to get a small and lighter spinner case soon. Enjoy your tour, hope the weather is good, already looking forward to your photos and tale.
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Post by chech on Sept 14, 2015 15:44:15 GMT
And three weeks for me! Yeah...time to haul out the luggage this week. I was just down to my travel medical clinic and with the comeback of whooping cough, they now recommend a pertussis booster for those of us who were vaccinated in the 70s and earlier. So, now I don't have to wonder about the coughing kid across the aisle on a 16 hour flight.
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Post by marielouise on Sept 14, 2015 15:50:19 GMT
I agree with you Californian, I use a sturdier heavier bag for tours. I remember discussing this with Caitie, remember her more than 5 years ago, I bought some very light weight bags, not spinner but with 2 wheels, mine is still fine but I haven't used it for many trips but my daughter's had to be replaced last year, she had used it for a lot of airplane travel. I am saving mine for trips on our own. We just bought a soft sided Heys spinner bag for DH, since it is a lot lighter than his old bag. Coming home from Rome in March, his was slightly over weight but mine was under so they let it go. Since his bag was bigger we had not been careful in packing the heavier stuff in my bag.
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Post by chech on Sept 14, 2015 17:25:06 GMT
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Post by californian on Sept 14, 2015 17:43:07 GMT
Very nice, Chech, I was looking at one like that, I do prefer a spinner so I only have to push it lightly, since I can't travel anymore without a carry on with wheels, (it seems I will have a lay over in Heathrow of about 6 hs!) but I will figure out something. Looking forward to your next adventure as well! Safe travels, I heard that in some countries the mumps are a problem (and measles) oh well...shots and more shots...
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