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Post by mary on Apr 6, 2015 1:41:34 GMT
Have a great time and report back on your trip!
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Post by MelbourneTraveller on Apr 6, 2015 8:08:17 GMT
Be sure to say hello to Mimi or Kimiko for me! Hi Chech, Absolutely! I booked this tour 6 months ago, and departure seemed like a 1000 years away, and it'd finally about to happen. I'm really hoping that the tour comes up trimps with either Mimi or Kimilko, especially after yur trip report. Rosemary
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Post by MelbourneTraveller on Apr 6, 2015 8:08:58 GMT
Have a great time and report back on your trip! Hey, thanks Mary
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Post by Tonnet on Apr 12, 2015 8:35:10 GMT
Bags completely packed and all paperwork completed.
6 days to go !!
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Post by chech on Apr 12, 2015 12:40:46 GMT
Bags packed at 6 days! Boop will be so proud!
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Post by Tonnet on Apr 12, 2015 21:48:46 GMT
It's pretty easy to organise, Chech. As the bulk of this tour is cruising, I always pack a suit and dressy shoes. All shirts are long sleeved type as this is a requirement for the restaurants on board and not forgetting a couple of ties. The spring weather in the Mediterranean can be a bit patchy so jumpers and coats are in order. The lot came in at 17Kg (30Kg air and cruise allowance) so I am well within the limits. My carry on weighs in just under 7Kg - the limit. I always like to be well prepared beforehand and even my travelling clothes are on a hanger ready to don.
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Post by chech on Apr 12, 2015 22:38:56 GMT
Yeah, I just unpacked from Mexico, cleaned everything and just dumped all back in. I'm ready for the next one. Which might be next month...if the doc says she'll do the little surgery I need late in May...I might look at the May 2nd Norway departure with TT.
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Post by californian on Apr 12, 2015 23:08:12 GMT
I used to be like you Chech (well, except that I never traveled as much as you) my suitcase was always in a corner of my bedroom, packed after the last trip, but for a few items here and there, the bulk was ready to go! Now, I have even stored my bags in the garage! Getting them back in circulation soon though, but for a road trip this time, for 10 days full of events, many dresses, slacks, tops, shoes to pack, I am glad I am not flying! Hope you surgery is a very minor one, enjoy Norway, getting ready for your tale already.
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Post by chech on Apr 12, 2015 23:38:01 GMT
No guarantee on Norway...I see the doc a week from Thursday...if she gives me a date after May 25th, that would give me a week before the tour starts. At that point, it would depend on flight availability and costs. If I lived in California, I'd be doing road trips all the time....I'd have all the western states covered from state line to state line...especially the canyonland areas.
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Post by Tonnet on Apr 13, 2015 22:36:25 GMT
Yeah, I just unpacked from Mexico, cleaned everything and just dumped all back in. I'm ready for the next one. Which might be next month...if the doc says she'll do the little surgery I need late in May...I might look at the May 2nd Norway departure with TT. I can relate to that Chech. I arrive home on 6th May and am off again on 6th June.
At present just sorting out hire car arrangements for when I arrive in Sydney on 23rd June. I have until 27th July available to me and there is a lot of ground to cover in New South Wales and Queensland visiting family and friends before I fly from Brisbane to Cairns to take my third tour for the year. I think that will be enough organised touring for this year and I will hole up for the rest of winter in Perth.
This year I plan on spring touring for the wild flowers but I will do it independently in my motorhome.
Hope that all works out well with your surgery!
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Post by Tonnet on Apr 15, 2015 22:22:19 GMT
2 days to go! It comes up quickly!
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Post by tiffany on Apr 16, 2015 11:42:42 GMT
Have fun Tonnet! Can't wait to hear about your trip when you get back!
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Post by Tonnet on Apr 17, 2015 21:15:09 GMT
It's today!
What an insomniac am I - 4.30am Perth time and I don't have to be at the airport until 2.00pm.
Triple checked everything yesterday so all is in order. We are even going to have a bright sunny day here, about 27ºC. I guess I will have to read the daily paper from cover to cover to fill in time - returned all my library books yesterday.
The only annoying thing experienced was being unable to do my check-in on line as I usually do but this really doesn't save much time at the airport. I am a bit disappointed that I cannot identify the exact configuration of my flight other than it is a Boeing 777 of some variety.
Personally I think this is the worst part of any trip as the departure formalities only take a few minutes and then you just have to hang around. I actually live so close to the airport that I may consider going home for a while to fill in time. Perhaps that would be a bad idea as I may have the opportunity to meet up with others going on this tour - no doubt identifiable by their Cruise Express back packs.
I will try to keep you all posted as we go along.
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Post by Boop on Apr 17, 2015 22:12:19 GMT
Bags packed at 6 days! Boop will be so proud! Yeah, but did he do any practice packs? .........hmmm??
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Post by Boop on Apr 17, 2015 22:17:04 GMT
Bon Voyage Tony!!! Have a wonderful, amazing time of it!!
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Post by Tonnet on Apr 17, 2015 23:15:15 GMT
Bags packed at 6 days! Boop will be so proud! Yeah, but did he do any practice packs? .........hmmm?? No practice packs for me, Boop !
For the last 15 years of my working life, I was away from home from Monday to Friday living in hotels and motels all over the countryside, contending with all sorts of weather conditions on a daily basis. It gives you a good background for touring, which is easy by comparison, so one becomes a dab hand at packing and only stuffing into your suitcase only exactly what is necessary. Also from week to week essentials are automatically done, including topping up any personal requisites. My auto system still runs well as it would never do to be a 1000 kilometres from home and omitted some essential item.
Most travel advisors advocate making lists and checking off the items as they go in - to those not used to very frequent travel I would recommend that they use that system.
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Post by renmarkable on Apr 19, 2015 20:42:06 GMT
a week now!!!! woohoo!!!
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Post by kiwigrandma on Apr 20, 2015 4:33:56 GMT
Happy holiday to everyone who has just gone or going shortly. We off in a week to singapore. Globas tour in France, and Belgium and England on our own. Can't say I'm looking forward to plane trip it takes so long but when you live in nz it's a necessity if you want to see the other side of the world.
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Post by tiffany on Apr 20, 2015 11:41:01 GMT
Have fun Kiwigrandma! You have quite a few adventures to look forward to.
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Post by chech on Apr 23, 2015 13:05:00 GMT
Doc appointment this afternoon...drives me crazy that I can't plan anything until that's done....chewing at the bit. Possible tours...Norway in May or Switzerland in June or maybe Sorrento to Venice by train with Monograms....and then maybe Egypt in October. Decisions...decisions!
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Post by chech on Apr 23, 2015 18:35:51 GMT
Well, that was easy. No Norway for now. Get the little problem dealt with on May 11th....so, what to do in June....hmmm...Contrasts of Switzerland....
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Post by bet on Apr 23, 2015 19:39:13 GMT
If only we could all be as lucky as you Chech and have the dilemma of where to travel to several times a year.
I'm booked on a Christmas Cruise with Avalon Waterways and then a Christmas tour in Austria and then maybe New Years in Switzerland. I'm still wanting to do the Trafalgar German Christmas Market Tour but I've just returned from a holiday back home in NZ and spent more than I should, so I might have to give it a miss.
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Post by Oz-T on Apr 23, 2015 22:09:43 GMT
Well, quite a few of us are off in different directions for the travels at the moment. I do hope everyone has good weather etc and can take the time to share their experiences later in the Travel Tales section. I will be embarking on a little adventure trip in a month's time, but I should be able to access the internet on most days to check out what's going on here.
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Post by chech on Apr 23, 2015 23:22:42 GMT
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Post by tassiedevil on Apr 24, 2015 10:29:02 GMT
Well 4 days to go until I depart for Treasures of the Balkans with Insight. Would love to say I'm all ready to go, but had a few dilemmas the last couple of months and would be the least prepared I've ever been for a trip. I have my passport, some money and my documents so will get on the plane on Tuesday and leave my troubles behind and have a great holiday. I arrive back on 10 June.
Plans for the rest of the year; travel on 14 June for a major run on 15 June. Followed by, 10 July fly to Melbourne for a 10 day getaway. Head back to Melbourne on 23 July for the wedding of someone I met on my first TT in 2007. Sometime in October have to travel again for a run and another run on 22 November I have to fly to Melbourne for.
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Post by tiffany on Apr 24, 2015 17:17:31 GMT
It sounds like you have a busy year Tassiedevil! My first tour was also in 2007, and I’ve been on 12 since! I still remember my first tour like it was yesterday though.
My travel plans for the rest of the year are a trip to Nashville to visit my cousin in July, and then Greece in the fall with a stop-over in London. I wish I could do more tours in a year, but time and money don’t allow for it.
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Post by tiffany on Apr 24, 2015 17:19:49 GMT
If only we could all be as lucky as you Chech and have the dilemma of where to travel to several times a year. I'm booked on a Christmas Cruise with Avalon Waterways and then a Christmas tour in Austria and then maybe New Years in Switzerland. I'm still wanting to do the Trafalgar German Christmas Market Tour but I've just returned from a holiday back home in NZ and spent more than I should, so I might have to give it a miss. I’m looking forward to hearing about your Christmas cruise with Avalon when you get back Bet. This river cruise appeals to me, and I hope to go on it someday.
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Post by tassiedevil on Apr 25, 2015 4:50:30 GMT
It sounds like you have a busy year Tassiedevil! My first tour was also in 2007, and I’ve been on 12 since! I still remember my first tour like it was yesterday though. My travel plans for the rest of the year are a trip to Nashville to visit my cousin in July, and then Greece in the fall with a stop-over in London. I wish I could do more tours in a year, but time and money don’t allow for it.
That is on top of spending 10 days in Canberra during January being part of a state team for national championships and spending the extra long Easter weekend in Melbourne. This will only be my 5th tour since my first in 2007. My 2 trips to the US I didn't do an organised tour, did a few day trips and a lot of independent travel.
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Post by karter on Apr 27, 2015 0:45:49 GMT
67 SLEEPS TO GO Depart NZ on 4 July for Avalon River Cruise Budapest to Prague then fly to Istanbul for 8 day Turkey tour (taking in Gallipoli), then 4 free days Istanbul beofre a 4 day stopover in Singapore. Finally back to NZ on 5 August. Looking at things to do in Istanbul and have come up with some very interesting walking/foodie tours. Hopefully no drama on this trip. Our attempt at a river cruise in June 2013 had us and our TA furiously rearranging things when the cruise was cancelled due to major flooding. Problem was we were in Vienna when it was cancelled only 3 days before embarkation ! Other hick ups that trip also included a severe case of shingles in the head for hubby and a torn calf muscle for me
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Post by bet on Apr 27, 2015 3:23:00 GMT
Hi Tiffany, I'm really looking forward to the cruise, something I've wanted to do but been put off as they tend to attract a more 'older' cruise type crowd as well as I'm traveling solo but I wanted to see Europe in a different way, so I thought I'll give it a go.
Karter, I hope you have better luck with this cruise and you report back as to how it went. I'm also booked on an Avalon cruise but from Vienna to Prague so im curious to find out more. Turkey sounds great and is on my plans for next year.
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