Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

[leswp1]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

Thanks again! (really, really mean it!!) This has been so helpful. Looking at map not too much by where we are so to get food is going to be interesting. There is a grocery close to us so that might be what we do- bread, cheese.

Bringing britta water bottles- they save us a mint when we travel

 

[bostonewe]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

Thanks again! (really, really mean it!!) This has been so helpful. Looking at map not too much by where we are so to get food is going to be interesting. There is a grocery close to us so that might be what we do- bread, cheese.

Bringing britta water bottles- they save us a mint when we travel

I never leave for vacation without my Britta filter bottles. It started after getting tired of drinking terrible water in Orlando and again in Detroit at the airport.

 

[mookie1995]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

Thanks again! (really, really mean it!!) This has been so helpful. Looking at map not too much by where we are so to get food is going to be interesting. There is a grocery close to us so that might be what we do- bread, cheese.

Bringing britta water bottles- they save us a mint when we travel

mookie sees a tesco east of vauxhall sta. and a sainsbury south across from the us embassy.
when mookie stays in kensington there is a sainsbury 5min from the hotel.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

mookie sees a tesco east of vauxhall sta. and a sainsbury south across from the us embassy.
when mookie stays in kensington there is a sainsbury 5min from the hotel.

mookie if I were to be able to reach thru the intertubes I would kiss you

 

[mookie1995]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

les however is north of there mookie is guessing .....

 

[leswp1]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

les however is north of there mookie is guessing .....

:shakes head:

 

[French Rage]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

Anyone with advice on going to Krakow, Prague, Budapest, and Ljubljana? Thinking of flying into Krakow, working our way down in that order, and flying out of Ljubljana. Maybe 3 or so days in each. Going to take trains between them; has anyone tried taking trains at night so you don't lose days traveling, is it worth it?

 

[cF[Authentic]]

Anyone with advice on going to Krakow, Prague, Budapest, and Ljubljana? Thinking of flying into Krakow, working our way down in that order, and flying out of Ljubljana. Maybe 3 or so days in each. Going to take trains between them; has anyone tried taking trains at night so you don't lose days traveling, is it worth it?

Check FlixBus, you'll save some money and they're not horrible.

Depending on what you bring for luggage, you could also do Ryanair or Eurowings for cheap.

Prague is amazing. Use a day and a half to do touristy ****, then get out of the city center and get the culture.

 

[mookie1995]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

Just did Prague Vienna Budapest and trained between the 3. Didn't sleep as it was 4hr and 3hr each. Didn't see any sleeper cars on our trains so can't help.

First iteration was going to be be Nice first and train to Prague. We had pencilled the sleeper that transfer on an overnight. But alas it didn't come to pass.

 

[Deutsche Gopher Fan]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

Krakow is wonderful and some of the best food I’ve had in Eastern Europe

 

[BassAle]

Amazed at subway service here. Thorough and there are no entry barriers for tickets. It’s all on honor system. One buys tickets or passes, but then you just walk into the station or tram or bus and go. Nobody checks. Never work in America cause people are cities would never pay. Amazing.

Light rail in Portland, OR is was like that when I was out there (a while ago now). You buy tickets from a kiosk (if traveling outside of the free downtown zone) and then hop on. You have the threat of random ticket checks but it never happened to me. I think Seattle light rail was the same too.

I almost got busted in the Netherlands for not having a train ticket. I hadn’t had my ticket checked the whole trip and then I was in a town with the only automated kiosks at the station, credit card only - no cash. This was before American cards had chips and none of our credit cards worked in it (our group was 4 Americans and a Brit). We
tried to pay a woman to buy our tickets for us but she claimed she didn’t have enough money in her account.

Ticket guy came through the train and started giving people in our group a hard time (wanted to charge them at least double for not having a ticket — but they didn’t have that much cash so there was talk of getting the police involved). Me and the Brit hopped off the train while they were arguing. But I was in such a hurry I forgot my suitcase on the train. Luckily I realized it while the ticket guy was still arguing with them (they eventually convinced him not to fine them and to let them pay the ticket price in cash). I ran back on and grabbed it and hopped off before it left for the next station. We were able to buy tickets and then get the next train.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

Light rail in Portland, OR is was like that when I was out there (a while ago now). You buy tickets from a kiosk (if traveling outside of the free downtown zone) and then hop on. You have the threat of random ticket checks but it never happened to me. I think Seattle light rail was the same too.

I almost got busted in the Netherlands for not having a train ticket. I hadn’t had my ticket checked the whole trip and then I was in a town with the only automated kiosks at the station, credit card only - no cash. This was before American cards had chips and none of our credit cards worked in it (our group was 4 Americans and a Brit). We
tried to pay a woman to buy our tickets for us but she claimed she didn’t have enough money in her account.

Ticket guy came through the train and started giving people in our group a hard time (wanted to charge them at least double for not having a ticket — but they didn’t have that much cash so there was talk of getting the police involved). Me and the Brit hopped off the train while they were arguing. But I was in such a hurry I forgot my suitcase on the train. Luckily I realized it while the ticket guy was still arguing with them (they eventually convinced him not to fine them and to let them pay the ticket price in cash). I ran back on and grabbed it and hopped off before it left for the next station. We were able to buy tickets and then get the next train.

Denver light rail and MSP light rail are the same way. Buy ticket, hop on. Possible random checks, but that's it.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

The checks definitely happen on Denver's light rail. Going from Union Station to DIA, the minute the doors closed, the coppers jumped onboard and did checks.

 

[BassAle]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

Just got back from a quick 4-day trip to Manhattan. My 10 year old son is a huge Harry Potter fan (he's read the books at least 3 times, some of them more, first time through was as a 2nd grader). For Christmas he wanted to see Harry Potter and The Cursed Child on Broadway. We heard they were releasing a block of tickets for this summer back in November. We were able to get 3 good seats for the shows (plural, it's a two-part show) for the first week of summer vacation. Then we booked a hotel a couple blocks from the theater, and a flight to LGA from Maine. He was super excited. Plus it was his first trip to NYC (he's only driven through the city before). On the extra days we visited the Tenement Museum -- which I found very interesting and especially relevant given the current anti-immigrant climate, Liberty Island/Ellis Island, The MET, and did some other touristy things like walk around Times Square, Central Park, Macy's, Stonewall Inn/Stonewall National Monument, and the One World Trade Center observatory. I would definitely do some of the other Tenement Museum tours next time I visit the city.

Anyway, I had never read Harry Potter or watched any of the movies, so about a month before the show I read through the books. I have to say I really enjoyed the show.

Now we're trying to decide on an international trip for our next major vacation 6-12 months from now (considering Iceland, Norway, and Patagonia National Park in Chile so any recommendations would be great), but I'm also considering squeezing in a trip to Bulgaria later this summer to visit a co-worker (he is in the states now but is probably going to have to work remotely from Bulgaria for a few months to give our employer longer to get his greencard squared away -- right now he has an H-1B visa that's about to expire). Bulgaria would be pretty low cost and we'd have a local tour guide. His family also owns a bunch of vacation rentals on the Black Sea too.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

Anyone have experience with the Here we go app? Any special hints?

How about the What's app thing?

SO far the London planning has been interesting. The Cliff notes version- there are 10 of us. All the couples except us have traveled with each other before (not all together). After multiple emails saying things were being booked followed by another overriding that or even more fun1 a couple emailing separately to plan different things at the same time for all of us- I called. They usually book stuff and then hire a private guide to manage it all. They also book things and if they decide they are too tired they just don't go. (if they lose $ oh well) This is way outta my wheelhouse but apparently all the rest of them think this is normal. Not for me!

I think we have transport to and from the airport but who knows. We had emails and texts within about 45 minutes confirming, canceling, confirming, canceling, prevaricating and then confirming. Sh1t or get off the pot!

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

Might be worth looking at Viator for last-minute options, though their excursions can sometimes be on the expensive side. Depends on what you're getting out of it. The guided walking and bike tours are usually pretty good for the price, and if there's a daytrip to a nearby city or attraction you want to do that's not readily accessible by public transit, then they can be a decent option for that. However, I would say most of the food tours are not worth it and/or can easily be done on your own schedule. And if you're looking for a private tour without any strangers except the guide, those get super-expensive.

 

[burd]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

Just got back from a quick 4-day trip to Manhattan. My 10 year old son is a huge Harry Potter fan (he's read the books at least 3 times, some of them more, first time through was as a 2nd grader). For Christmas he wanted to see Harry Potter and The Cursed Child on Broadway. We heard they were releasing a block of tickets for this summer back in November. We were able to get 3 good seats for the shows (plural, it's a two-part show) for the first week of summer vacation. Then we booked a hotel a couple blocks from the theater, and a flight to LGA from Maine. He was super excited. Plus it was his first trip to NYC (he's only driven through the city before). On the extra days we visited the Tenement Museum -- which I found very interesting and especially relevant given the current anti-immigrant climate, Liberty Island/Ellis Island, The MET, and did some other touristy things like walk around Times Square, Central Park, Macy's, Stonewall Inn/Stonewall National Monument, and the One World Trade Center observatory. I would definitely do some of the other Tenement Museum tours next time I visit the city.

Anyway, I had never read Harry Potter or watched any of the movies, so about a month before the show I read through the books. I have to say I really enjoyed the show.

Now we're trying to decide on an international trip for our next major vacation 6-12 months from now (considering Iceland, Norway, and Patagonia National Park in Chile so any recommendations would be great), but I'm also considering squeezing in a trip to Bulgaria later this summer to visit a co-worker (he is in the states now but is probably going to have to work remotely from Bulgaria for a few months to give our employer longer to get his greencard squared away -- right now he has an H-1B visa that's about to expire). Bulgaria would be pretty low cost and we'd have a local tour guide. His family also owns a bunch of vacation rentals on the Black Sea too.

When we were going to NYC now and then to visit a kid in school there, one of my favorite tourist visits was the Cloisters, a medieval castle-like museum located up in Washington Heights and operated by the Met. Just not the kind of place you expect to see in Manhattan.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

When we were going to NYC now and then to visit a kid in school there, one of my favorite tourist visits was the Cloisters, a medieval castle-like museum located up in Washington Heights and operated by the Met. Just not the kind of place you expect to see in Manhattan.

It's beautiful and one of the very few New York City "attractions" that New York City people actually give a sh-t about.

I saw the unicorn tapestries at 8 and they destroyed me.

<img src="https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/two-of-the-unicorn-tapestries-at-the-cloisters-in-ft-tryon-park-picture-id97318902" height="444">

 

[burd]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

It's beautiful and one of the very few New York City "attractions" that New York City people actually give a sh-t about.

I saw the unicorn tapestries at 8 and they destroyed me.

<img src="https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/two-of-the-unicorn-tapestries-at-the-cloisters-in-ft-tryon-park-picture-id97318902" height="444">

My first visit was on a cold, wet day in early April. We arrived early and were not adequately dressed for the weather, so we found a side entrance to get a little shelter from the cold drizzle. Huddled there like a peasant against a wall that looked (and felt) like what I imagined a medieval castle gate would look like, awaiting permission to be allowed in, I felt transported. It was cold and a little miserable, but it was also perfect. What we found inside did not disappoint.

 

[manurespreader]

Re: Travel Part 3: Destination Unknown

Anyone with advice on going to Krakow, Prague, Budapest, and Ljubljana? Thinking of flying into Krakow, working our way down in that order, and flying out of Ljubljana. Maybe 3 or so days in each. Going to take trains between them; has anyone tried taking trains at night so you don't lose days traveling, is it worth it?

Krakow is Great! as has been said. We flew in but I might do it the opposite direction if I did it again. We did Krakow, Warsaw, Prague, Budapest, over a 30 day period. Prague is also nice but very crowded and you have to be smart about what you go to and when. Budapest the same way. Ljubljana I haven't been to but it might be worth going on down to Trieste to fly out, or to Zagreb. The caves in Slovenia are tremendous.