471 posts
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Post by mistressjojo on Jan 27, 2018 22:43:16 GMT
Just about to investigate and book an Australia trip for Autumn. Looking to do Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth - a belated "retirement" tour for me and hubby. Want to include at least one train journey (did a Rail Discoveries European tour last year and it was fabulous). Boot really interested in going to Alice Springs or Ayres Rock. Any insider tips/suggestions very welcome! Have a look at a trip on either the Indian Pacific ( Sydney to Perth via Adelaide - 4 days) or The Ghan (Adelaide to Darwin via Alice Springs & Katherine -4 days,or Adelaide to Alice Springs overnight} Neither trip is exactly cheap but they are all inclusive . From Alice Springs you can get a transfer to Ayers Rock ( the town is still called Ayers Rock) ,where there is a resort with a range of accommodation and access to trips to to Uluru and Kata Tjuta. While you are in Sydney, you can take a day trip to the Hawkesbury River . Not an epic train voyage (about an hour from Sydney Central) but some beautiful scenery along the way, and then join the river postal service for a cruise up the river. It is quite beautiful and feels very remote. www.riverboatpostman.com.au/ |
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Post by Elle on Jan 27, 2018 23:02:47 GMT
I've been lots of times to London and they just take your full name and address. No ID check at all. I could have checked in using a fake name/address several times. That's excellent that Spain does that for safety reasons. They checked my ID in the UK. But basically it's easier to get a hotel room in the U.K than to get into Hamilton??? Was directed to and got caught out by one of the agencies which charged $50 mor You're not the only one. It happens for visa's for other countries too. A friend of mine paid about $100 for the Esta for the U.S which only costs $14,-. Copenhagen is such a beautiful city- unfortunately so terribly expensive! And it has some great theatres as well. I'm going to Copenhagen for the first time later in the year. How many days do you recommend to stay there? I was thinking 4 nights. I love that Sweden is so close and am planning to spend a day in Malmö too. |
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Post by Phantom of London on Jan 28, 2018 0:06:16 GMT
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Post by RedRose on Jan 28, 2018 1:31:54 GMT
Copenhagen is such a beautiful city- unfortunately so terribly expensive! And it has some great theatres as well. I'm going to Copenhagen for the first time later in the year. How many days do you recommend to stay there? I was thinking 4 nights. I love that Sweden is so close and am planning to spend a day in Malmö too. If you want to daytrip Malmö as well 4 full days should be enough to see and do the most important. |
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Post by alece10 on Jan 28, 2018 8:25:10 GMT
Yes 4 nights should be plenty including a visit to Malmo. Go to Tivoli when you are in Copenhagen its great fun for children of all ages and one of my favourite restaurants is PUK - typical Danish food and not expensive compared with a lot of places in the city.
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Post by ada92 on Jan 28, 2018 9:17:52 GMT
Just about to investigate and book an Australia trip for Autumn. Looking to do Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth - a belated "retirement" tour for me and hubby. Want to include at least one train journey (did a Rail Discoveries European tour last year and it was fabulous). Boot really interested in going to Alice Springs or Ayres Rock. Any insider tips/suggestions very welcome! Have a look at a trip on either the Indian Pacific ( Sydney to Perth via Adelaide - 4 days) or The Ghan (Adelaide to Darwin via Alice Springs & Katherine -4 days,or Adelaide to Alice Springs overnight} Neither trip is exactly cheap but they are all inclusive . From Alice Springs you can get a transfer to Ayers Rock ( the town is still called Ayers Rock) ,where there is a resort with a range of accommodation and access to trips to to Uluru and Kata Tjuta. While you are in Sydney, you can take a day trip to the Hawkesbury River . Not an epic train voyage (about an hour from Sydney Central) but some beautiful scenery along the way, and then join the river postal service for a cruise up the river. It is quite beautiful and feels very remote. www.riverboatpostman.com.au/Thanks - sounds great! |
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82 posts
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Post by ada92 on Jan 28, 2018 9:18:39 GMT
Just about to investigate and book an Australia trip for Autumn. Looking to do Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth - a belated "retirement" tour for me and hubby. Want to include at least one train journey (did a Rail Discoveries European tour last year and it was fabulous). Boot really interested in going to Alice Springs or Ayres Rock. Any insider tips/suggestions very welcome! Couple of tips: Everyone calls it Uluru rather than Ayers Rock - it's the Aboriginal name for it and therefore respectful to use it given it's a sacred place for them. Make sure you do a sunset viewing, and get up early to watch the sun rise over Kata Tjuta (also worth visiting). Alice Springs doesn't really have much in it (and that's coming from relatives who live there!) - the wildlife park is ok, but only requires a couple of hours. Otherwise it's only really necessary to go as the starting point for the drive out to Uluru. The Outback is great, but take lots of bug spray and fly nets (you can get them in Alice Springs) - you might think they look ridiculous and are over-cautious, but they are really, really necessary, especially if you decide to go further through the Outback to Coober Pedy (which is worth a visit) and then on towards Adelaide (you'll finally escape the flies when you hit the Flinders Ranges). Thanks for that - will bear it all in mind |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2018 11:14:31 GMT
Travelling is my favourite thing to do after going to the theatre. Should the two interests cross over then even better! Unfortunately I caught the bug very late in life as the first time I had travelled abroad was on my honeymoon.
So far I have been to:
USA (Florida, New York, Washington DC)
Germany (Berlin, Cologne, Oberhausen)
Italy (Sorrento, Capri, Pompeii, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello)
Next week I’m off to Reykjavik though which I’m extremely excited about! It’s my 30th birthday next year so naturally I’m planning a big trip away. I’m hoping to do a mini tour of the US West coast with Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas on my list.
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Post by Elle on Jan 28, 2018 20:19:28 GMT
I have been very lucky in that I spent 29 years working for a tour operator and so got to go to amazing places both to work and on holiday. Miss it terribly as now I have to pay for my holidays... God aren't they expensive! One of my favourite places to visit is Cuba especially the capital Havana I have also very fond memories of Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife as I lived there for 9 years. Also had some amazing times in the old Soviet Union when I got to visit Moscow, Leningrad (as it was called), Murmansk in the artic circle, Samarkand, Tashkent and Buckara in the south. Copenhagen is also a favourite destination and its great for a weekend city break. Worst place I have ever been to was Gambia, went a 2nd time in case I was wrong in my opinion but nope it was still awful. Thanks alece10. Tivoli is on my must see list and the restaurant is noted. 👍 Btw I really enjoyed reading your post. Working in the travel industry for so long must have been very interesting and I'm sure you have a lot of great stories. Your last sentence made me smile as Gambia isn't exactly next door but you gave it another chance anyway. I'm curious, why was it awful? I have only been to Tunisia and Morocco so I'm not very familiar with Africa. I'm enjoying everyone's posts here actually, what a well traveled bunch on this board! |
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Post by Elle on Jan 28, 2018 20:45:11 GMT
Italy (Sorrento, Capri, Pompeii, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello) I love Italy and that region seems so beautiful, the Amalfi coast is definitely on my wish list. I have been to the Lake Como region, Puglia region, Rome, Florence and Venice. Haven't been to Milan yet. That is great that you're going to Iceland! Please tell us about your trip after. Interested to know more about that country. Have a wonderful trip. |
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Post by anthony40 on Jan 28, 2018 21:06:19 GMT
Coming from Australia, we are s far away that when we travel, we do do for weeks, nay months at a time.
I have travelled so much, it's probably easier to list the places that I haven't been- and there are lots but I fear the places (countries ad cities) that I've been to probably outweighs the places that I haven't.
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Post by Dawnstar on Jan 28, 2018 21:25:50 GMT
I don't actually enjoy travelling abroad much but in the last 3 years my mother has developed a passion for going on cruises so I've done quite a lot of rather reluctant travelling (I have a lot of anxiety problems & can't cope with remaining at home on my own). This has massively increased the number of European countries I've been to. Up to 2015 I'd only been to France, Germany & the Netherlands twice each & Italy & Spain once each. Since 2015 I've been to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, the Canary Islands, Madeira, Latvia & Russia for the first time each, plus Germany, the Netherlands, Spain & France again. My favourite port of call so far has been St Petersburg. Given we usually only get a few hours in each port we always make a bee-line for museums, art galleries and (my personal favourite) churches. On this past summer's Baltic cruise I managed to visit 15 churches between the 6 ports of call.
I've only ever twice been abroad for theatre: opera in Munich for my 21st birthday, when one of my favourite sopranos was giving her final performance of one of her greatest roles, and to see the Paris production of Zorro, having loved the show in London (it wasn't the same seeing it with a different cast so that's cured me of doing that again).
I have no desire to visit anywhere too exotic, partly because I hate hot weather, but I would like to make it to North America some day.
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Post by viserys on Jan 29, 2018 10:39:06 GMT
Ah, how could I miss this thread... well, because I was travelling of course. As a non-Brit London is my favorite destination for theatre travelling (I somehow managed to rack up four trips in the last five months) but I also try to do as much other travelling as possible.
My favorite area being South East Asia, where I feel safe on my own as a female traveller. I went to India once and despite having taken a companion and did a semi-organized tour with a car/driver and pre-booked hotels, I didn't feel safe or at ease there, so I'm not returning despite being fascinated by the country, its culture and history.
My second-favorite area is the Mediterranean, again for culture and history. I'm finding myself on my second "leg" now, returning to places I've visited years ago when I was too young and uninformed to really appreciate history. This summer I'm going back to Italy, even braving the tourist chaos that is Florence again.
I either travel on my own (my favorite) or sometimes with my mother, but she's developed a love for cruises and I've tried four cruises now and always came home thinking that I might as well done a similar trip on dry land and got way more out of it by being my own boss and create my own itiniaries. All this skimming the surfaces of many places without seeing a single one properly is nothing for me.
Still need to see Japan (hopefully this autumn), New Zealand (some day...) and more of South & North America.
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Post by alece10 on Jan 29, 2018 15:48:38 GMT
I have been very lucky in that I spent 29 years working for a tour operator and so got to go to amazing places both to work and on holiday. Miss it terribly as now I have to pay for my holidays... God aren't they expensive! One of my favourite places to visit is Cuba especially the capital Havana I have also very fond memories of Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife as I lived there for 9 years. Also had some amazing times in the old Soviet Union when I got to visit Moscow, Leningrad (as it was called), Murmansk in the artic circle, Samarkand, Tashkent and Buckara in the south. Copenhagen is also a favourite destination and its great for a weekend city break. Worst place I have ever been to was Gambia, went a 2nd time in case I was wrong in my opinion but nope it was still awful. Thanks alece10. Tivoli is on my must see list and the restaurant is noted. 👍 Btw I really enjoyed reading your post. Working in the travel industry for so long must have been very interesting and I'm sure you have a lot of great stories. Your last sentence made me smile as Gambia isn't exactly next door but you gave it another chance anyway. I'm curious, why was it awful? I have only been to Tunisia and Morocco so I'm not very familiar with Africa. I'm enjoying everyone's posts here actually, what a well traveled bunch on this board! The reason it was so bad first time was because the place was not ready for mass tourism. I was on the inaugural charter flight so it was the first time they had received large numbers of tourists. Hotels poor standard of accommodation and hygiene. 2nd visit they were more savvy but you couldn't leave the hotel and go to the beach for fear of being bombarded with people trying to sell you stuff including drugs. All very intimidating and uncomfortable. Not a nice experience. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2018 16:01:11 GMT
Oh I just love it. I always find that there's no cure like travel to help you unravel the worries of living today. When the poor brain is cracking, there's nothing like packing a suitcase and sailing away. Take a run 'round Vienna, Granada, Ravenna, Sienna and then around Rome. Have a high time, a low time, and in no time you'll be singing "Home, Sweet Home".
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Post by 49thand8th on Jan 29, 2018 16:07:00 GMT
I have a paranoia about visiting countries where I don't speak the language, so somehow I've found myself in Australia three times since 2005, which I guess is fairly impressive for an American.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2018 16:10:27 GMT
I have a paranoia about visiting countries where I don't speak the language, so somehow I've found myself in Australia three times since 2005, which I guess is fairly impressive for an American. Oh me too. Which is why I try to avoid the USA as much as I can. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2018 16:13:44 GMT
^ I’ve been to the US many times now, and seen some wonderful siights in wonderful places, but... I still find they speak a completely different language there from us here in the UK!
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Post by 49thand8th on Jan 29, 2018 16:21:45 GMT
Generally if you grunt and wave some dollars in the air you can get something done.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2018 16:29:19 GMT
Yes, as your president discovered!  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2018 16:38:13 GMT
Generally if you grunt and wave some dollars in the air you can get something done. I daresay but isn't that what got Hugh Grant into trouble all those years ago . . . ? |
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Post by 49thand8th on Jan 29, 2018 16:43:51 GMT
Yeah, but he got it done, right?! |
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Post by 49thand8th on Jan 29, 2018 17:08:56 GMT
Next week I’m off to Reykjavik though which I’m extremely excited about! It’s my 30th birthday next year so naturally I’m planning a big trip away. I’m hoping to do a mini tour of the US West coast with Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas on my list. HA! OK, back on topic, I had missed this — I'm from the San Francisco area and have been to Las Vegas a lot too. Let me know if you have any idle curiosities. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2018 17:46:40 GMT
Travelling is my favourite thing to do after going to the theatre. Should the two interests cross over then even better! Unfortunately I caught the bug very late in life as the first time I had travelled abroad was on my honeymoon. So far I have been to: USA (Florida, New York, Washington DC) Germany (Berlin, Cologne, Oberhausen) Italy (Sorrento, Capri, Pompeii, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello) Next week I’m off to Reykjavik though which I’m extremely excited about! It’s my 30th birthday next year so naturally I’m planning a big trip away. I’m hoping to do a mini tour of the US West coast with Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas on my list. Can recommend: geoiceland.com/for the Golden Circle Tour. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2018 18:34:25 GMT
I like doing things myself as much as possible. I don't like things being too organised or structured or there being too many other people around.
I like the odd city break - usually with my mother over the years, but sometimes alone. Thinking about them though, I've tended to do less of these in recent years. I especially liked Vienna, Amsterdam and Boston. My mother loves Paris because she lived there in the 60s, and I do like it, but I find it a bit touristy for me I have to say.
We've also done a few American road trips, which I've loved. We did one across the midwest to Laura Ingalls Wilder places - we went from Chicago up through Wisconsin, along the Mississippi and west to South Dakota and the Black Hills, and back via Nebraska. I loved that trip. Also another one up through Cape Cod, the White Mountains, and round in a circle through Massachusetts. We did another in the southwest - Vegas (urgh, hated it!) then through Utah via Bryce Canyon, Moab, Canyonlands & Islands in the Sky, Arches, 4 Corners, Grand Canyon etc. And then in 2014 we too my disabled dad on another road trip from Salt Lake City through the Tetons and to Yellowstone.
I'm a fan of US National Parks, clearly!
Alone, I go camping in the UK - love the Lakes, Dorset, Northumberland... I'm currently planning a trip to the Outer Hebrides this summer.
Edit: As a kid, I travelled a lot more than any of my friends. My dad was a mountain guide and was always off all over the world for work, and because you don't get rich as a mountain guide, we didn't do 'holidays' as such, we just ended up going with my dad a lot of the time. I went to Israel twice with him, once when I was maybe 3, and again for a 6 month period when he worked for a kibbutz climbing club and I went too. We were often off camping in the French/German/Swiss alps. I remember as a very small child hitchhiking all the way to the Alps with my dad and a ton of climbing equipment. I think I only really went to European places with him as a kid, I didn't get further than Europe til I started working and went to New York in my 20s.
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