Carrabella

We had booked four weeks, from Australia, to drive a big circuit from San Fran, up to Redding, Medford, then Reno, Salt Lake City, Yellowstone, Cedar City, Vegas and back from LA.
Wanted to see Lassen Volcanic NP, but it was only open at entrances. Decided to go to Lava Beds instead. Very pretty drive in Mt Shasta country, and across fascinating lakes in the Tule Lake Bird Sanctuary on the way, and Lava Beds was fun, climbing down lava tubes on ladders in pitch darkness with only small torches to light the way. An interesting place. A group of school boys and their teachers, with helmets and big torches helped us get our bearings at first.

Crater Lake approach had high walls of snow on the 20 mile approach, the last few miles they were several meters high. We had to walk the last 500 feet through a snow "maze" which came out at the still closed lodge and overlooked the lake. Dark blue water, the almost perfect circle of high snowy rim and a beautiful sky with great smooth wings of clouds in muted greys and blues, in places a touch of blue sky. No one else there, silent, perfect!!

In the hire car on the way back, DH's back began to play up, so I drove back to Medford. It was so bad the next morning, we decided to cancel Reno, stay two more nights in Medford, and drive to Salt Lake with a night at Winnemucca on the way. After a couple of days in bed, DH was having trouble moving at all, so we had to make the big decision. Continue on, or come home? All our hotels and car hire had been booked and paid for months ago, non-refundable. Travel insurance doesn't refund pre-existing. But iIn the end, he just wanted to come home! So we did.

United changed our tickets (hefty fee) and got us on a flight from San Fran that night, and we were lucky. DH had four seats to stretch out on, and I had three., and now, it is good to be recovering at home. It's just a shame I can't give some of you wonderful Fodorites our hotels! That's the trouble with booking early and getting better rates, some Priceline bookings too.

On one of the days he rested, I drove myself to Oregon Caves and did the cave tour. They are marble caves, and cannot compare in beauty to our Jenolan Caves in the Blue Mountains, N.S.W but they are really fascinating in the way they show the geology of the area, and the formations are pretty .The surrounding forest is stunningly lovely, with moss and dripping ferns and sedges. The tour itself is "challenging" with 500 steps, overhanging ledges to bump your head on, and lots of ups and downs. But this 70 year old managed well - thanks to "Active over 50's" classes etc.
Thanks to Fodorites for advice given in my planning - which is half the fun, after all. I've always thought that you learn so much in the planning, that it doesn't really matter if you don't go in the end. Got to be philosophical, don't we?

starrs

Carrabella, sorry it worked out that way. Contact the hotels anyway and explain what happened. They may surprise you and offer a refund. They don't have to - but they may. Even Priceline. They may require documentation from a doctor but there's a good chance they will work with you. I know from experience that Hotwire would.

I had to cancel a room in the Cinque Terra in Italy after the cancellation deadline, but they were able to sell the room that weekend and didn't charge my credit card. Communicate with the hotels via phone call and email and see what (if anything) they will do for you.

Connie

So sorry about your husband and about your trip. You are a wonderful wife to be so uncomplaining about it. Hope you can get some of your money back and that your husband gets better soon!

spirobulldog

I find the Oregon Caves to not be that pretty as well. Carlsbad is much prettier. However, something about the Chateau and the enitre place we really enjoyed.

Shanti

Sorry that you had to end the trip so early but glad that you enjoyed the first week. It doesn't hurt to ask if the hotels will give you a refund and, if they refuse, you can ask for a credit to use during a future trip.

tomfuller

So sorry that the trip worked out that way. I'm sure that there is a MD in Medford or Portland who could have saved at least part of your trip without going all the way back to Australia.
I live less than 50 miles from Crater Lake but I won't be going there before July 4. Contact the hotels. Most of them will give you a voucher for a future visit.
Crater Lake is even nicer after the snow is all melted and the temps are in the mid 70's F.
Hope your husband recovers enough to salvage part of the American summer/Australian winter.

LindainOhio

Hope your husband's back is better and that he is feeling better. Travel insurance that we have purchased will cover a preexisting if the insurance is purchased within a week of the bookings. If you had purchased insurance, you may want to check that out.

You must be disappointed to have come so far and then have to cancel part of your trip--but as we all know, those things happen. Thank goodness you had room to spread out on your flight home. We hope you can return.

islandaze

Too bad, and best wishes for your husband's quick recovery. If it's any consolation, I truly think that even if you had managed through your entire itinerary, memories of the visit to Crater Lake would have outlived the others. Unless you'd have hit a $1,000,000 jackpot in Vegas.