Sun, sandflies & sauvignon blanc: A short trip to the spectacular NZ SI
Mar 15th, 2017, 04:44 AM
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From Haast, we drove up toward the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers. At this point, we began to think, “You know, we weren’t able to do that helicopter ride out of Milford Sound, so what about taking one up to see the glaciers?” Our host at Collyer House mentioned Mountain Helicopters as an operator with which she was familiar, so we looked for it as we entered the town of Fox Glacier. It wasn’t hard to spot, right on the main street. We parked, we walked in, and about 30 minutes later we were boarding a helicopter for a 30+ minute ride with a landing on/near the Tasman glacier. With bright blue skies, it was the perfect day for doing this. Despite having flown more than a million of miles, I had never been in a helicopter. It was both peaceful and nerve-wracking (for me, anyway) as the copter approached a crest and appeared as if it would not ascend high enough to get over the top. This was definitely a wow! moment. Oh, and the cost was half of what we would have paid to fly out of Milford Sound.
http://www.mountainhelicopters.co.nz
While kind of anticlimatic after the helicopter ride, the path around Lake Matheson, accessible nearby, is also a worthy stop. It is very scenic and at good moments offers beautiful reflections of the snowy peaks around which we had just flown. Even though we weren’t there for the best light, we still got some nice photos. Allow a little over an hour for the walk around it—more if you want to enjoy the nice café.
The road through this area and up to Hokitika is winding, and there are some spots where we encountered road construction/improvements. At one point, we had to wait for 30 minutes while workers finished some bridge maintenance. In other words, don’t expect to rush through—and you shouldn’t anyway due to the fantastic scenery.
We hit Hokitika in time for dinner and then sunset on the beach. Dinner was…interesting. All along the way, we’d been told to try whitebait. It isn’t exactly in season, but the local pizzeria had whitebait pizza. It wasn’t bad; it also wasn’t anything notable. But check that one off the list.
<i>Accommodation—Teichelmann’s Bed & Breakfast.</i> We reserved the small cottage in the back, and this may be our favorite accommodation of the trip. Frances and Brian are very gracious and welcoming hosts, and the breakfast is delicious.
http://www.teichelmanns.nz
<i>The one small downside: sandflies.</i> They are hard to avoid, particularly when the weather is nice. Mr_go used a high-deet lotion that we obtained from a travel clinic for use in Southeast Asia. I used a more natural formula purchased from Ultimate Hikes for use on the trail. Neither one of us was immune; we both came home with several dozen bites. I am still waking at night with itchy ankles and hands. In time the itching will fade, but the great memories will not.
<i>Arthur’s Pass.</i> We planned to fly back to Auckland from Christchurch the evening before our international flight to San Francisco. As such, our last day on the South Island involved driving from west to east via Arthur’s Pass. We knew it would be scenic, but it turned out to be even more so than we expected. From a series of switchbacks, we emerged into a dramatically broad river valley with mountains (some snow covered) in all directions. The theme of the day seemed to be, “That would be a great place for a little hike.” Alas, we didn’t have the time—this time around.
As we did driving up to Hokitika, we encountered some road improvement projects that required us to stop and wait for a bit. Our previous night’s hosts warned of this and advised us to allow plenty of time. They also mentioned a fire that damaged some of the train infrastructure across the pass (not sure if this is still the case), and indeed we saw some areas of burned trees.
http://www.mountainhelicopters.co.nz
While kind of anticlimatic after the helicopter ride, the path around Lake Matheson, accessible nearby, is also a worthy stop. It is very scenic and at good moments offers beautiful reflections of the snowy peaks around which we had just flown. Even though we weren’t there for the best light, we still got some nice photos. Allow a little over an hour for the walk around it—more if you want to enjoy the nice café.
The road through this area and up to Hokitika is winding, and there are some spots where we encountered road construction/improvements. At one point, we had to wait for 30 minutes while workers finished some bridge maintenance. In other words, don’t expect to rush through—and you shouldn’t anyway due to the fantastic scenery.
We hit Hokitika in time for dinner and then sunset on the beach. Dinner was…interesting. All along the way, we’d been told to try whitebait. It isn’t exactly in season, but the local pizzeria had whitebait pizza. It wasn’t bad; it also wasn’t anything notable. But check that one off the list.
<i>Accommodation—Teichelmann’s Bed & Breakfast.</i> We reserved the small cottage in the back, and this may be our favorite accommodation of the trip. Frances and Brian are very gracious and welcoming hosts, and the breakfast is delicious.
http://www.teichelmanns.nz
<i>The one small downside: sandflies.</i> They are hard to avoid, particularly when the weather is nice. Mr_go used a high-deet lotion that we obtained from a travel clinic for use in Southeast Asia. I used a more natural formula purchased from Ultimate Hikes for use on the trail. Neither one of us was immune; we both came home with several dozen bites. I am still waking at night with itchy ankles and hands. In time the itching will fade, but the great memories will not.
<i>Arthur’s Pass.</i> We planned to fly back to Auckland from Christchurch the evening before our international flight to San Francisco. As such, our last day on the South Island involved driving from west to east via Arthur’s Pass. We knew it would be scenic, but it turned out to be even more so than we expected. From a series of switchbacks, we emerged into a dramatically broad river valley with mountains (some snow covered) in all directions. The theme of the day seemed to be, “That would be a great place for a little hike.” Alas, we didn’t have the time—this time around.
As we did driving up to Hokitika, we encountered some road improvement projects that required us to stop and wait for a bit. Our previous night’s hosts warned of this and advised us to allow plenty of time. They also mentioned a fire that damaged some of the train infrastructure across the pass (not sure if this is still the case), and indeed we saw some areas of burned trees.
Mar 15th, 2017, 04:48 AM
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: searching for upgrade awards…
To use expert mode:
Log into account
On the “My Account” page, scroll to the bottom and click “Manage Profile”
One the “Profile” page, scroll to the bottom and click “View All Flight Search Preferences”
Look for the section called “Expert Features”; scroll past the disclaimers and check the box to enable it
Then, do a flight search. Click on the "details" link that is to the right of times, stops, and duration for a particular flight. If you are in expert mode, you will see something like this:
Available fare classes: F8 FN8 A8 ON0 O0 J9 JN9 C9 D9 Z9 ZN9 P9 PN0 R0 RN0 IN0 I0 Y9 YN9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 HN9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T9 L9 K9 G0 N0 XN0 X0
Most of the letters are paid fare classes. Upgrade inventory is "R," so if R=7, then that means there are 7 upgrade awards currently available for booking. If R=0, then you'd have to wait list. Business class awards, by the way, are “I.”
Clearing upgrades on paid tickets involves a complicated formula of elite status, fare class, and method of upgrade. Certainly the earlier the booking, the better the chance—but there is no guarantee that upgrades are ever released before day of flight, and for domestic flights to/from SFO, you can bet there will be some very high status fliers at the top of the list. That’s why I like to shop around for flights with available upgrades from the outset.
To use expert mode:
Log into account
On the “My Account” page, scroll to the bottom and click “Manage Profile”
One the “Profile” page, scroll to the bottom and click “View All Flight Search Preferences”
Look for the section called “Expert Features”; scroll past the disclaimers and check the box to enable it
Then, do a flight search. Click on the "details" link that is to the right of times, stops, and duration for a particular flight. If you are in expert mode, you will see something like this:
Available fare classes: F8 FN8 A8 ON0 O0 J9 JN9 C9 D9 Z9 ZN9 P9 PN0 R0 RN0 IN0 I0 Y9 YN9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 HN9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T9 L9 K9 G0 N0 XN0 X0
Most of the letters are paid fare classes. Upgrade inventory is "R," so if R=7, then that means there are 7 upgrade awards currently available for booking. If R=0, then you'd have to wait list. Business class awards, by the way, are “I.”
Clearing upgrades on paid tickets involves a complicated formula of elite status, fare class, and method of upgrade. Certainly the earlier the booking, the better the chance—but there is no guarantee that upgrades are ever released before day of flight, and for domestic flights to/from SFO, you can bet there will be some very high status fliers at the top of the list. That’s why I like to shop around for flights with available upgrades from the outset.
Mar 15th, 2017, 05:03 AM
#23
<<They are hard to avoid, particularly when the weather is nice.>>
My experience has been the opposite - I've always found that sand flies are worse on cloudy, muggy days.
They're also attracted to dark colors.
Another reason to travel in the colder months IMO - fewer, slower sandflies
Regardless of when they're out, they're nasty beasts, no doubt.
I'm glad you enjoyed Arthur's Pass - it is spectacular on a pretty day.
My experience has been the opposite - I've always found that sand flies are worse on cloudy, muggy days.
They're also attracted to dark colors.
Another reason to travel in the colder months IMO - fewer, slower sandflies
Regardless of when they're out, they're nasty beasts, no doubt.
I'm glad you enjoyed Arthur's Pass - it is spectacular on a pretty day.
Mar 15th, 2017, 10:52 AM
#25
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,897
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sand flies - where should we be prepared to deal with them?
Flights - I was at one time able to view the various fare classes, but I haven't needed that for some time. However, I now have updated (again) to "expert" status. How do I find out what the cancellation terms of a specific class are, so that I know whether I can switch dates if an opportunity arises? I was not aware that the United flight was new nor that it was seasonal. That scares me as those routes get cancelled if there is not enough interest (and Air New Zealand covers them well).
Flights - I was at one time able to view the various fare classes, but I haven't needed that for some time. However, I now have updated (again) to "expert" status. How do I find out what the cancellation terms of a specific class are, so that I know whether I can switch dates if an opportunity arises? I was not aware that the United flight was new nor that it was seasonal. That scares me as those routes get cancelled if there is not enough interest (and Air New Zealand covers them well).
Mar 15th, 2017, 12:14 PM
#27
Craig, we were there 2/24-3/12 and the only time we saw sand flies were Kayaking the Dart River and Milford sound, and at the Cray Pot restaurant at Jackson Bay. We found if you put on spray they weren't bad. I made the mistake of sitting out at night in Franz Josef because it was a beuitiful night and my ankles got eaten alive, 2 days before leaving, don't sit out without spraying your ankles. We found the flies not as bad as we had anticipated.
Mar 15th, 2017, 01:11 PM
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We had sandflies on the Milford Track, at Milford Sound (the end point of the track on Milford Sound is called Sandfly Point), and on the west coast around Haast and Jackson's Bay. Sometimes the spray seemed to work, but I had one day on the west coast where it didn't seem to matter--they got me anyway.
There are different flavors of cancellation terms and conditions even within a fare class, so the best thing to do is to build an itinerary on the site, then right below that there is a link to "View fare rules and restrictions." I will admit to not reading that as often as I should.
United introduced the AKL route last year as a year-round route. In January of this year, it cut out service between mid April and October (many people affected by that; there's a thread on it on Flyertalk). It looks like they actually plan to operate it 10x per week next winter, so days with two flights might have better potential for awards--but who knows. American also introduced Auckland service last year via Los Angeles.
There are different flavors of cancellation terms and conditions even within a fare class, so the best thing to do is to build an itinerary on the site, then right below that there is a link to "View fare rules and restrictions." I will admit to not reading that as often as I should.
United introduced the AKL route last year as a year-round route. In January of this year, it cut out service between mid April and October (many people affected by that; there's a thread on it on Flyertalk). It looks like they actually plan to operate it 10x per week next winter, so days with two flights might have better potential for awards--but who knows. American also introduced Auckland service last year via Los Angeles.
Mar 15th, 2017, 03:11 PM
#31
<Are the flies only bad in the summer month or is it a year-round problem?>
Year round (South Island), particularly bad on the West Coast and Milford.
They are much easier to deal with in the winter months - they don't seem to like the cold and there are fewer of them.
Sandflies don't move very fast, so the secret is to stay ahead of them. Keep moving. Head into the forest and away from water and beaches.
Wear long pants and long socks for hiking, cover your arms if possible, and of course use spray.
Other than that, all you can do is scratch...and scratch...and scratch.
Year round (South Island), particularly bad on the West Coast and Milford.
They are much easier to deal with in the winter months - they don't seem to like the cold and there are fewer of them.
Sandflies don't move very fast, so the secret is to stay ahead of them. Keep moving. Head into the forest and away from water and beaches.
Wear long pants and long socks for hiking, cover your arms if possible, and of course use spray.
Other than that, all you can do is scratch...and scratch...and scratch.
Mar 16th, 2017, 01:31 AM
#33
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,248
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ms_go, thanks for the encouragement. Good to know that, should I manage to walk the track someday, I wouldn't be the only solo woman. My husband has problems with his feet, making it difficult to walk more than 2 hours. None of my women friends are hikers. I will continue to dream about doing it, and vicariously enjoy the experience through reports like yours (which I'll be reading again).
Craig, to add to ms_go's and Melnq8's facts about sandflies (also known as NZ blackflies). They don't bite at night, but NZ's mosquitoes do. However, unlike mosquitoes, they're rarely active indoors (though I was bitten on the bus to Doubtful Sound). Sandflies are supposedly less active in windy conditions, but I haven't always found that to be the case, as on one windy day on the beach at Okarito near Franz Josef. But they're inconsistent: I was on this same Okarito beach at the same time of year two years earlier on a windless day and untroubled by sandflies. On a visit to Punakaiki (Pancake Rocks), there were no problems at the rocks themselves, or on the nearby Pororari River Track, but the nearby Truman Track was infested. If you're going the West Coast, you will probably be bitten at least once by the "West Coast blackfly". They don't transmit disease.
Sandflies are also a nuisance in Fiordland. You might get bitten in Milford Sound, but not on the Milford cruise itself. Occasionally, you'll encounter them near rivers and lakes in Central Otago.
Sandfly map here:
http://www.goodbyesandfly.co.nz/nz-sandfly-map/
You can read more about sandflies here:
http://www.terrain.net.nz/friends-of...s/sandfly.html
The rewards are worth the risk of being bitten by sandflies.
Craig, to add to ms_go's and Melnq8's facts about sandflies (also known as NZ blackflies). They don't bite at night, but NZ's mosquitoes do. However, unlike mosquitoes, they're rarely active indoors (though I was bitten on the bus to Doubtful Sound). Sandflies are supposedly less active in windy conditions, but I haven't always found that to be the case, as on one windy day on the beach at Okarito near Franz Josef. But they're inconsistent: I was on this same Okarito beach at the same time of year two years earlier on a windless day and untroubled by sandflies. On a visit to Punakaiki (Pancake Rocks), there were no problems at the rocks themselves, or on the nearby Pororari River Track, but the nearby Truman Track was infested. If you're going the West Coast, you will probably be bitten at least once by the "West Coast blackfly". They don't transmit disease.
Sandflies are also a nuisance in Fiordland. You might get bitten in Milford Sound, but not on the Milford cruise itself. Occasionally, you'll encounter them near rivers and lakes in Central Otago.
Sandfly map here:
http://www.goodbyesandfly.co.nz/nz-sandfly-map/
You can read more about sandflies here:
http://www.terrain.net.nz/friends-of...s/sandfly.html
The rewards are worth the risk of being bitten by sandflies.
Mar 16th, 2017, 09:22 AM
#35
Other than that, all you can do is scratch...and scratch...and scratch.>>
the tip we were given by the lovely ladies who ran the B&B we stayed in in Wanaka was to use roll-on deodorant on sand fly bites. It worked like a charm for us.
the tip we were given by the lovely ladies who ran the B&B we stayed in in Wanaka was to use roll-on deodorant on sand fly bites. It worked like a charm for us.
Mar 16th, 2017, 09:50 AM
#36
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<b>Auckland</b>
This will be brief. We could have organized our trip to fly from Christchurch on the last day and connect directly to our United flight to San Francisco, but instead we made plans to travel to Auckland the evening before our international flight. With these being separate tickets, we felt a little more comfortable putting in some buffer time in case of any issues—plus, we also thought it would be nice to see a bit of Auckland before heading home. Mother Nature had something to say about that. We arrived about 6pm to pouring rain, which didn’t let up for some hours. The best we could do was duck and run around the corner from our hotel for dinner. By about 9:30 pm, the rain had let up a bit, and we were able to take a short walk over to and around the harbor area and admire the boats. It was drizzling again the next morning, so the best we could do was walk a few blocks uphill toward the area around the Sky Tower.
Getting from the airport to the city center and back is not inexpensive—we were told to expect $70 to $90 by taxi depending on traffic. We instead used the Super Shuttle to get in ($43 for two) and Uber to get back ($39 and change). I think there is also a bus to/from downtown, but it wouldn't have saved us much money and getting to/from our hotel in the rain wouldn’t have been fun.
<i>Accommodation—Swiss-Belsuites Victoria Park.</i> This is a fairly new all-suite hotel. I don’t think it was even open when we booked it. We had a nice studio with a view of downtown, a balcony (too bad about that rain), and a washer and dryer (the latter handy for drying rain-soaked clothing before final packing). We also rather liked the location on Victoria Park, an easy walk from the harbor and adjacent to the Victoria Park Market complex, which has a number of restaurants and cafes. We enjoyed La Zeppa for dinner (tapas) and Standing Room for breakfast.
http://www.swiss-belhotel.com/en-gb/...iaparkauckland
BTW, thanks for the tip on deodorant, annhig. I'm still scratching, so I'll give that a try!
This will be brief. We could have organized our trip to fly from Christchurch on the last day and connect directly to our United flight to San Francisco, but instead we made plans to travel to Auckland the evening before our international flight. With these being separate tickets, we felt a little more comfortable putting in some buffer time in case of any issues—plus, we also thought it would be nice to see a bit of Auckland before heading home. Mother Nature had something to say about that. We arrived about 6pm to pouring rain, which didn’t let up for some hours. The best we could do was duck and run around the corner from our hotel for dinner. By about 9:30 pm, the rain had let up a bit, and we were able to take a short walk over to and around the harbor area and admire the boats. It was drizzling again the next morning, so the best we could do was walk a few blocks uphill toward the area around the Sky Tower.
Getting from the airport to the city center and back is not inexpensive—we were told to expect $70 to $90 by taxi depending on traffic. We instead used the Super Shuttle to get in ($43 for two) and Uber to get back ($39 and change). I think there is also a bus to/from downtown, but it wouldn't have saved us much money and getting to/from our hotel in the rain wouldn’t have been fun.
<i>Accommodation—Swiss-Belsuites Victoria Park.</i> This is a fairly new all-suite hotel. I don’t think it was even open when we booked it. We had a nice studio with a view of downtown, a balcony (too bad about that rain), and a washer and dryer (the latter handy for drying rain-soaked clothing before final packing). We also rather liked the location on Victoria Park, an easy walk from the harbor and adjacent to the Victoria Park Market complex, which has a number of restaurants and cafes. We enjoyed La Zeppa for dinner (tapas) and Standing Room for breakfast.
http://www.swiss-belhotel.com/en-gb/...iaparkauckland
BTW, thanks for the tip on deodorant, annhig. I'm still scratching, so I'll give that a try!
Mar 16th, 2017, 02:35 PM
#39
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,248
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ms_go, you might have read about this: the North Island was hit by almost unprecedented rain in mid-March, leading to flooded areas in parts of Auckland and the Coromandel. Highly unusual.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-...nd-evacuations
Sky Bus Auckland makes stops along Queen Street, so probably not convenient for Swiss-Belhotel: https://www.skybus.co.nz/
Looks like a great hotel.
Discount Taxis is also economical, if you pay in cash.
http://discounttaxis.co.nz/
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-...nd-evacuations
Sky Bus Auckland makes stops along Queen Street, so probably not convenient for Swiss-Belhotel: https://www.skybus.co.nz/
Looks like a great hotel.
Discount Taxis is also economical, if you pay in cash.
http://discounttaxis.co.nz/
Mar 17th, 2017, 05:29 AM
#40
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 12,076
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<b>In Conclusion</b>
Normally, ms_go and I collaborate on these trip reports... we work best as a team. But she went ahead and took the bull by the horns on this one, writing and posting the vast majority of it herself (and doing an awesome job of it, too). So I’ll just add a coda to wrap up this report.
This trip ranks among our favorites, ever. Full stop. It exceeded our very high expectations nearly every step of the way, and I believe we’ll have fond memories of it for many years to come. Following are just a few of the reasons why this trip worked out so well for us...
<b>1) The people</b>
The New Zealanders (and, more specifically, the local South Islanders) we met along the way were as friendly, gregarious, generous and engaging as any we’ve met in our travels. There is a hearty, robust spirit among the locals that’s positively contagious. That alone is reason enough to recommend the place, IMO.
<b>2) The weather</b>
We got lucky. Really, really lucky. Everywhere we went, people told us how badly the summer weather had been treating them to this point. But wait until you see our pictures...
<b>3) We spent a lot of money</b>
All right, I hate to sound so cynical about it, but it can’t be glossed over: New Zealand is fairly expensive. It’s not crazy-expensive like Norway, but you should be prepared... this is kind of a splurge destination. Unless you’re visiting from the “West Island” (i.e. Australia), this trip is going to require a significant commitment of time, resources and planning to do it “right”. That said...
<b>4) There is no “right” way to do New Zealand</b>
Especially not if you only have two weeks to visit, like we did. We missed some great spots that others have visited, but we discovered some great things that others may have missed. But everywhere we went was enjoyable, so don’t worry about it. You can’t go wrong.
<b>5) The challenge</b>
As noted previously, we built this trip around the spectacular Milford Track hike. And while it's not the first multi-day trekking adventure we've taken together, it is easily one of the most memorable. It's good to know that we, in our mid-50s, are still able to rise to such a challenge without undue strain. But I have to say, it wouldn't be as memorable if there wasn't some genuine effort involved.
<b>6) Each other</b>
The repetitive stresses of the workaday world can take their toll on any relationship, which is why it’s so nice to get far, far away and reconnect with each other. Planning this trip together, executing that plan day by day, and living the experiences (and challenges) together in real time is simply the best way we know to keep that bond fresh, strong and lively.
Once again, we would like to thank the Fodors community for your invaluable information used in planning our visit. The knowledge base here is a treasure trove and we can never pay you all back, so we pay it forward as best we can by adding to it. Thank you all!
Next stop: Belgium in the summer.
Normally, ms_go and I collaborate on these trip reports... we work best as a team. But she went ahead and took the bull by the horns on this one, writing and posting the vast majority of it herself (and doing an awesome job of it, too). So I’ll just add a coda to wrap up this report.
This trip ranks among our favorites, ever. Full stop. It exceeded our very high expectations nearly every step of the way, and I believe we’ll have fond memories of it for many years to come. Following are just a few of the reasons why this trip worked out so well for us...
<b>1) The people</b>
The New Zealanders (and, more specifically, the local South Islanders) we met along the way were as friendly, gregarious, generous and engaging as any we’ve met in our travels. There is a hearty, robust spirit among the locals that’s positively contagious. That alone is reason enough to recommend the place, IMO.
<b>2) The weather</b>
We got lucky. Really, really lucky. Everywhere we went, people told us how badly the summer weather had been treating them to this point. But wait until you see our pictures...
<b>3) We spent a lot of money</b>
All right, I hate to sound so cynical about it, but it can’t be glossed over: New Zealand is fairly expensive. It’s not crazy-expensive like Norway, but you should be prepared... this is kind of a splurge destination. Unless you’re visiting from the “West Island” (i.e. Australia), this trip is going to require a significant commitment of time, resources and planning to do it “right”. That said...
<b>4) There is no “right” way to do New Zealand</b>
Especially not if you only have two weeks to visit, like we did. We missed some great spots that others have visited, but we discovered some great things that others may have missed. But everywhere we went was enjoyable, so don’t worry about it. You can’t go wrong.
<b>5) The challenge</b>
As noted previously, we built this trip around the spectacular Milford Track hike. And while it's not the first multi-day trekking adventure we've taken together, it is easily one of the most memorable. It's good to know that we, in our mid-50s, are still able to rise to such a challenge without undue strain. But I have to say, it wouldn't be as memorable if there wasn't some genuine effort involved.
<b>6) Each other</b>
The repetitive stresses of the workaday world can take their toll on any relationship, which is why it’s so nice to get far, far away and reconnect with each other. Planning this trip together, executing that plan day by day, and living the experiences (and challenges) together in real time is simply the best way we know to keep that bond fresh, strong and lively.
Once again, we would like to thank the Fodors community for your invaluable information used in planning our visit. The knowledge base here is a treasure trove and we can never pay you all back, so we pay it forward as best we can by adding to it. Thank you all!
Next stop: Belgium in the summer.
