Can I pull this itinerary off?
Jun 27th, 2008 | 02:30 PM
#22
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
Well, I gave up on this thread, because I felt so jumped on. People took was I was trying to do the wrong way, I was just asking for some creative help.
I just wanted to see how to make a last minute trip work and go to the beach. Remember, I only had a few days to pull this off because I was switching jobs I just wanted advice since I was so short on time. And the title of the thread, was can I pull this off? I was just asking for help.
So, after a lot of planning, here is where I ended up.
Paris -- all I wanted to really do is see the Louvre since I've been to Paris 3 times and spent 22 days there and never made it the Louvre.
So, I flew over arrive at 11:00 in Paris from San Francisco, took a cab to Paris, spent 5 hours at the Lovre, then hopped in the plane and went. Did what I wanted to do in Paris. Check that off the list. Hooray!
As for Prague, have you been to Prague? You can see most of it in three days, so I just spent three days there and saw most of what I wanted to see. It's great by the way, but three days was plenty. I saw everything and even two concerts at night and drank lots of yummy beer.
So lets talk about what I was originally thinking, when I originally posted, there is no way to get from Istanbul directly to the Greek islands which is why I threw Athens in the mix, I thought I had to fly through Athens t get to a beach. And everyone I know who has went said after you see the ruins in Athens, it's just a big city.
But, remember, all I wanted was a beach and maybe some ruins, I did not care where the heck is was. So, as Michel-Paris constructively suggested, I did figure out there is the Turquoise Coast and Lycian ruins with a beach.
So, here is the second half of my trip I just started.
4 days in Istanbul which I just started. Istanbul appears to be like Rome or Paris, you could spend 3 weeks here and still not see everything, so I just will need to come back. I’ve been to Rome three times and Paris three (plus one day ;-) ) times now.
Then, 3 days in Kas on the Turkish Mediterranean Coast. I will get to sea kayak over a sunken Lycian city, see the ruins at Myna, and go to the beach. And I’m staying at a nifty resort hotel on the beach!
Oh, and for the person who teased me, I should add Moscow, well, I’m flying from Turkey to Moscow to San Francisco. I have a 7 hour layover in Moscow. I’m sure I can get a site or two in! ;-)
Now you might laugh at Moscow, but I needed to get from Southern Turkey ( a town called Antalya) back home and this was only a three flights and I have business class all the way and it was the only way Delta could get me home using miles from Antalya. Plus, I get to see the Kremlin. I’ll just be tired, so I can sleep on the plane and I’m in those nice Air France business class seats – hooray for miles.
See, the trip worked out just fine, and it is perfectly reasonable though fully packed. I want to thank everyone who was constructive and for those of you who were not, I hope you think twice next time. Oh, and Bob, would you like me to send you a post card from Istanbul?
I still think it helps to travel at night and site see during the day and you are young and only live once. You know, I just went to Sicily with my parents and they can't move half as fast as I can traveling and a different town in sicily every day was too much for them by the end but it was fine for me.
Having a blast, again for those who helped thanks!
Cheers,
Beth
I just wanted to see how to make a last minute trip work and go to the beach. Remember, I only had a few days to pull this off because I was switching jobs I just wanted advice since I was so short on time. And the title of the thread, was can I pull this off? I was just asking for help.
So, after a lot of planning, here is where I ended up.
Paris -- all I wanted to really do is see the Louvre since I've been to Paris 3 times and spent 22 days there and never made it the Louvre.
So, I flew over arrive at 11:00 in Paris from San Francisco, took a cab to Paris, spent 5 hours at the Lovre, then hopped in the plane and went. Did what I wanted to do in Paris. Check that off the list. Hooray!
As for Prague, have you been to Prague? You can see most of it in three days, so I just spent three days there and saw most of what I wanted to see. It's great by the way, but three days was plenty. I saw everything and even two concerts at night and drank lots of yummy beer.
So lets talk about what I was originally thinking, when I originally posted, there is no way to get from Istanbul directly to the Greek islands which is why I threw Athens in the mix, I thought I had to fly through Athens t get to a beach. And everyone I know who has went said after you see the ruins in Athens, it's just a big city.
But, remember, all I wanted was a beach and maybe some ruins, I did not care where the heck is was. So, as Michel-Paris constructively suggested, I did figure out there is the Turquoise Coast and Lycian ruins with a beach.
So, here is the second half of my trip I just started.
4 days in Istanbul which I just started. Istanbul appears to be like Rome or Paris, you could spend 3 weeks here and still not see everything, so I just will need to come back. I’ve been to Rome three times and Paris three (plus one day ;-) ) times now.
Then, 3 days in Kas on the Turkish Mediterranean Coast. I will get to sea kayak over a sunken Lycian city, see the ruins at Myna, and go to the beach. And I’m staying at a nifty resort hotel on the beach!
Oh, and for the person who teased me, I should add Moscow, well, I’m flying from Turkey to Moscow to San Francisco. I have a 7 hour layover in Moscow. I’m sure I can get a site or two in! ;-)
Now you might laugh at Moscow, but I needed to get from Southern Turkey ( a town called Antalya) back home and this was only a three flights and I have business class all the way and it was the only way Delta could get me home using miles from Antalya. Plus, I get to see the Kremlin. I’ll just be tired, so I can sleep on the plane and I’m in those nice Air France business class seats – hooray for miles.
See, the trip worked out just fine, and it is perfectly reasonable though fully packed. I want to thank everyone who was constructive and for those of you who were not, I hope you think twice next time. Oh, and Bob, would you like me to send you a post card from Istanbul?
I still think it helps to travel at night and site see during the day and you are young and only live once. You know, I just went to Sicily with my parents and they can't move half as fast as I can traveling and a different town in sicily every day was too much for them by the end but it was fine for me.
Having a blast, again for those who helped thanks!
Cheers,
Beth
Jun 27th, 2008 | 03:01 PM
#24
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 6,629
Likes: 0
Oh to be young and bright. I think you pulled off a great adventure. I just re-read my suggestions and while they weren't sarky (at least I don't think so); they certainly weren't geared to a young person full of energy. Enjoy the last half of your trip and I'm particularly looking forward to a report on Turkey.
Jun 27th, 2008 | 04:12 PM
#27
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 98,239
Likes: 12
How does someone who knew NOTHING about any part of her trip on June 18th pull off such a complicated itinerary, flying business class no less, by June 27th.
Beth, Really you should share your secrets about how you figured all this out, and while you were on the road no less. Truly impressive.
Beth, Really you should share your secrets about how you figured all this out, and while you were on the road no less. Truly impressive.
Jun 27th, 2008 | 04:16 PM
#28
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,146
Likes: 0
Hi, galaxygrrl200 -- I'm so glad you posted your ongoing trip report! Even though your itinerary sounded preposterous to some -- it sounded perfectly normal to me. My husband and I just returned from a month in Greece and Sicily and never stayed any place more than 3 nights (some only 1 or 2), saw everything we intended to see, even found some relaxing time, and had a wonderful time. And -- we're not young. Enjoy the rest of your trip and post back to us when you return.
Jun 28th, 2008 | 06:13 AM
#29
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
Wow, well this put a smile on my face, I was afraid I'd get jumped on, but thanks for the support everyone! ;-)
Cathinjoetown, you were not snarky, and you actually answered my questions, so thank you, but you have to admit other people were not as generous.
Suze, I posted because I needed help, I was short on time, and I admit I should have been more focused in my questions.
Since you asked, I'll share how I pulled this off. I spent two hours in Barnes and Noble which taught me about the Turquoise Coast -- you have to love the eyewitness guides and rough guides - and that Prague is really not that big. I really think a bit of time in a book store with all the travel books really helps you plan a trip. For me at least, the eyewitness guides show you what you want to do, and the rough guides tell you what is cool to do in the area. The rough guide told me I could sea kayak over a sunken city, the eyewitness guide showed me pretty beaches.
It also helped that Delta just happened to have a really good sky partners program and I had a nice FF miles agent on the phone that worked with me and was pretty creative. But I did talk to Delta three times for about an hour each and it took a lot of back and forth.
Cwckwc1 - thanks for the support, it nice to get some words of encouragement. ;-). And by the way, I know you don't need to be young to pull of an itinerary like this, you just need to be flexible and comfortable finding your way around in a foreign country which my Dad is not.
Guenmai -- I did try booking your hotel suggestion, so thanks for it, but it was full, but I'm at the Seven Hills which is really close by where you suggested and since Expedia and they seemed to have miscommunicated about my reservation, the hotel bummed my from a single to a deluxe suite with sweeping views of the Hagia Sonia and views of the Bosphous.
As for Istanbul so far, it's pretty amazing, like Rome is amazing, lots of layers of history, friendly people, and good food and wine.
Today I went to the Topkapi Palace. I thought it was one of the three nicest not religious building I've been in (the others being the Alahambra and Versailles). I also went to the Hagia Sophia which is just overwhelming. It's a bit different than anything I've seen before, but if I had to compare it to anything, it would be the St Marco in Venice, but it's bigger, older and had more history since it a church that was turned into a Mosque (unlike all those Mosques in Spain that were turned into Chuches), and so some other sites too.
Anyway, need run and get ready for a dinner date with this nice and super cute Italian man I meet today while on a tour.
Cheers,
Beth
Cathinjoetown, you were not snarky, and you actually answered my questions, so thank you, but you have to admit other people were not as generous.
Suze, I posted because I needed help, I was short on time, and I admit I should have been more focused in my questions.
Since you asked, I'll share how I pulled this off. I spent two hours in Barnes and Noble which taught me about the Turquoise Coast -- you have to love the eyewitness guides and rough guides - and that Prague is really not that big. I really think a bit of time in a book store with all the travel books really helps you plan a trip. For me at least, the eyewitness guides show you what you want to do, and the rough guides tell you what is cool to do in the area. The rough guide told me I could sea kayak over a sunken city, the eyewitness guide showed me pretty beaches.
It also helped that Delta just happened to have a really good sky partners program and I had a nice FF miles agent on the phone that worked with me and was pretty creative. But I did talk to Delta three times for about an hour each and it took a lot of back and forth.
Cwckwc1 - thanks for the support, it nice to get some words of encouragement. ;-). And by the way, I know you don't need to be young to pull of an itinerary like this, you just need to be flexible and comfortable finding your way around in a foreign country which my Dad is not.
Guenmai -- I did try booking your hotel suggestion, so thanks for it, but it was full, but I'm at the Seven Hills which is really close by where you suggested and since Expedia and they seemed to have miscommunicated about my reservation, the hotel bummed my from a single to a deluxe suite with sweeping views of the Hagia Sonia and views of the Bosphous.
As for Istanbul so far, it's pretty amazing, like Rome is amazing, lots of layers of history, friendly people, and good food and wine.
Today I went to the Topkapi Palace. I thought it was one of the three nicest not religious building I've been in (the others being the Alahambra and Versailles). I also went to the Hagia Sophia which is just overwhelming. It's a bit different than anything I've seen before, but if I had to compare it to anything, it would be the St Marco in Venice, but it's bigger, older and had more history since it a church that was turned into a Mosque (unlike all those Mosques in Spain that were turned into Chuches), and so some other sites too.
Anyway, need run and get ready for a dinner date with this nice and super cute Italian man I meet today while on a tour.
Cheers,
Beth
Jun 28th, 2008 | 06:30 AM
#30
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 26,778
Likes: 0
Glad to hear it is working out for you. Sorry you have been jumped upon - many here have strong opinions about the "right" and "wrong" way to travel.
FWIW, I don't even think your first itinerary was that bad. You are right that Prague is basically a weekend trip. And once you have seen the Acropolis, there just isn't that much left in Athens. You were probably cutting Istanbul short, but life is full of compromises. Another 2 days, and your trip would have been just fine.
It all comes down to how much you like to move about. Some hate to change hotels, others don't care. Some hate airports, while others view them as a chance to grab some food and hit the duty free. Again, glad it worked out for you.
FWIW, I don't even think your first itinerary was that bad. You are right that Prague is basically a weekend trip. And once you have seen the Acropolis, there just isn't that much left in Athens. You were probably cutting Istanbul short, but life is full of compromises. Another 2 days, and your trip would have been just fine.
It all comes down to how much you like to move about. Some hate to change hotels, others don't care. Some hate airports, while others view them as a chance to grab some food and hit the duty free. Again, glad it worked out for you.
