Help ! leaving in 1 week need advice
Aug 13th, 2008, 06:26 AM
#82
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True, but printing this out and the related links might be worth it:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35107601
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35107601
Aug 13th, 2008, 06:35 AM
#83
Oh sure. I agree. And Slow Travel is a good idea also. It's just that this trip's coming up pretty darn quick, and better to have them feeling confident, well packed, and on the plane, rather than thinking they screwed up because theky didn't research every meal in advance.
Aug 13th, 2008, 07:30 AM
#84
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Jessica Fontanilla <[email protected]>
Jessica had a posting that she would send emails with her listing of restaurants for Rome and Venice. I emailed her and she sent quite a nice list with prices and locations. Perhaps this could be of some help.
Jessica had a posting that she would send emails with her listing of restaurants for Rome and Venice. I emailed her and she sent quite a nice list with prices and locations. Perhaps this could be of some help.
Aug 14th, 2008, 05:13 PM
#85
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Mia - nice job on the hotels! The only thing I would probably pre-book now are reservations for the plane or train from Venice to Paris, since it's summer and things can sometimes fill up.
Some people book on the European sites, but I usually book through STA Travel (www.statravel.com - you don't need to be a student to book through them). You can either call or visit a branch in your town if you want to go that route.
You might also consider trip insurance (especially given your parents' ages). Again, I book a simple policy through STA Travel, as I've found it to be the cheapest, dependable policy on the market.
As for restaurants, I agree with Suze... given how hard it can be to find specific addresses in Europe, it'll be easier for them to look around when they get there. That said, it wouldn't hurt for people to suggest some areas/neighborhoods for them to look in.
Finally, are your parents tech savvy at all? If they have an iPod, Rick Steves offers some cool free travel podcasts and audio tours of sites in Paris and Rome. I know - he's a little cheesy, but he has some great advice for first-time travellers. Also, he is a surprisingly good cure for flying anxiety. His happy-go-lucky, mid-western style is like Prozac for the flying challenged.
Some people book on the European sites, but I usually book through STA Travel (www.statravel.com - you don't need to be a student to book through them). You can either call or visit a branch in your town if you want to go that route.
You might also consider trip insurance (especially given your parents' ages). Again, I book a simple policy through STA Travel, as I've found it to be the cheapest, dependable policy on the market.
As for restaurants, I agree with Suze... given how hard it can be to find specific addresses in Europe, it'll be easier for them to look around when they get there. That said, it wouldn't hurt for people to suggest some areas/neighborhoods for them to look in.
Finally, are your parents tech savvy at all? If they have an iPod, Rick Steves offers some cool free travel podcasts and audio tours of sites in Paris and Rome. I know - he's a little cheesy, but he has some great advice for first-time travellers. Also, he is a surprisingly good cure for flying anxiety. His happy-go-lucky, mid-western style is like Prozac for the flying challenged.
Aug 14th, 2008, 09:15 PM
#86
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For crying out loud..sorry dear Fodorites but some of the posts sound like mia's parents are in their late 80's. Mia said her mother is in her late 50's and her father is almost 70 years of age. So I assume her father is 69 years of age.
I cannot believe how so many are posting as though mia's parents are quite elderly, lol. In fact with all due respect I can't believe how your parents mia could not plan their own trip but it is nice that you have stepped in and doing it for them. But I would think unless there is a problem with dementia or something that your parents could figure out what to do and where to eat while in Europe.
And of course I do wish your parents a beautiful, fun and relaxing time in Europe mia.
I cannot believe how so many are posting as though mia's parents are quite elderly, lol. In fact with all due respect I can't believe how your parents mia could not plan their own trip but it is nice that you have stepped in and doing it for them. But I would think unless there is a problem with dementia or something that your parents could figure out what to do and where to eat while in Europe.
And of course I do wish your parents a beautiful, fun and relaxing time in Europe mia.
Aug 15th, 2008, 01:39 AM
#87
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LoveItaly,
It's true that somewhere in this thread the age of Mia's asthmatic father got bumped up to over 70 instead of just under 70.
But the real reason people raised alarm about senility is because mia's mother bought plane tickets to Rome/Paris in August without having a single hotel reservation but having a plan to see see 5 major cities over spread over 3 countries in 11 days, on a budget that wouldn't work on an 11 day trip to Canada.
It still looks like that without mia and her infusing extra money into her parent's trip, bringing realism to their itinerary and booking everything for them, they would be the proud possessor's of air tickets to Europe -- and that's it.
My mother is 81. I'm sure she could travel independently to Europe. I'm equally sure she wouldn't do what mia's parents just did.
I also hope things work out well for them, and I've noticed from reading many trip reports that even when people appear to me to be having a horrible vacation, they generally love it anyway. Hope it's not too hot.
It's true that somewhere in this thread the age of Mia's asthmatic father got bumped up to over 70 instead of just under 70.
But the real reason people raised alarm about senility is because mia's mother bought plane tickets to Rome/Paris in August without having a single hotel reservation but having a plan to see see 5 major cities over spread over 3 countries in 11 days, on a budget that wouldn't work on an 11 day trip to Canada.
It still looks like that without mia and her infusing extra money into her parent's trip, bringing realism to their itinerary and booking everything for them, they would be the proud possessor's of air tickets to Europe -- and that's it.
My mother is 81. I'm sure she could travel independently to Europe. I'm equally sure she wouldn't do what mia's parents just did.
I also hope things work out well for them, and I've noticed from reading many trip reports that even when people appear to me to be having a horrible vacation, they generally love it anyway. Hope it's not too hot.
Aug 15th, 2008, 11:22 AM
#88
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I would consider travelling at night. They have comfortable night trains and that way they would save on travel time and not waste the precious few days they have doing that. I agree London is out of the question as well. If they can afford to reschedule to a later date (which would also be cheaper if they went in another month or so, and much cooler)they could maybe spend more time. Also,when I went, I had to buy a Eurail Pass BEFORE leaving the states, they weren't available there. It sounds like they need to do more homework before they go, unless they are seasoned travellers and willing to "fly by the seat of their pants".
Aug 15th, 2008, 03:49 PM
#89
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Well zeppole, I understand what you are saying but age often has nothing to do with being organized for a trip. Many years ago we had friends that were about 30 years old. They had their air tickets for Europe. It was about ten days before their depature. I asked them how their passport photos came out. Blank looks from both of them. They didn't even know they had to have passports, lol.
And I have known so many people way younger than mia's parents that while talking about a European trip had no idea that their intineray was if not impossible was just plain ridiculous. They would have spent almost the entire trip travelling from one location to another. You know, the land in London, leave the next day for Paris, go to Madrid the next day, go to Rome the following day etc.
Anyway, again mia I sure wish your parents a wonderful time.
And I have known so many people way younger than mia's parents that while talking about a European trip had no idea that their intineray was if not impossible was just plain ridiculous. They would have spent almost the entire trip travelling from one location to another. You know, the land in London, leave the next day for Paris, go to Madrid the next day, go to Rome the following day etc.
Anyway, again mia I sure wish your parents a wonderful time.
Aug 15th, 2008, 04:04 PM
#90
I don't recommend an overnight train on a trip this short, only because I personally don't get a very good night's sleep on them. So it kind of defeats the purpose of saving time, if I'm walking around like a zombie the next day.
