What is your travel style?
Dec 2nd, 2015, 10:07 AM
#1
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What is your travel style?
I began traveling in 1963 when there wasn't the tourist infrastructure that we have now. I was very unorganized, just going to places I'd heard about, never taking tours and not even having a guidebook until Frommers $5.00 per day came out in about 1965 or 1966 or thereabouts.
There's a good deal about my travel that has changed--e.g.,reserving hotels and arranging for transportation via the internet and reading guidebooks to find places of interest. However, there's still much that hasn't changed, so that I waste a lot of time and don't always see everything I want to see.
My stay in Warsaw in June was a case in point. I left without visiting the Museum of the History of the Polish Jews and the Warsaw Rising Museum. I'd wanted to see more WWII sites, such as the remnant of the Jewish ghetto wall and the Jewish cemetery, but I ran out of time. I never really saw much in the way of social realist architecture or art, either.
I plan on returning to Warsaw in 2016, either in June or September, and I have a different plan in mind. There's a tour company that has a WWII tour, a Cold War tour, and a day trip to the Wolf's Lair.
When I went to the Wolf's Lair in June, I didn't plan well. I didn't have a guide, just tagged along with a German couple and their Polish guide. The tour I plan on taking costs a bit over $250, but I don't think that's outrageous because I probably spent more than that in June, renting a car, filling it with expensive gas, staying two nights at a cheezy hotel, eating dinner there, and paying for a taxi that took me to the Wolf's Lair.
Do you have ideas to share with me that may help save my body and my time? I don't worry much about costs, so I'd prefer a taxi or a tour rather than walking too much. I love to walk but I can't go much more than 3 miles at a whack before my legs get too tired.
There's a good deal about my travel that has changed--e.g.,reserving hotels and arranging for transportation via the internet and reading guidebooks to find places of interest. However, there's still much that hasn't changed, so that I waste a lot of time and don't always see everything I want to see.
My stay in Warsaw in June was a case in point. I left without visiting the Museum of the History of the Polish Jews and the Warsaw Rising Museum. I'd wanted to see more WWII sites, such as the remnant of the Jewish ghetto wall and the Jewish cemetery, but I ran out of time. I never really saw much in the way of social realist architecture or art, either.
I plan on returning to Warsaw in 2016, either in June or September, and I have a different plan in mind. There's a tour company that has a WWII tour, a Cold War tour, and a day trip to the Wolf's Lair.
When I went to the Wolf's Lair in June, I didn't plan well. I didn't have a guide, just tagged along with a German couple and their Polish guide. The tour I plan on taking costs a bit over $250, but I don't think that's outrageous because I probably spent more than that in June, renting a car, filling it with expensive gas, staying two nights at a cheezy hotel, eating dinner there, and paying for a taxi that took me to the Wolf's Lair.
Do you have ideas to share with me that may help save my body and my time? I don't worry much about costs, so I'd prefer a taxi or a tour rather than walking too much. I love to walk but I can't go much more than 3 miles at a whack before my legs get too tired.
Dec 2nd, 2015, 10:23 AM
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How many days did you stay in Warsaw? Even though you are not balking at the cost of the tour -- which if it is professionally well done may be fairly priced -- you might continue to do some internet research to see what else might be on offer, and do some cost comparisons.
Recently, when I was in Cagliari, I planned to visit some archeological ruins about 40 kms out of the city centre. I thought about driving myself, and found out about how to get there by bus, but I ended up asking my hotel if they knew of any private drivers/guides. It turned out to be very reasonably priced, especially since the total cost it included admission tickets to the site plus we were picked up right at the door of our hotel. The guide was terrific and very knowledgeable, and since we were the only people on the "tour", we could ask all the questions we wanted and make choices about where to linger and when to move on.
So before booking commercial tours, ask your hotel if they know of any guides. It might be nicely priced for what you get.
One thing I have discovered over the years is that guidebook recommendations can really be huge time wasters if you have very specific cultural/historic interests. Very often, the first 5 or 10 things they list as "must-sees" are sights or places I'd just as soon skip.
Final tip is that whenever I travel, I always identify in my own mind the top 3 or 5 things in a destination that I would really be unhappy to leave without having seen. And I make sure to do them first.
Recently, when I was in Cagliari, I planned to visit some archeological ruins about 40 kms out of the city centre. I thought about driving myself, and found out about how to get there by bus, but I ended up asking my hotel if they knew of any private drivers/guides. It turned out to be very reasonably priced, especially since the total cost it included admission tickets to the site plus we were picked up right at the door of our hotel. The guide was terrific and very knowledgeable, and since we were the only people on the "tour", we could ask all the questions we wanted and make choices about where to linger and when to move on.
So before booking commercial tours, ask your hotel if they know of any guides. It might be nicely priced for what you get.
One thing I have discovered over the years is that guidebook recommendations can really be huge time wasters if you have very specific cultural/historic interests. Very often, the first 5 or 10 things they list as "must-sees" are sights or places I'd just as soon skip.
Final tip is that whenever I travel, I always identify in my own mind the top 3 or 5 things in a destination that I would really be unhappy to leave without having seen. And I make sure to do them first.
Dec 2nd, 2015, 01:57 PM
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I also book travel and hotel or apartments online - I've not used a travel agent in years, other than for work because they force you to, and one occasion when I wanted to get a train across France without having to change in Paris which I knew was possible but infuriatingly did not come up in the online booking options so I got a pro to sort the ticketing for me. I don't use professional tours - however I might if I went somewhere with dangerous terrain or some level of political instability which demanded local knowledge to ensure safety. That's not true of most of Europe happily.
I read guidebooks, websites and blogs before I go - I love doing that - and TA for restaurant recommendations. I usually have a couple of places that are must sees (which is how I come to pick the destinations in the first place) but I never have an itinerary and I rarely book anything in advance. See how I feel on the day, see what the weather is like, see how tired my legs are, and what else I may pass en-route that might divert me.
One of the most common recurring themes on Fodors seems to be people worrying or even agonising over potentially missing something out. You are going somewhere amazing, its probably going to be incredible but you are stressing about not being able to make it to some church or monument you can't even spell and which you're only going to because a book or a business acquaintance told you you should. I don't understand why people treat holidays like work - I have enough of to-do lists and goals in the office and lab.
I recall the recent thread in which people were up in arms at the lack of acceptance of different travel styles, but what is the point of this board, if not to ask for advice and if not to give it when asked. If someone is nearly having a stroke trying to pack 20 sights into one day and fretting about it on here then clearly they are in need of help and guidance. My advice? Some people need to remember it's down time, fun, a vacation, not a tick list to brag about, or make you look like 'a rounded person' on your CV.
Prioritise the things you are really excited about. Don't try to fill every minute in advance. Don't give a second thought to what you didn't get time to do or see.
I read guidebooks, websites and blogs before I go - I love doing that - and TA for restaurant recommendations. I usually have a couple of places that are must sees (which is how I come to pick the destinations in the first place) but I never have an itinerary and I rarely book anything in advance. See how I feel on the day, see what the weather is like, see how tired my legs are, and what else I may pass en-route that might divert me.
One of the most common recurring themes on Fodors seems to be people worrying or even agonising over potentially missing something out. You are going somewhere amazing, its probably going to be incredible but you are stressing about not being able to make it to some church or monument you can't even spell and which you're only going to because a book or a business acquaintance told you you should. I don't understand why people treat holidays like work - I have enough of to-do lists and goals in the office and lab.
I recall the recent thread in which people were up in arms at the lack of acceptance of different travel styles, but what is the point of this board, if not to ask for advice and if not to give it when asked. If someone is nearly having a stroke trying to pack 20 sights into one day and fretting about it on here then clearly they are in need of help and guidance. My advice? Some people need to remember it's down time, fun, a vacation, not a tick list to brag about, or make you look like 'a rounded person' on your CV.
Prioritise the things you are really excited about. Don't try to fill every minute in advance. Don't give a second thought to what you didn't get time to do or see.
Dec 2nd, 2015, 04:15 PM
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Extensive research. I've been very, very satisfied with just about all my trips (26 to Europe in the past 15 years, many of them 3-5 weeks long) and I really feel it's because of the research I do. Of course it helps that I really enjoy doing it - I guess you'd call my travel research a hobby. I start 6-12 months ahead when I decide where to go next. Then I just read everything I can - most of it on line but I try to find novels set in the places I'm going, historical novels, etc. And of course good old fashioned guide books. But probably my best sources are the random web sites I find when I google image search for pictures. I guess it's because I'm a photographer, but I need to 'see' what I'm reading about - so I read about a place and then search for images - the images are often on a blog or a website with lots more information. I copy all this and sort of make up my own guidebooks for where I'm going - often with walking tours. I also make extensive maps - google map or gmaps pedometer to see how far apart places are - screen shot all this stuff and turn everything into a pdf that I put on my ipad (mini) that I carry around with me.
Many people would think all this a waste of time, or that it leads to a lack of spontaneity but actually it's just the opposite. If I know what there is, and where it is, I can decide when I get there what I want to see, what I can miss, etc. Once I get there I'm actually very flexible about what to do or see, and of course there are always things that didn't come up in my research.
But extensive research means I spend very little time being lost (unless it's the kind of 'lost' I enjoy, the just wandering around type) and very little time making transportation mistakes, etc.
As far as tours, I take local ones when it makes sense but I much prefer reading/learning about places before I go (in the comfort of my sofa) and then just re-reading about then once I'm there, over listening to some guide tell me about it. Some guides are excellent but some are very much not so, and pretty hard to know in advance.
Many people would think all this a waste of time, or that it leads to a lack of spontaneity but actually it's just the opposite. If I know what there is, and where it is, I can decide when I get there what I want to see, what I can miss, etc. Once I get there I'm actually very flexible about what to do or see, and of course there are always things that didn't come up in my research.
But extensive research means I spend very little time being lost (unless it's the kind of 'lost' I enjoy, the just wandering around type) and very little time making transportation mistakes, etc.
As far as tours, I take local ones when it makes sense but I much prefer reading/learning about places before I go (in the comfort of my sofa) and then just re-reading about then once I'm there, over listening to some guide tell me about it. Some guides are excellent but some are very much not so, and pretty hard to know in advance.
Dec 2nd, 2015, 05:16 PM
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We design the trip around how much time we can get off together as well as the time of year. (He doesn't like heat and I cannot stand it at all.)
We make an itinerary based on if we have been before and have an idea of how long to spend and/or looking at guide books for places we have not been. We do some checking online ourselves for places we might like to stay - and then go to DHs company travel planner to see what sort of deals they can get us on flights and hotels of those we are interested in. (We like to get 5* places at 4* prices - but if not available will take 4* but then find out what freebies or reduced rates they can get us.)
We do car rentals ourselves since we know exactly what we want.
I do a lot of research on sights and we never do least common denominator tours. For sights with on-site docents we just listen to them. If there is something very large and complicated we may hire a guide on site (have done so at Pompeii and have listened to a couple in Rome - at the Forum and San Clemente). We often rent the audio guides available at various sights - which vary a LOT in quality but are usually interesting. We also always buy the printed guide to every sight we visit - for a souvenir if nothing else.
Would never have a driver or a private guide at big $ - since I have found that I usually end up knowing more than what many guides provide - even for small tours. (The guide to the Vatican gardens missed a couple of very interesting spots and seemed mad at me when I was telling DH about them and other people in the group stopped to listen. He was more interested in pushing the group through and out.)
As for meals we do a casuale but sit down lunch in a cafe or similar and always have a decent dinner (yes, with table cloths and wine) and try for one special meal (1/2* or similar) in each city. (I know some people say eat a big meal at lunch because it's cheaper. I'm sure it is - but we don;t care. We don't eat a big meal at lunch at home and if I had a big lunch I wouldn't enjoy afternoon sightseeing.
Also we try to find a nice place to sit down for an hour or so in the late afternoon to have a drink and watch the world go by - before going back to the hotel to relax for a little and shower and chance for dinner.
This is not the cheapest way to travel. But I'm 59 now and don't want to travel the way I did when I was 19 - and now it's harder to organize the time than the money.
We make an itinerary based on if we have been before and have an idea of how long to spend and/or looking at guide books for places we have not been. We do some checking online ourselves for places we might like to stay - and then go to DHs company travel planner to see what sort of deals they can get us on flights and hotels of those we are interested in. (We like to get 5* places at 4* prices - but if not available will take 4* but then find out what freebies or reduced rates they can get us.)
We do car rentals ourselves since we know exactly what we want.
I do a lot of research on sights and we never do least common denominator tours. For sights with on-site docents we just listen to them. If there is something very large and complicated we may hire a guide on site (have done so at Pompeii and have listened to a couple in Rome - at the Forum and San Clemente). We often rent the audio guides available at various sights - which vary a LOT in quality but are usually interesting. We also always buy the printed guide to every sight we visit - for a souvenir if nothing else.
Would never have a driver or a private guide at big $ - since I have found that I usually end up knowing more than what many guides provide - even for small tours. (The guide to the Vatican gardens missed a couple of very interesting spots and seemed mad at me when I was telling DH about them and other people in the group stopped to listen. He was more interested in pushing the group through and out.)
As for meals we do a casuale but sit down lunch in a cafe or similar and always have a decent dinner (yes, with table cloths and wine) and try for one special meal (1/2* or similar) in each city. (I know some people say eat a big meal at lunch because it's cheaper. I'm sure it is - but we don;t care. We don't eat a big meal at lunch at home and if I had a big lunch I wouldn't enjoy afternoon sightseeing.
Also we try to find a nice place to sit down for an hour or so in the late afternoon to have a drink and watch the world go by - before going back to the hotel to relax for a little and shower and chance for dinner.
This is not the cheapest way to travel. But I'm 59 now and don't want to travel the way I did when I was 19 - and now it's harder to organize the time than the money.
Dec 2nd, 2015, 05:25 PM
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Research, research, research!
I work with about a half-dozen different guidebooks per trip, plus on-line resources, plus Fodor's Forum. I make sure I know my priorities, as much as I can about their opening hours, and how -- exactly -- to ensure that I can get wherever I need to be in a timely way.
IME, there are no guarantees -- a museum can be closed unexpectedly, etc. -- but since the one BIG mistake that put me on this path, I can't say I've had any major problems.
Good luck and keep going!
I work with about a half-dozen different guidebooks per trip, plus on-line resources, plus Fodor's Forum. I make sure I know my priorities, as much as I can about their opening hours, and how -- exactly -- to ensure that I can get wherever I need to be in a timely way.
IME, there are no guarantees -- a museum can be closed unexpectedly, etc. -- but since the one BIG mistake that put me on this path, I can't say I've had any major problems.
Good luck and keep going!
Dec 2nd, 2015, 06:33 PM
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>> I don't understand why people treat holidays like work - I have enough of to-do lists and goals in the office and lab.<<
For some of us traveling isn't a "holiday" unless we deliberately go someplace scenic to have a holiday. I wouldn't bother going to Vienna, for example, except to see some specific artworks. It is a total waste of money for me to fly to Vienna, spend money on a hotel, only to find out that those artworks are on loan, or the museum is closed that day, etc. I recently planned a trip to Warsaw that I had to cancel, and I would have been very upset to have missed, for some reason, visiting the museum of the uprising. I would feel I needed to go back -- which is neither simple or inexpensive.
Speaking of inexpensive, I meant to include in my original post the cost of my private tour of Nora, the archeological site near Cagliari. It was 45 euros per person. As I mentioned earlier, that included being driven there and back, the cost of admission to the site, and getting to pick the brain of the guide for 2.5 hours about not just the archeological site, but life in Cagliari and Sardinia in general. For us, on a blistering hot day, it was really worth the money in terms of ease and satisfaction.
For some of us traveling isn't a "holiday" unless we deliberately go someplace scenic to have a holiday. I wouldn't bother going to Vienna, for example, except to see some specific artworks. It is a total waste of money for me to fly to Vienna, spend money on a hotel, only to find out that those artworks are on loan, or the museum is closed that day, etc. I recently planned a trip to Warsaw that I had to cancel, and I would have been very upset to have missed, for some reason, visiting the museum of the uprising. I would feel I needed to go back -- which is neither simple or inexpensive.
Speaking of inexpensive, I meant to include in my original post the cost of my private tour of Nora, the archeological site near Cagliari. It was 45 euros per person. As I mentioned earlier, that included being driven there and back, the cost of admission to the site, and getting to pick the brain of the guide for 2.5 hours about not just the archeological site, but life in Cagliari and Sardinia in general. For us, on a blistering hot day, it was really worth the money in terms of ease and satisfaction.
Dec 3rd, 2015, 09:33 AM
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I think my main problem nowadays is that I don't have the stamina to see as much as I want to see. I'm not one to try to jam 22 sights into a day. More like 3 or 4 sights, even fewer if I'm taking in an interesting museum where I'll spend several hours.
Cost is less important to me nowadays. On my last trip, I had some clothes cleaned rather than trying to rinse them out in the sink, though I chose cleaning/laundry services in my less expensive hotels. I don't think I had anything cleaned while I was staying at the Hilton, for instance.
I also took taxis at times, whereas in the past I'd have walked. The tour to the Wolf's Lair includes pick-up at the hotel, train fair to Olsztyn, transportation to the Wolf's Lair, a private guide through the place, transportation back to Olsztyn and train fare back, and pick-up at the train station with a taxi to my hotel. As much as I want to spend more time at the Wolf's Lair and to learn more about it, I'm willing to pay $250.
I don't know how many more years I'll be able to travel. I'm getting pretty d@mned old, and there are still things I want to experience.
I'm very interested in WWII and the Cold War, with the Cold War gaining in importance to me since I've been to the Baltics and Poland. Visits to museums in the Baltics and Poland were really a revelation as to the Soviet's treatment of these peoples. Since my June trip, I've read a good deal about the Soviet Occupation in these countries, and I want to learn more.
Cost is less important to me nowadays. On my last trip, I had some clothes cleaned rather than trying to rinse them out in the sink, though I chose cleaning/laundry services in my less expensive hotels. I don't think I had anything cleaned while I was staying at the Hilton, for instance.
I also took taxis at times, whereas in the past I'd have walked. The tour to the Wolf's Lair includes pick-up at the hotel, train fair to Olsztyn, transportation to the Wolf's Lair, a private guide through the place, transportation back to Olsztyn and train fare back, and pick-up at the train station with a taxi to my hotel. As much as I want to spend more time at the Wolf's Lair and to learn more about it, I'm willing to pay $250.
I don't know how many more years I'll be able to travel. I'm getting pretty d@mned old, and there are still things I want to experience.
I'm very interested in WWII and the Cold War, with the Cold War gaining in importance to me since I've been to the Baltics and Poland. Visits to museums in the Baltics and Poland were really a revelation as to the Soviet's treatment of these peoples. Since my June trip, I've read a good deal about the Soviet Occupation in these countries, and I want to learn more.
Dec 3rd, 2015, 03:56 PM
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We don't take guided tours much, but somehow I keep thinking that there are some specific tours worth taking.
One thing you might find, because you're very interested in WWII history and the Cold War and have read up a lot, is that if you're on a more general tour, that you may already know much of what the guide is telling you. That's ok if you're ok with that, and are using the tour mainly to get you where you want to go. But I was a bit disappointed after a guided tour of the Prado, in which I had specifically sought out a guide who could discuss Bosch, when he only related guidebook highlights about the artist (I was probably expecting too much, to be honest).
If money is less of an object, you could also look into having a private guide. I helped my parents do that in the midst of a group tour they took earlier this year. I helped them find a group tour that had all the main destinations they wanted, but on one day, there was a day-long excursion that didn't include much of what my parents like, whereas there was one small city that the group tour didn't go to. So I found them a private guide who picked them up (from their tour hotel), spent the day taking them where they wanted to go, then dropped them off.
On that same trip, in Amsterdam, I arranged for a pedicab driver to pick them up, take them on a 1/2 hour tour of the Jordaan, then to the Resistance Museum, and thereafter, back to their hotel. My father has back and knee problems that prevent him from walking great distances. They loved the pedicab trip! The driver (a woman) was a delight, and they really enjoyed talking to her. They said they will definitely use this mode of transport on other trips. You might consider this as another alternative to a taxi, though from what I've heard, be careful to establish the price before you board.
One thing you might find, because you're very interested in WWII history and the Cold War and have read up a lot, is that if you're on a more general tour, that you may already know much of what the guide is telling you. That's ok if you're ok with that, and are using the tour mainly to get you where you want to go. But I was a bit disappointed after a guided tour of the Prado, in which I had specifically sought out a guide who could discuss Bosch, when he only related guidebook highlights about the artist (I was probably expecting too much, to be honest).
If money is less of an object, you could also look into having a private guide. I helped my parents do that in the midst of a group tour they took earlier this year. I helped them find a group tour that had all the main destinations they wanted, but on one day, there was a day-long excursion that didn't include much of what my parents like, whereas there was one small city that the group tour didn't go to. So I found them a private guide who picked them up (from their tour hotel), spent the day taking them where they wanted to go, then dropped them off.
On that same trip, in Amsterdam, I arranged for a pedicab driver to pick them up, take them on a 1/2 hour tour of the Jordaan, then to the Resistance Museum, and thereafter, back to their hotel. My father has back and knee problems that prevent him from walking great distances. They loved the pedicab trip! The driver (a woman) was a delight, and they really enjoyed talking to her. They said they will definitely use this mode of transport on other trips. You might consider this as another alternative to a taxi, though from what I've heard, be careful to establish the price before you board.
Dec 4th, 2015, 02:45 AM
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As others have said research is key before I go.
All the tour books in my 2 libraries and the internet.
Hit Barnes & Noble to buy street maps.
I also take advantage of free walking tours such as
http://www.neweuropetours.eu/ when in those cities.
That gives my idea of where I might go back for a more
in-depth look.
As for clothes, same color - no laundry services needed
in a carry-on bag which simplifies leaving the airport.
All the tour books in my 2 libraries and the internet.
Hit Barnes & Noble to buy street maps.
I also take advantage of free walking tours such as
http://www.neweuropetours.eu/ when in those cities.
That gives my idea of where I might go back for a more
in-depth look.
As for clothes, same color - no laundry services needed
in a carry-on bag which simplifies leaving the airport.
Dec 5th, 2015, 12:09 AM
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I really just enjoy being in Europe. Sometimes when planning a trip I learn a lot of interesting information about the region I'm visiting, and I follow up on that when I'm actually there. But my real joy is just seeing things, having a beer or glass of wine, an unusual meal, and so forth.
Dec 5th, 2015, 01:54 AM
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I have 4 kinds of travel
- family travel
my wife organizes it, by first buying 3 paperguides, then makes an itinerary. We review it together, then I reserve the hotels she has found and wats, and I propose the hotels where she has no preffered one.
then we realize we have too much on our plate and rearrange one on the spot : like : we take it leisurely at one place and skip the next.
We make some mistakes (in Mexico (Tuxtla -Guttierez I think, I spent nearly one hour arriving at the zoo we wanted to see and it was closed - wrtten on the book, we just missed it.)
Then we want to have it 'cool' in the evening, to enjoy being in family. We never prebook restaurants, as we never know in advance where we'd be and when.
- work travel
very easy : nothing is organized.
I book myself the planes, reserve the cars and the hotels, note the phone nrs of my contact.
I try to select a hotel in a nice sport to at least enjoy walking around. Restaurant are no priority for such trips. Most of the time I simply have no time to make any research -that is how I ended up in Lucca and didn't see anything of the city !
When it is a 'big' trip, like going to Asia, with 3-5 internal flights and 5 cities in 7 days, I have my trip organized by my colleagues. It works, but I usually need one full week to recover.
- family travel in 'difficult' countries.
like when going to Asia with family, there we tend to have it organized : cruise or ? I wouldn't want to drive myself in India with the kids for instance. For this an agency specialized in specific countries is useful.
- european vacation
not well organized, we 'just' pick a spot someplace and do trips from there. We have some must do's before, then we see... We know we can always come back in Europe so we don't prepare that much... and we prefer to sacrifice visits to make it more relaxing.
Or we go to the family house in southern France. We start knowing the area - have been something like 120 weeks at the same place.
Mvg.
- family travel
my wife organizes it, by first buying 3 paperguides, then makes an itinerary. We review it together, then I reserve the hotels she has found and wats, and I propose the hotels where she has no preffered one.
then we realize we have too much on our plate and rearrange one on the spot : like : we take it leisurely at one place and skip the next.
We make some mistakes (in Mexico (Tuxtla -Guttierez I think, I spent nearly one hour arriving at the zoo we wanted to see and it was closed - wrtten on the book, we just missed it.)
Then we want to have it 'cool' in the evening, to enjoy being in family. We never prebook restaurants, as we never know in advance where we'd be and when.
- work travel
very easy : nothing is organized.
I book myself the planes, reserve the cars and the hotels, note the phone nrs of my contact.
I try to select a hotel in a nice sport to at least enjoy walking around. Restaurant are no priority for such trips. Most of the time I simply have no time to make any research -that is how I ended up in Lucca and didn't see anything of the city !
When it is a 'big' trip, like going to Asia, with 3-5 internal flights and 5 cities in 7 days, I have my trip organized by my colleagues. It works, but I usually need one full week to recover.
- family travel in 'difficult' countries.
like when going to Asia with family, there we tend to have it organized : cruise or ? I wouldn't want to drive myself in India with the kids for instance. For this an agency specialized in specific countries is useful.
- european vacation
not well organized, we 'just' pick a spot someplace and do trips from there. We have some must do's before, then we see... We know we can always come back in Europe so we don't prepare that much... and we prefer to sacrifice visits to make it more relaxing.
Or we go to the family house in southern France. We start knowing the area - have been something like 120 weeks at the same place.
Mvg.
Dec 5th, 2015, 02:27 AM
#13
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>>>"On that same trip, in Amsterdam, I arranged for a pedicab driver to pick them up, take them on a 1/2 hour tour of the Jordaan, then to the Resistance Museum, and thereafter, back to their hotel. My father has back and knee problems that prevent him from walking great distances. They loved the pedicab trip!"<<<
I got caught in the rain showing my elderly mother around Amsterdam, and I flagged down a pedicab to get us to our next destination. We both really enjoyed the experience, having the opportunity to enjoy Amsterdam from a cyclist's point of view. I just paid what the driver asked, and tacked on a tip as well (so his price couldn't have been too shocking), but prudent advice to set the price beforehand.
I got caught in the rain showing my elderly mother around Amsterdam, and I flagged down a pedicab to get us to our next destination. We both really enjoyed the experience, having the opportunity to enjoy Amsterdam from a cyclist's point of view. I just paid what the driver asked, and tacked on a tip as well (so his price couldn't have been too shocking), but prudent advice to set the price beforehand.
Dec 5th, 2015, 07:10 AM
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We do very little research, even for big trips. I'll read up a bit on where we are going, and may plan a rough route, or list some possibly interesting things to see, but we also allow time for serendipity, and for doing not a lot. If we see an interesting road, or hear about an interesting sounding site nearby then we will go that route. Yes we probably miss out on lots of "educational" stuff along the way, but it suits us. I quickly get bored with museums, can't walk around them at a snails pace because my knees won't allow that, and prefer to be outside anyway.
Peg since you want to see so much, and time and money are not so important to you why not just spend longer in places, and take your time over it. See a couple of things a day, instead of three or four, so you see everything over two days instead of one, and also have time to take it a bit easy. There comes a point where we have to acknowledge we aren't as young as we were, and don't have the stamina we once had. That doesn't mean not doing things, it just means doing them at a slower pace.
Peg since you want to see so much, and time and money are not so important to you why not just spend longer in places, and take your time over it. See a couple of things a day, instead of three or four, so you see everything over two days instead of one, and also have time to take it a bit easy. There comes a point where we have to acknowledge we aren't as young as we were, and don't have the stamina we once had. That doesn't mean not doing things, it just means doing them at a slower pace.
Dec 5th, 2015, 10:12 AM
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I took a "Third Man" walking tour in Vienna, but it lasted about 4 hours, and that's way too much for me. My legs really hurt after that. The real reason I didn't see as much as I wanted to in Warsaw was that I tried to walk too much instead of using vehicular transportation. I just won't do that again.
Before I did that trip, I'd lost 15 lbs, but it wasn't enough. I'm still a chunky girl. I need to lose about 30 more.
I like the idea of a more private tour because I want to ask questions. I did take a half-day tour in Warsaw and enjoyed it very much, but the guide talked about 18th and 19th century history, which didn't interest me.
Hetismij2: You tactfully said, ..."when we aren't as young as we were." Ain't that the truth, sister! In a month, I will be 80 years old!--a milestone which horrifies me and has made me resolve to return to my exercise class.
Before I did that trip, I'd lost 15 lbs, but it wasn't enough. I'm still a chunky girl. I need to lose about 30 more.
I like the idea of a more private tour because I want to ask questions. I did take a half-day tour in Warsaw and enjoyed it very much, but the guide talked about 18th and 19th century history, which didn't interest me.
Hetismij2: You tactfully said, ..."when we aren't as young as we were." Ain't that the truth, sister! In a month, I will be 80 years old!--a milestone which horrifies me and has made me resolve to return to my exercise class.
Dec 5th, 2015, 11:41 AM
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Peg - When we (and you) were young in the 60s, there simply weren't that many people traveling. Recently my daughter was saying that even shop clerks were visiting Europe. I think that's great even tho' the crowds might bother me. TG, today we can book ahead with the internet, don’t have to wing it. We research every place ahead of visiting and don't use tour guides. For the most part, we are better informed than they. Of course, if travel is included in their tours, that would be another matter. I think at this age one has to be more selective in what to see, or even what to re-see. It's just the way it is. Remember, you're not the only one in this boat !!
Dec 9th, 2015, 04:47 PM
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Hi PEGONTHEROAD,
I always enjoy your trip reports and recall your last one about your frustrations in Eastern Europe as you have described.
That escorted tour for $250 sounds like a good deal to me. Why risk the uncertainties of public transportation, cabs and the like? From my observation, many seasoned travelers resist anything resembling a "tour" when they think they can do it on their own for less. I say go for it.
Also, I know that you are interested in serious reading, especially about the Cold War and Eastern Europe. I just finished KISSINGER 1923-1968 The Idealist by Niall Ferguson. Mind you, this is Part I of his life - volume 2 in the works. Ferguson is a fabulous writer. Highly recommended - nigh to 900 pages.
Peg, I look forward to your next trip report describing your intrepid adventures in Europe again...
I always enjoy your trip reports and recall your last one about your frustrations in Eastern Europe as you have described.
That escorted tour for $250 sounds like a good deal to me. Why risk the uncertainties of public transportation, cabs and the like? From my observation, many seasoned travelers resist anything resembling a "tour" when they think they can do it on their own for less. I say go for it.
Also, I know that you are interested in serious reading, especially about the Cold War and Eastern Europe. I just finished KISSINGER 1923-1968 The Idealist by Niall Ferguson. Mind you, this is Part I of his life - volume 2 in the works. Ferguson is a fabulous writer. Highly recommended - nigh to 900 pages.
Peg, I look forward to your next trip report describing your intrepid adventures in Europe again...
Dec 10th, 2015, 09:07 AM
#20
Re: planning to visit art comment that is up thread. Not many people know this but loans of artwork are planned months, if not years, in advance. I always, always email museums before I book a trip if missing a particular piece of art at my destination is going to be a disappointment. I have never not been responded to and have even been told "no, that won't be on loan but will be down that week for restoration." Museums don't take things off walls on a whim, it's all very well planned out well ahead of time. Either email the museum's general info address or in some cases there is a curator email on the museum's contact page. As I travel primarily to see art, doing this is part of my planning.
