With Gratitude for a Glorious Solo Month in Greece
Sep 22nd, 2017, 06:10 AM
#221
Are you going to post on the Asia board about your trip? I took the train Kunming-Nanning-Hanoi back in 2004. Highly recommend skipping Guilin, more interesting places in Yunnan. [Sorry for the interruption, kja.]
Sep 22nd, 2017, 06:55 AM
#222
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This is just an astonishingly well-executed trip report! So glad you enjoyed your stay, kja. And so glad you shared your experiences with us in such a lovely fashion.
<i>I can’t say I took full advantage of the information that any of you gave, but I am confident that my trip was far better because of your input. Fodorites ROCK!</i>
You said a mouthful, right there.
<i>I can’t say I took full advantage of the information that any of you gave, but I am confident that my trip was far better because of your input. Fodorites ROCK!</i>
You said a mouthful, right there.
Sep 22nd, 2017, 07:10 AM
#223
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Thursdaysd - Yes, I'll post on the Asia board once I think through the general itinerary. And oops ... my planned trip is Spring 2019! (I almost enjoy the planning stage as much as the actual travel!) I'm still reading as much as possible to fix destinations/activities/# days/$s. Rome2Rio shows a daily flight from Hanoi to Guilin, where I'm thinking only one full day, then short cruise to Yangshou, with a stay there for a few days at the Mountain Retreat; followed by visits to Dali and Lijiang. Thanks for your suggestion, and now I'll look for your report!
Sep 22nd, 2017, 10:08 AM
#224
Sorry, no full report for that trip, I ran out of steam for blogging at Kunming. But some here:
http://wilhelmswords.com/rtw2004/index.html
http://wilhelmswords.com/rtw2004/index.html
Sep 22nd, 2017, 03:13 PM
#226
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@ Janetd5: Thank you so much for your lovely compliments – I’m very pleased that you are finding my trip reports helpful and interesting! I must admit that I’m astonished that you would find them of sufficient interest to root them out to read – wow! That’s really nice to hear. 
I had quite a few adventures on that trip to China, and benefitted enormously from thursdaysd’s input, so I’m glad she’s given you that link. And no worries about going on a tangent – it’s a delight to see travelers come together to benefit one another.
@ mr_go: My thanks to you, too! You and your wife write such wonderful trip reports that I consider your words particularly high praise. We are, I think, incredibly fortunate to be members of the Fodorite community, where so many are so generous in sharing their knowledge and their experiences.
I had quite a few adventures on that trip to China, and benefitted enormously from thursdaysd’s input, so I’m glad she’s given you that link. And no worries about going on a tangent – it’s a delight to see travelers come together to benefit one another.@ mr_go: My thanks to you, too! You and your wife write such wonderful trip reports that I consider your words particularly high praise. We are, I think, incredibly fortunate to be members of the Fodorite community, where so many are so generous in sharing their knowledge and their experiences.
Sep 23rd, 2017, 01:21 PM
#229
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Thank you so much kja for this excellent trip report. RL kept me away from Fodor's for quite some time, i juts now managed to read it all with care.
I have been to all the places that you visited ( even though it took me years and more trips to see it all ) but i must admit i still haven't seen all byzantine churches in Thessaloniki.
I loved the way you wrote about Greece, the people and the beauty of the country and i often had tears in my eyes ...
I am a solo traveler as well, starting at the age of 18, when i left Greece to study in Germany and Austria, which gave me the opportunity for some great travels at that young age.. always solo...which lasts till now
I have been to all the places that you visited ( even though it took me years and more trips to see it all ) but i must admit i still haven't seen all byzantine churches in Thessaloniki.
I loved the way you wrote about Greece, the people and the beauty of the country and i often had tears in my eyes ...
I am a solo traveler as well, starting at the age of 18, when i left Greece to study in Germany and Austria, which gave me the opportunity for some great travels at that young age.. always solo...which lasts till now
Sep 23rd, 2017, 01:58 PM
#230
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@ clausar: RL has a nasty way of interfering with fun stuff, doesn’t it? I’m glad you read this report, because you were so helpful when I planned my trip. Your love of Greece comes through everything you write about it, so I’m particularly pleased to know that the wonderful people and the beauty of Greece came through my words. It was such a delight to experience those things! If it makes you feel any better, remember that 3 of the 12 listed Byzantine churches of Thessaloniki were closed when I tried to visit them – so you still have a chance to see their interiors before I do. ;-) Thanks again for your help, clausar, and many thanks for these touching words.
Sep 25th, 2017, 01:37 AM
#231
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I like to read your description about the breathtaking scenery of Greece, from Meteora’s incredible monolithic pillars and boulders to the punished terrain of central Crete filled with fractured rock and vast stretches of non-arable land; from an unexpected panorama of a vast plain or the sea far below to a stunning variety of wildflowers and blooming shrubs in the Cyclades, kja.
Feel like I'm reading Tolkien.
And your mention of flavorful stews and perfectly grilled meats and octopus and calamari and braised pork and wonderful cheeses and tasty regional breads and incredibly fresh fruits and vegetables and spinach pies and local specialties,
made me mouthwatering!
Feel like I'm reading Tolkien.
And your mention of flavorful stews and perfectly grilled meats and octopus and calamari and braised pork and wonderful cheeses and tasty regional breads and incredibly fresh fruits and vegetables and spinach pies and local specialties,
made me mouthwatering!
Sep 25th, 2017, 08:38 AM
#234
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I agree that is the best trip report I have read on the forum.
Kja, let me return to my earlier suggestion of turning the trip report into a blog, which you will have control over no matter what happens to the Fodor's Forums (and there are changes in the works).
To show you what can be done, my daughter and her husband wrote a blog during their overland trip from London to Cape Town. She did the writing and her husband the photography, and now they have something to look back on in the future. Nearly all the blog was written during the trip, and updated whenever they had internet access. It's a very lengthy blog because the trip took nearly a year:
https://charliesoverlandadventure.wordpress.com
Kja, let me return to my earlier suggestion of turning the trip report into a blog, which you will have control over no matter what happens to the Fodor's Forums (and there are changes in the works).
To show you what can be done, my daughter and her husband wrote a blog during their overland trip from London to Cape Town. She did the writing and her husband the photography, and now they have something to look back on in the future. Nearly all the blog was written during the trip, and updated whenever they had internet access. It's a very lengthy blog because the trip took nearly a year:
https://charliesoverlandadventure.wordpress.com
Sep 25th, 2017, 08:08 PM
#235
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I’m absolutely awed to see new posts on this thread!
@ FuryFluffy: Tolkien may be turning in his grave, but I am blushing with your compliments – thank you so much!
@ Clausar:
@ Heimdall: Thank you again for your compliments! I took just a very quick peek at your daughter & her husband’s blog – awesome, and very well and thoughtfully done! I hope to peruse it at leisure some day. In the meantime, rest assured that I have saved a copy of this trip report (with comments!) on my computer. And FWIW, Fodor’s new owners have told us that our prior content won’t disappear … we’ll see! Thank you for making sure I thought about it!
In the meantime – another consideration: I benefited enormously from you and other Fodorites when planning this trip, so I really, really, REALLY do not want to ask any of you to click on another site (where I might have arranged commercial support dependent upon clicks) to see what I wrote – I want to give back and pay forward without financial benefit. I think blogging is a very different thing when one is using it to keep in contact with friends and family for an extended trip – as your DD and SL did -- or when active Fodorites use blogs to share additional insights into their experiences, beyond those they make available to Fodorites for free. So for now, I’ll remain a poster – but I greatly appreciate your suggestion, and your link to a fascinating blog! Again, my thanks.
@ FuryFluffy: Tolkien may be turning in his grave, but I am blushing with your compliments – thank you so much!
@ Clausar:
@ Heimdall: Thank you again for your compliments! I took just a very quick peek at your daughter & her husband’s blog – awesome, and very well and thoughtfully done! I hope to peruse it at leisure some day. In the meantime, rest assured that I have saved a copy of this trip report (with comments!) on my computer. And FWIW, Fodor’s new owners have told us that our prior content won’t disappear … we’ll see! Thank you for making sure I thought about it!
In the meantime – another consideration: I benefited enormously from you and other Fodorites when planning this trip, so I really, really, REALLY do not want to ask any of you to click on another site (where I might have arranged commercial support dependent upon clicks) to see what I wrote – I want to give back and pay forward without financial benefit. I think blogging is a very different thing when one is using it to keep in contact with friends and family for an extended trip – as your DD and SL did -- or when active Fodorites use blogs to share additional insights into their experiences, beyond those they make available to Fodorites for free. So for now, I’ll remain a poster – but I greatly appreciate your suggestion, and your link to a fascinating blog! Again, my thanks.
Jun 4th, 2018, 06:04 PM
#239
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@ starrs: I'm just now seeing your message after some time away from Fodor's. I hope you found useful information in this report, and now that I'm back, I'm available for questions, so fire away!
