Rex

I am looking into planning and leading a small group trip to Eastern Europe in late July/early August (about 14 days), and I am strongly considering taking a "scouting trip" in early May for 5-7 days. This summer trip is the same as is mentioned in a thread started by "Roseanne" and a bit more info is available there under the header "Do It Yourself or Tour" (which I will move to the top, as soon as I post this). <BR> <BR>This will be a whirlwind trip, by car, trying to get a sense of travel "atmosphere" in Czech Republic, southern Poland, Slovakia and/or central/western Hungary - - unless someone has another thought (for example, substitute Slovenia, drop Poland - - I don't actually think this is a good idea, based on what I hear about how wonderful Krakow is). <BR> <BR>Please e-mail me at [email protected], preferably with a telephone number, and I will repond ASAP with my telephone number as well. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex

s.fowler

Wish I could! We're taking 6 of our students to hungary/macedonia in late June -- so *my* planning trip was last October <BR>Why Slovakia? From what I have seen and heard there are better places to spend the time. I think Slovenia would be a bit off the path... Don't forget Pecs, Hungary ... email me if you want more information.

Rex

Thanks for a quick "well-wisher" reply. <BR> <BR>Why Slovakia? I suppose because it's between Poland and Hungary, and because the mountains mnioght provide some relief from July/August heat? But I have not begun decent research. <BR> <BR>And just for clarification, although I often travel with young people, this trip is starting with a nucleus of 40-50 year olds. I think younger people will be welcome (and older also), but this is starting as Roseanne's trip (I am providing planning and language/guidance), and I am still waiting to hear how she feels about ages of other travelers. <BR>

s.fowler

The high Tatras are supposed to be lovely... <BR>Well your age range sounds good to me We're hoping we'll survive with 6 collehe students!

Rex

Here's an update and a commentary on www.eurotrip.com - - I've seen these posts touting the assistance offered there in finding low-cost flights - - and I guess I just didn't believe I would find info there I didn't already know. <BR> <BR>But I posted a message a few hours ago there, and "Don" suggested that I should check Finnair. Sure enough, there is a very good price to Budapest or Vienna (and maybe other central/Eastern europe destinations). I chose Budapest inbound, Vienna outbound, and got a fare of $448 for May 9/15/16. Budapest is $428 RT, Vienna $468 RT (50 dollars cheaper in April). <BR> <BR>Others might disagree, but I consider it a plus that Finnair will overnight me in Helsinki at their expense - - because the flights don't connect to get me back to the US the same day. This fare is $25 more than a fare offered by BA on Expedia, but the free night in Helsinki seems to outweigh the small difference, and interestingly enough Expedia doesn't bring up the Finnair routing at all. <BR> <BR>This isn't the first time I have seen a free stopover provided by an airline that can't connect you same day to your return transatlantic flight - - it's a good trick to get to see another city (or country) sometimes - though this seems unusal that they pay for your overnight stay (especially given the high cost of Scandinavia!) <BR> <BR>I'm thinking I will use the train Budapest to Gyor, and then on to Bratislava, with hydrofoil to Vienna. Rent a car there and do a three day loop through CR to Krakow and back. I'm not normally a fan of trains, but traveling by myself, getting my bearings for the first time in Eastern Europe, it seems like my best option. <BR> <BR>So, bottom line, I am impressed with the info I got from www.eurotrip.com - - and thumbs up to Finnair as well. <BR> <BR>Now, I just have to go talk to my wife to convince her that I have been a good boy enough to do this! <BR>

miriam

Hi Rex, <BR>I love Hungary-but Slovakia? I`ve been in Bratislava last year on a sports tournament and swore to myself afterwards never to head farther East than Vienna for the rest of my life(at least that was my feeling at that moment). It`s the ugliest and most depressing city I`ve ever seen. And we had a "nice" meeting with the local police who wanted to take my husbands passport and drivers licence away for doing a U-turn, which he did because we were lost and at a place where no one was in danger. I had to strip in the police department in front of several people and they told me that I have to stay in prison for the night. I was really in panic because our flight out of Vienna to Frankfurt was supposed to leave at 10am the next morning. We were able to leave after I gave them all our money in different currencies (ca.300$) which they divided up among the police officers. <BR>Never again! For sure the last mentioned experience has no direct relation to Bratislava, but believe me-the city doesn`t deserve time of your trip. <BR> <BR>Kind regards <BR> <BR>Miriam

Rex

Gee! <BR> <BR>Scare away any chance of my being able to recruit anybody onto my adventure, huh?! <BR> <BR>Weel, at a minimum, I promise not to make any U-turns in slovakia, and now I am questioning crossing through the Tatras to get from Krakow back to Vienna. I guess I don't really have to go through Slovakia. I can go Budapest-Gyor-Vienna directly, then from Vienna make a distorted circle going through CR to get to Poland and get back as well. <BR> <BR>Does anybody have anything good to say about Slovakia? <BR> <BR>It's interestin gthat i the original thread from Roseanne she did NOT mention going into Slovakia! I'm still waiting to get more input from her. <BR> <BR>In the meantime, anyone have opinions about an overnight in Helsinki? What will give me a (brief) memory of Finland?

Charlotte

We ended a trip with a couple of days in Helsinki a few years ago. What I think of first is the fish market. It starts early in the mornings and packs up after lunch (about 14:00 I think). <BR>There are several architecturelly interesting churches. <BR>We also enjoyed a boat tour of the city and just wandering around the city center.

Christina

You haven't mentioned much about Prague, perhaps you don't intend to go there, but if so, and you aren't aware, there is a world famous annual classical music festival there in May and hotels have been booked up for months. I know because I'm going and I had to change my flight plans because I couldn't get a hotel for the nights I wanted and that was in February when I was booking. The Prague Internaional Music Festival runs from May 12th through about June 6th, I think, and you may find it very difficult getting accommodations in Prague during that time.

Rex

Thanks for the heads up Christina. <BR> <BR>Prague will probably not be part of this scouting trip - - my goal is more to get a "feel for getting around" in each of the countries involved in this itinerary, more than seeing specific destinations. In the interest of keeping the distances shorter, I think I will not go any further north than Jihlava and (maybe overnight in) Brno in CR (coming from Vienna. Likewise, no further north in Poland than Krakow, and no exploring Hungary other than Budapest and heading towards Vienna. I am still undecided as to whether I will cross the Tatras to get back to Budapest, or "go around" Bratislava (I doubt it - - do I really need to fear their police THAT much?) <BR> <BR>I guess I won't be surprised if there are no interested takers in this short notice trip, but in case there are, it may be necessary to act today to get this same fare (scheduled to expire April 15). Indeed many other similar dates are now pricing in the $800's. <BR> <BR>For the sake of clarification, here is what I actually ended up booking: <BR> <BR>May 5: JFK-HEL-BUD dep 5:55p arr 11:15a <BR>May 10: BUD-HEL dep 12:20p arr 3:45p <BR>May 11: HEL-JFK dep 2:15p arr 3:55p <BR> <BR>The fares I originally quoted ($448 for a hybrid BUD in, VIE out) were $505 after taxes, and they increased $25 in the 24 hrs between the time I posted earlier and yesterday when I went to book. And I couldn't get my original first choice of dates when I tried again yesterday, so the final fare was $517, and is now BUD in and BUD return, rather than a VIE hybrid. <BR> <BR>Tentatively, I will stay one night in Budapest without a car, then styart a three day rental, booked with Autoeurope - - almost $100 a day (with CDW) - - the cost of taking the car into the other countries - - I think there is no good alternative - - but it underscores why it would be nice to have (a) fellow traveler(s), if any wants to come forward! <BR> <BR>The free overnight in Helsinki is at the Bonus Inn near the airport and includes meal vouchers (there?). It looks like a somewhat sterile business hotel, and it's 18 km from city center. Anyone who knows transportation to and from center city Helsinki, I would appreciate hearing tips from you. <BR> <BR>Thanks to all for listening to my postings about this, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR> <BR>

Boots

A bus runs between the airport and downtown Helsinki. A fascinating city! You are lucky for any time you get to spend there. If you have enough time, take the city bus that takes you to the highlights of the city.

Rex

Thanks Boots. Although there are various internet resources about Helsinki public transport (bus, tram, train and metro), I hadn't had much luck determining that I could do the bus as a single ride to the center. <BR> <BR>The more I think about this, the more I am thinking that this could be one of the best possible ways to get to Eastern europe. I figure that the overnight is worth well over $100 (corporate and rack rates for the Bonus Inn are $85-94 single), and the frequent flyer miles are worth $150 to 200 (to me, for my own use, in the future) - - more, if I manage to get to use them to upgrade to business class - - I mention this only in the context of considering Canada3000 (a charter) for the July/August trip (about 200-300 US dollars cheaper). <BR> <BR>At $517, I consider this flight on Finnair to be darn near free. I hope that it's an option to "string along" the Canada3000 option until after this May scouting trip. Unless Finland is absolutely crappy, it may be the preferred way to fly trans-atlantic for the summer trip. <BR> <BR>One last question - - and I guess this is just a basic science question - - are the lengths of daylight on May 10 (40 days before summer solstice) i.e., June 20 - - as on July 30 (40 days after)? Common sense tells me yes, but sometimes these things are counter-intuitive. How long are the days on these three dates? Does sundown "drag out" longer that far north? This is my first time north of Denmark.

Rex

It's very unpredictable when airlines say that fares are "scheduled to expire" on such-and-such a date. The fare of $517 for the itinerary listed above (NYC-HEL-BUD/ BUD-HEL/ HEL-NYC) appears to be still available this morning (Sunday, Apr 16) in case anyone is interested in joining me on this whirlwind trip. It was supposed to have expired last night, but who knows how airlines make these pricing decisions!?

Rex

I hope this won't seem silly or inappropriate to post to myself and move this back to the top, but I am adding new information. <BR> <BR>The itinerary I "booked" last Friday (for May 5/10/11) was not purchased (irreversibly) by my travel agent, and I asked her to pull the plug on it this Monday morning, because I was having second thoughts (translation: diminished irrational exuberance). <BR>Somewhat to my surprise, the fare has not only remained available, but it actually became available (after disappearing) on a day more to my liking - - namely departure May 4 (not 5), with the same return May 10/11 (includes the same free overnight in Helsinki). And the fare is even $25 lower (no longer contains a Friday departure) at $492. <BR> <BR>So, I believe that I will put the trip back "on" - - it's one day less hectic, permitting overnight stays in <BR> <BR>Hungary (prob. BUD) May 5 <BR>Austria (in or near Vienna) May 6 <BR>CR (Jihlava or Brno) May 7 <BR>Poland (Krakow or vicinity?) May 8 <BR>High Tatras (SK) or Gyor (H) May 9 <BR>Fly BUD-HEL, overnight HEL May 10 <BR>Fly HEL-NYC May 11 <BR> <BR>I am thinking $40-$80/night x 5 nights, and meals mostly on the cheap side, plus $300-400 for car - - to give a very good trip at $1100-ish for the week. <BR> <BR>Far-fetched as it is to think I might still think I might find someone here who can join in on this trip on such short notice, I am hoping that this additional bit of detail might make a difference to someone. I would sure be glad to have one other person to split the car expense with! Immediate notice might be required to still get this airfare, so please write if you have any interest. <BR> <BR>Thanks. <BR>