Travel Thread

[John Price]

I would rather someone immerse themselves in culture like our good friend Harry than visit somewhere for work for eight or nine hours before leaving to another place.

I'm sure Harry could also circumnavigate the world but it wouldn't take him a day or two. Guy could take a year or more. That's a good lifestyle.

Nothing against other people's lives but I just feel that spending twelve hours somewhere and moving on is too rushed. That was basically Spain and Germany. One day to go through a city. Then on the bus, on to the next place. Then two hours there. Then bus. Then hotel. It's good for speeding though a country but you never immerse yourself in culture.

 

[GabeTravels]

I would rather someone immerse themselves in culture like our good friend Harry than visit somewhere for work for eight or nine hours before leaving to another place.

I'm sure Harry could also circumnavigate the world but it wouldn't take him a day or two. Guy could take a year or more. That's a good lifestyle.

Nothing against other people's lives but I just feel that spending twelve hours somewhere and moving on is too rushed. That was basically Spain and Germany. One day to go through a city. Then on the bus, on to the next place. Then two hours there. Then bus. Then hotel. It's good for speeding though a country but you never immerse yourself in culture.

The 12 hours is an overnight layover. Better that than nothing. I'll get a chance to get a taste of the city.

Short trips definitely aren't for everyone, but they're the norm in the airline industry. I'd rather spend my weekends checking out different cities around the world than sitting at home.

Would I like to spend more time in some places? Sure. I'm dying to go back and spend some more time in Tuscany, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy my 26 hours there.

 

[Dog]

Headed to Nicaragua next week for close to two months. Rented a sweet place right outside of San Juan del Sur. Anyone have any tips for the country or must see or do recommendations?

Why Nicaragua though

Why not Costa Rica

 

[college hockey]

Why Nicaragua though

Why not Costa Rica

Nicaragua is fantastic and much cheaper than Costa Rica.

 

[Rob Brown]

Anyone ever been to Zurich? Anywhere else in Switzerland that would be more highly recommended?

 

[Dog]

Nicaragua is fantastic and much cheaper than Costa Rica.

What I can get to Costa Rica for much cheaper

 

[RayP]

What I can get to Costa Rica for much cheaper

Never looked into flights to Nicaragua, but flights from ATL are stupid expensive for how short a flight it is. I know there are more things that play into it, but I can't imagine I'll go anytime soon until flights do drop. Too many comparable places to CR at like half the cost to get to.

 

[swimmer77]

And now for the bottom dregs of travel: Being stuck in an airport overnight.

West Palm Beach to Philly mid-afternoon, Philly back home to Montreal, arriving at 10pm. The connecting Philly crew didn't arrive until 10:30pm, we boarded and sat waiting in queue, and were then told it was too late and the flight was cancelled.

So here I am, no frikkin sleep, sitting in Philadelphia International Airport.

Why not go to a hotel? The new flight departs at 6:00am. By the time we (yes, me, wife and two teenage sons) booked a hotel, found a cab and checked in, it would've been around 1:00am. Had to be back to the airport by 4:00am. Totally ridiculous.

Why not find a quiet spot, stretch out and sleep? Tried that. The goddamn airport speakers blast music 24/7 and they can't turn it off.

LMAO

Did the above a couple of weeks ago......in Philly. Go to a hotel? Nope.....get there like you said at 1:00 although wouldn't have had to be back at the airport until 6:00.

Don't know where that quiet place - was surprised frankly at how noisy and active it was. Didn't think it would be deserted by any means but crap.

Priority was closeness to a rest room. At least there was a coffee shop open too. I'm not a great sleeper anyway so whatever.

 

[Thucydides]

I am also headed to Nicaragua next week. Heading to Belize , Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Month trip. Just a few days in Belize to go snorkelling , lay on a beach, 2 weeks in Nic and 2 weeks in Costa Rica . Pumped.

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

Travel plans for 2017 slowly falling into place:

May: Rwanda and South Africa for work for a week each, but will take off some time in both. If anyone has any recommendations for gorilla trekking companies in in Rwanda, please let me know!

July: London for a week for work. Will be taking time off afterwards and am deciding between Ireland/Scotland, Norway and Portgual.

September: Group trip with friends. Floating out idea still but looking more and more likely it will be the Phillipines.

Should be another great year of travel!

 

[Mightygoose]

Wrapping up hotel and supplier inspections in Central Europe. Finally made it out to Budapest which was great even in the winter which isn't bad since it's not crowded.

Also returned to some favourites Innsbruck, Salzburg and Vienna. Got to finally ride the later's U Bahn! Going onwards to Munich tomorrow but won't have time to ride it.

 

[college hockey]

What I can get to Costa Rica for much cheaper

I should have specified food and accommodations are much cheaper. I just got back from Nicaragua on Wednesday, but I used award miles for the flight so I didn't have to price it out. I know a lot of people fly into Liberia to save money on the flight and then go up to Nicaragua.

 

[Dog]

Never looked into flights to Nicaragua, but flights from ATL are stupid expensive for how short a flight it is. I know there are more things that play into it, but I can't imagine I'll go anytime soon until flights do drop. Too many comparable places to CR at like half the cost to get to.

Wow lmao, its cheaper for me to go to Costa Rica or Nicaragua from YYT than it is for you to go from Atlanta.

 

[RayP]

Wow lmao, its cheaper for me to go to Costa Rica or Nicaragua from YYT than it is for you to go from Atlanta.

But it's the worlds busiest airport!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



I can get a cheaper flight home from Chicago to Tampa, with a layover in Atlanta and just going home from there than I can if I were to purchase a direct flight from Chicago to Atlanta.

 

[bluesfan94]

Just spent 2 weeks in Israel and Jordan.

Petra....holy **** that place is amazing. Coolest place I have ever been maybe. Wadi Rum (where The Nartian was filmed) was the most beautiful desert I have ever seen too. Jordan should be a must on everyone's travel bucket list.

11 countries in 2016. Petra was a great way to end an absolutely crazy year of travel.

Petra and Jordan generally are near the top of my list.

This past year I traveled less than normal, especially because I'm including the trip that spanned 2015/16 as part of 2015.

My travel was pretty much limited to my annual vacation to Idaho in the summer and a trip this winter that took me to Amsterdam, Florence, Rome, Edinburgh, and Boston. Only Edinburgh was new for me, although i hadn't really seen Boston. That said, I was only there a couple days and most included heavy drinking as I was visiting a good friend for New Years with a couple other friends.

This year will be interesting. Going to Michigan in March to ski. And then this summer I'm not sure yet. Mostly depends on where I get a summer job as a 1L. I might end up spending a month studying in Madrid and then working in Europe, not sure yet. I also may be going to Costa Rica for New Years as my friend (one of the ones who went with me to Boston) is joining the Peace Corps and being placed in Nicaragua. That would be my first Latin America country, surprisingly.

 

[bluesfan94]

Anyone ever been to Zurich? Anywhere else in Switzerland that would be more highly recommended?

I've never been to Zurich, but I really liked Lucerne

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

Anyone ever been to Zurich? Anywhere else in Switzerland that would be more highly recommended?

Zurich is really beautiful but so so so expensive. I would recommend Lucerne or Zermatt instead. Zermatt is a great mountain town.

 

[GabeTravels]

Lucerne is awesome.. As was Basel. Also really enjoyed Balzers, Liechtenstein, about 90 minutes outside of Zurich.

 

[Sheppy]

Heading back home (St. John's) for the Brier in a few weeks with some buddies who have never been, so that will likely turn into a complete **** show.

Back to work for a week on the 15th of March, then off to Orlando for Wrestlemania 33... I'll be there for 8-9 days

Houseboating at Shuswap May 18-22nd (Never been, so this will be another complete gong show)

I rarely ever use up my holidays. So i figure i will use them this year... I have 36 days or something to use.

 

[darko]

Travel plans for 2017 slowly falling into place:

May: Rwanda and South Africa for work for a week each, but will take off some time in both. If anyone has any recommendations for gorilla trekking companies in in Rwanda, please let me know!

July: London for a week for work. Will be taking time off afterwards and am deciding between Ireland/Scotland, Norway and Portgual.

September: Group trip with friends. Floating out idea still but looking more and more likely it will be the Phillipines.

Should be another great year of travel!

If you are going to Phillipines it'd be worth checking out Thailand or Vietnam. Or both.

 

[Dog]

Heading back home (St. John's) for the Brier in a few weeks with some buddies who have never been, so that will likely turn into a complete **** show.

Back to work for a week on the 15th of March, then off to Orlando for Wrestlemania 33... I'll be there for 8-9 days

Houseboating at Shuswap May 18-22nd (Never been, so this will be another complete gong show)

I rarely ever use up my holidays. So i figure i will use them this year... I have 36 days or something to use.

George street

 

[Jumptheshark]

just booked March 16th to 30th in Thailand

 

[GabeTravels]

September: Group trip with friends. Floating out idea still but looking more and more likely it will be the Phillipines.

Can't say enough good things about the Philippines.

Bidding my vacation for work. Going sometime in September/October to South Africa (may try and hit Lesotho), Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Hoping to get 3 weeks off with swapping shifts plus the vacation. 3 days in Cape Town, 2-3 in Pretoria/Johannesburg/Lesotho, 3 in Kruger, then flying up to Livingstone and doing Victoria Falls.

Not sure on routing yet...obviously working for an airline I can fly for next to nothing...but those South Africa flights are damn difficult to get on, and I don't want to fly 18 hours in a middle seat. I may actually be paying for a ticket...if I can find a good deal. I have some miles to use one way, and buying a one way out of that part of the world is surprisingly affordable, even for Business Class. I've seen a $1200 Business Class fare on Emirates, and that includes a free stopover in Dubai.

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

If you are going to Phillipines it'd be worth checking out Thailand or Vietnam. Or both.

Been to Thailand before. Would love to go to Vietnam, but ~2 weeks is definitely not enough time to hit both the Philippines and another SE Asian country.

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

Can't say enough good things about the Philippines.

Bidding my vacation for work. Going sometime in September/October to South Africa (may try and hit Lesotho), Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Hoping to get 3 weeks off with swapping shifts plus the vacation. 3 days in Cape Town, 2-3 in Pretoria/Johannesburg/Lesotho, 3 in Kruger, then flying up to Livingstone and doing Victoria Falls.

Not sure on routing yet...obviously working for an airline I can fly for next to nothing...but those South Africa flights are damn difficult to get on, and I don't want to fly 18 hours in a middle seat. I may actually be paying for a ticket...if I can find a good deal. I have some miles to use one way, and buying a one way out of that part of the world is surprisingly affordable, even for Business Class. I've seen a $1200 Business Class fare on Emirates, and that includes a free stopover in Dubai.

Will let you know if I have any questions on the Philippines.

Likewise, let me know if you have any questions about Vic Falls. If you're willing to spend a little cash you can have an amazing 3-4 days there. Make sure you go white water rafting (it's crazier than any rafting I've done in the states) and even though the gorge swing looks terrifying make sure you do it!

Also, not sure if you've ironed your plans out yet but would definitely recommend driving across the border and doing Safari in Botswana at Chobe and Moremi over Kruger.