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Author Topic: Vacation Advisory!  (Read 95083 times)

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Offline Sergeant Rock

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Re: Vacation Advisory!
« Reply #440 on: September 09, 2019, 12:34:25 PM »
Quote from: Archaic Torso of Apollo on September 09, 2019, 12:20:57 PM
Driving the West Coast

At the end of this week, Wifey & I are flying to Seattle, then commencing a drive to Los Angeles. The whole thing will take about 12 days, with an average of 3-4 hours driving time per day.

Apart from a visit to San Francisco 10 years ago, I've never been to the West Coast. I figure it's time to take a proper look.

Excellent. A beautiful drive. I made a similar trip (Seattle to San Francisco) in 1970 when I returned to the States after 13 months in Korea.

Sarge
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Online k a rl h e nn i ng

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Re: Vacation Advisory!
« Reply #441 on: September 09, 2019, 12:43:35 PM »
Quote from: Archaic Torso of Apollo on September 09, 2019, 12:20:57 PM
Driving the West Coast

At the end of this week, Wifey & I are flying to Seattle, then commencing a drive to Los Angeles. The whole thing will take about 12 days, with an average of 3-4 hours driving time per day.

Apart from a visit to San Francisco 10 years ago, I've never been to the West Coast. I figure it's time to take a proper look.

Excellent. Safe travels!
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Offline listener

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Re: Vacation Advisory!
« Reply #442 on: October 08, 2019, 03:15:19 PM »
As an older person I now realize there is limited time for some activities for me.   I think I can get to Beijing (new airport) and return from London (get there through the Chunnel) using accumulated points.  I love train travel, could do Beijing-Almaty-Samarkand-ishevsk-Warsaw-Prague-Berlin (never been to any of them) London in short hops with frequent stopovers.  It's a year from now, so I'm appreciating info from anyone who has been in those areas.  I don't drive.

Here's a website that's useful for thinking schedules and prices: https://www.rome2rio.com/
« Last Edit: October 08, 2019, 11:13:03 PM by listener »
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Online André

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Re: Vacation Advisory!
« Reply #443 on: October 08, 2019, 04:35:30 PM »
Quote from: listener on October 08, 2019, 03:15:19 PM
As an older person I now realize there is limited time for some activities for me.   I think I can get to Beijing (new airport) and return from London (get there through the Chunnel) using accumulated points.  I love train travel, could do Beijing-Almaty-Samarkand-ishevsk-Warsaw-Prague-Berlin (never been to any of them) London in short hops with frequent stopovers.  It's a year from now, so I'm appreciating info from anyone who has been in those areas.  I don't drive.

That’s quite a project you’ve got there! A few years ago one of my aunts traveled roughly that itinerary by train - I believe it was the Trans-Siberian. She was close to 80 and traveled alone.
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Offline Artem

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Re: Vacation Advisory!
« Reply #444 on: October 10, 2019, 01:44:08 PM »
Train rides in the former Soviet Union countries may not be particularly comfortable. I used to travel from Kazakhstan's capital to Moscow by train and it took 2,5 days and was just awful. 
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Offline vandermolen

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Re: Vacation Advisory!
« Reply #445 on: October 11, 2019, 01:02:49 PM »
Quote from: listener on October 08, 2019, 03:15:19 PM
As an older person I now realize there is limited time for some activities for me.   I think I can get to Beijing (new airport) and return from London (get there through the Chunnel) using accumulated points.  I love train travel, could do Beijing-Almaty-Samarkand-ishevsk-Warsaw-Prague-Berlin (never been to any of them) London in short hops with frequent stopovers.  It's a year from now, so I'm appreciating info from anyone who has been in those areas.  I don't drive.

Here's a website that's useful for thinking schedules and prices: https://www.rome2rio.com/
I've been to Berlin (x2), Warsaw (when it was communist) and Prague and can recommend them all.

I'm going to Siena for a short break in about a week's time. I've never driven on the continent before. I'm not especially looking forward to driving the 68 miles from Pisa Airport to Siena on the 'wrong side of the road'.
« Last Edit: October 11, 2019, 01:06:05 PM by vandermolen »
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Offline Jo498

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Re: Vacation Advisory!
« Reply #446 on: October 11, 2019, 01:35:37 PM »
Couldn't you just go by train or bus from Pisa to Siena?
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Offline vandermolen

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Re: Vacation Advisory!
« Reply #447 on: October 11, 2019, 11:35:22 PM »
Quote from: Jo498 on October 11, 2019, 01:35:37 PM
Couldn't you just go by train or bus from Pisa to Siena?

Thanks. I did ask about that but the hotel we're staying at is outside Siena and I was told that a car is essential for exploring the local area and driving around to see the local villages etc.
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Offline Moonfish

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Re: Vacation Advisory!
« Reply #448 on: October 11, 2019, 11:37:03 PM »
Quote from: vandermolen on October 11, 2019, 01:02:49 PM
I've been to Berlin (x2), Warsaw (when it was communist) and Prague and can recommend them all.

I'm going to Siena for a short break in about a week's time. I've never driven on the continent before. I'm not especially looking forward to driving the 68 miles from Pisa Airport to Siena on the 'wrong side of the road'.

I'm planning a trip going birding in the UK and have the same "fear". Ha ha! 

Siena in October sounds lovely.
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Offline vandermolen

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Re: Vacation Advisory!
« Reply #449 on: October 12, 2019, 01:47:08 AM »
Quote from: Moonfish on October 11, 2019, 11:37:03 PM
I'm planning a trip going birding in the UK and have the same "fear". Ha ha! 

Siena in October sounds lovely.

Yes, but it's not our fault that every other country decided to drive on the wrong side of the road.  8)
Trip sounds nice. Which part of the UK are you going to? I'm really looking forward to Siena. I've been to Florence and Pisa but never Siena. I'll be back just before we crash out of the EU - what a disaster.  :(
« Last Edit: October 12, 2019, 01:48:59 AM by vandermolen »
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Offline listener

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Re: Vacation Advisory!
« Reply #450 on: October 12, 2019, 12:49:04 PM »
Quote from: Moonfish on October 11, 2019, 11:37:03 PM
I'm planning a trip going birding in the UK and have the same "fear". Ha ha! 

Siena in October sounds lovely.

It is, do the centre plaza late afternoon - wonderful colours and light.     As for my trip, I could get to Nizhny Novgorod and Zelazowa Wola if the timings are night
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Offline vandermolen

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Re: Vacation Advisory!
« Reply #451 on: October 22, 2019, 10:01:44 AM »
Greetings all from Siena.

So far the hire car has had a flat tyre and my wife and I would have spent the night in the car near the autostrada had a kind young Italian woman and her friend not helped us. Today having a relaxing glass of wine in a charming cafe/music shop in Siena (which is a very beautiful city) I spilt red wine all over my wife's' white trousers. This did not go down well. Then, whilst she was soaking the trousers in the sink in our hotel room I inadvertently knocked the electric hair dryer into the filled basin thus fusing all the electrics in the room (this happened twice). And we are only on day two of our relaxing mini-break!

Amazingly the music shop had a 'Vaughan Williams' section although only Hilary Hahn performing 'The Lark Ascending' etc.
« Last Edit: October 22, 2019, 10:06:22 AM by vandermolen »
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Online André

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Re: Vacation Advisory!
« Reply #452 on: October 22, 2019, 01:17:25 PM »
 ???  :o
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Offline Irons

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Re: Vacation Advisory!
« Reply #453 on: October 22, 2019, 01:29:10 PM »
Quote from: vandermolen on October 22, 2019, 10:01:44 AM
Greetings all from Siena.

So far the hire car has had a flat tyre and my wife and I would have spent the night in the car near the autostrada had a kind young Italian woman and her friend not helped us. Today having a relaxing glass of wine in a charming cafe/music shop in Siena (which is a very beautiful city) I spilt red wine all over my wife's' white trousers. This did not go down well. Then, whilst she was soaking the trousers in the sink in our hotel room I inadvertently knocked the electric hair dryer into the filled basin thus fusing all the electrics in the room (this happened twice). And we are only on day two of our relaxing mini-break!

Amazingly the music shop had a 'Vaughan Williams' section although only Hilary Hahn performing 'The Lark Ascending' etc.

Blimey Jeffrey! That is dangerous - I mean knocking hair dryer in basin not spilling wine over wife. Although in my case the latter would be pretty dangerous too!  :'(

Enjoy your trip. Lovely part of the world.
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Offline SonicMan46

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Re: Vacation Advisory!
« Reply #454 on: October 22, 2019, 02:14:42 PM »
Quote from: vandermolen on October 22, 2019, 10:01:44 AM
Greetings all from Siena.

So far the hire car has had a flat tyre and my wife and I would have spent the night in the car near the autostrada had a kind young Italian woman and her friend not helped us. Today having a relaxing glass of wine in a charming cafe/music shop in Siena (which is a very beautiful city) I spilt red wine all over my wife's' white trousers. This did not go down well. Then, whilst she was soaking the trousers in the sink in our hotel room I inadvertently knocked the electric hair dryer into the filled basin thus fusing all the electrics in the room (this happened twice). And we are only on day two of our relaxing mini-break!

Oh my Jeffrey!  Are you trying to write a script for a re-make of a National Lampoon Vacation movie -  ;)  But you're in a beautiful part of Italy w/ plenty of 'vino choices' - stay safe and have fun!  Dave
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Offline Sergeant Rock

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Re: Vacation Advisory!
« Reply #455 on: Today at 04:53:34 AM »
Quote from: vandermolen on October 22, 2019, 10:01:44 AM
Greetings all from Siena.

So far the hire car has had a flat tyre[...]Today having a relaxing glass of wine in a charming cafe/music shop in Siena (which is a very beautiful city) I spilt red wine all over my wife's' white trousers[...]Then, whilst she was soaking the trousers in the sink in our hotel room I inadvertently knocked the electric hair dryer into the filled basin thus fusing all the electrics in the room (this happened twice).

Good to get the little disasters out of the way early in the trip :o  It should be smooth sailing from this point on. Good luck!

Sarge
 
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the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

Offline vandermolen

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Re: Vacation Advisory!
« Reply #456 on: Today at 12:30:25 PM »
Thank you guys - much appreciated. Today was without incident (famous last words) and we took our little hire-care Fiat 500 into the hills and I greatly enjoyed seeing the Palace of Pope Pius II in Pienza and Montalcino. The beautiful Italian countryside looks straight out of the film 'Gladiator' - the CD of the soundtrack was for sale in the palace bookshop.
Don't worry, I won't be subjecting you to a nauseating daily 'Look-at-Me' bulletin but just thought that I would say hello.

When I emailed my daughter about our 'Monsieur Hulot's Holiday'- type adventures she replied that it sounded like 'a normal holiday' in this family.
 :)
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