The New Travel Thread: Now with write ups in the OP

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by Jax Teller, Apr 8, 2015.

  1. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Define quite affordable
     
  2. dblplay1212

    dblplay1212 Well-Known Member
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  3. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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  4. 47 straight

    47 straight Well-Known Member
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    That should be fun. I'll be Decadence'ing then shredding the tasty pow pow for a couple days whilst staying for free at the Ameristar in Blackhawk. Going to dangle with the dice.
     
  5. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    What's the cheapest way to get to Jackson hole? Not real familiar with the surrounding airports. I was looking at flights into Jackson hole last night and they seem kind of pricey
     
  6. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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  7. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
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    Not sure, but going there at the end of January. I'm flying directly to J-Hole.
     
  8. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    i was looking out of charlotte and its like 700+

    have such a hard time droppng like 800 to go somewhere like jackson hole when i can get to fucking bangkok for that. Haven't checked ATL
     
  9. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
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    $404 direct from ATL
     
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  10. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
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    Flights to/from the Caribbean around NYE are dropping a good bit. Getting pretty close, almost bought my ticket back but haven't yet.
     
  11. FriendsofJtyler

    FriendsofJtyler I strenuously object
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  12. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    anyone ever flown the korean airline jin?
     
  13. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    if your wife cant go to australia, im free
     
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  14. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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  15. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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  16. PJP3

    PJP3 Well-Known Member
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    I flew first on ANA back from Tokyo in September. It was by far the best service and flight I have ever had and I've flown first class or business international on Virgin, American, and Asiana. I had a 10 course meal that I posted pictures of in the food thread and they give you pajamas and your "bed" has memory foam on it. It was as comfortable as my bed back home and I passed out for hours. The asian airlines don't let you go for more than a few minutes without checking on if you need anything, service is so much above any american based carrier.
     
  17. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Asian airlines are fucking awesome. They literally held a boarded plane for southside and I on the tarmac as representatives ran us through back doors to fly through security and customs so we didn't miss our flights home
     
  18. Where Eagles Dare

    Where Eagles Dare The Specialist Show On Earth
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    It is essentially free once you get here.

    Rand is fucking terrible.

    This was my dinner night 1....

    2 bottles of wine, both ordered off menu.
    Seafood platter as an appetizer that we ordered from the main menu. Had lobstwr, langoustines, prawns and something else. Was most expensive thing on menu.
    Salads
    Rib eye
    Lamb shank
    2 deserts

    Was a notch over $100 usd. :laugh:

    I'm eating like a damn king and spending near nothing.
     
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  19. Where Eagles Dare

    Where Eagles Dare The Specialist Show On Earth
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    Hopefully you bank with a major US bank.

    BoA has agreements with specific banks in each country region to not charge atm fees. Just pay in cash if you don't have a no fee card
     
  20. Where Eagles Dare

    Where Eagles Dare The Specialist Show On Earth
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    God it is the worst place on earth, tied with Panama City sans-serif 18-20 yr old spring break
     
  21. FriendsofJtyler

    FriendsofJtyler I strenuously object
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    How was Cape Town?
     
  22. Where Eagles Dare

    Where Eagles Dare The Specialist Show On Earth
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    I think a couple 100 people in the bottom of the Indian have
     
  23. Where Eagles Dare

    Where Eagles Dare The Specialist Show On Earth
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    Auburn TigersAtlanta BravesWashington Football TeamAtlanta United

    It has been fucking awesome so far. Will post more detail when I get home. So much shit to do.....

    Wine lands
    Sharks
    Township tours
    Awesome food that is essentially free, ok like 1/5 the usd.
    Safari tour
    Sweet day trips to the southern cape. Rented a Benz for $60 and drove down to the most southern point where the Indian and Atlantic currents meet.
    Damn good beer too. Craft beer has made it here.

    It is an amazing country. You can buy a beach front home for like 700k.

    I am retiring here.
     
  24. Room 15

    Room 15 Mi equipo esta Los Tigres
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    Just went full #yolo and booked my flight. Going to be in San Juan from 12/30 to 1/5. Lets get the recommendations going.

    Guns
     
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  25. 941Gator

    941Gator TMB's resident beach bum
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    Florida Gators

    Ok, gimme a bit
     
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  26. 941Gator

    941Gator TMB's resident beach bum
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    Florida Gators

    What's your guide to Medellin?
     
  27. 941Gator

    941Gator TMB's resident beach bum
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    You stay in old San Juan. I would use airbnb. My host name was Cindy. Old San Juan is amazing because it is so small. You walk around and just feel the whole vibe of the place. There is a fort, beaches, bars, etc. Look for rooftop bars and upper floor bars. Couple notes:

    Further away from the cruise port the better
    Eat at dragon fly
    Do a snorkeling tour
     
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  28. PJP3

    PJP3 Well-Known Member
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    Stay near the zona rosa. It's a bunch of bars/restaurants/clubs all around parque lleras. The main draw for me to medellin was the nightlife. This whole area on the weekends is crazy. All the restaurants/bars open up to the street and the party kinda spills out everywhere so you just hop around. There's everything from irish bars, to latin clubs, up to very high end restaurants. There's not really a whole lot to do in Medellin besides party. You can take the cable car up the mountain to see the favelas, and at the very top there's a national park where you can rent a bike and ride around for a while. Most of the city we were told is not particularly safe after dark so hang around the zona rosa which is fine. Also, your spanish better be at least passable. Almost no one speaks english there.
     
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  29. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    You can get by without decent Spanish

    Go paragliding, do the Pablo and the rock tour.
     
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  30. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    941Gator my write up is like 4 pages back or so if you need it
     
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  31. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    We really wanted to do a coffee tour but couldn't with the schedule
     
  32. 941Gator

    941Gator TMB's resident beach bum
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    I'll save $200 by going to Cartegena over Medellin. How much better is Medellin? Also fwiw, I do not know a lick of spanish and I'll have the gf with me.
     
  33. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Medellin is a lot cooler, but I loved cart. Was phenomenal.

    I'm pretty shitty on Spanish but I know basic shit. Just be good at pointing and hand motions and you'll be fine
     
  34. 941Gator

    941Gator TMB's resident beach bum
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    which one would be better with a gf? part of me thinks just saying I've been to medellin is worth the $200. With that said, your write up of Cart was pretty motivating. Another thing I think about is that I probably won't go back to Colombia ever again.
     
  35. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    There's a lot more to do in Medellin with your girlfriend. If your girlfriend is in to like walking around, hanging out in the street, that kind of stuff cart is great. Especially if it's like a 3 day trip

    I fucking loved cartagena but Medellin is a top notch city
     
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  36. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Honest without talking to us about Medellin and if you went to cart and did the shit we talked about you'd be stoked as shit. It's a great place
     
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  37. 941Gator

    941Gator TMB's resident beach bum
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    was a tough call. medellin it is.

    [​IMG]
     
  38. PJP3

    PJP3 Well-Known Member
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    I definitely prefer Medellin over Cartagena, so good call. And Arkadin , maybe they've gotten better at English since I was there 3 years ago. But I would have been lost without some Spanish. The only people I met who even spoke 1 word of english were the people who worked at the hostel. We had to be able to read and speak spanish to read menus, order food, ask directions, take cabs etc. I'd still download a translating app 941Gator in case you need it.
     
  39. 941Gator

    941Gator TMB's resident beach bum
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    cool. I hate to take up all this space itt, but I have a few questions...

    How/where do I do cash exchange? I'm assuming at airport.
    Will I be able to use my credit card (visa) in medellin?
    Airport to Hostel via taxi I'm assuming?
    Will I be able to just walk around in the area you recommended to stay in? I'm right near the Happy Budha (it didn't have a private room). Address below:
    • Hostal Lleras Calle 8 Medellin, Calle 8 No. 37A 59, Parque lleras Barrio el Poblado, Medellin, Medellin, Colombia
     
  40. PJP3

    PJP3 Well-Known Member
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    Best way to get money is out of atms. There should be one at the airport. Credit cards were accepted some places, but always have some cash on hand in case. I took a taxi from the airport to the hostel. I can't remember what it cost, but it must have been pretty reasonable because if it was super expensive I would have done a bus or something. And yeah, I looked up where you are staying and its totally fine to walk around at night in that area. You're actually closer to all the action than happy buddha is. If you're looking for something a little more laid back, I'd recommend El Social. It's like a little store where you buy beer and then hang out at the tables on the corner. Cool crowd.
     
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  41. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Nah they suck at English. I suck at Spanish. southside is decent, but even without him I could point and hand gesture enough to be ok. Google and basic Latin roots are your friend
    Don't exchange cash, take it out of the atm. Most places will take your card. You can uber or taxi to the hostel, it's like 65000 pesos. Walking around over there is no problem, it was one of my favorite things to do
     
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  42. Russellin4885

    Russellin4885 Well-Known Member
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    Anyone used google translate app while abroad? Was messing with it last night and it seems pretty bad ass. Hold it over text and it will translate right on the screen. Can speak into the phone and it will repeat out in whatever language you chose.
     
  43. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
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    Doesn't it have to be connected to the internet? Would be cool for a place with wifi, but not so much just walking around. I think I have it on my phone
     
  44. Russellin4885

    Russellin4885 Well-Known Member
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    I think it might. I thought there was a way to download the languages though to have them saved on your phone, going to mess around with it some more and figure it all out.
     
  45. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    That social place is always busy. Like you can't find anyone drinking during the day at most bars down there it seemed like, but that place had it going every day at 11 or so
     
  46. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
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    Just booked my return flight for the same dates, but I'm going to be in St Thomas. No layover in San Juan, unfortunately, but I do have about a 10 hour layover in Miami on Jan 5....which I guess is kinda cool?
     
  47. Room 15

    Room 15 Mi equipo esta Los Tigres
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    Nothing cool about 10 hour layovers, but yes it's cool that you are also smart enough to go somewhere warm for New Years.
     
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  48. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
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    First time in the Caribbean will be cool tho.

    The layover is not sweet, but I do land at 10 AM and leave at like 8 or 9 PM. Just emailed an old high school buddy I think lives there. Guess I'll have a day to dick around, I see that Miami's airport is very centralized. Probably just walk up and down South Beach for a day and get bombed on a Tuesday.
     
  49. Guns

    Guns horse paste aficionado
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    yeah this. you goin solo? Also we stayed on Vieques island for a night. It is absolutely gorgeous but is probably a 90 minute drive outside of san juan to the ferry terminal and another hour or so to the island. Bit of a pain to get to but it literally looks like paradise. I wish we had stayed 3 nights. Hit up Blue beach and Red beach if you go there.

    Red beach
    [​IMG]


    Rent an Airbnb in Old San Juan. They will be pretty cheap. We had a huge 3 bedroom 2 bath for like $45 a person per night. I believe we stayed on Calle Del Cristo. Awesome bar called El Batey on that street is a must go. Cheap booze and a cool jukebox. La Tarberna Lupulo is also very cool. Tons of restaurants, bars, shopping, and an old fortress on Old San Juan. Also El Yunque jungle is not too far away. Don't really need to know Spanish.

    El Batey
    [​IMG]
     
  50. Room 15

    Room 15 Mi equipo esta Los Tigres
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    Yea looking to be a solo trip, which may lead me to stay in a hostel as opposed to Air Bnb. Did you all rent a car? My friend at work from there said I'd really need to if I stayed in San Juan. How long did you stay?