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

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

  1. Homo Erectus

    Homo Erectus The important thing is, you think I'm attractive
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    Regarding Philippines..
    Caramoan Islands in Philippines are gorgeous, but they started shooting Survivor there and now i guess there are resorts like everywhere else.

    It also took a plane from Manila, a long ass car ride and an 90 min boat ride. Its probably easier now.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
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  2. Jax Teller

    Jax Teller Well-Known Member
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    Is that what they think is causing it? How the hell do you stay away from that if it's in your mini bar at a resort? I'd like to think Wyndham would be a little more stringent on their quality but who knows.
     
  3. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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  4. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    A 2017 report from Euromonitor International said up to 36% of alcohol consumed in Mexico is illegal.
     
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  5. 941Gator

    941Gator TMB's resident beach bum
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    I purchased a bunch of tequila and tito’s from the airport and local store when I arrived. That reduces your chance right there.
     
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  6. Jax Teller

    Jax Teller Well-Known Member
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    So beer it is lol
     
  7. Jax Teller

    Jax Teller Well-Known Member
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    Yea. Kind of negates part of the all inclusive but that's better than death.
     
  8. 941Gator

    941Gator TMB's resident beach bum
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    Oh sorry, didn’t see that part. Well regardless get a few bottles for your room. Airport will probably have some.
     
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  9. CTownND

    CTownND Well-Known Member
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    Croatia guys -

    Doing Split to Hvar on one day, then Hvar to Dubrovnik another day. Two questions:

    1. Should we book ferries/transportation early, or can you get on and off of Hvar very early the day that you want to?
    2. Getting from Hvar to Dubrovnik - is it best to ferry to the mainland then hop on a bus/train? Or do you have to get a car/charter a car?
     
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  10. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    During peak season the boats can fill up. Not always but some do. If you want to get on a specific boat you might as well purchase it early.

    There is a direct ferry from hvar to Dubrovnik. You don't need a car or bus or anything. Ferry terminal is like a mile from old town
     
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  11. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    took a day to plan 7 days in sydney (between train trips to the mountains, ferry to islands not far, etc theres a shit load to do there)

    been contemplating what to do for 5 days in the north island of new zealand for seemingly a month
     
  12. Arliden

    Arliden Well-Known Member
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    Fly to the South Island
     
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  13. Pasta88

    Pasta88 Canes, Bruins, Raps, Jays and Sunderland.
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    Make sure you buy a ticket to the correct side of Hvar (for your stay). I didn’t and had to take a packed to the brim bus across the island that added an extra hour to my trip. The bus driver was also texting while navigating the high, cliff roads so yeah
     
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  14. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    You didn't buy the wrong thing. There's only one hvar ferry port in old Town.
     
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  15. CTownND

    CTownND Well-Known Member
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    Appears this site looks solid. They do Split to Hvar roughly hourly, so may leave that one open, but Hvar to Dubrovnik looks once a day at 6 PM so will book in advance. Thanks.

    https://www.jadrolinija.hr/en
     
  16. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    my resistance to this it seems like the South island you could spend ten days on by itself and I'll be back sometime in the future with a longer trip, not to mention would rather do South Island outdoor stuff in the NZ summer months vs going right on the very fringe of spring in September where the weather could be trash
     
  17. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    The other major ferry company also operates the hvar to Dubrovnik route and several between. Split and hvar if the times end up working better.
     
  18. Arliden

    Arliden Well-Known Member
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    For sure if you think you'll be back do that. I just much preferred my time in the Southern island to the Northern. I know I posted about the North Island once here, just looked it up and it was in response to you lol.

    I went in March which I believe is the end of summer and we still had some cloudy days and rain, seems to be the norm there, so I'm sure it will be worse in September.
     
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  19. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    goal will be to go back in summer season and do ~8-10 on South Island probably in a camper van set up

    NZ got tagged on from the mistake fare NZ had and they allow free stop overs
     
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  20. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    i know we complain regularly about flight costs but trying to book a one way from Japan home is $3k, a one way from home to Japan is $1k

    which just so happens to make the calculus regarding using 60k points to get business class the opposite direction 1000x harder
     
  21. Arliden

    Arliden Well-Known Member
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    What if you did a round trip and just didn't get on the flight back?
     
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  22. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    still would add a huge $$$ to trip, think I got the tickets squared away but just took like 3 hours instead of twenty minutes
     
  23. Nelson

    Nelson Can somebody please get Ja Rhule on the phone
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    Update: 23 of 56 premium cabin seats remain. On pins and needles here :ohdear:
     
  24. bwhit21

    bwhit21 Well-Known Member
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    I was going to do Cathedral Cove before we changed our minds and went to the South. I’d also do some of the LOTR stuff, Hobbiton and Mt Doom (Mount Ngauruho in Tongariro). Thought about Waiheke Island near Auckland too.
     
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  25. Alshon

    Alshon Well-Known Member
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    NZ North Island: Waiheke Island is really nice - several wineries there. Cable Bay winery was a pretty cool place to chill out for a bit.

    The Coromandel has a lot to offer too. I liked Hot Water Beach. Some good hikes over there too if that’s your thing.
     
  26. Oranjello

    Oranjello Well-Known Member
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    If you're still looking for a travel pillow, I've read good things about this one:
     
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  27. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    I have one of these but I haven't taken it out of the package yet
     
  28. CoastalOrange

    CoastalOrange Well-Known Member
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    Jealous of your trip to Japan. Can't wait to go back next year. We were supposed to head to Argentina this fall but looking like that is on hold for the time being due to company financies.
     
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  29. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    Think I've settled on this or flip it. 16hr flight leading to hopping in a rental car for a couple hours might be rouugghhh.

    Day 1 - Airport to Hamilton Garden to Waitomo Caves to Tongariro

    Day 2 Tongariro, drive to Taupo, Huka Falls

    Day 3 Wai-O-Pua Geothermal, Rotorua, Redwoods Treewalk at Night

    Day 4 Matamata Hobbit Tour, back to Auckland

    Day 5 Auckland
     
  30. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    putting it on hold unfortunately, hoping award seats open up in late May. realized the trip overlapped with Golden Week which the internet screams at you not to be in Japan or try to travel during that time. gives me time to accumulate a few more points to potentially go business class both directions at least.
     
  31. CoastalOrange

    CoastalOrange Well-Known Member
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    Yeah, it's one of those things that I think would be cool to experience since basically all of Japan has that week off. But I also imagine all the prices and availability for just about anything sky rockets as well.
     
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  32. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    New years to Amsterdam

    TO:

    Amsterdam (AMS)


    FROM:

    New York City (JFK) - $371*

    Newark (EWR) - $371*

    Philadelphia (PHL) - $417*


    * - nonstop / direct


    WHEN: Varies slightly by route, in general September 2019 through May 2020 including Thanksgiving & NYE but excluding Xmas
     
  33. LeVar Burton

    LeVar Burton Knee deep in a dynasty, ROLL TIDE!
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    Looking to go to Lake Tahoe for a week and haven't really found a decent write up on here. There's a couple comments that say fun AF for adults ITT but that's about it. Want to go hike, paddleboard, kayak, take the lady to a spa, rent a boat for an afternoon or two, go out to eat. The house I'm currently looking at is in Tahoe City which is a 15-20 minute drive to anything close by but the view seems amazing and there's a hot tub :gocho::gfa:
     
  34. xec

    xec Well-Known Member
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    Those who have Global Entry, does Global Entry save time at Paris CDG when arriving from the USA? CDG is where we will land and catch our connection to Milan.
     
  35. Russellin4885

    Russellin4885 Well-Known Member
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    I don't believe they are part of global entry so it won't do anything, and isn't only for getting through customs back into the US?
     
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  36. xec

    xec Well-Known Member
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    Thank you. That’s how I interpreted the available info. But it’s also confusing info.
     
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  37. BayouMafia

    BayouMafia Thought Leader in Posting
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    I've never had a connection when I've flown into CDG and I can't remember the customs setup, but many airports in Europe have a different passport control line for connections than for arrivals to that city, and my experience is that those are usually quicker.

    It's also a bonus that (as opposed to the US) you can check your bag all the way to your final destination, so no need to worry about baggage claim when connecting
     
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  38. racer

    racer Yuma, where I work in software.
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    I’ve done Harvey’s in stateline and a place in South Lake Tahoe, which is basically the same town, but California. Lots of stuff in that area to eat and access the lake without a big drive. The drive up and around the lake is decent. I didn’t have a whole lot of time for hiking, but remember going to a place (maybe Taylor Creek?) to watch bears and ended up sharting myself and dumped my underpants at the 7-eleven headed back into town.
     
  39. Nelson

    Nelson Can somebody please get Ja Rhule on the phone
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    Think the only part of Europe that helps to have global entry is Ireland, where US has customs set up
     
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  40. CC

    CC Waiting for moments that never come
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    I've connected in CDG a couple of times with no problem, but it was also to other French cities.
     
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  41. racer

    racer Yuma, where I work in software.
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    Getting into Ireland through Dublin was great. America line was empty. Euro line was enormous.
     
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  42. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    i understand why us customs is the way it is but i hate it so much
     
  43. Nelson

    Nelson Can somebody please get Ja Rhule on the phone
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    Last time I came in through Newark global entry took five minutes for me and my Singaporean companion waited in line for 3.5 hours
     
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  44. Pasta88

    Pasta88 Canes, Bruins, Raps, Jays and Sunderland.
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    Well I asked for a ticket to Hvar at the sales desk in Split and ended up at the wrong port for where I was staying and had to take the aforementioned ~20 minute bus. Going back to Split I took a ferry from the port closest to where I was staying with no problem. So I'm not sure what you're referring to but nevertheless he should do more due diligence than I did.
     
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  45. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Ah you mean a fast catamaran. If you take the ferry (with cars) they only run to stari grad. I was confused on the details
     
  46. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    This seemingly picky choice of words is an important distinction. If you have a car you need a ferry, if you dont, get on a fast cat CTownND
     
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  47. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    I loved driving Croatia
     
  48. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
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    Anyone taken the ferry from Montevideo to Buenos Aires?
     
  49. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Yeah. TC and I took it each way in December. It's fantastic
     
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  50. BayouMafia

    BayouMafia Thought Leader in Posting
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    I found it quite enjoyable as well

    outstanding highways and beautiful countryside
     
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