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

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

  1. Arliden

    Arliden Well-Known Member
    Donor

    View out the back of the Mahe airbnb.

    IMG_7669.jpg
     
    HunterPKP, Oranjello and BamaNug like this.
  2. Arliden

    Arliden Well-Known Member
    Donor

    I've never been to Hawaii, but these were the best beaches I've ever stopped foot on. Particularly Petite Anse, clear warm water, soft sand, and cool rock formations.
     
    BamaNug likes this.
  3. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
    Donor
    Alabama Crimson TideSeattle MarinersAtlanta BravesNew Orleans Saints

    What was your route from the US? Spend the entire time on the island(s)?

    Seych is high on my list, but would want to combine it with Madagascar/Mozambique/etc
     
  4. Arliden

    Arliden Well-Known Member
    Donor

    US to Switz overnight lay over (something like 22 hours so we chilled in Lucerne for a night), Switz to Nairobi, Nairobi bus down to Arusha Tanzania, then a week long safari at the Serengeti/Ngorongoro/etc, then Nairobi to the Seychelles, Seychelles to South Africa, SA to NY/Boston, Boston to Belize, then Belize home.
     
  5. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
    Donor
    Alabama Crimson TideSeattle MarinersAtlanta BravesNew Orleans Saints

    Badass trip man.
     
    Arliden likes this.
  6. Arliden

    Arliden Well-Known Member
    Donor

    Was a good time, lots of flight time, but overall well worth it.
     
    BamaNug likes this.
  7. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
    Donor
    Alabama Crimson TideSeattle MarinersAtlanta BravesNew Orleans Saints

    I’m going to Africa again next year, and I dont give a fuck about the price, I’m getting on the nonstop Delta flight from ATL-JoBurg.
     
    Arliden likes this.
  8. Arliden

    Arliden Well-Known Member
    Donor

    I'm not sure if I'll go back again in my lifetime. We did a good job taking off the top 3 things we wanted to do there, the remaining things I would want to do there aren't as high as certain places I haven't been to on my list.

    That and its a real pain in the ass to get to from the west coast.
     
    BamaNug likes this.
  9. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    this is the biggest barrier to going on a safari trip, not to mention economy on a 15-16hr trip is rooough

    except the whole safaris ALSO being pretty expensive
     
  10. Arliden

    Arliden Well-Known Member
    Donor

    Depends on how you want to do it, we camped and it was about $1200 with tip per person for us for 5 days (too many in my opinion).

    The flights thing is brutal no matter how you dice it but if I had to do it again I'd have a longer layover in Europe.
     
  11. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
    Donor

    Safaris really aren't bad. You spend as much or more per night on hotels all over the developed world without an included safari iyam
     
    southside and Lyrtch like this.
  12. colonel_forbin

    colonel_forbin Well-Known Member
    Donor

    Take the gondola up Grouse Mountain and eat dinner up there. The food isn't anything special, but you won't get a better view of the city. I can't recommend this enough. They also have an exhibit with bears, which is cool. They were sleeping, but we were able to get like 8 feet from them.

    Gastown is ... interesting. Basically a neighborhood that's in the process of being gentrified. We ate at Pidgin, which was fantastic, but was like right across the street to what my girlfriend and I started calling Vancouver's Hamsterdam because there were literally crack deals going down on the other side of the window. It was a sketchy walk back (Vancouver doesn't have Lyft/Uber, so be prepared for that. Lots of cabs though, but you might have to call the cab company ahead of time to get a driver).

    Rent a bike near Denman Street and ride down Beach Avenue down to Granville Island (touristy but cool).

    The Lynn Canyon suspension bridge isn't as long or cool as the Capilano suspension bridge, but it's free and Lynn Canyon is a cool place to do some easy hiking.
     
    HunterPKP, BamaNug and Oranjello like this.
  13. bro

    bro Your Mother’s Favorite Shitposter
    Donor
    Tennessee VolunteersLos Angeles DodgersBuffalo BillsBuffalo Sabres

    agree on Gastown. Saw a congregation of about 500 homeless people and drug deals turning the wrong corner. I guess Vancouver has some serious issues
     
    colonel_forbin likes this.
  14. colonel_forbin

    colonel_forbin Well-Known Member
    Donor

    Yeah. We had to step into the road because some dude was high and just writhing around on the ground on the sidewalk.
     
  15. colonel_forbin

    colonel_forbin Well-Known Member
    Donor

    Also you could go to Deep Cove and rent a kayak and liesurely paddle around and see some cool scenery.
     
  16. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
    Donor
    Alabama Crimson TideSeattle MarinersAtlanta BravesNew Orleans Saints

    Know exactly what/where yall are talking about—super rough. Ive always thought of that as more Chinatown, but it’s right on the edge where the borders start to blur.

    Worse than anything I’ve seen in Seattle or Portland.
     
    colonel_forbin and bro like this.
  17. bro

    bro Your Mother’s Favorite Shitposter
    Donor
    Tennessee VolunteersLos Angeles DodgersBuffalo BillsBuffalo Sabres

    I'll post pics if people request them.

    So we flew into Calgary. Then drove to Jasper first. The Icefields parkway, the interstate pretty much from Jasper to Lake Louise, is amazing. I'd download the gypsy app and have him talk to you about history, hikes, places to pullover, and the mountains generally. Saw a fair amount of wildlife just doing the drives.

    Hiking was awesome. Between Banff, Lake Louise, Yoho, and Jasper, there are no shortages of amazing hikes. Some of the best hikes we did were along the Parkway and away from major locations. That isn't to say that there isn't great hiking in and around Jasper/Banff.


    Anywho, we planned this kind of late. We did not camp. In Jasper, they have a public run Air BnB with its own website. We stayed in a home's basement suite. Was perfect for us.

    We stayed in hotels in all the other towns. A lot were booked up. We had some good experiences and some average ones.


    Camping - We have not gotten too deep into camping yet. However, all along the Icefields Parkway, there are different camping sites, right off the road. They looked awesome and most were near a gorgeous lake. I'd recommend doing that.

    RVs - We rented a car (and randomly got upgraded to an SUV), but a ton of people rented small RVs (Canadream). This seemed like an awesome idea.

    Jasper - cool town. Probably worse than Banff for drinking and eating, but it felt slightly less touristy and crowded. There were less hotels/apartments. Definitely much smaller than Banff, but almost in a good way. Makes your vacation seem more of a secret, while Banff makes you feel like a tourist mob.

    I can give individual recommendations for hikes and eating if needed.

    Banff - Banff is fine. The old hotel and lake are very cool. It is near a bunch of hikes. But the town itself kinda sucks. Tons of places to eat and drink but so many chains and people visiting who aren't hiking.

    Canmore - inbetween Calgary and Banff (but much closer to Banff). Enjoyed staying in this town. Larger than Jasper but less annoying than Banff.

    Lake Louise - stayed in Lake Louise to be close to the Tea Hikes. But be warned there really is no "town." I'd camp near here if I could.



    When planning a trip, consider starting in one place, and hiking/camping your way down. I'd stay in Jasper. But I'd just spend a few hours in Banff. Otherwise, drive down the Icefields Parkway and hike/camp.
     
    CoastalOrange and BamaNug like this.
  18. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
    Donor
    Alabama Crimson TideSeattle MarinersAtlanta BravesNew Orleans Saints

    I’ve flown plenty of 12+ hour flights in my life...but 15 hours to Dubai, 2 hour layover, then right back for 10+ hours was some kind of rough. Especially in economy. Never again for that length.
     
    Lyrtch likes this.
  19. bro

    bro Your Mother’s Favorite Shitposter
    Donor
    Tennessee VolunteersLos Angeles DodgersBuffalo BillsBuffalo Sabres

    Is anyone an expert at sleeping on planes?

    I've never been great at falling asleep sitting up/in an arm chair. And I just can't ever fall asleep on planes. And it sucks.
     
  20. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
    Donor
    Alabama Crimson TideSeattle MarinersAtlanta BravesNew Orleans Saints

    Man I’m going for the 3rd time next year and my Africa list keeps growing.

    -Madagascar
    -Mozambique/Zanzibar
    -Kilimanjaro
    -Victoria Falls
    -Congo/gorillas
    -Coastal desert of Namibia
    -Botswana
    -great migration over the Serengeti
    -Morocco
    -Pyramids
    -Cape Town
    -Afrikaburn (multiple times)

    Will change it up next year, though. Will return numerous times.
     
    CoastalOrange and Arliden like this.
  21. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
    Donor
    Alabama Crimson TideSeattle MarinersAtlanta BravesNew Orleans Saints

    Weed and alcohol. If i have a window seat i’m generally alright
     
  22. bro

    bro Your Mother’s Favorite Shitposter
    Donor
    Tennessee VolunteersLos Angeles DodgersBuffalo BillsBuffalo Sabres

    I'm thinking I might buy an edible with more CBD and give that a try
     
  23. Room 15

    Room 15 Mi equipo esta Los Tigres
    Donor
    Auburn TigersAtlanta BravesAtlanta FalconsUnited States Men's National Soccer Team

    Yea I thought granville island was cool too.

    I did one of the free walking tours which was enjoyed table but I like those kinds of things.
     
    colonel_forbin likes this.
  24. AptosDuck

    AptosDuck Pedantic Hausfrau
    Donor
    California Golden Bears

    Ask for an extra pillow and jam it against your lower back
     
    BamaNug and bro like this.
  25. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
    Donor
    Alabama Crimson TideSeattle MarinersAtlanta BravesNew Orleans Saints

    Awesome man. We scrapped the van/RV idea after looking at rental prices--like $250/day, would've been over $1,000. Just going to drive my Camry and car camp/unload our gear at the campsite. I have a list of all the first-come/first-serve campsites on the parkway between Jasper and Banff, probably what you were talking about. Strongly leaning towards Jasper, but can't pass up Lake Louise and Lake Moraine (more excited about the latter).

    We leave 2 weeks from today, do have a few questions.

    -How was the weather?
    -About how long does it take to drive between the city of Banff and the city of Jasper? I see hikes all over the map, but saw it was like a 2 1/2 hour drive between the cities, so don't want that much time in the car back and forth.
    -I've heard Banff is crazy crowded, especially during July/August. Was it pretty bad? Or only in the town itself?
     
  26. Arliden

    Arliden Well-Known Member
    Donor

    There are definitely places that interest me I just don’t think it cracks my current top 10.

    Most of my interest in going back to Africa would center around motorcycle trips, like in Morocco and Namibia.

    I’ve just got some South American/Oceania exploring I need to do.
     
    Room 15 and BamaNug like this.
  27. bro

    bro Your Mother’s Favorite Shitposter
    Donor
    Tennessee VolunteersLos Angeles DodgersBuffalo BillsBuffalo Sabres

    generally, if you want to visit Lake Louise (or the teahouse hikes) or Moraine, go really early or late at night. Otherwise, you will wait in traffic for 45 mins.

    Weather - it was mild in Calgary but generally chilly and wet during the first week of July.

    Jasper to Banff is 3.5 hours I think. Like I said, I'd start in Jasper, stay there, and then just camp at different spots and make your weay to Banff.


    Banff the town was crowded. I had no real issues at trailheads and on the trails. I get up early. The national parks are weird, because from Jasper to Yoho to Lake Lousie to Banff, there really aren't separate National Park gates. There is just the interstate. You have to have your park pass displayed on your dash non-stop.

    So, unlike going to Rocky Mountain National Park, with only 2 games, you can't really judge how busy it is because they aren't being funneled in.
    There are initial entry gates where you can buy your park pass on location. I'd buy it before though and you can bypass the line. Probably saved us 20 mins
     
    BamaNug likes this.
  28. herb.burdette

    herb.burdette Meet me at the corner of 8th and Worthington
    Donor
    Ohio State Buckeyes

    Yes, right next to the church
     
  29. herb.burdette

    herb.burdette Meet me at the corner of 8th and Worthington
    Donor
    Ohio State Buckeyes

    Same here, flying back from Venice today and won’t sleep.
     
    bro likes this.
  30. THF

    THF BITE THE NUTS, THUMB IN THE ASS!
    Donor
    Arkansas RazorbacksSan Francisco GiantsOklahoma City ThunderDallas CowboysSan Francisco 49'ersMontreal Impact

    That was one I was looking at. It’s part of the Jade Mountain resort which is stupid expensive.

    Thanks for the heads up. I want to do some scuba and some snorkling and it looks like that cove is great for it.
     
    RJF-GUMP likes this.
  31. allothersnsused

    allothersnsused Wow that’s crazy
    Donor
    Virginia CavaliersAtlanta BravesAtlanta HawksWashington Football TeamChelsea

    Bummer... I booked an AirBnB in Gastown last night that looked super cheap. Now I know why... looks like it's right by that area. Looks like there are a couple missions right near each other with a park in between so that makes sense - There are a handful of places here in D.C. that get like that too. Suppose we'll be fine as long as we avoid that area.
     
  32. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
    Donor
    Penn State Nittany LionsGreen Bay PackersChelseaHartford WhalersPhoenix Rising

    Stayed in Yaletown instead of Gastown. It was still walkable to Gastown without the sketchiness.
     
    bro likes this.
  33. PJP3

    PJP3 Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Colorado BuffaloesOakland RaidersFulhamLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimUnited States Men's National Soccer Team

    Window seat and a pill. I usually take a triazolam which helps a lot but has a short enough half life its out of your system by the time you land. Recently got this travel "pillow" though and it has been easier to sleep with than regular horseshoe style.

    https://trtltravel.com/products/trtl-travel-pillow
     
    Arkadin and bro like this.
  34. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
    Donor

    Good to hear. Got that a while back, using it for the first time in a couple weeks
     
  35. CoastalOrange

    CoastalOrange Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Clemson TigersTennessee VolunteersBarcelonaUnited States Men's National Soccer TeamLiverpool

    I feel like a "pillow" that completely wraps around my neck would make me hot as hell. The main reason I have never purchased a horseshoe style travel pillow after borrowing a friends for a test run. I was hot and miserable while I had it on.
     
  36. Pasta88

    Pasta88 Canes, Bruins, Raps, Jays and Sunderland.
    Donor
    Miami HurricanesToronto Blue JaysToronto RaptorsBoston BruinsSunderland

    I can sleep on planes but the hard part is balancing between the sleep being a power nap and a prolonged sleep. The former is brutal.

    And there's nothing worse than when your flight taxiis for longer than usual and you end up power napping before getting woke up by the takeoff.
     
  37. Room 15

    Room 15 Mi equipo esta Los Tigres
    Donor
    Auburn TigersAtlanta BravesAtlanta FalconsUnited States Men's National Soccer Team

    My problem is when I sleep sitting up, I’ll snap out of it like I’m falling. Which means the people around me get scared shitless.
     
    BayouMafia and Fran Tarkenton like this.
  38. HunterPKP

    HunterPKP Well-Known Member
    Donor

    So wife just got promoted and will now have to regularly travel to Boise, Seattle and Portland for the pilot she will be running. I know Seattle well as I go there a couple of times a year for work. Any recos on Boise and Portland area? May go to Boise as early as next month for a long weekend.
     
  39. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
    Donor
    Penn State Nittany LionsGreen Bay PackersChelseaHartford WhalersPhoenix Rising

    What type of stuff are you looking for? Portland pretty much has everything if you like eating and drinking.
     
  40. tjosu

    tjosu This is kind of like the breakfast club, huh?
    Donor
    Oklahoma State CowboysHouston AstrosHouston TexansTiger Woods

    This is intriguing. I generally sleep like shit with the horseshoe pillow and I'm going to have to work all day after a red eye in a couple weeks so I'm desperate for something better
     
  41. HunterPKP

    HunterPKP Well-Known Member
    Donor

    We obviously love great restaurants. So any recos there would be great. Also, best parts of the area to stay in, etc.
     
  42. PJP3

    PJP3 Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Colorado BuffaloesOakland RaidersFulhamLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimUnited States Men's National Soccer Team

    Was just in Boise this last weekend for a bachelor party. It kinda has a weird vibe to it. There are lots of breweries and restaurants downtown though and its really cheap, which is nice. As soon as you get out of downtown it gets hickish though. We did a float down the river which Id recommend. Can rent tubes at the top a bit outside of town and float for about 2 hours and return the tubes at the bottom in the middle if the city. There is also really good whitewater rafting about an hour outside of town. Solid class 4 rapids.
     
    HunterPKP and mc415 like this.
  43. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    ADDENDING because i'm now responding to you on two separate message boards

    I like staying near Mississippi Ave or off Division, Portland is a city where airbnb is the move unless more hotels have opened since I left.

    specifically between Division and Hawthorne around cesar chavez blvd, can walk to everything your heart desires
     
    HunterPKP likes this.
  44. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
    Donor

    Massive Prague sale

    TO:

    Prague (PRG)


    FROM:

    Albuquerque (ABQ) - $605

    Allentown (ABE) - $615

    Appleton (ATW) - $663

    Asheville (AVL) - $677

    Aspen (ASE) - $611

    Boise (BOI) - $600

    Cody (COD) - $656

    Columbia (CAE) - $677

    Columbus (CMH) - $681

    Duluth (DLH) - $668

    Durango (DRO) - $616

    El Paso (ELP) - $605

    Eugene (EUG) - $610

    Fargo (FAR) - $663

    Fort Myers (RSW) - $647

    Fort Wayne (FWA) - $663

    Grand Junction (GJT) - $616

    Great Falls (GTF) - $666

    Greenville (GSP) - $639

    Harrisburg (MDT) - $616

    Jackson Hole (JAC) - $623

    Kalispell (FCA) - $654

    Lexington (LEX) - $691

    Lincoln (LNK) - $663

    Louisville (SDF) - $660

    Madison (MSN) - $673

    Medford (MFR) - $610

    Milwaukee (MKE) - $656

    Missoula (MSO) - $643

    Moline (MLI) - $663

    Montrose (MTJ) - $643

    Norfolk (ORF) - $608

    Oklahoma City (OKC) - $602

    Omaha (OMA) - $655

    Pasco (PSC) - $610

    Peoria (PIA) - $663

    Redmond (RDM) - $610

    Reno (RNO) - $610

    Richmond (RIC) - $631

    Roanoke (ROA) - $619

    San Antonio (SAT) - $605

    Savannah (SAV) - $665

    Shreveport (SHV) - $650

    Sioux Falls (FSD) - $663

    South Bend (SBN) - $669

    Spokane (GEG) - $605

    Springfield (SGF) - $663

    St. Louis (STL) - $660

    Sun Valley (SUN) - $624

    Tucson (TUS) - $605

    Tulsa (TUL) - $605

    Twin Falls (TWF) - $644

    Wichita (ICT) - $663

    Wilmington (ILM) - $674



    WHEN: Varies by origin. Generally October 2019 through April 2020, including Thanksgiving but excluding Xmas. Some routes include NYE
     
    Keef and CoastalOrange like this.
  45. Det. Frank Bullitt

    Det. Frank Bullitt God Bless Texas
    Donor TMB OG
    Texas LonghornsManchester United

    Just did my bachelor party in Vancouver. Our rental car was broken into (inside a garage w/ security) and $3000 worth of belongings/luggage stolen. S**** happens so make sure to Uber.
     
  46. Where Eagles Dare

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

    Trip is back on the table.

    When are you going to be there?
     
  47. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
    Donor

    TO:

    Seoul (ICN)


    FROM:

    Chicago (ORD) - $681

    New York City (JFK) - $681

    Seattle (SEA) - $681



    WHEN: October through November 2019 and February through April 2020, including Thanksgiving, but all excluding Xmas/NYE
     
  48. NC Wolfpack

    NC Wolfpack Go Pack Go
    Donor
    North Carolina State WolfpackGreen Bay Packers

    Aug 29-Sep 11.....was supposed to leave September 8th, but we decided to extend the trip so I pushed our flights back a few days so that we could add the Nusa islands.
     
    Where Eagles Dare likes this.
  49. Where Eagles Dare

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

    :peekaboo:

    I might be there the same time. Wife just told me her China trip might get moved up and I confirmed with my work that it would be fine if I took a 2 week vacation a month after starting. Now I've got plan all this shit fast af.

    I want to do Ubud, Keramas, Nusa and Ulluwatu area, but I need to some solid snorkling for the wife. Lots of places, not enough time. Might just do some boat trips. Keramas is 100% for me and surfing Weedlord420

    :mulletsmug:
     
    Weedlord420 likes this.
  50. Spontaneous Cumbustion

    Spontaneous Cumbustion Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Ohio State BuckeyesCincinnati RedsCincinnati BengalsXavier MusketeersFC CincinnatiTottenham HotspurUnited States Men's National Soccer Team

    Going to Lisbon and Madrid next week for work. Won't have much free time except for in the evenings. Any must see/do things in those two cities? More importantly any restaurant recommendations?
     
    CoastalOrange likes this.