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

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

  1. Jack Parkman

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    This cinnamon roll may take us awhile

    7D7E0F19-D2B8-455F-A58B-A4A41B9F30EA.jpeg
     
  2. AptosDuck

    AptosDuck Pedantic Hausfrau
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    put some ketchup on it
     
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  3. Corky Bucek

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    Booked a flight earlier today to go up to Sun Valley, ID for a few days in 2 weeks. First vacation since February 2020.
     
  4. Russellin4885

    Russellin4885 Well-Known Member
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    My dad fully retired this year and him and my mom have talked about traveling all over forever, except they are the type of people that just talk about it. It’s a combination of things but yesterday saw good flight deals out of Raleigh to Key West. Booked them flights and rented an Airbnb right off Duval. No excuses now only thing to do is to go and have fun.
     
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  5. enjj

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    Already have two all inclusive trips booked for next winter. Hitting Dreams Onyx in PC with the family and two other families end of January. Then wifey and I are going to Cancun in April. Chance we might be doing a 4 day trip to Tulum in February.
     
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  6. tspa

    tspa Well-Known Member
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    I just did a two-week road trip through Idaho, and the drive from Sun Valley to Stanley is one of the best anywhere in the US. The Sawtooth Mountains are awesome. I would highly recommend going up to Redfish Lake to do some hiking.
    South of Sun Valley about 1:30 is Little City of Rocks. It's very much off of the beaten path and not very well known, but is a really nice hike with some very unique rock formations.
     
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  7. CTownND

    CTownND Well-Known Member
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    Does anyone know of or have any quality passport expediting services that still have pretty expedited windows? I used a 48 hour service back in 2011 when I needed to go to abroad for work quickly and it worked great, but checked and they are like ~4 week service right now. The government probably still hasn't increased the labor force back for the passport renewal services.

    A couple other expediters I looked into were similar though I found "PassportAndVisas.com" which does it in 15 business days. I need to update my passport and there's potential I need to go out of country around Labor Day so want to send it off this weekend and trust it will be back by then and some of these "4-6 week windows" scare me.
     
  8. southside

    southside Well-Known Member
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    A couple of us got them back in 4-5 weeks within the last month or two
     
  9. CTownND

    CTownND Well-Known Member
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    Was service would you use? I'd use FedEx / RushMyPassport which is offering 4-6 weeks just because of the FedEx brand but if PassportAndVisas.com does 15 business days or there's others that can do quicker I would.
     
  10. southside

    southside Well-Known Member
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    i didnt use one just went through the normal government process, expedited version
     
  11. tjosu

    tjosu This is kind of like the breakfast club, huh?
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    Finally decided on the honeymoon, just booked 6 nights at the Hyatt Regency Maui all on points, $4,300 is the rate on the room I booked. I’m explorist with Hyatt (by that time might be globalist) so shouldn’t have any problem getting at least a small upgrade. Also used a club access award that I’ve got several of. First trip to Hawaii for both of us so pretty excited
     
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  12. DuffandMuff

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    Did you get most of those Hyatt points from a Chase transfer?
     
  13. BellottiBold

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    If any of the west coasters have designs on Europe in the late summer to early fall there are some premium airfare steals right now between PDX and BCN, lots of different airline/route combos for under 2k RT.
     
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  14. Good Effort! Good Game!

    Good Effort! Good Game! Dallas Clark's biggest fan
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    Just got back from 4 nights in Belize (Ambergris Caye) and I do not think I'll ever go back. The seagrass problem is a mess & it's just so not what I expected it to be
     
  15. tjosu

    tjosu This is kind of like the breakfast club, huh?
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    Yep. This is easily my biggest point redemption at 150k but the value on that room is great. Also used 48k points earlier this year on a $1200 hotel stay. We started exclusively staying at Hyatts when I got the card so I’ve earned a good amount over the last couple years too
     
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  16. DuffandMuff

    DuffandMuff Well-Known Member
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    I'm headed to Europe in two weeks for a road trip and my friend got an International Driving Permit today. For those that have driven in Europe, did you get an IDP? It looks like some countries require them? We are renting the car in Paris and returning it there as well. Doing 4-6 countries.
     
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  17. Nug

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    I've driven in Europe 4-5 times and never had one. Might be different crossing borders, tho.
     
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  18. BayouMafia

    BayouMafia Thought Leader in Posting
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    I got one a few years ago to be safe because it was $20 and 15 minutes of my time, but I’ve never had to show it to anyone at any car rental place or border crossing.
     
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  19. tspa

    tspa Well-Known Member
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    I got one for a trip to Croatia in a couple of weeks. From my research you don't need one in most countries, but I needed one for Bosnia and Montenegro. I would go ahead an get one, just because it is so easy. It took 15 minutes at my AAA office. I think it was $20 for the permit and $8 for the photos.
    I've rented cars in Iceland and Norway without an IDP with no problem.
     
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  20. WC

    WC Bad Company, ‘til the day I die.
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    Got one for Spain 2 years ago and never needed it, but we didn’t cross any borders.
     
  21. herb.burdette

    herb.burdette Meet me at the corner of 8th and Worthington
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    You can get one the same day at most AAA locations.

    I got one in 2019 and they asked for it in a rental in Milan, but they didn’t when we got a different car in Naples. Only the rental agency asked me for it.

    Also, we did not cross borders while driving.
     
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  22. AptosDuck

    AptosDuck Pedantic Hausfrau
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    Italy supposedly requires it, which is why I got one for our canceled trip last year. I think that if you're stopped and don't have one to show them, you might get fined if you can't cry your way out of it

    10 minutes and $25 at AAA and you've got one in your hand
     
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  23. Garrity19

    Garrity19 Well-Known Member

    Very few things on this board do I know about but this is one of them. International drivers licenses are worthless pretty much UNLESS you want to rent a car in Europe or get pulled over by the police. Most major renters will want a IDL and again, if you get pulled over and IDL will get you released 99% of the time. The other 1% is if you have blow on your rental car dashboard.
     
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  24. LSU90

    LSU90 Well-Known Member

    So kind of in a pickle. Booked flights for wife and I to Paris October 22-29 with a ridiculous deal out of our small town airport. Due to a bunch of health issues (autoimmune crap), her doctors have advised her to not get vaccinated. Per French travel rules the US is considered a green country which for unvaccinated people means we just need a negative test within 72 hours no big deal. The issue comes if the US changes to an orange country (Countries where active viral circulation in controlled proportions has been reported, albeit with no spread of relevant variants. These include all countries not featured on the “green” and “red” lists.) then unvaccinated people can only travel to France if you have "pressing grounds for travel according to their list", a negative test, random testing while there, and a 7 day self isolation which obviously would force us to not be able to go and forfeit flights, accommodations, and anything else we booked. Am I missing something or should I just go ahead and cancel (less than 24 hours since booking) and get my money back now?
     
  25. AptosDuck

    AptosDuck Pedantic Hausfrau
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    You have three months to get a new wife
     
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  26. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
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    damn that sucks
     
  27. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
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    3 weeks from tomorrow i'll be married in aruba for 2 weeks. i am excited

    supposed to have been married and in spain/portugal 1 year ago next week.

    and then in colombia 2 months ago.

    so it feels amazing to actually be getting ready to travel. we've got restaurants booked and i am looking forward to sitting on the beach all day.

    my overall point is fuck the last 18 months. let's go crazy with some great travel going forward
     
    #23328 laxjoe, Jul 10, 2021
    Last edited: Jul 10, 2021
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  28. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
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    Even if you're just doing a beach trip, go down south and hit Zeerovers. Easy bus ride.
     
  29. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
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    lunch or dinner? we have a dinner reservation at the flying fishbone which appears to be right next door. we're a 5 min walk from there our first 3 days (2 of which are all inclusive though...)
     
  30. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
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    Lunch, it's really casual. Just a (large) seaside shack. If you're comfortable with taking the bus you could easily do lunch there, go down south a little further to Charlie's Bar/wander around San Nicolas, and go back up for dinner.

    Some of the freshest and best seafood I've ever eaten in my life. It's the one place I went to in Aruba I'd unequivocally recommend no matter what you're there for.
     
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  31. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
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    Awesome!

    yeah our first 3 days are down there then we head northwest to the Hilton and ritz. I think we’ll try and hit that up while we’re down that way
     
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  32. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
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    Out of curiosity what else have you booked for restaurants?
     
  33. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
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    Flying fishbone
    Senses
    Lobby restaurant
    Kirchen table
    Ike’s bistro
    Elements
    We have a sunset cruise
    2 fools and a bull
    Fred restaurant
     
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  34. Barves2125

    Barves2125 "Ready to drive the Ferarri" - Reuben Foster
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    Did you wind up going to Round Hill? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts and details of your experience.
     
  35. Jimmy the Saint

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    You guys are living the high life.

    We did a sunset cruise on my now wife's birthday. Had a blast but it was open bar and then we went to dinner at Screaming Eagle that does "bed tables."

    She fell asleep and I ate two entrees. No regrets.
     
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  36. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
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    We’ve been saving and planning for this for over a year*, so we’re taking advantage of the trip. Fiancée is a big time planner and has spent literal countless hours on Instagram and travel blogs planning this all out. If it were entirely up to me, we’d have a few more days “open” but looking forward to it. We also have a couple of nights where we start or end at a “speakeasy” which will be fun

    *for the honeymoon. This is our third planned honeymoon at this point. Have a full 2 week trip to Spain/Portugal and Colombia planned that we’re looking forward to taking on the future
     
  37. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
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    Aruba is a great time. You can really craft whatever you want out of being there. I don't know how much "open" time you need. The half day/day island tours cover everything if you're into that.

    But we met so many people who vacation there every year though and I guess I just don't get it. We're not big beach people. If someone told me I could go to Aruba or explore some random old Soviet bloc country/city, I'd take the latter.
     
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  38. Menelaus

    Menelaus The Red-Haired King
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    Throwback! No we ended passing on the wedding actually and didn’t make it. Regret it now.
     
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  39. Barves2125

    Barves2125 "Ready to drive the Ferarri" - Reuben Foster
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    Ah, got ya. Think we're going to go there later this year for a sort of anniversary trip maybe. Searched in this thread to see if anyone had been before.
     
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  40. Boo MFer!

    Boo MFer! No longer a cog in some powerhouse machine
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    Have a friends trip booked for Napa/Sonoma in October. Staying in Sonoma and doing the Napa wine train one day but would love recommendations on mist-hit wineries and transportation suggestions (private driver vs. rideshare). There will be a total of 6 of us.
     
  41. bwi2

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    Hard to go wrong but I went with a group of 7 a couple of years ago and my favorite of the places we visited was Cline Cellars. Do a vertical tasting at Silver Oak if your group is really into cabs.

    Lyfts were super plentiful, although I don’t think we priced out a driver.

    Crazy number of good food options, too.
     
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  42. Boo MFer!

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    Cool, thanks. We arrive Monday and redeye home on Friday. The wine train sounds pretty great but we’ll need stops for the other days, so I’ll share those with the group. Here’s the wine train itinerary:

    A legacy is handed down over time, through family and tradition. And lots and lots of wine. This incredible six-hour experience includes a taste and tour of two of the Valley’s most legendary wineries – The Estate of Charles Krug and V. Sattui Winery. The legacy of these Italian families represents a combined winemaking history of more than 250 years. And some very fine vintages. Some say this is where it all began. And this is where your journey begins.

    At a glance this 6-hour journey includes:
    • 3-hour rail tour of Napa Valley, departing at 10:15 a.m.
    • Welcome taste of sparkling wine
    • 4-course wine country inspired meal
    • 1-hour vineyard tasting & photo opportunities at the Napa Valley Sign
    • 1-hour each, tour and tasting at Charles Krug and V. Sattui
    • Duration of tour is 6 hours
     
  43. Tommy Jefferson

    Tommy Jefferson Well-Known Member
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    How many tastings/vineyards did you go to each day?
     
  44. AptosDuck

    AptosDuck Pedantic Hausfrau
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    And did you drink any fucking merlot?
     
  45. bwi2

    bwi2 Not affiliated with BWI
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    1 on Friday, 3 on Saturday, 1 on Sunday

    bookends had a lot of travel time to and from SFO built in (and a long, awesome brunch at Auberge du Soleil on Sunday). We could have packed in a fourth on Saturday without overdoing it/getting sloppy.

    I’m super allergic to reds :(
     
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  46. Boo MFer!

    Boo MFer! No longer a cog in some powerhouse machine
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    It’s too early to make a res, but we’re hoping to have a dinner at French Laundry.
     
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  47. Guy Trilby

    Guy Trilby Active Member
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    The wife and I had dinner at The French Laundry last October. I used the concierge service with the Amex Plat to get reservations. It was incredible. Crazy expensive but definitely worth doing once.
     
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  48. bwi2

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    Yeah we couldn’t get in there or Bouchon, and I couldn’t persuade the group to do ad hoc instead of Morimoto.
     
  49. mc415

    mc415 Well-Known Member
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    go to St Helena and go to Goose and Gander