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

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

  1. COVIDiskilingme79

    COVIDiskilingme79 Well-Known Member
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    Delta had a horrific memorial day weekend

    It's a systematic problem that is industry wide. There's no way to hide from it. There's shortages on all levels of aviation now from pilots, mechanics, flight attendants, bag throwers, etc.
     
  2. Homo Erectus

    Homo Erectus The important thing is, you think I'm attractive
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    Sunset stand up paddle board tour was coolest thing did in Toronto. You take a ferry out to the barrier islands in Lake Ontario. View from the water is amazing. I took those pics with my phone and almost fell in the drink on the last one bc choppy water and my trying to get the best shot lol

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    #25152 Homo Erectus, Jun 5, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2022
  3. 941Gator

    941Gator TMB's resident beach bum
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    Florida Gators

    I might take a stance against out of state weddings. 4-5 a year, maybe $1,600 each if you bring a date, plus time off.
     
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  4. Oranjello

    Oranjello Well-Known Member
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    This upcoming weekend will be the 7th wedding I've attended since March 25, 2022--7 weddings over 12 weekends--and every single one has required travel and/or lodging. At 34yo, I thought this stage of life was behind me, but 4 out of the 7 have been my friends rather than BFF's. To make it work with work, I've been working 60 hour weeks Monday - Thursday. I don't have any desire to tally up how much $$ I've spent. Pretty sure I've spent over a grand just on dog boarding.

    I think these have been a mix of late bloomers and COVID delays, but if the stars ever align again for this many weddings to happen in a six-month span, I'm definitely taking a stance and saying "nah brah."

    At least I get to finish this little run of weddings in Aspen. Downside is that I've missed so much work I'm only going for the weekend.
     
    #25154 Oranjello, Jun 6, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2022
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  5. herb.burdette

    herb.burdette Meet me at the corner of 8th and Worthington
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    Anyone who flies American a lot who can give experience with staffing issues/cancellations?

    I haven’t flown American in several years, but have a tight connect from Cincinnati-Dallas-Fresno both ways.
     
  6. Where Eagles Dare

    Where Eagles Dare The Specialist Show On Earth
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    Prayers lifted on going to Fresno
     
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  7. BayouMafia

    BayouMafia Thought Leader in Posting
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    Same as any other airline as far as reliability at the moment, but your layover could be tight depending on which gate/terminal you arrive and depart from
     
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  8. herb.burdette

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

    It’s a full flight, so a cancellation seems like a bad choice for American. We’re using Fresno as a jump off point for Yosemite and Sequoia, not for the wonderful tourist sites in Fresno.
     
  9. The Hotch

    The Hotch Well-Known Member
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    Should be fine. I just flew American from Phx to Heathrow and everything went smoothly. My experiences at Sky Harbor have all been pretty good - efficient for the most part, generally a newer/more traveler friendly airport but nothing overly extravagant.
     
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  10. Spontaneous Cumbustion

    Spontaneous Cumbustion Well-Known Member
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    The Dallas airport for short layovers is pretty shitty. The terminals are just way to large so even an hour layover for me has been just speed walking between gates with no down time. Godspeed if you've got less then an hour layover and need to change terminals.
     
  11. COVIDiskilingme79

    COVIDiskilingme79 Well-Known Member
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    AA has been much more reliable despite a bad summer last year.
     
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  12. Pasta88

    Pasta88 Canes, Bruins, Raps, Jays and Sunderland.
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    Don’t stay by the airport. You’ll instantly regret it. It’s an industrial waste land and even if you have a car, it’ll be a huge pain to drive in and out of the city every day given the traffic and parking costs.
     
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  13. Pelican

    Pelican COOL huh
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    I need to figure out where to go for an all-inclusive January honeymoon.
     
  14. Pelican

    Pelican COOL huh
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    Besides Cedar Point obv
     
  15. 941Gator

    941Gator TMB's resident beach bum
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    I will admit, they always end up fun and a good excuse to see people, but they keep ending up in locations I've been several times.
     
  16. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    i was long a hater but excellence playa mujeres is now a yearly visit to escape the freeze. its by most measurements the most highly rated not obscenely expensive option.

    also congrats
     
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  17. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    the habanero salsa there is just blended habaneros in some oil and i want to bath in it
     
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  18. Oranjello

    Oranjello Well-Known Member
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    100%, which is why I've continued going to them
     
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  19. herb.burdette

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

    Saint Lucia in the Caribbean. Its a small island but has a pretty modern set of hotels/tourist industry.

    January-April is their best weather. Very cool active volcano/steam vents on part of the island that is an easy day trip. Awesome beaches/views where everyone stays on the other side.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Lucia

    All the standard all-inclusive branded chains are there—Sandals, etc.

    upload_2022-6-6_12-54-26.jpeg

    upload_2022-6-6_12-55-14.jpeg
     
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  20. THEBLUERAIDER

    THEBLUERAIDER Well-Known Member
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    I’m going to the Dominican in October. Do I need global entry or will pre-check suffice?
     
  21. Pelican

    Pelican COOL huh
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    My biggest (and probably irrational) fear is getting taken by the cartel.
     
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  22. BayouMafia

    BayouMafia Thought Leader in Posting
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    Well one is for coming and the other for going so they serve different purposes.

    in general Id say global entry is no longer a necessity because reentry to the US has been streamlined greatly for Americans, but depending on the airport could still be highly recommended
     
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  23. THEBLUERAIDER

    THEBLUERAIDER Well-Known Member
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    Thanks. I’m obviously ignorant on the subject. I appreciate the insight.
     
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  24. Pelican

    Pelican COOL huh
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    I actually google some shit about honeymoons in St. Lucia last night and requested some info on some packages. Some lady emailed me today and we've been going back and forth a bit. I can't wait to get scammed out of thousands of dollars.
     
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  25. Det. Frank Bullitt

    Det. Frank Bullitt God Bless Texas
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    This kinda threw me off as my correspondence for honeymoon planning was done almost entirely through email as well - and if I recall correctly, through a weird domain (e.g. not using .com in the email address). This was French Polynesia specifically, but thankfully the booking was shown in my Hilton app since it was Conrad property.
     
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  26. letan

    letan Just looking for the gator board
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    This is all based on personal preference obviously but I looked into St Lucia for my honeymoon and it was pretty pricey. Can go to Europe for the same price so I chose Europe over St Lucia since I didn’t want to just sit on a beach the entire time. St Lucia looks beautiful though.
     
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  27. C Yank

    C Yank #WalkOnCoach
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    Depending on the airport (availability), mobile passport is a huge time saver if you don’t have global entry.
     
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  28. Virgil Caine

    Virgil Caine Well-Known Member
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    Suggestions on which areas I should target? Both in the city and outside.
     
  29. Pasta88

    Pasta88 Canes, Bruins, Raps, Jays and Sunderland.
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    Most of the hotels are in the downtown core (south of Bloor St, east of Bathurst St, and west of Jarvis St), but I’d recommend there regardless since you’re then close to the subway, the island ferry, Rogers Centre, etc. In Toronto but outside of the downtown core can be cool to visit (Danforth, Queen West, Leslieville being some notable neighbourhoods) but I don’t believe there’s much in terms of hotels. I won’t recommend airbnb given the havoc they’ve created in the city.
    Outside of the city is a bit difficult since like most of North America it’s suburbia/business parks, so I’d be wary about ending up somewhere in the middle of nowhere (tourist wise).

    Also, check out Suresh Doss’ guide for international/ethnic food, which is one of Toronto’s biggest advantages. There’s a link to the googlemaps list he created on this page: http://www.sureshdoss.com/cbc-food-guide
     
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  30. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    Just booked to Paris direct 100k for delta premium select

    Great value for delta miles. Was shocked.
     
  31. Randy Dangus

    Randy Dangus Invigorated after sunning my butthole
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    Headed to Lisbon and Granada in a couple weeks. Gimme some recs, obvious points already covered. Looking for food just hits, off the beaten path stuff, wineries. Love cheap Portuguese wine.
     
  32. pianoman

    pianoman my drinks are free
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    I will second Excellence Playa Mujeres. We did our honeymoon there and have zero regrets. If you’re looking for relaxation and good food, it’s definitely a great choice.
     
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  33. THEBLUERAIDER

    THEBLUERAIDER Well-Known Member
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    I’m in Excellence El Carmen in Punta Cana in October. I’ve read and heard some good things, so I hope I have a similar experience.
     
  34. Yung/Embree

    Yung/Embree Well-Known Member
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    Just got back from two weeks in Italy, here are some highlights. Generally food/wine focused:

    Langhe
    Stayed at Villa Roccaverano and while the town is cool, it's a pain in the ass to get anywhere. Gorgeous pool/views, but not a great airbnb option if you like creature comforts. Best meal, by far, was Umano in Neive after tasting at Cigliuti.

    Milan

    Ridiculous dinner at L'Alchimia for tasting menu and a great bottle list. Rabbit wellington might be my dish of the year so far. Just ridiculously good. Market Centrale at Milano Centrale is a fantastic option for lunch while waiting for a train.

    Florence

    Stayed at Hotel Calimala and can't say enough good things about it. Modern rooms w/ classic decor, nice rooftop bar and centrally located. Killer dinner at Osteria Tripperia Il Magazzino on night one with their chitarra tripperia being an absolute knock out dish. Wine bar of the year is Le Volpi e l'Uva. Spent about four hours at the bar top and they have killer recommendations with delicious toasts and charcuterie for snacks. Can't recommend it enough. La Pescataria is, perhaps, the worst meal out I've had in years. Lunch consisted of panino hopping and our two favorites were at Amorini Panini e Vino Firenze (mortadella and negronis) and Da Narbone for porchetta and lampredotto (both impossibly juicy and delicious).

    Tuscany

    Stayed at Hotel la Fontanelle and it's just...fucking perfect. Unreal hospitality, great pool, and their on-site restaurant is amazing with ridiculous views across southern Chianti. Had a fantastic tour at Rocca di Montegrossi–one of my two favorite producers of Chianti Classico–and a less than awesome one at Felsina.

    Rome

    Keeping it brief, Rome remains the shit. There's no place, for me, that I enjoy simply leaving the hotel in the morning and seeing where you end up that day. First night's dinner was at La Ciambella for their tasting menu and it was a star, between the sweetbreads and carbonara. Killer wine list with tons of aged wines under 60 eu. Pizzeria Da Bafetto was knock out as well, especially the Pizza Bafetto w/ all the toppings. Impossibly thin, crispy, and super good sauce. Beer bar Open Baladin was our rescue from 94 degrees and their 'nazionale' lager was ice cold and fucking delicious. Another great beer bar was Ma Che Siete Venuti A Fà. Tons of Cantillon for those who love it and a nice selection of IPAs in addition to belgium wheats.
     
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  35. bro

    bro Your Mother’s Favorite Shitposter
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    big Southwest sale started today
     
  36. C Yank

    C Yank #WalkOnCoach
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    Have that same hotel booked for September, I’ll let you know once I’m back.
     
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  37. THEBLUERAIDER

    THEBLUERAIDER Well-Known Member
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    Great. Hard to pass up the suite with the private pool.
     
  38. spagett

    spagett Got ya, spooked ya
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    Gonna be at IAH for a few hours

    Any meal recommendations? Or does it all suck?
     
  39. enjj

    enjj Well-Known Member
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    I like staying at the Sheraton on Queen. Centrally located although it might still be under renos.

    Delta near the arena is a good spot too. Then you can make your way over to SteamWhistle Brewery. Cool location.
     
  40. enjj

    enjj Well-Known Member
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    Outside the city…meh. If you are downtown I’d do the double decker tour. Get a good sense of the core of the city.
     
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  41. Virgil Caine

    Virgil Caine Well-Known Member
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    Yeah, that's my debate.

    Downtown is super expensive, but it would allow me to be in the middle of everything and just be able to park the car (which I'll have to pay for) and not have to really pay for any gas.

    The suburbs means much cheaper hotels (and free parking) but you're going to be paying for gas by driving into the city every day and then paying to park in the city.

    Feels a little like six in one hand and a half-dozen in the other.
     
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  42. enjj

    enjj Well-Known Member
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    That’s a good point. Stay outside and take the GO Train downtown.
     
  43. kinghill

    kinghill Cool American Flavour
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    Ya’ll we’re wrong, north Georgia / Helen area was cool. Some really nice hikes with the kids.
     
  44. Virgil Caine

    Virgil Caine Well-Known Member
    Atlanta BravesAtlanta HawksAtlanta FalconsMississippi Rebels

    I'm from Atlanta, we don't have efficient, functioning public transportation. Thanks for the heads up.
     
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  45. Homo Erectus

    Homo Erectus The important thing is, you think I'm attractive
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  46. C Yank

    C Yank #WalkOnCoach
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  47. C A N E

    C A N E Let justice be done though the heavens fall
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    Spent $150 for two tests to come back from Costa Rica last week. Didn’t even need a test to go there. Happy that’s over.
     
  48. DeToxRox

    DeToxRox Uncle T
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    Leaving for Ireland in two weeks and the relief that just flooded over me was indescribable.
     
  49. Cocks13

    Cocks13 Well-Known Member

    Sticking to the USA, but pretty excited. Headed to Rosemary next week at the Pearl. Any recs appreciated.
     
  50. Spontaneous Cumbustion

    Spontaneous Cumbustion Well-Known Member
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    The foreign countries this year have been giving the weakest of covid tests. Barely scraping your nose or tongue. It's clear they don't want to have to deal with tracking and housing Americans when the rest of Europe has dropped the testing requirement. Last year places took it really seriously but this year it's become a joke. Glad we're finally dropping it.
     
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