We’re on the way to Galway tomorrow for 3 nights and its a 50 min drive from where we’re currently staying, so it’d be about 2:20 worth of car ride instead of :50 if we want to see them. Weather has been insanely good since we got here friday. Sunny and high 50s/low 60s every single day and looking like we wont see rain until Saturday.
I don't know if I'd call them "unmissable" but I did really enjoy it. If you're unlikely to ever go back I'd suck it up and go.
Where my Mexico City folks? So wife & I originally planned to do Portugal for our 10th anniversary, but I'm not sure my mom can watch my son for 10+ days. Might be a little too much for her. So trying to think of alternate plans that we can do something like a Sun->Saturday so he's in daycare 90% of the time. It's early August, which google tells me is their rainy season. How bad is it? Seems like it's daily massive rain showers in the afternoon. Does it kinda kill the day?
My flight from LAX to Charlotte just got cancelled for mechanical reasons and everybody has boarded. So that’s cool. Shocker it’s a 21 year old A321
damn sorry man, plane shit is the worst. this is a major "that guy that lives abroad" comment but that is another area that Europe gets right. In my time living in Europe I've had maybe 2 or 3 flights delayed and none cancelled. Even the shit airlines like RyanAir and easyJet get you from place to place on time, however miserable they make the experience. I think fewer storms and severe weather contributes to that some, but also consumer protections that provide compensation anytime the traveler is delayed 2-3+ hours
The EU has a strong framework for holding airlines accountable when they fail to meet their obligations iirc (EC 261)
definitely. I don't know the specifics but you can tell. I flew WizzAir last week, what an experience that was haha.
Luckily they have another plane available. They have just started pre-boarding. But it will be at least a 2 hour delay and Charlotte is my terminus.
Depending on what you have planned/where you’ve been, consider going north of Gallway. That peninsula area between there and Silgo was my favorite area. Wish we would have been able to go further north on that coast.
I forgot to get the tail on the new flight, but it’s also an A321 with the same layout. So probably an old one as well.
The worst part about RyanAir is how they make non EU passport holders print their boarding pass and get their passport checked by a RyanAir gate agent (even if you’re flying within the same country). Really clashes with my walk right to the security line airport strategy.
Depending upon the airport, Wizzair can be a great boarding experience that the extra cost is good or a horrific experience like in Barcelona Term B which is a free for all. That said, I don’t mind Wizzair.
I’ve flown through Charlotte several times. I’ve had flights cancelled with no reason given. Every other flight has been delayed. My shortest delay was 4 hours. Hate going there.
Except for the piano by the food court and the off chance you catch someone awesome playing. I believe Marco Benevento has randomly played it before.
Who has been to Indonesia? I doubt I'll ever make it, but I"m reading a book about it and it's fascinating
Also, who has good travel show recs? I've been through Anthony Bourdain "Parts Unknown" and Rick Steves Europe
One quirky show I got into during the covid lockdown was "Travel Man: 48 Hours in". It's a BBC travel show that leans heavily into British humor. I love it. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4719744/
2/3 was saying at a surfing hotel and then down in Uluwatu/Bukit Peninsula, which has a really California type feel to it. But there was some. Uluwatu Temple is a historic Hindu temple that's on the cliffs and beatiful. We stayed a few nights in Ubud which definitely had more "culture", but it's quickly developing. We took a day tour through the northern part and the rice fields are amazing, a few coffee plantations, a handful of temples and got watch a few ceremonies. Volcanoes & other forests. Also took a day trip to another island (Nusa Penida) with some hiking and historic items If you stay away from the Kuta area, is pretty rural/not mega hotel resorts
One thing I learned from all of these places "IG bitches love a swing". Every place seems to have a swing for pictures
I assume you’ve also watched no reservations. If not watch that. It still holds up, and all episodes are on discovery plus. Besides that nothing really is close to bourdain but stanley tucci searching for italy and somebody feed phil are ok, but more food focused.
Any reco's for cool smaller beach towns in Spain? Or beach hotels that are not BIG resorts? Trying to build a 6-8 day trip in July
Did a Basque Country trip once that was Bilbao, San Sebastian, and Pau France. Great time, but it was early March and too cold to really enjoy San S
I did Costa Brava, north of Barcelona, for about a week. Very nice, but more suited for a couple. Quiet towns with amazing beaches, not much nightlife.
This. I read the Bourdain book earlier this year and he mailed it in on Parts Unknown, No Reservations was so much better.
I've seen bits and pieces of No Reservations. What I like about Parts Unknown is the more obscure places
parts unknown was less food centric than no reservations so i get why some people disliked that pivot but the quality of actual production was off the charts great, show just got a lot more politically oriented The Layover was extremely food network energy
There's plenty of food shows out there. I'm in it for the travel. Which of course includes food, but not being a "food show" is a plus for me