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

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

  1. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    Yeah, idk why but I pictured some cattle car where you're jammed in/standing up with other passengers. Nope, everyone had essentially their own easy chair to sit in. Not much to see out the windows but great for a nap
     
  2. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Yeah. So pretty and such easy driving
     
  3. Pasta88

    Pasta88 Canes, Bruins, Raps, Jays and Sunderland.
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    Yeah I ignorantly call all big boats ferries and would have asked for a ferry ticket. In short, just know your specific port name and ask for a ticket to there.
     
  4. CoastalOrange

    CoastalOrange Well-Known Member
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    I'm looking into doing a weekend trip for the GF and me sometime in August. Based in the upstate of SC and was thinking about Virginia. Wineries, some history, etc...Anyone have any thoughts/opinions on Charlottesville, Roanoke, or Richmond areas?

    I'm from Charleston so that is out. Been to ATL plenty of times. Asheville is a regular visit so that is out. Just trying to think of random places that are not exactly the normal weekend visits but would still be fun.
     
  5. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Lexington VA is really pretty. Richmond is just kind of whatever
     
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  6. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
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    DC, maybe? Roanoke sucks, Charlottesville may be alright for a day or two. Kiawah Island?
     
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  7. CTownND

    CTownND Well-Known Member
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    Thanks for the clarification. I will not have a car. When on the Jadrolinija webstite, it says "Catamaran" under "Vessel Type" when booking the tickets and only gives one port option in Hvar, so I'm assuming this is the correct port but will keep looking into it.

    Trip update:

    Budapest - arrive 5 PM on Sat 7/20, staying at a nice hotel in the 7th district until Tues 7/23
    Split - flying into Split 7/23, accommodations TBD (recs anyone?)
    Hvar - will ferry over to Hvar sometime on Wed 7/24, staying at Luka's Lodge 7/24 and 7/25
    Dubrovnik - ferry over to Dubrovnik sometime Fri 7/26; accomodations TBD... anyone have recommendations? Was looking at Eddie's Sea View: https://www.hostelworld.com/hosteld...019-07-28&number_of_guests=2&origin=microsite
    Flight back - decided to opt for the double connection flight back (DUB to Gatwick to NYC to LAX) over the flight with a single connection but has to switch from Gatwick to Heathrow in ~3.5 hours. Decided that would be too stressful and didn't want to risk a missed flight. PAINFUL flight back, but ok I guess
     
  8. Nelson

    Nelson Can somebody please get Ja Rhule on the phone
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    Anyone ever drive southern Spain (Andalusia)? Just curious about best practices or things to look out for
     
  9. xec

    xec Well-Known Member
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    If y’all are into history both The Yorktown battlefield and Jamestown colony historic site are worthwhile. They are fairly close to Richmond.
     
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  10. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
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    Driving from Madrid to the NE/Barcelona in September. Don't anticipate any issues.

    Only embarrassing thing is I can't drive a manual, which most European cars are,
     
  11. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    I've driven from Seville to huelva/punta Umbria and around the small towns there and through donada. It was super easy.
     
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  12. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
    Donor

    I'm sure that's the car ferry on the website. I'm not sure you can book the fast cats ahead of time.

    • Hvar City - There are two companies Jadrolinija [24][55kn one way] and the Krilo company [90kn one way] offering fast catamaran sailings between Split and Hvar City (approx 1 hour journey). During summer, tickets sell out quite early and it is advisable to get down to the docks early (before 8:30am) to get tickets for the day. You cannot generally purchase tickets in advance (day before). Timetables are available at the tourist information the schedule during Summer 2013 are [From Split - 9:30, 11:30, 15:00, 18:00] [From Hvar City - 6:35, 7:45, 11:00. 13:45, 19:30]
    • Buses operates to bring people to and from the very through the island (12 kn to Starigrad, 27 kn to Hvar City (August 2012)). Buses tend to leave fairly quickly after the boat docks, so make sure you board the bus in time or you will have to either take a taxi or wait for another bus. Also note that as buses fill, late-coming passengers are often required to stand in the aisles during the entire bus journey.
     
  13. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
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    Give some must-dos in Madrid. We land at 9:00 AM and plan to tool around for the day, probably grab a dank dinner, and depart the following morning.
     
  14. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Retiro park is really cool. Can grab a drink and stroll through there. Plaza mayor area for some bouncing around and then a quick stroll over to mercado San Miguel for some awesome snacks and drinks and socializing
     
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  15. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
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    Charlottesville doesn’t seem like it has much to besides walk around UVA. Lots of restaurant bars.

    Only time I was there was for PSU-UVA 7 years ago so perhaps I missed out on some stuff.
     
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  16. AptosDuck

    AptosDuck Pedantic Hausfrau
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    California Golden Bears

    Wife and I got together in 1989 in Tahoe City, at her parents' lakeshore condo.

    Crazy
     
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  17. LeVar Burton

    LeVar Burton Knee deep in a dynasty, ROLL TIDE!
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    You guys been back to your in laws lakeshore condo in 30 years? Got any good recommendations (restaurants, trails, spas)? Renting a boat for 4-8 hours with a captain ($50 hr) is between $600-1200. Would hate to get out there and be the boozing captain and something happen.
     
  18. AptosDuck

    AptosDuck Pedantic Hausfrau
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    California Golden Bears

    They sold it in 1997. We were either in LA or DC during that time, so we didn't use it all that much. We used to hit a Swiss restaurant whenever we could up the 89 a mile or so from the lake, but I'm pretty sure it's not there anymore. I know we'd go to Hacienda Del Lago at the Boatworks when we'd get a Carnelion Bay condo during the winter with the kids and the in-laws so we could all ski Alpine Meadows together.

    Wife's sister has a second house on the municipal golf course at South Lake Tahoe, very close to the Heavenly lift. FIL took us all to Riva's Grill on the Lake a few times for big family get-togethers, good food there.

    It was a family thing to do, but several years ago we all took the paddlewheel steamer around the southern part of the lake in late winter. Lost my middle son, who was then about 7 or 8, when he was separated from grandpa when they went to the bar to get grandpa a beer. Wacky hilarity/panic ensued until we finally found him, at the bar, surrounded by rowdy members of bachelorette party (which is why we couldn't see him through the windows), having the time of his life drinking cherry coke and being doted on by a bunch of drunken thirtysomething wenches.
     
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  19. LeVar Burton

    LeVar Burton Knee deep in a dynasty, ROLL TIDE!
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    Classic MS Dixie II sunset dinner cruise story!
     
  20. AptosDuck

    AptosDuck Pedantic Hausfrau
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    California Golden Bears

    https://www.zephyrcove.com/cruises/daytime-scenic-cruises/

    Kinda fun, if you want to let somebody else pilot the boat

    edit: didn't realize that was the MS Dixie II. I just remember not being able to find my kid, then laughing my ass off when I finally did
     
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  21. CoastalOrange

    CoastalOrange Well-Known Member
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    I was thinking winery or two and Monticello. Aside from that, no idea.
     
  22. AptosDuck

    AptosDuck Pedantic Hausfrau
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    California Golden Bears

    A little out of town you can retrace the route of Stonewall's absolutely brilliant Shenandoah Valley Campaign.
     
  23. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    TO:

    Bangkok (BKK)

    Ho Chi Minh City (SGN)


    FROM:

    Chicago (ORD) - $584

    Washington DC (IAD) - $584



    WHEN: October through early December 2019, including Thanksgiving but excluding Xmas
     
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  24. racer

    racer Yuma, where I work in software.
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    I’d move to Tahoe in a second if I could guarantee income stability.
     
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  25. THEBLUERAIDER

    THEBLUERAIDER Well-Known Member
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    Going to Punta Cana in November. Fingers crossed shit is figured out by then.
     
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  26. racer

    racer Yuma, where I work in software.
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    Well bye forever I guess.
     
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  27. THEBLUERAIDER

    THEBLUERAIDER Well-Known Member
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    Not a bad place to die, I guess.
     
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  28. HunterPKP

    HunterPKP Well-Known Member
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    When we go to Italy next year, we're spending extra time in Trieste. It's beautiful and has both Croatian and Slovenian influences. Concierge at the Marriott property told us that we could easily hire one of their drivers to take day trips to both. I want to go back to Croatia separately, but will be doing Slovenia coastal area and Croatian northern coast on 2 separate days.
     
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  29. 49ers169

    49ers169 Administrator
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    Snagged some pretty cheap flights to Paris from Indianapolis in December and going to be there for 12 days. I looked in the OP and didn't see anything.

    Anyone have a write-up?
     
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  30. tjosu

    tjosu This is kind of like the breakfast club, huh?
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  31. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    CoastalOrange Louis Holth dallasdawg WC

    TO: Barcelona (BCN)

    Charlotte (CLT) - $270

    Dallas (DAL) - $271

    Dallas (DFW) - $271

    Miami (MIA) - $349*

    Phoenix (PHX) - $291

    Raleigh (RDU) - $309

    West Palm Beach (PBI) - $377


    TO: Madrid (MAD)

    Charlotte (CLT) - $274

    Dallas (DAL) - $276

    Dallas (DFW) - $276

    Fort Lauderdale (FLL) - $314

    Miami (MIA) - $314

    Miami (MIA) - $327

    Philadelphia (PHL) - $314

    Phoenix (PHX) - $296

    Raleigh (RDU) - $314

    West Palm Beach (PBI) - $364


    * - nonstop / direct


    WHEN: Varies by route. Generally August 2019 through May 2020. Some routes include Thanksgiving but all exclude Xmas/NYE
     
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  32. CoastalOrange

    CoastalOrange Well-Known Member
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    Got that email this morning. Really want to jump on it but am awaiting a response from the boss lady before doing so.
     
  33. Louis Holth

    Louis Holth but we also just might be those motherfuckers
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    I’m actually going to discuss with the wife tonight
     
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  34. Nug

    Nug MexicanNug
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    As expected, my Spain itinerary went through about 4-5 iterations. But looks like we're set. Anyone ever spent time in Costa Brava, about 2 hours north of Barcelona on the coast? Just booked here:

    https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/24915381

    Sept 2 - arrive in Madrid, do tourist stuff and eat
    Sept 3 - drive towards Northeast Spain, destination undetermined
    Sept 4 - Costa Brava
    Sept 5 - Costa Brava
    Sept 6 - Barcelona
    Sept 7 - Barcelona
    Sept 8 - Barcelona
     
  35. Super tRUper

    TMB OG
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    Agreed with both of you. Rented a car in Zagreb, then drove down to Plitvice Lakes for a few days (at the advice of posters here) then drove down to Split. Took the ferry from there to hvar and then to dubrovnik but rented a car for a day to drive to Ston and the Dingac wine region. When most people think of Croatia they think of the beaches but driving down from the lakes to split, you really get everything.
     
  36. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Anyone spent some time in Albania?
     
  37. WC

    WC Bad Company, ‘til the day I die.
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    Booked :badasswolf:
     
  38. CoastalOrange

    CoastalOrange Well-Known Member
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    Now to start doing some research on Madrid and apparently Seville. End of September for the trip.
     
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  39. WC

    WC Bad Company, ‘til the day I die.
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    Yep, doing Barca and Mallorca with Hyatt points. Based ohhaithur and the credit card thread.
     
  40. Kevintensity

    Kevintensity Poster/Posting Game Coordinator
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    Do jet lag pills work? I'm guessing no, just wanted to see if anyone here has experience
     
  41. Doc Louis

    Doc Louis Well-Known Member
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    Have been to Seville in spring around when their oranges are in season. It's a fun city and worth a day drive/trip to Granada to get out and see the countryside
     
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  42. Walt Disney

    Walt Disney #Dawgzy
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    Cuba is so cool
     
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  43. PJP3

    PJP3 Well-Known Member
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    Ive taken jet zone pills the last few years and I feel like they help.
     
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  44. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    My best friend is a wineo there. I'll ask
     
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  45. Walt Disney

    Walt Disney #Dawgzy
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    Vietnam is the next move
     
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  46. CoastalOrange

    CoastalOrange Well-Known Member
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    I'm so jealous.
     
  47. gus_chiggins

    gus_chiggins Where you goin’ with those clubs, punk
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    Bros that have been to Iceland— what’s the best time of the year to go and why? TIA
     
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  48. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    haven't been but have researched it a bunch

    depends a lot on why you're going, northern lights? want to go hiking a ton? whale watching?
     
  49. gus_chiggins

    gus_chiggins Where you goin’ with those clubs, punk
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    Northern lights and whale watching. I’d prefer going in the winter/spring, but I don’t know if the winter is unbearably cold or not
     
  50. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    for those two you're looking like September range

    you can do whale watching year round but migration season iirc ends in October while you need darkness for northern lights so can't go in the summer if you want anything but a minimal shot at seeing them.
     
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