i remember my brain cut off for weather being October when winter kicks in, cause we wanted to rent a car and drive around a bunch so imagine that's when you start seeing freezing temps and higher precipitation was going to go this september and had it basically all planned until that australia fare deal if you can't tell
I went around Memorial Day. Northern Lights aren't happening around then but you can get amazing weather for hiking and sightseeing. We were still wearing pants and long sleeves, a couple mornings we needed our warmer coats, but overall the temps were great during the day, in the 50s I think. I liked being there that time of year since it was easier getting around for the first trip but I'd like to get back in the fall or early winter to see the other side
For daylight, if I remember right you could expect something around 6 hours Also, I took this pic on our trip
We went Memorial Day as well. Ideal for sightseeing because you have so much daylight and the temps are manageable. I just told myself I’ll see the Northern Lights another time.
Looking like we'll be taking a full 2 weeks to Vietnam in early 2021. Already have a full 2 weeks planned for Italy next year. Itinerary there is Rome 3 days, Florence 2 days, Bologna 1 day, Trieste 2 days, Croatia 4 days, Venice 2 days. This is with an already planned week in Cabo and two wedding (one in Napa the other in Seattle). Vietnam current plan is Hanoi 3 days, Halong Bay 3 days, Ho Chi Minh 3 days, and Da Nang for 3 days. 2 days for round trip travel. Old friend had a 1/3 life crisis. Went there for a 2 week trip and said fuck it. Now bartending at the Hyatt at Da Nang and living 2 blocks from there in a 2 bedroom pad that she's only paying like $300/month for. Offered us to stay with her while there. I can't wait for that trip. Vietnam Airlines is a great airline by the way. Wife's bestfriend is from Taiwan. She's invited us to travel there next year for a week trip. Will take some planning to make all of that work with my wife's work travel schedule and her vacation days. I have 30 days. She only has 17. If we can pull it off, we'll split it up to do 3ish days in Taiwan and the rest in Hong Kong.
Has anybody gone to Plitvice Lakes in Croatia? Just chatted with someone who did 3 weeks in Croatia last summer and he said it was one of the two trip highlights (renting a boat around Hvar islands being the other). My buddy and I are planning to go from Budapest to Split on the Tuesday of our trip and can kinda fit this in if its worth it... Thoughts on the below? Current Plan: Budapest to Split flight connecting through Vienna. Leave hotel at 9 AM, arrive in Split 3 PM Plitvice Plan: Rent a car in Budapest leaving at 7 AM. Arrive in Splitvice by 1 PM and stay until 5 PM or so. Drive to Split and drop car off around 8-9 PM.
I've done both--Plitvice and boating around Hvar--and agree with your friend. Probably the two highlights of my Croatia trip. Walking around the walls of Dubrovnik on a clear day is pretty incredible, too. Didn't do any driving, but don't imagine you would have any problems. Def. try to fit in Plitvice
Check out Krka as well, which is basically the same as Plitvice only you can swim there -- it's what a local would recommend, though that might be tight with your timeline.
Never rented a car in Europe. 1. Is it stick only or could we get an automatic? 2. Is there any sort of egregious fee if we rent in Hungary and return in Budapest or is it easy to drop off?
You'll have to pay extra for an automatic, but they're available. Not sure about dropping off in a different country. Look at Hertz and other major rental companies, they operate internationally.
It was super easy to pick up in Zagreb and drop off in Dubrovnik, but that doesn't answer your question at all
wolfpck did this a few years ago, maybe Croatia to Budapest if I remember right? Also, isn't the bolded part the same thing?
Whoops meant to say rent in Hungary and return in Croatia. To partially answer the question, my buddy said the rate he got quoted from Avis was $794 ($500 one-way multi-country fee!), but if we were going to buy flights at ~$300-350 each, it's not too much more expensive.
Funny - my friend just sent me a Krka vs. Plitvice article and suggested maybe Krka because it's smaller and we'll only really have ~3-4 hours. How much time do you need at Plitvice vs. Krka? If we only have 4 hours, do you rec one vs. the other?
Sounds like the best idea would be to book a private transfer and let them drive and they'll stop wherever you want.
Plitvice is definitely worth it. Try to get there as early as possible because it's going to be insanely packed as Arkadin mentioned. I second the recommendation for Krka also. I have rented automatics several times in Europe. In fact on my Slovenia/Croatia trip we rented from Sixt at Llubljana airport and got a BMW X4 for something like $20 a day
Usually a hefty fee for dropping off at a different place in Europe. I would be very clear in what this fee is prior to your arrival and even printing this out so you have as a hard copy reference. Don't sweat the automatic as they will have them in Budapest but this can be negotiated at the airport if needed. That is the fee, most of the time they will see this as a possible "free" upgrade. I just left Budapest yesterday and for the 3rd straight year traffic to and from the airport is crazy bad. If you can avoid anything later than 3:00 pm this would be wise.
Also have been to both and I am team Krka. Being able to swim at Krka was the most memorable out of the two experiences for me. You can bus it from Budapest to Plitvice, then Plitvice to Split the next day for pretty cheap too.
Would only having 4 hours make you more likely to choose Krka over Plitvice or does that not matter? Also, looking like we're just going to rent a boat in Hvar on Thursday and drive it around to the Pakleni islands off the coast (as I'm sure others here have done).
We rented a Range Rover beast through Hertz for our trip around Paris/Bruges/Canterbury/Normandy/Amboise in 2016. It was an automatic, also one that turned itself off whenever the car stopped (taking it out of the Gare du Nord after picking it up I thought it died at the first intersection, and for a minute there I was like "Aw, fuck"). Thought we were getting a deal on the rental until they sprung the insurance on us: "Well sir, it is a prestigious automobile." Ended up not really using it in Bruges or Canterbury, but it really came in handy in Normandy when we were driving around the D-Day landing beaches and chateau-hopping in the Loire Valley. Otherwise we probably would have been better off training/ferrying. Make sure you have proper licensing. Some countries require that you have an international drivers license and not just your regular state DL. I know Italy requires it, or did recently, but I'm not sure about Croatia.
They nail you with a large fee for dropping off in a different country. If you drop off at a different city in the same country there is no fee.
Plitvice is three times the size of krka. If you're just breezing through just do krka even though plitvice is my favorite place on earth
I enjoyed Cairo, but it was pretty intense. I was approached and bothered more than in India, but not to the extent that guy says. Maybe because he was with a white girl. Didn't experience the alcohol thing, though--one thing is there are no bars or sports bars, and to watch the World Cup everyone sits outside and watches projection screens; but everyone is drinking tea. I asked several people where I could drink a beer and watch the match, and was met with laughs. Only place to drink in public is at night clubs. The pyramids and museum make it worth it, but you're going to be hassled 24/7 walking down the street.
Great SA deal TO: Johannesburg (JNB) FROM: Chicago (ORD) - $677 Houston (IAH) - $685 Montreal (YUL) - $870 CAD New York City (JFK) - $621 Newark (EWR) - $629 Ottawa (YOW) - $865 CAD Toronto (YYZ) - $920 CAD Washington DC (IAD) - $626 WHEN: Varies greatly by origin. Generally November 2019 through May 2020, including Thanksgiving but excluding Xmas/NYE
Was in Cairo, Aswan, and Luxor in 1984. Most of the time we went out we had a local guide, so we weren't bothered. The one day we had some British friends show us around (including the Pyramids) we were harassed constantly
i think someone was asking for Paris recs and one of the Paris expert guys just updated his so figured i'd share https://www.davidlebovitz.com/bakery-bistro-paris-restaurants-cocktail-bars-and-bakeries/#more-43494
Been a while since one of these and I feel like we have some new participants itt so: End of July/1st week of August: Alaska/Denali Two weeks in December: South Africa Week over new years: Anna Maria Island March: San Diego Random small shit not travel enough interspersed
End of July: Chicago Two weeks late September: New Zealand/Australia January: Dallas for a wedding then probably drive to Austin/Houston to make a trip of it. likely NYC and a trip back to the in laws house in November/December been trying to figure out next springs international schedule
July 4th - Alaska. End of July possibly Alaska again to go visit the North Slope. Still trying to decide on international destination for Thanksgiving
End of July/August - Seattle to visit Bamanug October - Mexico City Christmas - Miami February - Costa Rica None until Costa Rica are more than 4 nights, though. Also got a couple of 3 day weekends coming up in Charleston, New Orleans, and maybe Dallas for Clapton’s Crossroads.
Only one trip currently planned. Three weeks in Europe in September/October. Warsaw-Krakow-Auschwitz-Vienna-Hallstatt-Salzburg-Munich-Hoxter-Berlin Excited because we’ll be in Germany during Oktoberfest and that wasn’t planned at all. Looking for somewhere to go for a week next month to just get away. I’ll still be working during the day since I work remotely but I just want to get away somewhere in the mountains.
Have a bunch of small trips the rest of the year; tentatively Puerto Peñasco in Mexico for a long weekend in August, State College for Michigan-PSU, wedding in Baltimore in November, and the Bears-Packers game in Green Bay in December. Next May/June 2-3 weeks in Thailand and maybe somewhere else in Southeast Asia for a honeymoon. Would like to make it over to Europe or South America as well at some point.
July 23 - 28 - camping in Banff/Jasper for 5 days/4 nights Sept 1 - 9 - Spain October 17 - 21 - Mex Cty NYE - somewhere, undecided--Costa Rica, Iceland, Tulum, Southern Cal? Need to decide fast, flights are only going to increase March - camping in Zion for 4 days/3 nights April/May - South Africa for Afrikaburn (again), then either Namibia or Botswana for the 2nd week
His girlfriend lives in Alaska currently so they're probably just trying to explore as much as possible