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Tagged With "Pineapple Express Train Tour"

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Re: United, Delta ready to retire 'Queen of the Skies'

GarryRF ·
I'm afraid to say that the changing modes of transport are a yard stick to measure your life-span. I remember with great affection travelling on a steam train. But fail to recall the hot ash that went into your eye through the open window. My favourite childhood vehicle .....
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Re: Belgium and Sweden see night-train link

Paul Heymont ·
I haven't found a definitive answer to that; the nearest I have come is speculation that DB is concerned about competition with existing conventional trains along the route; DB is the major carrier on the route, but they are clearly not doing much of a job of it as the schedule I've linked here shows. The minimum number of train changes is 2, with some itineraries requiring 8! And the ones with only 2 or 3 changes sell for nearly $200, compared to $70 with 8 changes. I'd think a direct...
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Re: 12 Countries ask vouchers instead of refunds

Paul Heymont ·
In a conversation with Travel Rob last week, I set out my minimum conditions before a bailout or other relief can be discussed: 1) All boarding to be by efficiency, no priority for anyone except physical need 2) minimum one free checked bag for all flights over 250 miles (under 250, you should drive or take a train, anyway) 3) elimination of most nuisance fees 4) minimum 32" pitch with no more than 2" recline 5) 20-year cap on exec salaries...CEO to earn max 20x full-time flight attendant...
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Re: Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

Jonathan L ·
Thanks. this article brings back memories of my visit in 2005. The tour led by the Park Ranger was fascinating and very even handed. I had a great time.
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Re: Sweden jumps into night-train market

George G. ·
I remember taking the night train from Munich to Paris. It was very smooth and quiet. Hit the sack in the evening and wake up in Paris. I've taken Amtrak bedrooms on overnight trips, but got little sleep from the rocking and noises.
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Re: Sweden jumps into night-train market

Paul Heymont ·
I'd agree on the Amtrak experience: fine trip, but not sleep-friendly on the Sunset Limited or the Coast Starlight. But I also found the Catania-to-Naples night train not the smoothest either, but it did come with the excitement of the entire train being loaded onto the ferry for the crossing to the mainland!
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Re: Tips to help with packing no matter where you are going

Paul Heymont ·
Adding to Mac's point. A big turning point for us was when we started packing for 7 days, no matter how much longer the trip. Usually we have a washer in the apartments we rent, but when not, there's always a laundromat nearby, and usually one that will wash and fold while we tour. We don't often enough change locations to want to keep everything packed (and anyway, I'm a compulsive unpacker) so some of the tools are less useful to us...but I do remind everyone that shoes are actually...
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Re: France Train Service, SNCF, Expands Low Cost Trains and Buses

Travel Rob ·
It's great news for budget travelers. I took the Ouigo train from to Marseille in 2013 and loved it.
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#288)

Travel Rob ·
Gumbo gets on the train and sees some low tech.
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#288)

Travel Rob ·
Does the art work on the train help?
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#288)

Travel Rob ·
Since this is a hard puzzle, Gumbo is showing you Sundays clue early for extra time to solve it!. This clue is of a train along the line
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo #14

DrFumblefinger ·
PortMoresby, I always knew you were just a romantic at heart. But I thought you more of a moon-lite stroll along the Seine than a sewer tour, but life is full of surprises!
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Re: Where Gumbo Was #14: A Sewer Journey

DrFumblefinger ·
And let's not forget the smell, Andredeya. That's what would keep me out of that tour!
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #11

PortMoresby ·
And what possible good is a puzzle without a bit of chicanery - by definition, I should think. I haven't seen the arena at Arles, though it's already on my list for the next visit to France. I have walked past the arena in Verona as it was between the train station and the garden I'd come to photograph. Likely why it came to mind just after the Colosseum.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day: Jan. 16, 2014: Liverpool Victoria Gallery

GarryRF ·
My favourite time to visit attractions is May-June-July. Before the little monsters are released on school vacation. Liverpool has hundreds of things to do - no exaggeration ! Here's 128 to go on with http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/A...seyside_England.html Liverpool makes a good hub for visiting nearby Chester with its 2,000 year old Roman Walls and Tudor Buildings. The River Dee and North Wales. All using local public transport - mostly trains. You can get a flight, Liverpool - Dublin from...
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #11

Paul Heymont ·
Well, here it is Friday night, and I see everyone gathered around to see what's in the Gumbo (e)mailbag and here...because indeed, the mystery has again been solved. Gumbo was in the Roman Arena at Arles, deep in the heart of Roman France. First to point at the site (but not to actually claim it) was Port Moresby, who contributed a picture of it at 1 pm on Wednesday while others were pointing out other Roman arenas. PM was followed by TravelandNature at 11 pm that night—you'll have noted...
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Re: Portland, Maine: The World's Longest Lobster Roll...and so much more!

Former Member ·
I can truly say that I will never think of lobster rolls in quite the same innocent way again. This was a fine tour of Portland, Maine. Thank you so much.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, April 5, 2014: Brocante

Paul Heymont ·
I, too, have a fondness for the 2CV, along with the MG T series. I used to hear the story that you could go into a hardware store in France, and come back with parts, a wrench to install them, and change from a 10-franc note... RBCiao, a Gumbo member, has even found a service in Paris that gives tours of the city in a Deux Cheveaux! He posted a picture of himself on the tour a few months ago.
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Re: Newgrange; Ireland’s ancient Passage Tomb

Paul Heymont ·
It's interesting how we perceive age. In the U.S., we have few buildings over 200 years old, while in other places buildings older than that are part of the housing stock. And here we have a building of intricate design and decoration old enough that we hardly know any of the history of its builders. A reminder to us how much there is to see and know that is beyond our daily lives. Thank you for the tour!
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Re: The Worst Train in the World

PortMoresby ·
Thanks FlashFlyer. The thing about adventures like this is you have no idea what an adventure it'll be until it happens and you can't get out of it even if you want to. So, no guts required. Yes, Burma will certainly change, has already. Currently not enough infrastructure for those wanting to visit but if you've traveled in Asia you know the entrepreneurial spirit is alive & well and it won't be long, I suspect, before it will come to resemble other parts of the region. So, good news as...
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Re: The Worst Train in the World

GarryRF ·
I hope that wasn't your last venture into third world high speed travel. Reminds me of Austria on the Zillertal Bahn Valley Railway. The Train went so slow that passengers would lean out and pick wild flowers from the trackside. Each carriage had warning notices - in English - not to do this. But ....
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Re: The Worst Train in the World

PortMoresby ·
If I live it won't be my last. Just prior to that one, same trip, I'd gone from Guilin to Nanning, then after lunch got on another, overnight to Hanoi. Later overnight again, Hanoi to Hoi An. Now that I think about it I realize they got progressively worse as I went along, culminating in The Worst. I hadn't thought about it until just this minute, hindsight is a wonderful thing that way. A great disappointment to me several years ago was the apparently permanent cancellation of the Hanoi to...
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Re: Wow! Iceland Express successor adds U.S. flights

Travel Rob ·
I really am excited about hearing this.I was a big fan of Iceland Express, so I'm hoping Wow will offer the same consistent low prices to North America as they did.
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Re: The Worst Train in the World

John Howard ·
My brother says that he would love to travel to countries like this. He says it would be really cool to travel on a train like this. I think I'm more of a Europe guy, but it would be a really cool experience to go on a train like that.
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Re: The Worst Train in the World

GarryRF ·
It isn't cool to travel on a train where you get thrown around in the carriage because the tracks are warped with age John ! Many journeys take 24 hours of hanging on like a Roller Coaster ! That's just in Asia. You'll be fine in Europe.
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Re: The Worst Train in the World

Jill's Scene ·
Fascinating read! If I do take this train trip, and it's currently included in the plan, for our hoped for trip to Mynamar later this year, I can't say I wasn't warned. Coming from a country that shakes, rattles, and rolls pretty much every day there were two things about the earthquake that worried me. First, it was big enough to produce screams!! Second, it seems that no-one bothered to check the tracks before the train left the station. And so as I was reading I expected a derailment -...
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Re: The Tulou of Fujian Province

PortMoresby ·
HistoryDigger, I'll explain. At the end of the first day of tulou visits, the large tour bus rendezvoused with a small van and it was indicated that I should bring my things and come with a young man. Since no one could explain, I had to simply trust and go along, an interesting sensation. I later realized that I was the only one who had opted for the second day. The young man drove me to a very basic village of mostly new buildings built, I suspect but of course don't know, for...
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool

Paul Heymont ·
No offense taken...your remark just started me on a train of thought that stopped at a new station!
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Re: Paris-Barcelona Now Linked by High-Speed Train

DrFumblefinger ·
Great thing about Europe, especially for travelers, are the many options they have for getting around. Train is often the best option for those going from the heart of one city to the heart of another. I'm glad to her this route is now open to people.
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Re: Family Friendly Attractions in Malta

GarryRF ·
On my first visit to Malta I was exploring the Megalithic Monuments when a group and their guide arrived. She was explaining to the folks the stones where blood sacrifices were made. So I stayed within earshot for a free tour - at a discreet distance. Then she turned and pointed at me ! " where that couple are standing is a Fertility Temple! " Whoooa !! We moved away quickly ! But too late - we had been chosen by the Goddess of Fertility ! That was on the 29 December - and on the 29...
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Re: Ryanair: Sell the Extras, Give Away the Tickets?

PortMoresby ·
For those who were traveling to Europe about 30 years ago, you may or may not remember the short-lived airline, People's Express. I bought 2 tickets from the US West Coast to Brussels for $300 each which was, if I recall, an introductory price and very cheap even then. They didn't last long which I lamented as I liked the CEO's attitude and approach. On the other hand, I think O'Leary has something up his sleeve, he always does, making noise for the publicity. A most unpleasant man, from all...
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Re: Ryanair: Sell the Extras, Give Away the Tickets?

Paul Heymont ·
I certainly remember People Express...the only reason I became familiar with Newark Airport. We used to fly to Buffalo ($19, $29, $39) and then rent a car to visit family in Toronto. Then we snagged $49 specials from NY to SFO...and while we were sitting on the plane realized we could have gone to London for the same price! Which we did the next year, but it cost us a bit more. PE didn't always make its schedule, and other things could go wrong, but the staff were unfailingly friendly and...
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Re: Up, Up and Away: Airline miles cards with big bonuses

rbciao ·
I have a Delta American Express Platinum card that has served us well. The fee is higher than the gold card, but we can check two bags free, priority boarding, and a free companion pass yearly. We fly two or three times a year and the value of the waived baggage fee and the companion pass far exceed the $150 annual fee. The card also accrues one mile for each dollar spent and lately has offered cash back incentives. For example: spend $15 at Panera's using the card and receive $5 credit on...
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Re: Google Relaunches Zagat, minus content and search

Paul Heymont ·
I know what I think: I think that the ads should be so distinct (and funny, or pithy, or whatever tone) that no one could ever mistake them for user content. I'd hate to have to explain over and over that no, Gumbo is NOT recommending luggage sellers or tour companies, or--for that matter--kitchen remodeling in Britain. The creep over the line is so evident in the newspaper sales pitches for "rare" coins and various remedies dolled up to look like news articles.
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Re: London's Tower Bridge, inside and out

Marilyn Jones ·
It's been nearly 20 years since I took the tour...you wrote an excellent article and your photos -- especially the one of the entire bridge -- are wonderful!!!
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Re: Walking through New Orleans...nibbling

Paul Heymont ·
Sorry, but we had a train to catch! Next time, come along...
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Re: Walking through New Orleans...nibbling

Paul Heymont ·
Sorry...not on the tour (and frankly, not on my mind, either!)
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Re: Foodie Fun on Arthur Avenue

DrFumblefinger ·
Now THIS is my idea of a great food tour! Wish I'd tagged along, and thanks for the advice on where to go for my favorite type of food.
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Re: Jama Masjid, Delhi (Where Gumbo was #256)

Professorabe ·
Delhi has a lot to offer in terms of interesting sites. HOWEVER, the air pollution is appalling, particularly in the winter. We will be in Delhi in March - when things should start to get a little better - but we have cut our stay there to a mere 24 hours. We would have liked to re-visit some places like Humayun's Tomb or the Jama Mosque, but in the end decided that we could not face the atrocious smog again. We will now leave on the earliest convenient train south.
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Re: Italian town bans barking

Paul Heymont ·
Calling Dr. Pavlov! We need you back to work on some other aspects of dog behavior. Seriously, it should be possible to train dogs not to bark; the question is what other behaviors would be affected?
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Re: Italian town bans barking

DrFumblefinger ·
You might be able to train dogs to bark less, but the only way you can get them not to bark is to surgically transect the nerves that go to their vocal cords, or to surgically mutilate the cords so they don't work any more. Sounds very compassionate, doesn't it?
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Re: July 22, 2017: Comic statues, Bratislava, Slovakia

Professorabe ·
When my wife and I revisited Bratislava a couple of years ago, our last visit there had been some 30 years previously. What a difference! Our memories were of a drab, grey place and what we found this time was a pleasant, vibrant city with lots of interesting corners. We are going to Vienna in a couple of weeks' time. There is a good (and very cheap) train link from there to Bratislava and we will probably go back.
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Re: Scenes of Cesky Krumlov

GarryRF ·
Interesting tour and history lesson . Went down well with my first coffee of the day. Well presented Paul. Really enjoyed it !
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Re: Back to Oaxaca: Hoofing It, El Picacho & Teotitlan

PortMoresby ·
Another interesting item from the OLL newsletter regarding the weaving village of Teotitlan: TOUR: ARCHEOLOGICAL RUINS in TEOTITLAN Presented by Dr. Robert Markens Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas—sede Oaxaca Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México THURSDAY, JANUARY 11 / 9 AM-4 PM MX$350 (M) MX$400 (NM) Local archeologist Dr. Robert Markens will lead a tour of the archeological ruins located in the ancient village of Teotitlan del Valle, world-famous for its woven textiles. This...
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Re: No more TGV: France says 'Oui' to new name

inOui ·
Why would they want to name it something that sounds like "boredom, difficulty, tedium, obstacle?" I don't get it. Seems strange. Or were they going more for, "Je m'ennui de toi" so I'm going to hop on a fast train! Also reminds me of, "Gimme a ticket for an aeroplane Ain't got time to take a fast train. Lonely days are gone, I'm a-goin' home My baby, just-a wrote me a letter" In any event, still not getting it for the TGV's new name. I know the pronunciations are a bit different but reminds...
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Re: Udawalawe National Park, Sri Lanka

Professorabe ·
Sorry about the delay in responding - I have been on an Indian train for what seems like eternity! Yes, George, Sri Lanka is a good-value destination and it is changing fast. So now is a good time to go. As to Udawalawe vs. Yala, we prefer the former. Yala seems to be the one which everyone knows about, but we were a bit disappointed when we went (admittedly a long time ago).
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Re: In Egypt: Up the Nile

Ron B. ·
Back in 1989, when TWA still existed, took their 14 day tour. I believe there were 35 of us. We started in Cairo - 4 days staying at Mena House opposite the pyramids A huge WOW! During our stay there we traveled to Sakkaha and Memphis. Boarded a bus that took us to Alexandria - 2 days staying at Montazah Sheraton. From there we took a train to Aswan (dirty dishes - everyone sick). In Aswan, we stayed on Elephantine Island's Loews Aswan Oberoi. Went to Temples of Philae and flew to Abu...
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Re: A Culinary Adventure in Portugal

DrFumblefinger ·
Fantastic tour!
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Re: Gallery: Jewel Cave National Monument, South Dakota

Travel Luver ·
Wow! Some amazing shapes and colors. How long was the tour? Was it cold down there?
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Re: Gallery: Jewel Cave National Monument, South Dakota

Still Country Photo ·
If memory serves me correctly, the tour was about 90 minutes. Yes, it was quite cool down there but since I had made the trip in late August, it was quite refreshing to be there. At one point, the guide turned out the lights so the guests could see what true darkness really looks like. I have been in the dark before but not like this, it even seemed to mess with your equilibrium and I felt like I wasn't going to stay upright. Yes DrF, that is a "bacon strip" formation. Water running down a...
 
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