Tagged With "Planning Your Next Trip"
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Re: Shunpiking Through Northern Ohio
I enjoy your journeys around " Small Town USA". The US has such a wealth of history. You should write a book so that Brits like me know where to search for new ventures - ready for my next trip across the pond. Thank You.
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Re: Berlin's Museum Island
Glad you liked the story. I hope you enjoy my next pieces on Berlin
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#294)
Here's the next clue! The picture clearly shows a gondola, but it's not Venice. It is much smaller for a start.
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo #296
Another door opens and with it, here is your next clue....
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#293)
Here's our next set of clues for this week's travel puzzle.
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Re: Sept. 23, 2018: Lalibela—Ethiopia’s Jerusalem
Ethiopia offers a lot of highlights, but the Rock-Hewn Churches (Lalibela, but also Tigray) are simply breathtaking) You definitely should plan that trip ;-)
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Re: Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company, Canmore
Beautiful setting - and you qualify for a free pizza next time you go. ;-)
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Re: Slim airline seats unpopular
Well, that's the question. Initially they are saying this is how we can keep 32" and still add seats. Next year, they may ask what's wrong with 30". Just as banks first encouraged ATM use go reduce cost of tellers...and then, when that saving was realized, began charging for their use.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, July 13, 2015: Gettysburg at dusk
If you are going to Gettysberg, I highly recommend also seeing the Anteitam battlefield. It is about an hour's drive away, and well worth the trip. I would probably do Anteitam first as it the battle there was about a year earlier in the war.
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Re: Herculaneum, 79 A.D.
Thanks for the trip, PortMoresby, it looks like a fascinating place to visit. Those Romans certainly knew how to build a city..
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #11
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: Your Favourite Travel Camera (or 2)
I see I'm in good company--I'm joining the two-camera brigade for the first time in years (years ago I traveled with two SLRs, one with color film and the other B/W, and then for a while with a film and a digital). I've been working for the last dozen years with a single compact (been through a Fuji, a Canon, Panasonic Lumix and recently a Nikon S9400 ). All have been good, and on an escalating curve of features. All the left-behinds are still in use elsewhere in the family. I actually...
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Re: Made in Puerto Rico - Jibaromania!
Mmmmm...Crab stew over plantains! Worth the trip just for that! Thanks for sharing this experience.
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Re: Is Porto worth the trip?
Much as I loved my time in Porto...it's NOT a day trip. Much too much to do there, including evening stroll along the Douro, port-wine tasting across the river in Vila Nova de Gaia and more. I'd say take the advice above and save Porto for another trip. Of the recommended day trips above, I'd vote for Sintra. It's an easy trip--trains run about every 30 minutes, more frequently in rush hours, The town itself is interesting, the Moorish Castle up on the mountain and the Pena Palace above that...
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Re: Ghost Images of WWI
The photos are eerie and definitely captivating. Perhaps the most horrific of all the wars, but we always say that until the next ones roll around and are even worse.
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Re: World's scariest hiking trail?
Actually, the Hua Shan (Mountain Hua) is close to the city of Xi'an (where Terracotta warriors museum is located). I visited both in a same trip few years ago. Regarding to the Hua Shan trial, there was a local advise "if you want to climb to the tea house, better do it during night, because you do not see what is around you, ha ha! ". Of course, now a days, you can get there comfortably by riding a Gondola.
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? # 9
Well, nothing "Thais" us together like a good puzzle! But alas, this one did not last to the weekend. WorkerBee, our puzzle champion started homing in by e-mail on Wednesday, with an inspired but wrong guess: Once again Gumbo is taking time to visit a church. This church is made of wood on a base of stone. The location is near Barsana (Birsana) in Maramures county, Romania. By Thursday, he had continued his research, and last night he was back with another e-mail, and he had nailed it. On...
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Re: A visit to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello
Thanks ,it truly is a highlight of any trip to the area.I loved the Location and setting of the house.
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo #6
OK. So we know it is Asian, and that it was built by colonizers/invaders from another country. Since the architecture is Asian, I think we can assume the invaders were, too. The problem then is the next term: "link them with a settlement of people from a third country." That seems to imply that the "third country" people are NOT across a border in their own land but are also in the invaded country, but living separately from the invaders. If I'm correct in guessing the bridge at upwards of...
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo #6
Well, since Port Moresby appears to have traveled in a lot of places, that may not be a tell; I try when I'm the puzzler not to be too obvious about choosing from my most recent post or trip.
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Re: Yelp Offers Health Grades for LA Restaurants
Then maybe for a next step Yelp might add health grades for the cities in which the restaurants are located.
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Re: Should Wi-Fi be free in all hotels?
Good discussion! WiFi has for me become an indispensable part of traveling. It allows me to stay in touch with family easily and cheaply (remember how hard it was even 25 years ago -- a phone call could run you $5 a minute? And there was no email). It lets me spend evening hours clearing out a hefty email que, and doing research on what I am going to see tomorrow and the next day. And with "Gumbo on the Go", it lets me share my travels as they happen with fellow Gumboites! I echo PHeymont's...
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Re: Merry Christmas from all of us at TravelGumbo
Thanks DrF for those words. We will all be trying to be kinder and more considerate people in 2014. In many countries around the world - including here in the UK. We all have everything we need at this time of year, maybe too much. So its back to the diet in January and back into those Speedo's by April ! Hope you all have everything you need over the next year !
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Re: How'd We Live Without Travel Apps?
I love Yelp as well, and there is a app called Happy Hours. It shows me restaurants with their own happy hours and happy hour menu. I also like hiking trail apps. Those apps tells me hiking trails in the cities I am traveling in (in the US). I recently tried Wishbeen. It is a web application though. It's a travel planning and sharing web. I like it a lot because it helps me browse travel itineraries made by other travelers, and I can easily modify them for my own trip. It also has a map...
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #8.5
What a beautiful church Gumbo has found! WITW? The clues: 18th century Spanish colonial architecture, typical of Franciscan missions; Banner in English; Materials are not typical of Florida or Texas missions; Various effigies of animals and unreal creatures, often incorporated by the Franciscans into their liturgy in order to convert American Indians. Typical of US southwestern states; Not one of the remaining California missions; Not in Santa Fe; Checked missions in Arizona. Found (as did...
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? 21.0
So far we've only had one stab at the solution, by member Andredeya ( Florida- Miami Design Preservation League- Beach Patrol Headquarters Building). Appreciate the effort, Andredeya, but that is not the correct solution. So I'm offering up two additional clues today: This is a view of the interior of the hotel, again with strong nautical influence And this is the view south from the hotel's pool. The next piece of real estate to the south is Antarctica. So, where in the world is Gumbo?
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Re: How'd We Live Without Travel Apps?
Google Translate was indispensable when my teenage son came down with a throat infection while in Bangkok. I typed in his symptoms, translated it to Thai, and showed the pharmacist. Ten minutes later he had a regimen of amoxicillin and some throat lozenges. I like XE Currency app for my tablet and iPhone. Also Groupon - there are franchises in foreign countries and right now I'm keeping an eye on Dubai Groupon for an upcoming trip. Finally I like Yelp when I'm traveling in the USA.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Jan. 2, 2014
And I forgot to mention - the complete "All Inclusive" deal costs around $1000 US. Flights from the UK - hotel - boats - entertainment - mini bar stocked daily - 24hr food and drink. For 2 weeks. How do the US companies come up with $3900 for 1 week. I smell a rip off. It does look good for December DrF. Its still too hot in the afternoon though ! To have that same view you would have to "Take my blanket from my cold dead hands" I wont even share with Mrs F !! Next door is nearly as good...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Oct. 30: Monet's Gardens at Giverny
This is on my list now!I love gardens and this sounds like a perfect day trip.
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Re: Way To Earn a Few Bucks for Travel
That's OK Rob. You can keep the $5 in yours until my next visit !!
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Re: Newgrange; Ireland’s ancient Passage Tomb
TravelandNature. You'd be surprised at how many people have been saved by that Church. "Regulars" from hundreds of years ago still attend services and Funerals. Next door to this Church is a Pub and folks come out to catch the last Bus at Mid-night. They often see 8 Nuns in white carrying a coffin through the main doors. Which are still closed - of course!
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Re: Newgrange; Ireland’s ancient Passage Tomb
Walking the "Walls" that enclose the City - maybe 3 miles around - is a local ritual ! At frequent intervals there are Pubs to stop at. The idea being that you stop at each one , have a drink and proceed to the next. Its only the hardened drinkers who complete the circuit. A friend from Anna Maria Island, Florida sent his daughter to stay with us for a while. Same age as my daughter and they got along like a house on fire ! So when we arrived in Chester I told her our day was walking around...
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Re: Newgrange; Ireland’s ancient Passage Tomb
On my first visit to Anna Maria I was amazed that the Pelicans would sit next to you on the pier by Allemande Villas. Like a pet dog. They would try and steal your bait as you were fishing. But like a good dog they responded to a "Hey you!" and sat watching you. When I caught my first fish I pulled and fought with the monster! As I lifted my prize from the water my new Pelican friend flexed his wings. He glided off the Pier and with great precision removed my catch from the hook! He passed...
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Re: The Big Island of Hawaii (Part 4). Kohala & Saddle Road
We just found this site. Bookmarking this information for our next vacation. Can't wait !
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Re: Staying In Touch on the Road: Part 2
This is a great report PHeymont!Exactly the step by step instructions we all need.Can't wait for parts 3 and 4.
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Re: Staying In Touch on the Road: Part 2
There is a lot to know on this topic. Thank you so much for the education.
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Re: A journey around Iceland: 3) South Iceland
Undeniably Iceland is the most stunning place on earth and you will truly be fascinated by the clear blue lakes, natural geysers, rolling meadows, volcanic craters and abundance of wildlife. I have been lucky to have vacation in this beautiful spot when we have visited this place by the help of KosherTravelers. This place is rich with culture and history, having lots of eye catching sightseeing to visit that has truly become the amazing trip of my lifetime.
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
Hi Hank, I've actually found the UK a pretty reasonable destination in recent years, especially outside of London.(My budget was way under yours for a month long trip to Europe last June.)A lot of museums are free. Transportation costs within the country can be reasonable too.Not only do they have advance cheap train tickets but they have bus and budget air choices.And of course there are some good budget hotel chains as well, such as Travelodge and the Tune Hotel Have fun and keep watching...
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
Again thanks, this is incredibly helpful!! So I think I'll look at trains for trips from bigger cities to other cities, and fill in the gaps with bus if the pricing works out. A little more planning is needed. Even though it's expensive, I do want to spend around a week in London. Being an architect, there's just so much to see and do there, like seeing the Houses of Parliament and Westminister Abbey. I plan on being on the go almost all day each day there -- can rest later, maybe in the...
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
Wow, this is turning into a real education!! I checked with my uncle and yes, I can fly Chicago to Manchester and return from either London or Paris to Chicago. The ticket is free to him and he said he would cover any fees as a "graduation gift to me" (he's a pretty cool dude!), but I don't want to burden him with a heavy departure fee, so maybe Paris would be the way to go. I'd like to leave about Friday, May 9th and return 4 weeks later, June 6th. A few days later and returning a few days...
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Re: Spring Honeymoon Help
Congratulations SueZee! We're delighted in your marriage, and you've picked a great country in which to honeymoon. May is not too early to go to Italy, although pack a light jacket just in case. The crowds won't be there yet and you'll save some money when compared to the peak summer season. Where to go is very much a matter of taste. Most definitely you need to go to Venice and I'd say spend at least 5 days here, maybe with a day trip or two (such as to the glass making island of Murano or...
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
That's helpful too, Rob. So with your guys advice, I'm thinking of the following plan, which still has holes I need to fill. I actually like the idea of Paris more than Scotland for this trip, plus I worry about the cost of travel to Scotland back so unless I can get a really cheap plane ticket or train ticket to Edinburgh, I think I'll drop that and focus on eastern UK and then on to Paris. So this is where I'm at now: 1) Arrive in Manchester. Maybe ??2 days 2) Travel Liverpool. 3 days 3)...
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Re: Frommer's New EasyGuides: A Future for Print
That's a great review Paul, and I'm delighted to see Frommers guides back in the hands of the Frommers. I like their simple "Day By Day" series and this reboot of their guidebooks sounds very helpful and useful. I still like to travel with a guidebook in hand (though I research the trip beforehand). Thanks for the thoughtful review.
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
Here's a link to the current rates: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Passenger_Duty The rates are based on distance from London to capital of the other country; for U.S., that's 3661 miles and the rate converts to about $108, twice that for any class above cattle class. The APD particularly bites for Caribbean people living in UK; they're in the next band up and that means a family of 4 visiting home pay about $750 round trip on top of the tickets!
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Re: Frommer's New EasyGuides: A Future for Print
What great news to hear that a publisher recognizes the need for practical budget travel information. I can spend ages on the Internet trying to work out a basic trip scheme. When a location is new to me, I need that overview in hand. It does me no good to read that the Paris' Luxembourg gardens are wonderful when I am trying to work out how long I can afford to be in Paris. It does me no good to know that there are marvelous chambre d'hotes in the Ile de Cite when what I need is a couple of...
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Re: Traveling for Local Food
To be honest, Varsity ain't what it was when I was in college...there's better places around. Some good stuff on Marietta St. near the convention center, and lots of good places in Decatur area (we're near there). That's the kind of stuff I'm looking for to make up our road trip.
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Re: The Valley Island of Maui: 2) Haleakala National Park
I'm leaving next week for San Diego and then a 17 day cruise to and around the Hawaiian Islands. I have never been all that interested in Hawaii (so why am I going you ask?) but your blog and photos have begun to pique my curiosity. Thank you. (I am not looking forward to going through U.S. Immigration, I can tell you that. It is quite unpleasant for non-Americans.)
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Re: Montreal: Je Me Souviens
Thanks for your note, Arion! I really didn't run into anyone in Montreal who couldn't speak some English. My French is weak at best, but got by here. That certainly wasn't the case as we headed further east. Maybe we can convince you to do a piece on the "hidden Montreal" -- the places only locals know about. I'd like to explore some of them the next time I'm there.
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Re: The Valley Island of Maui: 2) Haleakala National Park
US Immigration is a bit of a hassle, although most Canadians receive about a smooth a ride as possible. In most Canadian airports, you can actually clear immigration within Canada, rather than the USA (infinitely preferable because the lines are so much shorter). Not sure if that's true of Montreal, though. Thank you for your kind words about the Hawaii blogs. Hawaii is a special place. I've always gone and explored it by myself, so in this setting I tend to drift to isolated places that are...
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Re: Renting an apartment in Europe
Those are good tips, JohnT. Need to look into an apartment next time I'm in Paris. Not exactly sure how you check out a neighborhood? Where do you go for that?