Travel

[World Traveler]

Welcome to the October travel chat, and I’ve had another month (September) of great reading from the posts you have contributed. Here are the ones I was most interested in:

Anyone Take a Cruise to Canada? by @bonnielu 

Anyone Travel on American Cruise Lines? by @depglass 

Barcelona, Canary Islands, and Lisbon by @dawg lover

Bermuda by @walker 

Boca Raton, Florida by @classic

Carnival Sunshine to Begin Out of Charleston by @Lipstickdiva 

Disneyland by @crazered 

European Travel Book by @Twins Mom

Exciting News – 19 Day/Night Trans Atlantic Westbound by @Happiness is an Inside Job 

Favorite Comfy or Stylish Travel Outfit by @joannecha 

Has Anyone Used Airbnb? by @JeanLouiseFinch 

Is There Anywhere I can Travel to That isn’t Raining? by @BalletBabe

May Trip to Hawaii – Jacket Suggestions by @bonnielu

Not Sure if I Asked This About Carry-On Luggage  by @bonnielu

Panama Canal by @reiki604 

RFID Information for Protection by @bonnielu

Sandals Resorts or Anniversary Get Aways by @Mumof2 

Trip Report – Live from My Greek Island Cruise by @Alter Ego

Trip to Vermont in the Fall by @Arianny 

TSA and 3-1-1 Rule  by @bonnielu

Washington, DC by @itsmetoo 

Looking forward to what chatting is going on in October! 

[dawg lover]

@World Traveler - I recently read your wonderful post about your Baltic trip last year.  I really enjoyed it; I felt as if I was there!  It is definitely on my bucket list, and I am starting to look into it.  I have a question for you:  several of the countries you visited have different currencies other than the euro.  How did you exchange your currency:  on the ship, or was there an exchange place on the dock or in town?  Using credit cards would make me a little nervous, plus some places would not take a card for a minimal purchase, such as a water bottle.  Thanks for your help!

[World Traveler]

@dawg lover I am glad you enjoyed the posts. It was a great trip!

I ordered the money online thru my bank. They FedEx the money to me. Used to go to the bank and order it, but that would sometimes take two weeks. I got it directly online in a matter of a few days.

I based how much to order on the number of days or activities/meals I had planned for each country. There is no way to know exactly how much to take, but I wanted to at least have something for each country before I arrived there. Then if you have a big purchase, you can use your credit card.

Once I got to the airport to return home, I went to the exchange kiosk and cashed it all in. 

It really is the simplest way to do it! 

[dawg lover]

@World Traveler - great info, thanks!

[Stray]

@World Traveler- just back from Japan.  I did The Essence of Japan Tauck tour in addition to time on our own and loved the Country, people and the tour.   Japan was the last destination on my bucket list.  It was a bit rainy but it didn't prevent us from any activities except for the Typhoon day in Kyoto.   The thing I love about Tauck are their connections in the Country so you get to me local residents and really explore the culture of the Country.  Japan was fascinating especially the evening with a Geisha.  I've traveled to many many countries and as you know live part of the year in Italy and I'd have to rank Japan as my favorite destination and trip to date.  I've never been to a cleaner Country and tho English is not spoken frequently, the Japanese people make such an effort to help you and communicate.  Google translator is a wonderful thing.  But, what impressed me the most, was how they treat their fellow human beings.  Japan has no national religion but they are born into Shintoism which is more a way of life or thinking which is directed outward.  How can I help someone else but in many cultures including my own, it's all about me.  After, visiting this beautiful country, meeting the fabulous people and exploring their traditions, it gave me hope for humankind.   A wonderful trip! 

[World Traveler]

@Stray So good to hear from you!

And Japan......well, I can't agree with you more. I loved it too. Have to also agree about time spent with a Geisha. What an interesting time to learn about their ways and how they live. Takes a lot of time and help from others to don those beautiful (and expensive!) robes.

I have no doubt that going with Tauck made for an excellent experience. They are rated very high.

It is the one and only trip where I lost weight! I lost eight pounds in two weeks. Don't get me wrong.....I loved the food, but their small portions and variety are what made me lose weight, I think. I am used to walking and exercising a lot, so it wasn't that. I truly feel it is the "a little of a variety of things" way of eating that is the key. I kept doing that when I got home, and then I somehow got back to my old way of eating and found those eight pounds! ha!

Post some photos if you get a chance. 

[VaBelle35]

I was just reading some blurb on Apartment Therapy about the Queen and how she sleeps with a water bottle.

She also travels with her own toilet seat.

Now I am a pretty night maintenance traveler, but I have never thought about traveling with a toilet seat.

I have to see if they sell travel toilet seats now.

[World Traveler]

@VaBelle35 LOL!!! Well, I can sort of see the wisdom in it for her; never really thought about it before.

I have seen the toilet seats you can take on camping trips. It is a wire frame with a regular toilet seat on it. I know it would have come in handy the first couple of times I went camping, but now after traveling to so many countries where you need to squat and go, I don't think anything about it.

[VaBelle35]

@World Traveler

I would buy one of those for camping.  That's fantastic.

[Sammijo10]

Just got back from two weeks in Italy.  From Rome to Tuscany to Venice.  This was my fourth (!) trip to Italy - the first being in 1981! It was all just as stunning as I remembered - everything from ancient civilizations to contemporary fashion and art.  I know there are a few posters who live there part of the year, so please don't take my comments badly, they are just my impressions.  If I could live anywhere else for part of the year, it would be Italy.

I have noticed how things have changed over the years.  Poor Venice, she looked a bit more shabby this time than I remember. And the recent protests about garbage collection in Rome is spot on. It's not that the people are lazy and littering all over, they are trying to put it in the bins that are everywhere, but the bins are overflowing!  How hard is that to manage!?  If NYC can do it, surely Rome can.  

And the charging admission for churches just floored me.  Granted the last time I was there was 2001 (in the summer, before 9/11), still, I was disappointed. (Two separate admission charges for the Church of San Lorenzo in Florence, one for the main church and an extra 8 Euros to see the Michaelangelo sculptures on the Medici tombs, come on!) Open your coffers, Vatican and allow all this art to be viewed by everyone!

The proliferation of tour groups was also annoying.  I know I sound like I wanted the whole of Italy to be vacated just for me, which is not the case, I guess it was all the changes since my last visit that was jarring.

The hill towns in Tuscany are beautiful. The hotel we chose was in a small town about a 1/2 hour south of Florence.  We rented a car and took day trips to Florence (two days) San Gimignano, Pisa, Lucca, and Siena. It's like a step back in time.  We couldn't believe our luck when we discovered that Siena was going to do an extra Palio the weekend we happend to be there.  That's been on my bucket list for a while, and it was truly Strordinario!  If you get a change, check out You Tube, Palio di Siena, October 20, 2018.  What a hoot!