Originally Posted by plain jane doe

I don't have anything concrete planned, but I would like to go to Bosnia and Herzogovina and Israel this year. I also spend a lot of time daydreaming about a month-long train trip, but who knows when or if that can happen.

You should definitely go to Israel. All the hoopla you hear on the news is exactly that. My husband and I went two years ago and did not encounter a single problem. The food was a new experience, full of flavors I had never tasted. The religious experience walking through the historical streets of Jerusalem and Nazareth was surreal.

^^^Well, apparently Israel may be planning on attacking Iran....so the hoopla may be real right now!

PJD - I have a really hard time because my husband isn't a big traveler. So I have to do the cruises for him. He likes to veg on the ship and have the food and everything right there. Plus, his diabetes has really affected his ability to walk. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to be able to immerse myself in a small village somewhere. Africa fascinates me...as does the Mayan culture. However, culture & history are my big interests....so Europe, N. Africa, and Asia (China/Japan) are perfect for me.

I only try to pick the cruises that visit places I really don't want to spend time in and then I can determine if I ever want to go back. Visiting Greece on a cruise was perfect...I wasn't sure if I'd like it and it turns out that I really didn't. But Turkey? That one day totally made me want to go back.

Another example? I couldn't imagine flying to Panama or a Caribbean island and sitting there for a week. No way! I need the culture and history part. When we cruise I don't even bring a bathing suit anymore.

Our biggest priority is travel as well. Whenever we talk about getting a new house or doing work to the one we have or getting new cars it's like "Well we could do that but then we wouldn't be able to go anywhere." The only set trip we have is our every five years trip to Scotland (we got married there) that we do around our anniversary. There is still plenty more of that country to discover. Other than that we tend to disagree on where we want to go.
My big goals are:
Carnival in Venice
The Alps
Beltane Festival in Ediburgh
Rheine River cruise in Germany
Amsterdam
Mediterranean Cruise
Greece
Budapest
Prague
Safari in South Africa (I did this in 6th grade but want to go back as an adult)

Really I could probably list things all day long. I think probably next year we will either try to get to Germany or do a Mediterranean cruise.

Originally Posted by plain jane doe

What are all y'all's travelling styles? (Twiggers, I know you love cruises )

I like to be able to go somewhere where you can walk around a central area and explore on your own. Like in Edinburgh you can totally walk around the Old Town and see all kinds of stuff on your own without any tours. I have heard that Rome is like this as well. I do like cruises for exploring places you are unsure you would really want to visit (partly why I want to do the Mediterranean cruise is to see if there would be places we would want to return to and explore on our own), or for places like the Carribean where you are on a limited amount of space with only so much to do on an island. I guess I am not really sure what my style is. Independent?

Originally Posted by DW5280

You should definitely go to Israel. All the hoopla you hear on the news is exactly that. My husband and I went two years ago and did not encounter a single problem. The food was a new experience, full of flavors I had never tasted. The religious experience walking through the historical streets of Jerusalem and Nazareth was surreal.

I am not concerned about the safety aspect but glad to hear you had a good experience. If I'm not able to go it will be for logistical reasons.

Originally Posted by dr. twiggers

PJD - I have a really hard time because my husband isn't a big traveler. So I have to do the cruises for him. He likes to veg on the ship and have the food and everything right there. Plus, his diabetes has really affected his ability to walk. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to be able to immerse myself in a small village somewhere. Africa fascinates me...as does the Mayan culture. However, culture & history are my big interests....so Europe, N. Africa, and Asia (China/Japan) are perfect for me. I only try to pick the cruises that visit places I really don't want to spend time in and then I can determine if I ever want to go back. Visiting Greece on a cruise was perfect...I wasn't sure if I'd like it and it turns out that I really didn't. But Turkey? That one day totally made me want to go back. Another example? I couldn't imagine flying to Panama or a Caribbean island and sitting there for a week. No way! I need the culture and history part. When we cruise I don't even bring a bathing suit anymore.

Are you considering going back to places you like on your own, or do you have some girlfriends (tPF friends? ) you might go with?

I am the same way about sitting on the beach. I am terrible with history, but I also need the wandering around, seeing the local life or some different landscape or wildlife.

Originally Posted by buzzytoes

I like to be able to go somewhere where you can walk around a central area and explore on your own. Like in Edinburgh you can totally walk around the Old Town and see all kinds of stuff on your own without any tours. I have heard that Rome is like this as well. I do like cruises for exploring places you are unsure you would really want to visit (partly why I want to do the Mediterranean cruise is to see if there would be places we would want to return to and explore on our own), or for places like the Carribean where you are on a limited amount of space with only so much to do on an island. I guess I am not really sure what my style is. Independent?

I love that about Edinburgh as well. I hear most European cities are good for walking.

Originally Posted by buzzytoes

I like to be able to go somewhere where you can walk around a central area and explore on your own. Like in Edinburgh you can totally walk around the Old Town and see all kinds of stuff on your own without any tours. I have heard that Rome is like this as well.

Rome is super walkable, all the major sights are within about 15-30 minutes of each other. I consider it a pretty small city actually as far as most go. I love walking around when I'm there but in the summer I get so hot, that's the only downside to it for me

I don't know where I'm going this summer yet, I have a few potentials on my list but I'm seeing how things go. I'd like to go to Florence since Italy's my second home and I try to go back as much as possible. I'm a Southern girl though (Palermo baby!) so the North will be a completely new and different experience for me. Next month over Spring Break I'm going to Dallas to visit a friend and I've only ever changed planes in Texas so I'm excited for that!

My mom told me this week that my graduation (college) present for next year is going to be a roadtrip through Scotland and Wales, we went to Scotland in 2008 and both fell in love with it. As for Wales I've been suggesting we do that for years and she's ignored it! lol Of course when she comes up with it it's suddenly a good idea

I agree that Rome is walkable for sure. We walked all around and it really didn't take long. We were staying close to St Peters and we walked back to the hotel from the Colosseum and it wasn't bad. We stopped and saw a few other things on the way. I can't wait to go back.

Not sure what my travel style is yet. DH likes warm places but he puts up w/ my history buff vacays. Our next trip might be somewhere warm but I am pushing for Europe again. We are probably going to try a cruise soon though.

Originally Posted by dr. twiggers

Welcome Mediana :-) When did you land in the US? Are you flying on to New Orleans or starting your road trip from Alabama? Classy - Ooooohhhhh, jealous of your Paris trip!!

I flew into New Orleans and then we headed to Mobile, Montgomery and now we're in Nashwille. Will be staying here for two days and then we're headed to Memphis. The Cruise ship leaves on Sunday so we have to be back until then.

Originally Posted by plain jane doe

What are all y'all's travelling styles? (Twiggers, I know you love cruises )

Ha, we'll I've done a couple of cruises but I like land trips too. I'm very much a city girl.

I really like to visit Iran. Mostly because of the history and mosaic. Other than that Socotra Island is on my list. Looks great but perhaps not the easiest place to visit.

My next upcoming trip will be Italy in March. We're flying into Venice and then driving into Slovenia. I've never been there. After that we're staying a couple of days in Venice before we take the train to Milano for some shopping and the flight home.

On a sader note. I have a trip booked to Istanbul in July. My mother and I are taking my father on a surprise trip to see Formula 1 for his 60:s birthday. I have the tickets, hotel and flight all booked but now Malev claimed bankruptcy. I think I'll get the money back for the flights but now I need to find new tickets and there are no more non stop flights from Stockholm and I'll most likely be paying the double price.

Mediana - Enjoy Nashville! It's a fun city. There is a small cafe called the Blue Bird Cafe where you can hear singer songwriters trying out new songs. You have to book in advance...not sure if you have every evening planned or not.

Istanbul....I'm jealous. I hope things work out with the plane tickets.

Rome is VERY walkable and the buses are easy to figure out too. I walked all the way from the Vatican to the train station one day....just getting lost and popping into random churches.

I love Amsterdam....but it's not super walkable to get out to some of the sights (i.e., Van Gogh museum). But their tram system is VERY easy and we rented bikes.

PJD - I don't really have any travel friends, except for another couple we cruise with. But I like to meet up with tPF friends when out and about. DH usually hangs back in the hotel when we go on land trips.

Originally Posted by Lady Stardust

My mom told me this week that my graduation (college) present for next year is going to be a roadtrip through Scotland and Wales, we went to Scotland in 2008 and both fell in love with it. As for Wales I've been suggesting we do that for years and she's ignored it! lol Of course when she comes up with it it's suddenly a good idea

Congrats! All your upcoming trips sound pretty exciting, except I have to say Dallas didn't quite do it for me But I would also go to visit a friend!

Originally Posted by VanessaJean

Not sure what my travel style is yet.

Obviously you need more trips!

Originally Posted by Mediana

On a sader note. I have a trip booked to Istanbul in July. My mother and I are taking my father on a surprise trip to see Formula 1 for his 60:s birthday. I have the tickets, hotel and flight all booked but now Malev claimed bankruptcy. I think I'll get the money back for the flights but now I need to find new tickets and there are no more non stop flights from Stockholm and I'll most likely be paying the double price.

That sucks, hope it all works out for you.

twiggers, aren't there boards where you could meet up with other travellers on cruises or otherwise? Could you maybe try that?

Do you guys ever pull up a map and daydream about something in particular? Right now mine is relocating (eventually) from Europe to Australia, going overland into Asia and then taking a boat (cruise is fine). In. my. dreams.

PJD - Oh yes. I am on a cruise board all the time. In fact, the couple that we cruised with over New Year's was someone we met online and then they were on our Med cruise. We have 2 more cruises booked with them. I am also on Fodors and they sometimes have meet-ups.

I don't know...to be honest, I'd rather be alone. I love chatting and meeting new travelers when I'm at museums/sites, but then I can go off and do my own thing without being subject to what someone else wants to do. Yes, totally selfish LOL Sometimes I yearn to have someone who loves history as much as me, but I'm OK with it.

And yes, I daydream ALL the time. I usually go on cruise websites and look at the round-the-world cruises and just dream of visiting all those places! Or I'll pull up a map of Europe and start plotting out a future trip (since I like to do multi-country trips when I fly all the way over there).

Here's a question for you americans. I'm as you know on a Road trip right now and when ever I'm in US driving I notice that people don't turn off their high beam whenever they meet another car or is right behind one. How come?

Originally Posted by Mediana

Here's a question for you americans. I'm as you know on a Road trip right now and when ever I'm in US driving I notice that people don't turn off their high beam whenever they meet another car or is right behind one. How come?

If you are driving in the backwoods then people often turn on their highbeams and forget to turn them off. If you have yours on and flip them off when you see the other driver coming, that should remind them.

There are also a lot of cars now with high clearance, and their regular headlights can be very bright if you are in a lower car.

Originally Posted by plain jane doe

If you are driving in the backwoods then people often turn on their highbeams and forget to turn them off. If you have yours on and flip them off when you see the other driver coming, that should remind them. There are also a lot of cars now with high clearance, and their regular headlights can be very bright if you are in a lower car.

I guess you can forget but I have not yet met one car who switch their highbeams off. Yesterday I had a car right on my tail on a main road that didn't turn their highbeams off. It was so annoying and a safety hazard that I had to stop the car to let them pass. 5 min later I have another behind me.

Let me continue with another question :) If you stay at a B&B with only a few rooms and the owner do the cleaning of the rooms themselves. Do you leave a tip for the cleaning?