I had a layover in Istanbul and three days to explore the city. I was overwhelmed by its sheer size. Even though I only saw a very small part of it, I was amazed by all the impressions and experiences. I especially enjoyed taking the ferry across the Bosphorus.

Our first trip ever to Egypt, and my first time bringing my Fujifilm camera overseas. The view was truly incredible as it woke up the kid inside me who was obsessed with Ancient Egyptian history. Seeing these magnificent structures and tombs in person was like seeing a place you always knew for a long time come to life.

First half from the Great Pyramids of Giza to King Tut’s legendary mask in Egypt’s Grand Museum (largest museum in the world) was in Cairo.

Second half starting from the Nile River view was in Luxor where we visited Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple, and even Hatshepsut’s Temple.

I’ll get straight to the point

Let’s say you’re buying something for $20 Canadian Dollars (CAD) in Canada. You tap your card, and a screen comes up with big American and Canadian flags asking “would you like to pay in USD or CAD?”

ALWAYS HIT THE FOREIGN CURRENCY OPTION

If you choose “pay with USD”, the machine will take the $20 CAD purchase, and convert it to USD at a very bad rate, and then send that overpriced USD amount to your credit card provider.

If you choose CAD, the purchase will be sent directly in CAD to your credit card provider, who will then give you a much better exchange rate back to USD on your card bill.

This applies to ATMs too

Some places that I have stopped on or very close to the route of the Bernina Express in Switzerland.

There is so much to do along and around the route. And so easily accessible without a car. I have been around the route numerous times and very happily spent 2 weeks in a row based out of the midpoint at Samedan. You really can’t go wrong with the Engadin in general. From Samedan/St Moritz you have trains running down to Scuol in addition to the Bernina route. Loads of pretty villages and empty side valleys to explore. There are still various spots like the Glasspass and Viamala Gorge by Thusis that I have yet to check out.

Which makes it a bit sad that so many people just jam the Bernina Route in to tick the train off the list. Recently I’ve been seeing many itineraries try to force this into a single insane travel day from Milan to Lauterbrunnen or similar. If you only have 3 nights just pick one place.

The regional trains run once an hour in each direction so it is easy to hop on and off. Just note that some of the stations are “stop on request” so you need to press a button on the train or platform to get it to stop - but they are usually very well signed and clearly shown on the screen.

1. On the regional train crossing the Bernina Pass near the Diavolezza station. The older train wagons where every window can be lowered are getting phased out. The new ones do have a viewing section with little windows that can be opened to take reflection-free photos out of, which might be empty or might be rammed full of people with cameras.

2. Val Bever. The train passes through the lower part of the valley and announces it as being wild and romantic, but the wild romantic part is out of sight after the train has gone underground into the Albula tunnel. A short walk or bike ride gets you up into the more impressive part of the valley.

3. The train goes into the Albula tunnel but you can hike over the pass between the Spinas and Preda stations at each end of the tunnel (12km, +800m, -800m in either direction). The gorgeous Lai da Palpuegna which is just out of sight of the train line is one of the highlights along with a clear view of the whole of the Val Bever. I suggest ending in Preda has more frequent trains and a gentler ascent, but Spinas has the Gashaus Spinas.

4. Diavolzza. One of the most stunning view points in the country. Just going for the view from the cable car station is worth it, the reveal of the view as you reach the top of the ridge and are suddenly hit with towering peaks and glaciers everywhere is stunning. But you can carry on a bit higher up to Munt Pers which repays the (slightly breathless as you start at 3000m) effort with the view in the photo looking up the Morteratsch glacier.

5. Poschiavo. A lovely little village. The village itself won’t occupy you for long (you could easily explore it in an hour and be on the next train) but would make a good base for a few days hitting local spots like Lagh da Sasoseo by bus, or glacier garden and valley around the Cavaglia train stop. I stayed a night at the Albrici hotel which is one of the most gorgeous historic buildings that I have stayed in (or even visited). They are very proud of their local food including Pizzoccheri di Poschiavo, a buckwheat pasta.

6. Muottas Muragl. Take the funicular up from the train line at the Punt Muragl station for fantastic views up the valley and the start of various hikes. I always get the name mixed up with Minas Morgul.

7. Riding the open-air wagons in summer. It doesn’t get more panoramic than that. No special ticket or reservation required, just get on the last normal carriage with a 2nd class ticket, go through the rear door, and hope you find a seat. Check the rhb website or SBB timetable to see which trains include the wagons.

8. Walking down the valley from Preda to Bergün (7km, +110m, -520m). The valley with the old town of Bergün waiting at the end would be worth the walk by itself. But the train track winding and looping its way up really adds to the views. In winter you can sled down from the station, or if you are around on the first weekend of September then you can rent an E-bike and ride it car-free over the Albula pass on the slowUp.

9. Bergün/Bravuogn. A really gorgeous village. You get a nice view of the village sat in the valley from the train, but it doesn’t compare to actually walking the streets. The landscape around it is rather steep/rugged with limited transport options, so what you can do directly around it is a bit limited unless you are into fairly serious hiking.

10. Cows above Samedan. A quick mountain bike ride on MTB route 672 to enjoy the views and some trails down. Graubünden is very MTB friendly. In most cases the signed route is just the normal footpath - so be prepared for hikers and all types of path quality. There are endless options to just ride a gravel road up an almost empty side valley.

11. Walk across the top of the Bernina Pass from Alp Grüm to Morteratsch (14km +320, -500m, or make it shorter and flatter using the various stations in between). The top of the pass is surprisingly flat so it is very easy going with little change in height. You are almost constantly next/near to the tracks so get to watch the red trains glide back and forth.

12. Landwasser gorge. The viaduct is a symbol of the route and the Glacier Express (though honestly I wouldn’t put it it in my top moments on the ride). The Landwasser valley has more to offer (the local tourist board around Filisur is trying promote it as more than drive by so are making it more accessible). Cycling down through the gorge between the Davos Monstein and Davos Wiesen stations is a stunning route (roadies need to go underground through the road tunnel), and hikers can follow the gorge even closer.

13. Walking from Morteratsch station to the Morteratsch Glacier and back (6km, +/- 150m). It is a fairly gentle hike and is kept open in the winter as a groomed path for walking and crosscountry skiing (don’t stand in the tracks!). A number of signposts add some interesting/sad information by showing where the foot of the glacier was at various points in the last 200 years or so. Figure catching the train 3 hours later to give enough time to enjoy the views. Or for a longer and harder walk take the side path up to the Boval hut and back (10km, +/- 650m).

Stayed in six hotels this year across three chains and the bedside situation is always the same. One outlet, usually behind the nightstand, sometimes already taken by the lamp and the alarm clock. The desk has two more on the other side of the room, and there's always one mystery outlet near the floor by the TV.

Between my husband and me it's two phones, two watches, a laptop and earbuds. Every night was a negotiation about who gets the bedside one.

ISO someplace I could stay at least a month for a non-extortionate price. Preferably not overtly faith- or yoga-focused, but open to a degree of spirituality or to being alongside religion without having to partake.

Can be anywhere in the world. Maybe late winter or early spring (flexible if another time of year is best). I speak English, French, Italian and Spanish.

Must be a set location and all-inclusive. Not on the move like Camino de Santiago etc, nor anything for which I’d need to separately figure out lodging/food/logistics beyond getting there and back.

Context: solo 37-year-old woman who wants to run off for a while to just exist, process things, find answers. Recently my father passed away, so lots of grief. And the last couple years I’ve struggled with burnout, unemployment, questioning my whole career/purpose. I cannot keep going the way I have, but have no idea which way to turn.

My wife and I are looking to take a 2-3 week trip at the end of November. Or rough plan isthat I’ll drive out there with our dogs (they both elderly and we don’t want to leave them somewhere for that length of time) and she’ll fly in with our 9 month old son.

We want to go somewhere that we can do a lot of hiking (at least with the kid, maybe some with the dogs too) and has great mountain views, but won’t be snowed in considering the time of year.

So far our best options seem to be in the SW (Southern California, Arizona, and maybe Nevada), but we’re open to anything and hoping to get some suggestions and recommendations from the people of the internet!

I am looking to find somewhere to go during the winter. Budget doesn't necessarily matter. I would love a place that has airbnb's or the like so I don't have to be somewhere big enough that it has hotels. A bed and breakfast would also be great. I love small towns, especially those with a sort of victorian era type of life to them. Somewhere north is preferable because I want to experience the snow there. I want to find a small town that you think of when you think about small towns lol. Hallmarkish. If you have any recommendations please let me know. It is hard to find recommendations for this on google because all I get are towns that are big enough that you can find them on google. Kind of oxymoronic. Thank you

Hey! I am 27M living in the New England area. I work in tech and currently have 15 days of PTO left for this year (which can't be rolled over). I want to do some solo traveling within the US.

I am an avid driver. I love taking my car every now and then to random places. Mountains, beaches, sunsets (<3) excite me a lot. I am also an active hiker, and I did Mt. Washington last summer.

The thing is, my friends don't have vacations and don't want to travel for the rest of the year. I have a lot of vacation left, which I don't want to lose by just sitting at home.

These are the places I've already been to:

1. All of NH, VT, MA, NY, NJ

2. Florida (Miami)

3. California (Yosemite, SF, SJ, LA)

I love to travel and I have a National Park Pass. I've always wanted to visit the National Parks out West, like the Utah Mighty 5, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, etc.

I was thinking of planning a trip for around a week max and exploring a new area. The biggest confusion is where to go, hence this post.

Could you guys please help me figure out what I should do and suggest some interesting plans/itineraries? I am thinking sometime in October/November. I want to keep December for relaxing locally.

I am totally open to flying somewhere and renting a car, or driving if it makes sense. I also don't mind doing a decent amount of hiking, especially if the views are worth it.

Thanks in advance! :)

I’ve searched previous Nile cruise threads but am still overwhelmed by the number of options and I have seen mixed reviews.

I’m looking for a 4–5 day Luxor–Aswan cruise, 5-star standard, with a budget of about $1,000–$2,000 per person. Priorities are a great Egyptologist, good food, comfortable rooms, and stops at Edfu and Kom Ombo, ideally with Abu Simbel arranged as well.

I’ve looked at A&K, but it’s too expensive/long, and dahabiyas also seem pricey and I am not sure my parents will like the boat. I’ve come across names like Mövenpick and Sonesta, but I’m open to anything.
If you’ve done one recently and were happy with it, which specific ship did you take and would you recommend it? Thanks so much!

When one person (dumper) unexpectedly abandons a prepaid two-person trip mid travel and leaves the other traveler (dumpee) alone to sort out the itinerary that is no longer shared, who should bear the resulting “single supplement”/extra accommodation and shared-trip losses that are non refundable and prepaid by the remaining traveler? As well as the resulting costs the dumpee had to pay to restructure the trip.

Details:
- Costs were split by both - they shared the bookings, planned to even their payments on the trip.
- Dumper left in mid transit and their spot couldn’t be replaced easily or that fast
- Dumper didn’t offer to pay their portion of the non refundable bookings the dumpee paid for, but couldn’t use anymore because “their losses were higher” from the previous agreed shared trip plan. - The reason for leaving was not covered by insurance, which left the dumpee with their debt and no recourse.

Hi everyone! My friend and I are planning to visit Australia for 3-4 weeks in February, and our idea currently is to rent a car/camper van and go on a road trip from Brisbane to Cairns. However, I know that February is probably not the best time for QLD, so I wanted to ask what you think of this plan, and if you’d have other recommendations.

Unfortunately February is the only time we can go, as the latest I can enter Australia is Feb 25th according to my visa (and it’s too expensive to fly from Europe around Christmas time).

We are both in our late 20s and are wanting to go on an outdoors/nature-heavy trip. We both scuba dive and would like to dive while we are there, although I’ve also read that it’s stinger season from November til May. The stretch between Brisbane and Cairns seems perfect for the kinds of things we want to see & do, but I know Australia has so much more to offer in other states too, and I’m wondering if we’d be better off somewhere else, maybe WA?

So I guess my question is, would it actually be a mistake to visit Queensland in February? For a roadtrip with lots of hiking and diving, would you recommend somewhere else for that time of year?We would really appreciate it if you could share your thoughts, thank you!

I’ll be travelling across northwestern europe, east + south east asia, and oceania in winter/spring. Does anyone have any suggestions of things to put on a bucket list that would encourage a story? Something you’d be so keen on hearing if someone was telling you.

I know asking kind of defeats the whole purpose but obviously I’m a little bit of an overthinker sometimes and it’s harder as a solo girl traveller to be more carefree about where your trip takes you. But i still want to make meaningful and memorable moments… so anything that could lead to or encourage a story?

Ex: when my dad was younger and broke, he offhandedly asked this bookstore in paris if he could sleep there for a couple nights & they said yes and it’s now one of, if not the most, famous old bookstore there. (i think it had shakespeare in the name?? anyway doesn’t matter lol.) or like, my friend was in vietnam and got to be a monk for a day somehow?? full outfit and all, and it wasn’t a tourist attraction or public thing.

I’m definitely going to try to say yes to every opportunity presented, but just in case nothing does😭😭

Hi all. We are looking at travel insurance for an upcoming trip. We’ve had experience with another company in the past, and our TA recommended Travel Insured.

Has anyone used TI in the past? What was your experience with them - especially if you had a claim? Give me the good, bad and ugly please!

You may remember my previous post, but I took a lot of the recommendations to improve the itinerary. I’m back to see what you all think and see if we need any more changes/refining. Also, are there any can’t miss spots to eat? We have a 7 year old so are looking for more casual meals. We plan on giving him time to rest at the hotel and swim so the itinerary is more laid back. Any and all advice welcome 😊

10/10 - SJC arrive around noon.

Lunch

Spina Farms Pumpkin Patch (or other recommendation)

Dinner and head to hotel in Morgan Hill to rest and swim at the hotel (this was the closest hotel to Pinnacles with good reviews and availability)

10/11 - Drive to Pinnacles national park hopefully arrive by 9 AM. Maybe a small hike (maybe Moses Spring Trail to Bear Gulch Reservoir-yes I will get headlamps) Drive to hotel in Embassy Suites Seaside where we will stay until 10/17

10/12 Monterey Bay Aquarium/Cannery Row

10/13 Whale watching early tour—Sea Goddess or Princess Monterey (any preference between the two? Princess Monterey is slightly more expensive but we’re ok with that if they are a better experience). Lunch then Fisherman’s Wharf/Monterey Waterfront/Dennis the Menace Park.

10/14 17 mile drive is & Carmel by the Sea

10/15 Highway 1 to Big Sur (I’ve heard this is doable now the fires are contained)

10/16 Point Lobos and Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary (hoping the monarchs arrive by then)

10/17 Head to Santa Cruz. Itinerary is loose with a 10/19 checkout. Options include the Boardwalk, Henry Cowell State Park, Natural Bridges, and/or the Mystery Spot

10/19 Fly out of San Jose at 3PM

Fiji Airways has a sale running $303 adult one way NZ - NAD, sale ends 5 Oct (today) but doesnt specify what time sale ends, spoke to Fiji airways and they can’t provide a time either? How does this typically work?

Hi all, my dad is going on a trip in November and I wanted to get him a packable jacket for his birthday. The temperature on his trip should be around 9-15 Celsius and with some rainy days. He is leaving with only a carry on bag so I thought a packable jacket could be a good idea. Would anyone have any recommendations for a rainproof packable autumn jacket, preferably that comes with a bag? 

I saw good reviews for Mont Bell, I love the idea of a bag included with the jacket but I’m worried it will expensive with tariffs or customs (ordering from Canada)

Tyia! 

Varna, Bulgaria. A friend of mine spent her childhood vacations there. It sounded lovely.

So here is my week in Varna. And honestly… It has become a favourite.

You’ve got the Black Sea, beautiful parks, ancient history, amazing food, and a really relaxed atmosphere, without crazy prices or crowds of people.

These are the higlights:

• The Sea Garden (Morska Gradina): This garden ist absolutely gorgeous. It runs along the coast and is perfect for wandering around, grabbing a coffee, sitting in the shade or watching the sunset.
• The beach & beach bars: Having an actual city beach is pretty awesome. And then there are all these restaurants and bars right by the sand. Fresh seafood, drinks, sunset…
• The history: The Archaeological Museum is fantastic. They have the Varna Necropolis gold, more than 6,000 years old and among the oldest worked gold ever discovered. The Cathedral is Varna's most iconic landmark and an absolute must-see, featuring stunning golden domes and beautiful orthodox architecture.
• The food: So much good food! Bulgarian cuisine, fresh fish, grilled stuff, salads, spices, pastries… and generally just really good value.
• The atmosphere: This might actually be what I liked most. Varna feels lively and youthful but still relaxed. You can walk around, sit by the sea, have a drink, explore the city, without too much touristic touch.

I'll be back. 😊

A friend and I (both women in our 40s) are looking to own a trip where we could see bears. We live in the US east coast and really want to see bears in the wild. We are flexible on time of year any in location. Ideally we would be in the Continental US but we do have passports and open to something else. Our ideal scenario is fly somewhere and have a good bear location within 2 hours of the airport. We are would prefer hotel or Airbnb over camping. No set budget but not hoping to not crazy break the bank. When and where should we go?

I’m really torn about visiting Kazakhstan Oct 31–Nov 9. I know it’s not the ideal season and that spring/summer or proper winter might be better, but I’m wondering if it’s still worth it.
● Can I still visit places like Kolsai, Kaindy, Charyn Canyon and Saty?
● Can I self-drive with winter tires, or is it better to hire a driver?
● If I don’t drive, are taxis/local drivers affordable?
● Will anything be closed or inaccessible?
● Will I still get to experience the beauty/might of Kazakhstan, or will the season significantly limit the trip?
I know I can always come back another time, but I’m wondering if I should just go now and experience a different side of Kazakhstan.
Would love to hear from anyone who has visited around this time!

Hi everyone,

My significant other (39M), my stepson (17M), and I (29F) will be traveling to China next year to celebrate college graduation. We have never traveled internationally outside of the US before, and I am more than nervous. I've heard from people firsthand that it's good to book through a tour company for the first time, and also the exact opposite! As newbies, I'm hoping I can get some insight on what to expect in China, things to help prep, and your recommendations on experiencing great sights as well as culture. We're not much into big crowds, but I would like to see a few touristy things like the Terracotta Army and maybe the floating mountains of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. What experiences were your favorite, what didn't quite meet up to expectations, is there much difficulty in language barrier?

Thanks!

Did I apply too early? What’s this now? My travel date is 30/12 to 4 Jan. but eta says valid from 4 Oct to Jan 1??

Am I screwed?

Hello! My friends and I will be celebrating my birthday in San Diego and I was hoping to get some feedback on this itinerary I created. We won’t have a first car just for the first day but they were open to splitting uber rides necessary and we’ll be staying slightly north of University Heights in an AirBnB. I’d like to squeeze a nice/cool library so if anyone has any recs close by any of these spots I’d appreciate it! I was also hoping to check out little Italy but I don’t think I’ll be able to fit it in. We’re down to explore but we sway more towards calmer activities so if anyone has any affordable ideas those are welcome!

Oh and lastly we plan on going out. We’ve all graduated college so we’re more open to clubs/bars mainly bc we LOVE dancing. I’ve heard ab Gaslamp, Hillcrest, etc (open to other areas). Just wanted to know of any specific recs for POC/LGBTQ+ spots that mainly go for pop/latin/rap music!

DAY 1: (afternoon arrival) settling in, Old Town Market (explore and dinner), maybe beach for sunset?

DAY 2: Ballboa park, beach time and boardwalk (?) (Mission/Pacific beach), go out later @night

DAY 3: spend first half of day in La Jolla (check out reserve and watch any gliders), chill for a bit then explore hotel del Coronado through the ferry/dinner (hopefully a spot with a good view?)

DAY 4: clean up/pack and head home

We’re all from northern Califonia but have never been so very open to hearing from anyone who’s been, would prefer options from locals or ppl who’ve stayed long. Kept everything somewhat vague as I’m open to suggestions and tweaks, thank u! :)