TravelStream™ news feed for member exploring on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/exploring en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:33:22 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/exploring/5/1215509100/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/exploring/5/1215509100/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/exploring/5/1215509100/tpod.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:33:22 -0500 Uk and Europe

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Rome, Lazio, Italy

Airport - tourism desk. Got a hotel, got bus tickets to the city and off we go with our maps and passes, we are getting so good at this.

OHHH hot weather again. Felt so sssooooo GOOD!

The bus system could have been better. They didn't open the underbelly and everyone was taking 3 seats as luggage had to go somewhere. The only good thing about it was there wasn't to many of us. (this time) I also like how they sold the bus tickets on the plane but didn't mention there was two other options for bus companies. Not that we would have known if any of them were good or not at that time. And if we hadn't bought a return ticket we would not have used the same company to come back to the airport a few days later.

Lets just start by saying we weren't really that happy with Rome. We liked that we saw the major sites and they are amazing, but the overall time in Rome was a dud. We got ripped off with a cab from the bus station and didn't like the looks of the area our hotel was in. We were pleasantly surprised though, once we got up in to our hotel room and learned more about the lay of the land. We were around a lot of nice places and shopping, but first look, it's crowded old and dirty. We didn't do a lot of shopping but sometimes you just have to go in and see what you find. We covered the city on the sightseeing bus tour and got off here and there.

The Coliseum is huge. Tones of people around waiting to get in but we found a tour guide, joined them and went straight in on the tour without waiting in line for tickets, (it was a paid tour, yes we paid for it). I liked this place, I liked the history of it and how it has stood the times and hasn't had as much restoration as so many of the other places that I have seen. We went to Vatican City and enjoyed the architecture of the place and found it interesting how many people must have just bought scarves to cover up the their skin. You must be properly clothed to enter, no bare shoulders, shorts, or skirts above the knee. It's well posted and I thought generally known. But just look around, many people had scarves wrapped around the shoulders or around the wait. Now wouldn't scarves and wraps be a great business to be in on the corner of this major tourist attraction......

We were quick thinking, and since we had the time and it enabled us to see more, we booked an overnight bus tour that would take us out of Rome. We were able to see Naples (didn't like it there for the short time we were there), and Pompeii, interesting but not really what I expected. Sorrento though, wow, could so stay there longer, and Capri, loved it..... We got to see the blue Grotto in Capri and to see the tiny narrow roads and hilly landscape. Lemons anyone?... Yummm... the best slush I have had was in Italy, lemon slush!... cold and refreshing and doesn't hurt that I like lemon stuff anyway. To see the lemons on all the trees as you go by, or when your lounging pool side under a lemon tree, so cool. We would have been happy to stay in Capri but we had to move on.

Yes... the trip back to the airport, not so pleasant. We got to where the bus was to be. We got there early and there was only a few people waiting already. No real line and the guy that supposedly worked for the bus company didn't seem to worry about organization. He was just standing around reading a paper or drinking coffee. Fine, but then the bus shows up and parks halfway down the block from were we all somewhat in line, there is a rush to it and gee not enough room. I had taken Janet's bag and she got on to get us seats when we saw how crazy it was going. Her mom and I were trying to get our stuff stowed away, they did however open the underbelly this time but not all of them. You quickly saw there wasn't' room on one side so we went to other side of the bus, I did see one compartment not open and opened it. Me and several others put our stuff in. Then we walked around to get on and the bus guy tries to tell us there is no room. Guess what,..... We ARE getting on that bus!! I said I would sit on her lap but we were getting on, we were here on time before many others and we had a plane to catch. One of our party was already on the bus and we were joining her, plus our stuff was buried in the underbelly. Go Naomi, "my daughter is on that bus" we are getting on....... he finally decided that he wasn't going to get anywhere and we got on. Janet had two seats for three of us but she sat on the stairs and we were all good. don't mess with us. Not a good start or a good finish...we were quite tired of Rome!

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London, United Kingdom

Back to London and stayed out in Gatwick this time. A nice little place and we had had enough of all the crows. Had hoped to rent a car and tour about more of the city and we hadn't gotten out to Stonehenge yet. It was beginning to look like it wasn't going to happen. One of the places at the top of the list and not looking good. We couldn't get a car, there was none to be had. But we are resourceful. We found a bus tour that would take us there and to Bath, and Winsor as well. Ya, we don't have to find our own way, they will look after us. Once we found the bus that is......

A nice day. It took a bit but we got there and we had a quirky tour guide that kept us entertained on the drive. Stonehenge was cool, just like in the pictures. The only thing that disappointment was the crowds and how guarded the place was. You could not get that close to them, but I understand why, I just like a more personal look I guess, (and that I had just seen a bunch of standing stones in Scotland without a sole around except who I was traveling with) On to Bath, neat, but more museum like then I was thinking and very very over crowded. We went through fast and went shopping. I liked the bath part of it, to look at, but the museum part was not for me. I was getting tired of traveling and had already seen so many old and wonderful places that I was overloaded with old places and historic information. I liked the look of the town and think it would be nice place to do more exploring in. A picturesque place. One last stop and out tour is over, and last place to see on the entire two week trip. Windsor Castle, saw the changing of the guards, something we didn't do while we were in London. A nice way to finish up the trip along with the dinner and drinks back at the hotel.

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Paris, Île-de-France, France

While flying in you hear people starting to talk. The tower was sited. But I can't see it. It's quite grey down there, I saw the Arc but not the tower.... then finally I spotted it.

Makes a much better sight from the ground though, as it towers so much over the other building. It's huge, but so exiting. Look forward to getting up there.

Airport - tourism desk. Got a hotel, got train tickets to the city and off we go with our maps and passes.

Settle in to our room and off and running we go. The train system is great and the hotel is just a few blocks from the station. We found it no problem the first night but doesn't mean you can't get lost the next time.

First on the list, the Tower.. I was told that if we didn't want to wait forever to get up The Eiffel Tower then we should arrive before 10am. One the best piece of advice to listen to. We got there at 9:30 and at that rate it still took us about an hour before we got through the lines and up the elevators. Great view, but how could you not with being that far up... could have done without all the people though, way to crowded.

Another great structure, The Arc de Triumph. Once we found the walk way under the round about we got up close and personal. I continued the inspection by climbing the 200 and odd steps to the top for a few of the round about and want ever else I could see. It was a nice view up there and neat to see how the land is laid around it but I was disappointed that I couldn't really get a good look at the cars on the round about. I thought that was to be a fun thing to do, but I'm not tall enough and the security is so tight so now one goes over that you can't get a good look straight down. I wanted to see the craziness off the traffic. I did though enjoy it and got some view of the traffic from traffic level. Glad I wasn't driving.......

Notre Dam, a great building. We wanted to go in but my god the line went on for ever. We opted not to wait. We wondered around the area though and found a cafe and went for crapes. HMM chocolate crapes in the afternoon. Yummy. But the next day we were back and did go in and check it out. I just love the architecture of these buildings.

The art and the sculptures of The Louver. I must say I was quite disappointed in this place overall. Not that I'm a museum or gallery person, but I much preferred the atmosphere of the National gallery in London then here. It was a loud and crowded place with flashes going off all over. Don't get me wrong, I love to take pictures and I do take a lot of them, and it's nice that it's allowed as most places don't. But people, no flashes, that's what was posted and that's what causes the damage.
The best part for me was the carved marble, it's just amazing how much detail the artist can put into a piece. Don't forget this is where the Mona Lisa is hung. Not that you can get that close to it,.... did I mention the crowds... and it really isn't that big.

Yes, high tourist season and busy cities were starting to get me down. It just takes so much of the joy out of things.

Our last day in France.. Today we are taking the train out to Versailles, going to see the palace, but we are catching on the way things work in a busy tourist season so as we got off the train there was an advertising for the tourist tickets and thought that would be a good place to start. The train was packed but many people just walked on by and headed strait for the palace. We followed the signs and were close to the first ones to get there. We got entrance tickets and booked a tour for the palace. Good thing, we thought it might be busy at the actually location and thought this might save us some time. Did it ever. The line up for the ticket counter at the palace was like a 2 hour wait. We didn't have to.. YA
One our guide got there the did the tour. Another amazing place, just huge.... Not my style with the decorating but the detail that went into everything is amazing. Grand rooms and beautiful gardens.

Trying to book a taxi for a drive to the tower at night. The guy at the desk in the hotel was really trying to help us out but he wasn't understanding what we wanted. I pointed to a place on the map that we had seen the other day and it was a great place to see the tower from. But to the guy at the desk, it is a building and it would be closed. He kept telling me it was closed we can't go there. I kept telling him we are not going in the building... but that is where we want to go. Finally we just left it at that, he may of decided I was just nuts and went along with it... he would talk to the cab driver, as the driver would likely speak less English that this guy. Funny... Anyway, off we go towards, I hope, the spot I picked. The driver was awesome, he knew what we wanted even if he didn't speak our language. I had the camera out and taking pictures along the way. We did arrive to the right place and while Naomi stayed in the cab Janet and I got out for a bit and took some shots. Again lots of people but I saw a place along the building and did a bit of climbing. I just took us up a level so we were over the heads of the people and could get a good shot. I used the wall of the building beside me to keep the camera still. Apparently we were doing something that was interesting as there was a guy coping us. The tower was BLUE. It was so neat to see, there was lots of people around doing the same thing. So on the way back the cabby took a different route, but we were good with that as the lights in the night of Paris was a site to see...

On to the airport, but which one. OOPS didn't have that quite right. Arrived at the one we were going for but it wasn't the one we needed. OH NO......
The other airport is 70 km away and we don't have a whole lot of time. Cab it is.... We made it... WOW!!! hey we got to see the French countryside, nice and green.
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Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

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Airth, Scotland, United Kingdom

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Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom

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London, England, United Kingdom

will get back to this
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Kensaleyre, United Kingdom

jjj
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Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom

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]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/exploring/africa/1211282400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/exploring/africa/1211282400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/exploring/africa/1211282400/tpod.html Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:17:32 -0400 From Winnipeg's snow to Capetown's rain

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Dahab, Red Sea and Sinai, Egypt

No rest for us though, we had to move on to Dahab along the coast where are next stay was. The Red Sea is beautiful!!! And the best of all we caught up with all of the members (except 1) that had been with us before. 4 of them had booked in to the same place we were staying. This was first trip so far that i spent so much extra time with the group after the tour ended. It was great. We were to be here only for 2 nights... But the one day several of us went snorkeling in the Blue Hole spot and it was great, then one of the girls was talking about staying longer, as we were only driving back to Cairo to catch planes, why not stay here the extra nights before flights. I wasn't thinking of it but it was a cool thought. Then the one night while walking down along the waters edge there was a sign advertising diving course for 3 days. HMMMM that got me thinking. I had two weeks before i had to be anywhere so i thought i would check it out. And of course it was a good move, one the guys was interested as well so we both booked in started a couple days later. In the mean time three of us girls booked into a trip to go to Petr, Jordan for the day. How about that, going to another country for the day. I would love to say it was a great day but we were not happy with the trip. The city of Petra and the lost city and the country were great, but the tour itself was not what we were expecting. We ended up on a tour that didn't do English and the most rudest people any of us had ever come across were on this tour bus. Mostly mad because we given the open the day before to go but were told there was no English, so we said NO, but still ended up on one....that's life i guess. Again Petra was great.

The Jordan trip was a long day but when i got back and the next day in the afternoon i started my diving. YA We just did some paper work stuff as three was four in the class and we were all tired, two had just done the Mt. Sinai so they were really tired. So then we got in the water the next day and everyday after that for three days. We all got our open water certificates. Then since were were going to be doing extra diving anyway, while were were here and to get us to able to go deeper we combined diving with one of the other girls on our tour with more courses, and ended up completing the next set of stuff to finish up with the Advanced open water certificate. I was really tired by this time so i finished with that. Hope to get a couple more in before leaving but have then taken the next couple days off.

Hence getting some email and pictures stuff done. I know about time!!!

So that last few days i have doing that.

If you were to come here it is quite relaxing and the weather is great. Same thing everyday, just more or less wind. There are cats everywhere and dogs as well. We didn't mind though as we all liked having them around but they are everywhere. You go and chill out by the water in one of the restaurants and you will see kittens. They look quite healthy though, small but seem to be doing well ,course tourists keep feeding them. Gives the place a homey feel. I'm sure there are some that would not agree but i liked it. This town is not all built up with high rises and things and it's quite relaxing, there is a dive shop in almost of the buildings, it's a big thing here.
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