lynncarol

We used Cullinan Journeys for several all-day tours while in Cape town. They were reserved by our travel agent in Cape Town whom we used for an over 2- week independent trip to South Africa and Botswana. Very pleased indeed. From her agenda, their phone number is +27 (0) 21 879 0841

In Auckland New Zealand airport, a little sniffer dog signaled by my woven cloth handbag where I had carried some muffins two days earlier. Even though there was nothing at all in it currently, that dog stopped and signaled each time he passed me by till I could leave the area. Very embarrassing.

Not sure what shore excursions are like since we were in Croatia on our own, but Krka NP, not that far from Sibenik is lovely although we found it very crowded in spots.

If you do try Plitvice on your own, you need to buy timed entry tickets in advance. It is a very popular attraction. We did it by car since we were visiting Croatia independently and purchased the tickets 4 weeks earlier online. The place is amazing!

Yes a nice feature, if you can find an available machine. The last time I was successful was at 4 a.m. which was fine because that was Western time and I was still on Eastern time.

It was probably eight years ago but we used Island Wings out of Ketchikan for a float plane to see the bears in September. Michele, the owner, was our pilot. She dropped us off at a beach where one of her staff took us to an overlook where bears were fishing for salmon. Only 12 people were allowed at the overlook, and local volunteers were there to enforce the quota. It was a wonderful experience. We had to book months early though, as she was extremely popular.

Saturn....I think there are several factors involved in selecting a travel option and only you can know which are the most important to you. 1. How risk-adverse you are: do you worry that about encountering dangerous or uncomfortable situations on your own? If something went amiss, would it ruin your experience? My husband and I love to travel independently, but as we age, we find it harder to 'go with the flow' should problems arise: Cancelled flights, train strikes, loss of luggage, getting ill in third world countries, etc. (All of which have happened to us). If so, independent travel is not for you. 2. How much do crowds bother you? I know from recent experience that the very popular tourist spots in Europe (and also the most visited by cruises) are mobbed by tourists now. I am sorry but that includes Greece too, not to mention their wildfires now. I hate crowds, but many folks deal with that better than I and you might be one of those so cruises to the area (including River cruises) could be the answer for you. 3. How much input do you like in your travel agenda? Taking a guided tour, things are pretty set in stone, unless you are willing to shell out the big bucks for private guides. If money is no object, this is a great way to travel. My husband and I took two of our adult grandkids on safaris to South Africa and Botswana, using a local travel agent to plan everything just for the 4 of us during 2021 when Covid had dramatically reduced prices in these areas. (Of course, this helps if you aren't risk adverse). The trip was probably the most expensive one we ever took and we certainly couldn't afford it now at current prices. But all four of us still recall every second of that trip with awe. Once you have given these issues serious consideration, the answer to your question should be apparent to you.

I do think some folks are just genetically less prone to seasickness. My late father was in the navy during WWII so he loved the water and my mother never got seasick. They spent a lot of their later years cruising everywhere and in all kinds and sizes of ships. i, on the other hand, easily got seasick, but have acclimated over years of cruising and it is no longer a problem nor do I take anything except ginger tablets in smaller motor boats during rougher weather.

Been to all of these suggested spots. Rouen was my favorite but we were there for two full days. If only doing a quick day-trip from Le Havre, I would second the Monet Gardens suggestion but be warned: we were there in September and it was mobbed by tourists.

My husband and I love Rome and have been there 4 times now, spending 4-6 days each time. If you want something unusual, visit the Capuchin Crypt, where the chapels are decorated by human bones and skulls...even to the light fixtures. i guarantee that you won't see that very many places.

We enjoyed our 3 hour snorkel cruise with Sea Cow to Klein Bonaire island. Yes we did see a sea turtle but what I really enjoyed was how healthy the coral was in the area. There was a full boat of 27 passengers onboard, but they split us into 3 groups of 9, each with our own guide who accompanied us in the water. What's nice about snorkeling near the island, is that little swimming is involved: everyone just floats along with the current and the boat keeps up with you. My husband's vision isn't that good anymore and he loved that the guide spent so much of her time treading water while keeping an eye out on her 'flock' as we all enjoyed the underwater attractions and marine life. (On other snorkel groups in previous years, the guide just took off expecting everyone to follow him/her which was stressful for my husband)

We took the ABC cruise via Celebrity Equinox last January. Since we spent the day at the beach in Aruba and snorkeled half a day in Bonaire, we wanted to do something that was not so 'beachy' in Curacao. Fortunately, we found Josh Transportation and Tour service right off the boat. We told him we wanted to see the wild flamingos, the Olde Town Painted buildings, and a scenic shoreline with no tourists in sight. He delivered all of that in spades, including some extra delights that we had not even considered such as great overlooks of the cruise harbor and the fishermen's homes. Josh is a delightful guide and perfect driver with a very comfortable car. I think his what's app # is +5999 5151604. We negotiated a price with him that we considered reasonable for the 3 hour tour he provided.

Because of your help desk, my issue was resolved and I have my original account back. Thanks!!

If you are traveling in the winter and your weather is cold, you need to be concerned about pipes freezing if you turn off all the heat. We leave it on, but turn the temperature down to the low fifties. Our water heater is gas, but it has a 'vacation' setting on it that keeps the water from freezing. As far as the water goes in winter, we turn it off at the main line, but then make sure we flush all toilets and bleed the faucets so no water remains in the system.

Exactly what we do too. Not only for cruising, but independent travel too. I blush to confess the longest trip so far with just a carry-on and a small backpack (our personal item) has been three weeks. Not having checked bags has allowed us to catch earlier flights, be first out of the gate when going through customs, and never having to worry about lost luggage. It is easy to handwash things along the way...the only downside is, in all our travel photos over the years it looks like we have on the same outfits.