Alternative Travel Plans???

[Lois R]

21 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

One of my regrets in life was not going to Israel when I was physically able to do so.

I had an experimental surgery in Feb.that did not work .I was supposed to have another procedure this month but I am cancelling it.I do not believe that now is the time to go to a hospital.A cousin of mine living in Calif went to a hospital for severe abdominal pain and died yesterday.Cruising and traveling in general is not likely for me other than a trip to the cemetery but I will postpone that for as long as possible.

Hi Lenny, my heartfelt condolences to you.  So sorry about your cousin. May they rest in peace and their memory

be a blessing to you.

[lenquixote66]

25 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Hi Lenny, my heartfelt condolences to you.  So sorry about your cousin. May they rest in peace and their memory

be a blessing to you.

Thanks very much,Lois R.

[luxecruisers]

6 hours ago, slidergirl said:

I will say that I would love to do a 2 week road trip through "Old Florida" - those backroads and old towns.  I belong to a FB group where people have posted photos of places in "OF" and it just calls to me.  But, that's too far to drive to do and it would cost too much to haul my camping gear on a plane.   

 

Thanks for the tip: old Florida looks interesting! 

[luxecruisers]

6 hours ago, evandbob said:

The head of Air BnB just stated that ALL travel as we used to know it has ended.  There is a competition for new ideas and modes of travel.

 

Many posters have said they will drive to National Parks or RV cross country rather than get on a plane or cruise ship.  This might alleviate the over tourism some ports of call have been experiencing as well help as the environment recover.

 

But please dispose of masks and gloves properly!

 

This is why I keep wondering how crowded national parks are right now. In California, they are very busy ... 

[luxecruisers]

3 hours ago, Warm Breezes said:

No.  We were at the same park a couple of years ago with my mother and it was much busier. Having said that we were there mid-week this time (not sure about last time).

 

Okay, there's hope yet for some social distancing at national parks! Thanks for the tip! 

[luxecruisers]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

One of my regrets in life was not going to Israel when I was physically able to do so.

I had an experimental surgery in Feb.that did not work .I was supposed to have another procedure this month but I am cancelling it.I do not believe that now is the time to go to a hospital.A cousin of mine living in Calif went to a hospital for severe abdominal pain and died yesterday.Cruising and traveling in general is not likely for me other than a trip to the cemetery but I will postpone that for as long as possible.

 

Sending positive thoughts your way ... 

[luxecruisers]

2 hours ago, clo said:

We cruised them two years ago to Antarctica on their 400 pax Midnatsol and a year ago on their Norwegian coastal cruise on their 100 pax Lofoten. Loved every bit of both trips.

 

Did you find it a difficult trade-off between cabin/amenities vs way more adventure (which I'm a huge fan of)?

[clo]

27 minutes ago, luxecruisers said:

 

Okay, there's hope yet for some social distancing at national parks! Thanks for the tip! 

Not natl. parks but RV parks. Jammed. We made a stop for one night and got the only space. Evidently RV sales and rentals are through the roof. People are figuring it out. When we arrived our 'paperwork' was in a slot at the locked front door and a man drove us to our spot in his golf cart. 

[SRQbeachgirl]

On 8/1/2020 at 12:20 AM, clo said:

So you're willing to fly? Wow.

 

Yes, I'm willing to fly. We wouldn't have anyone sitting next to us (in First), everyone would be wearing masks, and I always wipe down our seat areas with Lysol wipes. I'm an "essential worker" in the D.C. area, so I've been exposed to people throughout the pandemic anyway.

 

On 8/1/2020 at 8:28 AM, luxecruisers said:

 

What are your top picks for Thanksgiving? 

 

If we stick to a road trip, probably somewhere in the Blue Ridge Mountains or back to Gatlinburg, TN for some hiking in the Smokies.

 

Also kicking around the idea of taking Amtrak up through the Northeast for fall foliage or, if we really need a beach fix, catching a flight down to Florida.

  

[slidergirl]

31 minutes ago, luxecruisers said:

 

Okay, there's hope yet for some social distancing at national parks! Thanks for the tip! 

Go to the recreation.gov site - it has all the National Park/Forest campgrounds.  Put in a park you are thinking of, and dates.  It will show you what's available.  Many spots are RV/tent, so all those new RVs are taking up spots that us tenters use to be able to get to.  I was looking for something in September for Great Sands Nat'l Park last night - it's one night here, 2 nights there, but not a nothing for 3 nights.   Sigh.  The hunt continues. 

[clo]

2 minutes ago, luxecruisers said:

 

Did you find it a difficult trade-off between cabin/amenities vs way more adventure (which I'm a huge fan of)?

It could hardly be called a "trade-off." There's little resemblance between them. Here's the BIG ship Midnatsol;

 

https://www.travelfortravellers.com/ms-midnatsol/

 

And here's the Lofoten (100 pax!). We LOVED her.

 

 

[clo]

7 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

it's one night here, 2 nights there, but not a nothing for 3 nights.   Sigh.  The hunt continues. 

Yeah. I was reading something that people are taking a single night in case somebody cancels/no shows. Did you see that Yosemite is asking drivers to be especially careful of the bears. They got accustomed to the park being closed and are venturing onto roads that they wouldn't have before.

Edited August 3, 2020 by clo

[lenquixote66]

22 minutes ago, luxecruisers said:

 

Sending positive thoughts your way ... 

Thank you

[slidergirl]

49 minutes ago, luxecruisers said:

 

Okay, there's hope yet for some social distancing at national parks! Thanks for the tip! 

How many nights did you spend at Theodore Roosevelt NP?   It's kind of out there in the boonies.  It would make for a 1600 mi round trip, going and coming different ways.  Might be worth a better look!!   

[slidergirl]

16 minutes ago, clo said:

Yeah. I was reading something that people are taking a single night in case somebody cancels/no shows. Did you see that Yosemite is asking drivers to be especially careful of the bears. They got accustomed to the park being closed and are venturing onto roads that they wouldn't have before.

More than a few places are now where you have to watch out for bears and other wildlife wandering around the campgrounds.  I had one on our honeymoon WAY back.  Camping at Devil's Postpone NM (a really cool place).  One morning, our "neighbor" came over and said there had been a bear reclining against our tent for awhile the night  before!!!  
It was hard last year to get my trip together - I made my manager really mad at me because I booked everything before I actually asked for the time off because I didn't want to not get the sites!!!   I ended up quitting vacation, so he was with me whether or not he wanted it!   That "ND/SD/WY" for a trip may be a good backup for what I really want if I can't get that one together!

[billyu]

Had a wonderful land based vacation the first week of July in Banff.  

It was fun to see some of my own country. 

[clo]

8 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

there had been a bear reclining against our tent

Some years ago I committed two of the major bear sins.  I left the window open over the kitchen sink and I left meat thawing on the counter. During night Mama Bear gently lifted the screen off the window and came in. I must have heard something and she must have heard my feet hit the floor cause when I got downstairs, she and her two cubs were standing oh so nonchalantly under a nearby tree, like "who me? I didn't do anything." I never made those mistakes again 🙂

[pris993]

2 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

One of my regrets in life was not going to Israel when I was physically able to do so.

I had an experimental surgery in Feb.that did not work .I was supposed to have another procedure this month but I am cancelling it.I do not believe that now is the time to go to a hospital.A cousin of mine living in Calif went to a hospital for severe abdominal pain and died yesterday.Cruising and traveling in general is not likely for me other than a trip to the cemetery but I will postpone that for as long as possible.

Yes, as we get older, traveling internationally becomes more of a challenge.   Going to Israel from San Francisco where we are is a long hard trip.  In the past we have gone thru Paris on Air France on a non stop.  Now United has a non stop San Francisco to Tel Aviv, 15 hours.  We actually have family in Haifa, Bet Shean and Ashdod.  My husband is the oldest in the family so we have tried to go for a visit every so often.  Amazing country on so many levels, so much history, plus the continuing modern development of the country.    I first visit Israel in l983, so have seen the development over the years.  The religious and historic sites are once in a life time experiences.  

 

NOw with computers, I have found that I can often find on you tube amazing videos that I enjoy.  I often use these to check out some place I have not seen before, gives me the lay of the land.  So you might check out you tube videos.  I have looked at some for Israel, because I wanted to share them with a grandson.  Some videos are simply made by someone on a motorcycle, remember one I saw of young man riding the streets of Haifa, which was fun.   Any rate, thought I mention, hope you find something you enjoy.

 

Sorry to hear about your cousin.  Hope you are able to do what is best for you during these times of the virus.  Not easy.  Any surgery can be risky.  Not getting care can also be risky.   I had a brother in law who dropped dead of a heart attack on 3/5, he was scheduled to see his heart doctor a week or so later.  If he had seen the doctor he may be he would alive today.  Who knows.  Wish you the best.  

[clo]

2 minutes ago, pris993 said:

Now United has a non stop San Francisco to Tel Aviv, 15 hours.

Wow, that's GREAT! I'd rather do a super long flight than two medium long ones. We visited Israel a few years on an escorted tour and it was incredible. From the Dead Sea to Golan Heights.

[lenquixote66]

14 minutes ago, pris993 said:

Yes, as we get older, traveling internationally becomes more of a challenge.   Going to Israel from San Francisco where we are is a long hard trip.  In the past we have gone thru Paris on Air France on a non stop.  Now United has a non stop San Francisco to Tel Aviv, 15 hours.  We actually have family in Haifa, Bet Shean and Ashdod.  My husband is the oldest in the family so we have tried to go for a visit every so often.  Amazing country on so many levels, so much history, plus the continuing modern development of the country.    I first visit Israel in l983, so have seen the development over the years.  The religious and historic sites are once in a life time experiences.  

 

NOw with computers, I have found that I can often find on you tube amazing videos that I enjoy.  I often use these to check out some place I have not seen before, gives me the lay of the land.  So you might check out you tube videos.  I have looked at some for Israel, because I wanted to share them with a grandson.  Some videos are simply made by someone on a motorcycle, remember one I saw of young man riding the streets of Haifa, which was fun.   Any rate, thought I mention, hope you find something you enjoy.

 

Sorry to hear about your cousin.  Hope you are able to do what is best for you during these times of the virus.  Not easy.  Any surgery can be risky.  Not getting care can also be risky.   I had a brother in law who dropped dead of a heart attack on 3/5, he was scheduled to see his heart doctor a week or so later.  If he had seen the doctor he may be he would alive today.  Who knows.  Wish you the best.  

Thank you. We have family living in Israel who although we are in contact with them last saw them more than 50 years ago.I am watching all the Israeli made shows on Netflix .

Edited August 3, 2020 by lenquixote66

[clo]

25 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

Thank you. We have family living in Israel who although we are in contact with them last saw them more than 50 years ago.I am watching all the Israeli made shows on Netflix .

Could they visit you?

[lenquixote66]

23 minutes ago, clo said:

Could they visit you?

They have not been to the US since they permanently relocated .We talk by phone and we e-mail.

[pris993]

54 minutes ago, clo said:

Wow, that's GREAT! I'd rather do a super long flight than two medium long ones. We visited Israel a few years on an escorted tour and it was incredible. From the Dead Sea to Golan Heights.

Yes, United started this route about a year ago, to compete with El Al.   With the virus, now foreigners are required to quarantine for 14 days.  We were planning a one week trip only, so just have to wait.  Suspect it will a year before we make it.  

We had family who lived near the Dead Sea, Demona; plus family in the north near Taberius - plus south of Tel Aviv and at Bet Semesh near Jerusalem.  When we go we always stay in Haifa, where my husband lived before immigrating to the USA 50 years ago.  Israel is so small it is easy to get around.  

 

Agree, I would rather do one long flight vs two.  When we use to go thru Paris, we always stayed at least one way, to break up the trip.  We have family and friends in Paris too.  Now that we are older, given all the challenges of flying and going thru airports I would much rather do only one direct flight.   I am hoping United keeps its non stop.  Not sure what El Al is doing, understand they are having financial difficulty given the virus.  Travel has been hit hard.  

[clo]

2 minutes ago, pris993 said:

Israel is so small it is easy to get around.

We were told that it's the size of New Jersey. Again, we loved it.

[Warm Breezes]

18 hours ago, slidergirl said:

How many nights did you spend at Theodore Roosevelt NP?   It's kind of out there in the boonies.  It would make for a 1600 mi round trip, going and coming different ways.  Might be worth a better look!!   

We stayed 4 nights in Medora.  The campgrounds in the NP were not open so we stayed at Medora Campground for 3 nights and the Red Trail Campground for 1 night as we added the last night a week prior and Medora Campground couldn't accommodate us for another night.  Having stayed at both I would have booked our entire stay at the Red Trail Campground in hindsight since the sights were much nicer.  We took my son's car to go through the NP North and South Loop.  The kids rented bikes in Medora and road the trails around there and my daughter and her boyfriend did some golfing at Bully Pulpit golf course in the Badlands at sunset.  Medora is about 3 hours from where DS lives in Minot so it made for a nice family getaway with him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 3, 2020 by Warm Breezes