Upcoming trips - vague intentions - half-done plans

[TravelMusings]

Can we have a general travel chat thread? Somewhere to discuss trips we're looking forward to or places on our radar that we've started to loosely plan for?

For me: Moldova is pretty well planned but waiting to see what happens in the elections next month then happy to go asap.
Monaco just needs to be booked for early summer.

@Dinoswearunderpants I usually use a rucksack and find it much easier that a suitcase, I find it so much easier having 2 hands. I have a 40L Osprey Fairview which I usually use so it never really gets heavy.

As long as you are not getting on the tube on a leter station it is often Ok and once you are sitting down, even if it gets busy it doesnt matter as you are sitting down. You won't need to fight your way off at LHR as it will have thinned out again.

100% agree with backpacks especially when travelling with small children - you need your hands free!

Thank you. You've put my mind at ease. I do think it should be easier, especially with the pram. I've managed to squeeze everything in. I also plan to put a few larger items under the pram and put the pram in a pram bag so that'll make things easier.

I'm looking forward to hearing about Singapore when you get back. I'm spending 2 nights there in January when I'm travelling back from Australia.

Anyone got any recommendations for a hotel in Dubai as I'll be there for 20 hours and wouldn't mind doing a bit of a short tour on Christmas Day before heading on to Melbourne.

Was in Moldova at the start of October - we only visited Chisenau (went for the annual Wine Festival) , but i didn't see anything about the election (posters ect) and no trouble at that point. Was my second visit their and saw lots of changes / improvements from previous visit that was 7 years earlier.

Planning wise - we are looking at Nth Macedonia then crossing into Kosovo - i've done both before, but my husband hasn't and is keen to go.
Other plans / booked quite boring, Germany for Christmas Market and then Edinburgh later in 2025, but taking inspiration from this thread about some other places to look into.

@orangelotus Noble Caledonia have a good range of small ships they own and charter. Clientele is not young and everything is included so no hidden extras unless you run up a bar bill! We have a few expeditions booked. Iceland this summer coming and Norway after that. Did a circumnavigation of Sicily earlier this year. Can highly recommend April.

On the expedition cruises they have the zodiacs in use. We would not go near a big ship again. We have also been to the Antarctic, Falklands and South Georgia and also the Arctic on similar small ships and the Hebrides. All exploring with zodiacs as we will in Iceland. We don’t do hot cruises or hot countries any more. We like history, wildlife, scenic areas and culture.

Thankyou I'll take a look at that company. The small ship cruising has been an eye opener!!

I'd do airport. You might be late in, you can leave your bags there to explore, you will have the chance to see how much energy you have in the morning.

Is there any better rucksack than an Osprey? I LOVE mine.

On travelling with children and bags. Pack on back, daypack clipped to front. Another bag over handlebars. Unless you have a very well-behaved carry on spinner, I wouldn't. You could even take reins and use the pram for more stuff at the airport.

I once memorably handed DD to a customs person when he wanted me to simultaneously carry everything, and her, while she was crying, and write down information. He looked shocked but took her. I did once run through an airport with a rucksack, daypack, she was in an ergo baby sling, and got the flight. She wasn't 3 though, I would have broken my back. She stopped using a pram at 18 months but that was hell for travelling.

Small boat cruising I'm curious (I am witheringly mean about cruising, sorry) about littler islands.

Anyone got any amazing (cheap) AI recommendations in Mexico. DH and DD are desperate and I hate AI. It's their turn to choose though.

@MrsTerryPratchett Almost every woman I see travelling with a rucksack has the same Fairview 😍. I just splashed out on a Sojourn 80 to give me options...

Small cruising - we have been to Galapagos on a 16th berth and will be going to Antarctica in the spring. I see them as a means to an end but would only entertain a small ship. Contemplating how to see South Pacific islands and suspect small boat cruising may be easier....

I know!! I was so sniffy about cruising.
Have done so many DIY trips to loads of places and have enjoyed every one of them but to arrive somewhere new every day without packing unpacking checking in and out getting buses planes taxis was absolutely joyful
Still saw the local area ate out planned where we would ( and wouldn't) return to
Also only 150 passengers so met some lovely people not admittedly locals which is a bit sad but there's room for everything. Just thinking where next at the moment!
Love this thread as it's making me think about the future

@Specialnameforanoutingthread any particular places in the South Pacific? I started a notebook only last night for an Epic South Pacific Voyage as it known from this moment forth. Very long-term goal of getting around as many of the islands as possible. It's not the easiest of places for planning independent travel and it's not the cheapest either hence the early research. I'll aim to take a whack of time off work. Will probably use it as an excuse to change jobs within my field so an extra layer of expense! Of course, ESPV is a dream and reality is always different. But reality need not deter us. Even achieving half my ideal will be a phenomenal experience. As I said though, not one for 2025 or even 2026.

There are certain areas such as the Antarctic and Galápagos Islands that really are best on a small boat. We have been to coastal Alaska and The Great Bear Rainforest in BC Canada too. These are wonderful trips on a small boat. 6 double berths. It’s about as far away from giant cruise ships as you can get. We don’t see them as a means to an end. We see places the big ships cannot get to. In some areas there are no roads so seeing the country from the sea is the best experience you can get.

Ha ha! @TravelMusings our ESPV is in the distant future for us too. We have discussed a long trip to Aus NZ and some 'Pacific islands' for 2027 but its very much in the early stages. I have done no research really, I find it a lot of fun on a cold winter evening so some happy nights to come...

But just today I was looking at the possibility of using our BA vouchers to Seattle and paying for an onward flight to Papeete which was not too bad in time or price. So I may try to sell it to DH as an earlier option 😂, but realistically he wont go for it as work will clip our wings timewise so 27 will be better. With 'idyllic' places its worth putting the time and effort to get to more difficult places as then you do end up with the locals and are not swamped with instagram tourists looking for a quick and easy shot.

@TizerorFizz i would love to have used the Alaska Marine Highway to see Alaska but alas we did not book in time so had to cruise instead. Fabulous memories of Kodiak bears, humpbacks and orcas though. I'd love to see the spirit bears.....

Looks like we might be changing our train to and round Slovenia next summer to Scandinavia - time to start saving!!

@Specialnameforanoutingthread The spirit bears I believe, are only in The Great bear Rainforest in Canada. They have a few viewing sites by a river but there are very free visitors and it’s highly controlled. Totally amazing though.

@Specialnameforanoutingthread did you go to Yanbu at all? It looks like there isn't a ton there other than scuba diving? I'm struggling to find an ethical dive company, have seen videos and photos of divers chasing marine life, clinging on to coral, touching turtles. If I'm not going to dive there then I might give the town a miss.

@TravelMusings we didn't get to Yanbu.

When we were in the Farasans we went in to a dive shop to buy DH a mask and snorkel but didn't get the sort of professional service you want from people who are involved in your diving, so we gave diving a swerve.

I don't know anyone who did dive in Yanbu either so Im sorry, I can't give you a steer. It does not surprise me that people chase and touch the wildlife though, as [#sweeping generalisation] the respct for nature isn't really there. The Arabs love going out to the dessert for a barbecue on a Thursday night but just leave their rubbish behind (i understand its a 3rd national job role to pick it up). Its not India bad for litter, but wildlife is not treasured so I am not surprised the attitude under the water is not good either. I guess its not really the place the international dive instructor community takes itself too either.

@Specialnameforanoutingthread thank you. Yes, I have heard a few times that taking care of nature, and also historical sites, is not a priority over there. Which is a shame because these beautiful unique things are too easy to ruin and lose. And, if we are to be mercenary, nature and history would bring them in more money.

@honeyrider have you sorted a hotel yet? Do let us know how you get on with your daytrip.

@Citygirlrurallife whereabouts in Scandi are you looking at?

@Specialnameforanoutingthread did you tip in KSA? Online search gives conflicting info. Taxis no, in restaurants where there is a service charge no, migrant workers yes - seems to be some of the etiquette.

Nothing sorted yet but must do it in the next few days.

@TravelMusings I dont remember tipping being a big deal.

We avoided taxis in general. We used them once around 10pm on a Thursday but it was expensive and via a fill up in a petrol station. Generally we used Uber, and gave the middle option for the tip. We got lots of 5 star reviews with this approach so it must have been about right. At busy times at the weekend (10pm-12pm Thu/Fri evenings) we would often get dropped by a driver before someone accepted the ride and actually turned up so if you are ever in a hurry don't leave it too late to grab an Uber.

In restaurants with no service charge already added we tipped 10ish%. We didn't 'overtip' like the Americans but 10% seemed fine. I can't think any other occasions where we tipped.

Let me know if you might be interested in a rug, I can probably dig out the guy we used - he has a shop near Masmaq Fort so he is probably pretty much on your route anyway. He ships to UK, and ours arrived to my folks in a few days. As you probably realise, there is a reasonable network of expats in Riyadh so as long as he thinks you're attached to that, he knows the power of word of mouth and any purchase should be straightforward. I can't advise on gold but the gold souk is in a similar area.

Im not sure what part of the city you are staying in but U Walk and (our favourite) Riyadh Front offer a choice for eating outdoors, I think I used to wear a jumper but we found it fine to eat outside in December. Off White restaurants are reliable for food.

It can't be very long before you set off....

Do you have an abaya/shapeless clothes?

Thanks for all the info! Nope, no abaya. I had one about 15 years ago but it fell apart. It's on my to do list to look at one. I'll stick out as a solo independent female traveller so I know from experience it's better to appear particularly conservative. I need to get some new tunics too. I really should have replaced things before now, I hate lots of shopping!