Where are you going in 2018?

[liamsal]

Melbourne, Hobart (first time), Perth (also first time), Vegas, Canada (Vancouver/Whistler/Banff/Winnipeg) and New York. A few status runs yet to be planned and should be a busy year!

 

[harvyk]

So far I've just done a couple of Dom's -> a SYD and a MEL, which is rather unusual for me since in the last few years all my trips have been internationals, and thus dom flights where nothing more than positioning to connect.

I've got a Singapore trip locked in which I'm looking forwards to since I've only visited SIN once before, and then I only had an afternoon there (in transit with enough time to visit the city).

I've also got a San Francisco trip locked in which I'm also looking forwards to (love SFO).

I've also potentially got another round-the-world trip planned, and this time I might even be taking the mrs (all depends on if Mum can look after the kids whilst we're away), for that we'd be doing LA, NY, Amsterdam (never been there), Paris (never been there) and London, with prehaps a Singapore stopover as well.

 

[Cossie]

Part one has ended, part two in a couple of weeks, Yarra Valley, then part three in May, so far, Sri Lanka London, Oporto, Madrid. Looking at a few days in Iceland before Holland for a convention, then about 10 days to fill until Sardinia. Haven't decided as yet, still got a bit of time.

 

[Cossie]

Couldn't help myself, had to add another part after the Yarra Valley and before Portugal, et al.

Rally Otago in Dunedin,

Plus we'll probably get to sample one of the last Wellington to Canberra flights.

 

[amaroo]

Now looking for ideas / views on Seoul ... just been told it’s on the list.

 

[mark4217]

Just got back from Egypt, still jetlagged! Amazing place (and totally safe if anyone is considering it)

Next up is NYC, and a cruise up the east coast to Boston and Nova Scotia

Just got back from Egypt, still jetlagged! Amazing place (and totally safe if anyone is considering it)

Next up is NYC, and a cruise up the east coast to Boston and Nova Scotia

hi n7of9, can I ask where you travelled within Egypt. I’m considering going in December and have wondered about the safety. Cheers and thanks Mark

 

[JohnM]

hi n7of9, can I ask where you travelled within Egypt. I’m considering going in December and have wondered about the safety. Cheers and thanks Mark

If I may, Egypt is amazing and now is a great time to go there with tourist numbers down - but the Chinese are coming with a vengeance.

See my TR from late last year in the link below.

The Sinai is pretty much closed, but the classic Nile valley circuit is just fine.

Do not hesitate; you will be blown away.

 

[debgow]

Kuala Lumpur in 2 weeks time then Japan later in the year.

 

[n7of9]

hi n7of9, can I ask where you travelled within Egypt. I’m considering going in December and have wondered about the safety. Cheers and thanks Mark

I'm a female solo traveller so when in countries that are a bit iffy, I always travel on tours. I did a 9 day Peregrine tour from Cairo to Abu Simbel and everything in between. 4 nights cruising the Nile, 1 overnight train, and a morning flight to Abu Simbel, it was a great itinerary with plenty of time to spare. Our guide was a local Egyptologist who was passionate about his country and really made it was a wonderful experience (took us to his local hangouts for shisha, organised side trips and came with us)

One early morning headed to the airport to get the flight to Abu Simbel, I noticed we had an armed escort van following us up to the airport checkpoint. Tourism has dried dropped off a lot for them over the past few years and normal people are suffering, so the whole tourism industry is well protected from harm

I walked around Cairo by myself during day and night, i felt no danger, but ALWAYS dressed appropriately

Please go to Egypt, let them know they're not forgotten and that we aren't afraid

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I'm a female solo traveller so when in countries that are a bit iffy, I always travel on tours. ... I walked around Cairo by myself during day and night, i felt no danger, but ALWAYS dressed appropriately

I think you really hit the nail on the head. If tourists show respect to the people they are visiting, they will receive respect in return. Of course there are always exceptions and blind ignorance is not helpful, but culture that is many century's old, does need consideration. It may not be ones culture, but if one is travelling through their backyard,respect, even if one disagrees, is always wise ... and often so very rewarding.

I found myself debating recently. Is their culture right or wrong. I was surprised to find myself actually arguing their cause ... against themselves!

 

[JohnM]

I'm a female solo traveller so when in countries that are a bit iffy, I always travel on tours. I did a 9 day Peregrine tour from Cairo to Abu Simbel and everything in between. 4 nights cruising the Nile, 1 overnight train, and a morning flight to Abu Simbel, it was a great itinerary with plenty of time to spare. Our guide was a local Egyptologist who was passionate about his country and really made it was a wonderful experience (took us to his local hangouts for shisha, organised side trips and came with us)

One early morning headed to the airport to get the flight to Abu Simbel, I noticed we had an armed escort van following us up to the airport checkpoint. Tourism has dried dropped off a lot for them over the past few years and normal people are suffering, so the whole tourism industry is well protected from harm

I walked around Cairo by myself during day and night, i felt no danger, but ALWAYS dressed appropriately

Please go to Egypt, let them know they're not forgotten and that we aren't afraid

Just about every organised tour follows this classic circuit. It really is the most effective way to visit Egypt I think and there are plenty to choose from. Having a guide at the various temples and monuments is best as you would miss so much otherwise.

 

[mark4217]

Just about every organised tour follows this classic circuit. It really is the most effective way to visit Egypt I think and there are plenty to choose from. Having a guide at the various temples and monuments is best as you would miss so much otherwise.

Flights booked. 20th dec. flying EY to Cairo. Now any suggestions on direction. I plan to visit Luxor, Aswan and Hurghada for some scuba and Cairo...not sure in which order. I would like to take a old fashioned faluka from Aswan to Luxor... anyone done this?..I was thinking of flying either Cairo to Hurgarda or Cairo to Aswan/Luxor then bus it either Luxor / Hurghada or in reverse . comments welcome . Mark

 

[Deleted member]

Fingers crossed, I / we have decided to go for broke, and we plan on being in France in October / November.

 

[JohnM]

Mark, your post came through as part of the quote of me, so not readily visible.

Like @n7of9, I also did an organised tour. It looks like you are doing it independently, so it's hard for me to make recommendations. That is definitely not to say don't travel independently. I guess the classic Nile circuit is well-defined, - done independently or not.

However, be aware that there will be attempts to rip you off at every point - currency exchange (even at CAI), taxis etc. This may be historical but my guess is that it's made very much worse by the dire economic situation an economy so massively dependent on tourism now finds itself in.

I think travelling in Egypt independently is brave - but in no way from the safety point of view. More from the practical perspective. I think an organised tour would very likely be no greater an expense - and very likely even less costly, depending on the tour operator chosen.

I used Intrepid, which is a mid-range operator. @n7of9 used Peregrine, which is a higher level of the same group, I believe. I could not fault the guide who had university-level training in Egyptian archaeology, plus being very experienced. He was worth his weight in gold - and a top bloke with it.

I think owing to the dire straits of tourism we stayed in 4 star hotels where normally it would be in the no more than 3 star range. The value received far exceeded my expectations. I doubt that I could have done it for less travelling independently - and I am a serious independent solo traveller. It's just that I have realised in recent times that there are certain places where a tour is a more practical, and rewarding, way to go.

I can't help but reiterate for others that may be watching: NOW is the time to go to Egypt. Trying to choose my words carefully, the experienced tourist guides there are not looking forward one bit to a certain upcoming onslaught... I saw a taste of it (like I've seen in many places).

Put colloquially, it ain't pretty and it ain't going to be much fun... Get in while you can, is my advice.

 

[n7of9]

I found myself debating recently. Is their culture right or wrong. I was surprised to find myself actually arguing their cause ... against themselves!

I think it's important to have such conversations and to remember that overall people all over the world want the exact same things - peace, love, security, family. In that respect, everybody's culture is the same and it is those things that bind us...we shouldn't let the differences divide us, and we can all realise that by having open and honest conversations without fear of reprisals

 

[n7of9]

I would like to take a old fashioned faluka from Aswan to Luxor... anyone done this?.

Fellucas are either used for local income (fishing, water taxis for locals), or for short tourist joy rides - not for 200km journeys

You'd also have Esna Lock in between, I'm not sure little boats can cross that

Mark, you originally asked about safety and in my circumstances I found it safe and a wonderful experience. If what you really wanted to ask was the safety of a white dude, travelling alone, who can't speak Arabic, I would be seriously concerned for your safety

 

[mark4217]

Fellucas are either used for local income (fishing, water taxis for locals), or for short tourist joy rides - not for 200km journeys

You'd also have Esna Lock in between, I'm not sure little boats can cross that

Mark, you originally asked about safety and in my circumstances I found it safe and a wonderful experience. If what you really wanted to ask was the safety of a white dude, travelling alone, who can't speak Arabic, I would be seriously concerned for your safety

Fellucas are either used for local income (fishing, water taxis for locals), or for short tourist joy rides - not for 200km journeys

You'd also have Esna Lock in between, I'm not sure little boats can cross that

Mark, you originally asked about safety and in my circumstances I found it safe and a wonderful experience. If what you really wanted to ask was the safety of a white dude, travelling alone, who can't speak Arabic, I would be seriously concerned for your safety

Many thanks for that insight ... guess I best stick to organized tours... I didn’t realise it was 200k between Aswan and Luxor.. I was thinking overnight and sort of sleep on deck... wake up and your in Luxor.. I will rethink a little.. thanks again . M

 

[JohnM]

Fellucas are either used for local income (fishing, water taxis for locals), or for short tourist joy rides - not for 200km journeys

You'd also have Esna Lock in between, I'm not sure little boats can cross that

Mark, you originally asked about safety and in my circumstances I found it safe and a wonderful experience. If what you really wanted to ask was the safety of a white dude, travelling alone, who can't speak Arabic, I would be seriously concerned for your safety

Agree about the feluccas - we just toddled around Aswan in one for an evening joyride.

I'm not sure that I agree about the safety matter, although I can't be sure because I didn't try solo independent travel. No disrespect to @n7of9, but I can see why a single female traveller would intrinsically feel that way.

English is widely spoken in Egypt and tourists have been thronging there forever. The bigger issue I think is being constantly harassed - not threatened. It can drive one nuts - but can be a bit of (short-lived) fun if you have the energy and the smarts to play the game. The tour guide was really good at advising us of scams and how to go about paying - eg. in Edfu, horse-drawn carriages are used to ferry people from the waterfront to the (amazing) temple. Each driver may try to separate from the group and demand (inflated) payment. Our guide said don't pay until we are all together and he will sort it for all drivers - upon return. The drivers clearly knew they were being 'controlled' by an expert and behaved benignly.

I think it would be OK going independently but I also think that you'll get a better experience, better bangs for the buck - not to mention far less exhaustion - on a tour.

Remember - a lot of the tightening of security with armed guards everywhere happened after the terrorist attack at the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (amazing BTW) on the W bank at Luxor in 1997. That's a long time ago. It's a bit like saying don't go to Rwanda (sensational place) because of the genocide in 1994. All horrible, but time passes and things move on. The 2011 revolution in Egypt was obviously a time of instability, but that also has passed.

Those events in no way mean that the place is pervasively in perpetual life-threatening turmoil.

 

[juddles]

Am off to Rarotonga on Friday - very much looking forward to it. My mother lived there for a while as a teenager, and I was taken there as a child to visit, but that was a long time ago I am taking my wife and kids for what I hope will be a lovely couple of days of sand and swimming.

But first have to get back to Australia - this written from Lounge in SCL

 

[get me outta here]

Just booked a Seabourn trip from Iceland, Greenland and across to Canada for a special Birthday for 24 days of luxury. It’s the first time I’ve actually paid for a flight in years (with very much gratitude to all I have learned on AFF). On AFF advice from 2 special AFF people, I was able to grab the last seat on a QF J fare.

Will travel via YYZ and Niagara, and YUL.