travel thread

[puniraptor]

how many months did it take you to get to italy, asava?

1 1/2 years to build the boat, and 3 months to cross the Atlantic.

what is their motive for telling you your train has left?

this usually happens in the late day. the people who do this are associated with hotels or vacation rentals, and will essentially tell you that you are in a situation where you are stuck in Rome for the night, and that they are so very sorry this happened, but that they know a good place to stay for a good deal... blah blah blah you just paid three times what you should have to stay at some crap hotel on the outskirts of town. if you are stuck in this situation there are a few hostels around the train station that are way cheaper and have better locations.

and rich westerners pay to torture and murder you??!?!? 

[asava]

how many months did it take you to get to italy, asava?

1 1/2 years to build the boat, and 3 months to cross the Atlantic.

what is their motive for telling you your train has left?

this usually happens in the late day. the people who do this are associated with hotels or vacation rentals, and will essentially tell you that you are in a situation where you are stuck in Rome for the night, and that they are so very sorry this happened, but that they know a good place to stay for a good deal... blah blah blah you just paid three times what you should have to stay at some crap hotel on the outskirts of town. if you are stuck in this situation there are a few hostels around the train station that are way cheaper and have better locations.

and rich westerners pay to torture and murder you??!?!? 

never fell for this grift myself, but i'm 100% sure that is what happens.

[Phil Titola]

Florence is pretty amazing. I liked Rome better but almost everybody else in my traveling party preferred Florence. Agree on trains. Only way to get through Italy.

[TheHamburglar]

If you don't think you'll ever get back, the 3 cities in 3 countries on 1 trip is the way to go. 

However, if you think you'll get back to Europe a few more times in the next couple decades I'd suggest you "plan out" 4 trips at once with what countries/regions you'd like to go to.  That way you can do just 1 or 2 countries at a time.  That's what we've done.  We went to Turkey 4 years ago and Germany/Salzburg last summer.  Both were great.  We got to fully experience the country/culture while doing major city/small city/major city/small city in different regions of the country.  Also, you don't have to re-adjust to a new country/culture every 3-4 days and don't feel rushed.

Phil can also chime in in this as he's done an Italy trip then went to Germany with us last summer.  He may have a different opinion.

[Phil Titola]

Agreed. Only do one country at once unless you have ear aids or something and don't expect to go back, in that case get a Europass and blow it out one city a day.

[WillieWatanabe]

our guy @KSUpurple is killing it in Europe right now.

[michigancat]

I think even if I had ear aids I'd rather do one country at once.

[Mr Bread]

Asava built a boat and then sailed across the Atlantic for three months in it?  I guess this was something that was already known.   

[Kat Kid]

Asava built a boat and then sailed across the Atlantic for three months in it?  I guess this was something that was already known.   

His parents named him Melville.  He was doomed from the start to be an insufferable hipster.

[Mr Bread]

Three months on a homemade boat sounds worse than jail.  The homemade part doesn't even matter.  Three months on a boat would be hell for me.  I am not a boat person at all.  Even just in lakes.  Hate it. 

Asava and I are very different humans.     

[Kat Kid]

Three months on a homemade boat sounds worse than jail.  The homemade part doesn't even matter.  Three months on a boat would be hell for me.  I am not a boat person at all.  Even just in lakes.  Hate it. 

Asava and I are very different humans.     

down stater.  flat lander.

[The Big Train]

Florence is pretty amazing. I liked Rome better but almost everybody else in my traveling party preferred Florence. Agree on trains. Only way to get through Italy.

Both Florence and Rome are amazing, I posted pics of me at the colosseum in this thread maybe? Italy in general is pretty awesome.

The guys dressed as Spartans outside the colosseum that want to get pics with you only to tell you that you will owe them 20 euros after the fact tho are assholes.   

[Panjandrum]

I'm probably missing an entire Vegas eatery thread somewhere, but I'm headed there for a conference next week.  I haven't been there in five years, so a lot's probably changed since I've been last.

Any specific restaurant that I should hit up?  Probably won't do too much boozing and the like since I'll be there for work and on my own, so there's that.

Will you have a car, or will you be mainly confined to the strip?

They have cabs in Vegas.

I was planning on staying just on the strip and getting some exercise by walking.

What type of restaurant?  Good for a single guy to sit at the bar and eat or shmoozy client type restaurant?  I just got back from LV last night after a week there alone.  Lots of gourmet burger joints, gastropubs, and Neapolitan pizza places are now popping up after years of just high end star chef restaurants.

Gordon Ramsay BURGR @ Planet Hollywood is very solid

Hidden Pizza @ Cosmo is still my fave Vegas casual eatery tho

So, I think I'll do BURGR tomorrow, but my last night is Thursday, and I'm going to want to go out in style.

Has anyone been to Ramsay Steak?  It's a pretty quick walk from my hotel, and I really want a good steak dinner in Vegas.  Never done that before.

[michigancat]

I picture Italian tourist hustlers as being some of the worst in the world.

[pissclams]

I'm probably missing an entire Vegas eatery thread somewhere, but I'm headed there for a conference next week.  I haven't been there in five years, so a lot's probably changed since I've been last.

Any specific restaurant that I should hit up?  Probably won't do too much boozing and the like since I'll be there for work and on my own, so there's that.

Will you have a car, or will you be mainly confined to the strip?

They have cabs in Vegas.

I was planning on staying just on the strip and getting some exercise by walking.

What type of restaurant?  Good for a single guy to sit at the bar and eat or shmoozy client type restaurant?  I just got back from LV last night after a week there alone.  Lots of gourmet burger joints, gastropubs, and Neapolitan pizza places are now popping up after years of just high end star chef restaurants.

Gordon Ramsay BURGR @ Planet Hollywood is very solid

Hidden Pizza @ Cosmo is still my fave Vegas casual eatery tho

So, I think I'll do BURGR tomorrow, but my last night is Thursday, and I'm going to want to go out in style.

Has anyone been to Ramsay Steak?  It's a pretty quick walk from my hotel, and I really want a good steak dinner in Vegas.  Never done that before.

not been to ramsay steak.  both delmonico (emeril) and craftsteak (tom colicchio) are really good though, you'll have your dick out by the time your steak gets to the table.
i would also skip BURGR and go across the street to julian serrano, that crap is great spanish food.  you can find a good hamburger anywhere.

[Spracne]

They'll steal your wallet and your wife.

[Panjandrum]

I'm probably missing an entire Vegas eatery thread somewhere, but I'm headed there for a conference next week.  I haven't been there in five years, so a lot's probably changed since I've been last.

Any specific restaurant that I should hit up?  Probably won't do too much boozing and the like since I'll be there for work and on my own, so there's that.

Will you have a car, or will you be mainly confined to the strip?

They have cabs in Vegas.

I was planning on staying just on the strip and getting some exercise by walking.

What type of restaurant?  Good for a single guy to sit at the bar and eat or shmoozy client type restaurant?  I just got back from LV last night after a week there alone.  Lots of gourmet burger joints, gastropubs, and Neapolitan pizza places are now popping up after years of just high end star chef restaurants.

Gordon Ramsay BURGR @ Planet Hollywood is very solid

Hidden Pizza @ Cosmo is still my fave Vegas casual eatery tho

So, I think I'll do BURGR tomorrow, but my last night is Thursday, and I'm going to want to go out in style.

Has anyone been to Ramsay Steak?  It's a pretty quick walk from my hotel, and I really want a good steak dinner in Vegas.  Never done that before.

not been to ramsay steak.  both delmonico (emeril) and craftsteak (tom colicchio) are really good though, you'll have your dick out by the time your steak gets to the table.
i would also skip BURGR and go across the street to julian serrano, that crap is great spanish food.  you can find a good hamburger anywhere.

Thanks, 'clams.

I had Mexican tonight, but it wasn't great.  I may walk over to the Aria tomorrow night and give it a shot.

Pretty sold on delmonico, now, though.  I think I'll make that happen on Thursday.   

[Phil Titola]

I'd also skip all the gourmet burger joints. There is a good taco stand by Polo towers, most Mexican on the strip is garbage, new one in linq included. Try China poblano in cosmo, unique stuff and has been good.

[Emo EMAW]

I don't even know what to think about this:  http://www.buddhabarhotelbudapest.com/en/ 

[asava]

True story. The first thing I saw when I entered Rome proper was a homeless guy without any pants on, standing up, holding his legs and taking a crap. Fantastic way to start a trip. If you can, I can't suggest it enough.

[steve dave]

also, this-http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/04/etihad-a380-residence/

damn, $43k for a 7 hour flight?

you can book these with 2,365,199 Etihad miles. which is the same as 43 Etihad first class seats according to stupid gary leff 

edit: not stupid because he did the math on this, just stupid in general re. other things

[Spracne]

Don't know if there's a separate luggage thread or not, but any recommendations for a canvas/leather duffle bag, mostly for personal use, preferably that will fit in the overheads, and most importantly looks like the carrier thereof is possibly a world adventurer and/or eminent archaeologist?

[mocat]

Don't know if there's a separate luggage thread or not, but any recommendations for a canvas/leather duffle bag, mostly for personal use, preferably that will fit in the overheads, and most importantly looks like the carrier thereof is possibly a world adventurer and/or eminent archaeologist?

How long have you been here? I've never seen Bread ask for directions

[Spracne]

Don't know if there's a separate luggage thread or not, but any recommendations for a canvas/leather duffle bag, mostly for personal use, preferably that will fit in the overheads, and most importantly looks like the carrier thereof is possibly a world adventurer and/or eminent archaeologist?

How long have you been here? I've never seen Bread ask for directions

Jeez, mocat, when did this beef start? oh yeah...

[michigancat]

world travelers don't worry about carry-on luggage. Trust me, I've lived outside of kansas for more than 3 months so I'm very traveled.