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I was travelling Turkey last year and booked all my travel through Walkabout Travel Turkey www.walkabout.com.tr They were fantastic. I wanted to be all good and be a real backpacker but it was so brilliant to have all the basics like transport, accommodation and attractions found for me, allowing me to do all the fun and interesting things. All the people in the office went out of their way to make sure i had the best trip possible and loved all my stories when i returned to Istanbul.
Just down from the Blue Mosque on the tram line in Sultanahmet
A list of websites (in English and Spanish) that will help you have an excellent time in Buenos Aires and Patagonia!
Including activities, eating, transport, sights, accomodation and more..!
www.minihostels.com
www.bsas4u.com
livinginpatagonia.com
www.malba.org.ar
www.guiaoleo.com.ar
www.subte.com.ar
buenosairesnightguide.com/contactus.aspx
www.bue.gov.ar
I found this website an excellent source of information for the Algarve and extremely competitive deals on car hire.
If you travel in Greece by car you can get to Skiathos from the port of Agios Konstantinos on the mainland. There are many daily departures.
www.in2greece.com/english/places/summer/islands/skiathos.htm
We met friends who had arrived in Rio the day before us. They went to the yellow taxi kiosk at the airport and got a ticket with a price for their ride to Copacabana. But, after being escorted to their waiting taxi the price was crossed out and a new price written on the ticket. The man who had escorted them to the taxi then handed the ticket to the driver who crossed that price out and added his own price! Essentially they ended up paying 95 Brazilian Reals,(US50) for a journey that should have cost a lot less. Of course, like us, they don't speak any Portuguese which makes it very difficult to argue in these situations.
We had read about these sorts of problems on a few different travel sites and my husband booked our transfers to Copacabana with Rio Airport Transfer, who he had seen comments about on this site, and paid 50 US for a smooth journey to our hotel in a very nice car.
I'm sure everyone has different experiences and there's always a few people who get conned by opportunists, but for the sake of convenience we prefer to book in advance and know what we're getting for our money. We would recommend Rio Airport Transfer for those like us who prefer less stress.
Happy Travels!
Jan
When you land at Geneva airport, just before you leave the baggage reclaim area, there is a machine by the door that gives you free travel in Geneva for 90 minutes anywhere in the city.
You have to get it BEFORE you leave baggage reclaim though. Once out the door, turn left in arrivals lounge and go all the way to the end into the Station. Walk in a little way and turn 180 degrees and go up the stairs behind you and come out right at the bus stop and get the number 10 which takes you to Gare Cornavin (the main station in Geneva).
Geneva Airport, in the Baggage Reclaim area just before the doors to leave.
Buy a Muni 1 ($11), 3 ($18) or 7-day ($24) visitor passport for unlimited rides on cable cars, streetcars (trams), trolleybuses and diesel buses, but not BART. Regular fare is $2 (Cable Car is $5).
If you're 65 or older, show your driver's license, ID or passport as proof of age and buy a Muni monthly Senior Pass ($15).
Muni's visitor passport and Senior Pass can be purchased at their kiosk (looks like a cable car) at the Powell-Market cable car turntable. You can also buy a Muni 2-for-1 street and transit map for $3 there.
Muni is the nickname of the San Francisco Municipal Railway, America's oldest public-owned large city public transit system (1912) and probably the last to call itself a railway.
Muni (San Francisco Municipal Railway)
Phone: 311 (within San Francisco)
1 (415) 701-2323 (outside San Francisco)
www.sfmta.com/cms/mhome/home50.htm
Visitor Passport
www.sfmta.com/cms/mfares/passports.htm
Senior Pass
www.sfmta.com/cms/mfares/passes.htm
For anyone on a budget, taking the train across America is ideal. We paid about £650 from NYC to LA, via Toronto, Chicago, Seattle and SF, and you can stop off for as long as you like in your chosen stops!
Because it's America, the space you get on the trains is immense compared to the UK and on certain legs of the journey you get your own cabin with panoramic windows to watch the world go by (and a free little bottle of bubbly upon arrival!)
The longest leg of our journey was approx. two days through the beautiful flat plains of the Midwest with the occassional ranch and small town thrown in for good measure, followed by the beautiful Rockies, where we even saw a few wild animals!
All your food is included in the price of your fare - staff come knocking on your cabin door to take reservations and at your alloted time you make your way to the dining carriage. If you're travelling alone or in a couple you'll share a table with other passengers.... although we're a bit British sometimes and don't like awkward small-talk, this actually was a lot of fun! One night we shared a table with a sweet Midwest school teacher (v. talkative) and a toothless trucker (not so talkative!) Priceless!
The train journey from Tangier to Marrakech is one of the best I've been on. You can't purchase tickets outside Morocco, but we had no problem buying them on the day. The trains are comfortable and spacious and very cheap (the 10 hour trip cost about £20, imagine that in the UK!?)
We met some interesting characters on the train, who were eager to talk to us and help us when it came to switching trains. Perhaps the best thing though is that you get to see the countryside and small towns along the way that you would normally be flying over! Well worth the slight more effort involved!
It is like rollercoaster ride and offers sensational views. My tips would be to (1) get there early in the day and (2) avoid being fleeced by the guys who hang around Powell purporting to sell tickets, but then slink off with your money into Burger King! You buy the tickets ON THE CAR. Don't make my mistake.
The past week has seen the DLR train connection to London City Airport closed for line upgrades. Before setting off to the airport, it is wise to check online at www.tfl.gov.uk or www.londoncityairport.com to check for travel disruptions. There are replacement bus services in place but you should give yourself an extra half an hour if taking these to allow for delays and traffic
I found Malaga airport a bit of a difficult place to come to. Buses weren't signposted, taxis seemed expensive and no one spoke English.
There was also a train but with the works going on you had to walk about half a mile to get to the station.
I recommend hiring a car to see Malaga and the surrounding area, there is so much to see and public transport leaves a lot to be desired.
We chose:
www.malaga-airport-car-hire.co.uk
You don't need to pay for an organised trip to Auschwitz. Catch the PKS-Oswiecim bus which leaves from the lower floor of the bus station behind the railway station. Ask at the ticket office if you can't find it. Pay on the bus (about 18zl for a return ticket). The bus is slightly larger than a minibus and when I went it was driven fast on the bumpy roads, so be warned if you suffer from travel sickness! It picks up and drops off along the route, but it is obvious when you arrive outside the Auschwitz camp gates and the driver announced it on my trip. Your ticket has return times printed on the back and the bus picks up outside the gates where it drops off. Journey takes about 1hr.20mins. Frequency of trip varies but is about twice an hour during the main part of the day. You don't need a guided tour of the camp. Buy a small booklet (c.7zl) and read the comprehensive display boards. Entrance is free. Allow two or three hours for your visit.
Bus station on ul.Bosacka behind railway station.
We have just taken the plunge and bought a caravan to tour France. Our first stop (of decent length) is in a beautiful village called Le Bar Sur Loup. We found a great campsite that will let us stay with our dog along the gorges, aptly call Les Gorger du Loup.
Because it is half an hour from coastal towns such as Antibes we are close enough to get to the beach but far enough away from all the commercialism.
Five stars all round
Although the mud was bad last year, the line up is always great. Get the train to Portsmouth, then the car ferry and then a cab to the festival. Sounds mad, but it takes out all the waiting for buses.
One of the islands which make up the Hawaiian chain is Oahu, home of Honolulu and Waikiki. One of the thing all tourists should do is get a trip around the island, whether clockwise or anti-clockwise. The best way to do this is to hire a car (you can do it by public transport) but with local car hire rates very cheap ($39/day for us) a car is the way to go. Do not try this via scooter though, they are not allowed on the freeways or highways. The advantage of a car is you can stop when and where you like, to take a break, take a picture or grab something to eat. Driving also gives you access to the famous surf beaches on the top side of Oahu.
Oahu, Hawaii
Taking the coach between the coastal cities is a pleasant and comfortable way to see a lot of countryside (north KZN coast, skirt the Drakkensberg, cross Swaziland, descent into Maputo).
Tickets are easily purchased ahead of time at the Durban terminus. Everybody recommends to use the Mozambique owned service rather than the SA owned one (easy to tell - it has a Portuguese name - something Azul as I recall). That worked for me, comfortable seats, refreshments, air conditioning, helpful staff.
Durban bus station is organised but you won't want to spend much time there as it has the same edgy feel as any major bus terminus in a European or North American city (even on a Sunday morning departure). Border crossings (two because of Swaziland - make sure your visa situation is sorted before travel) are relatively painless. Even the rest stops are interesting.
Maputo bus station is pleasantly chaotic and not too hassled, like that lovely languid seaside city itself (better than the somewhat bureaucratic 1970's southern-Europe style airport). I only got to spend two days in Maputo but it is charming and atmospheric though becoming a playground for South Africans so progressively losing much of it's Luso/Afro distinctiveness. Lots of great food, especially seafood of course. Loads of restaurants, bars and clubs (though Sunday night is quiet) and it will feel quite familiar if you have been to Lisbon, or indeed Macao. It is not compact but laid out with wide boulevards so not very walkable, but taxis are cheap and easy. And you have to love a city that has streets named after Trotsky, Stalin and Kim Il Sung!
Take care choosing a taxi in Warsaw, especially around Central Station where rip-off merchants abound! Only choose a taxi with the name of the firm prominently displayed (usually with a sign on the top of the cab). If you have booked a hotel you can ring them and they will send a taxi for you. We used MPT Taxis with no problems, phone 1-9191.
If you're travelling on UK motorways you can get routes for short country walks close to all the junctions. It's written for dog owners, but also has kids' activities, dog-friendly pubs and places to visit. Great way to make full use of your petrol and see new parts of the country as well.
There's a very new site called Optifly, which shows possible flight routes in Google Maps. I’ve never seen anywhere else that does this, and it’s pretty cool. You can even download the Google Earth plug-in and look at your flights in 3D.
Actually, the best part is that Optifly shows low-cost carriers AND links to Expedia. It shows you all of the possible flight routes, and not just the ones that Expedia and Orbitz want to show you.
I thought it was cool, too, that they had integrated city information for any connection locations. It’s a pretty neat interface, and I wish they offered direct ticket sales. Even as is, though, it seems like it would save a lot of time searching for cheaper tickets.
I thought it was a very helpful site and will definitely use it next time I take an international trip.
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