My last big trip was to Italy, in May 2023. I've talked before about how I decided to dial back on travel a bit, but I figured I'm due for something in 2025. I've had trouble focusing in on where to go. Generally with such decisions, I have to wait until a "just do it" moment strikes - I had one last weekend.
I've been thinking about re-connecting with Road Scholar - I did a trip with them in 2018 to the French Quarter Jazz Festival in New Orleans that was quite fun and educational. Plus they have many options for U.S. travel, which seems like a lot less fuss/jet leg than an international trip. Almost too many options. Every time I looked at their site I would become overwhelmed. But Saturday I decided to zero in on New York City. I haven't been to New York since I was just out of college, and that was only for a weekend. They have several different trips focusing on theater, the arts, opera - all of which I would enjoy. The theater trips were pretty booked up, so I settled on an opera trip in late April. We will hear lectures from opera experts and musicians, and attend Aida and the Barber of Seville, two classics! (part of why I decided on that date).
I still would also like to do some kind of a big trip next year. Currently I am percolating between Iceland, or a safari in Africa. I have a friend who is currently on safari and I'm really enjoying her photos. Downside is how long the flight to Africa would take...and if I pop for business class it (which, granted, the couple times I've done it, I loved!) it would probably almost double the cost of the trip.
So perhaps it'll be Iceland.
The thing in common with both trips is they would be more nature-focused. Over time I've come to learn that I get kind of bored with a longer trip that mostly consists of city tours of churches and museums.
Your thoughts?
17
28 comments
If the exchange rate stays at the current level, Japan’s a good place to visit. Just saying 😉
One of my besties went there with her husband last summer and really enjoyed it. And HWD lived and worked there for a couple of years. Maybe if he ever gets to the stage of being able to take time off, I'll coerce him into being my tour guide.
I support you going where ever you wish.
That said, have you ever been to Central Florida?’ It’s lovely this time of year.
I actually haven't. I'm not really a theme park person.
My family went to Sarasota when I was a kid. About 15 years ago I went to Miami for software training and arranged to get there a couple of days early, stayed near South Beach.
If I ever do a beach trip that's within a couple hours drive of you, you can bet I will look you up!
@smartasswoman We do have more than theme parks.
@EnigmaInitiative You'll have to educate me.
Of course I know there is the wondrous garden of a certain blogger.
@smartasswoman Okay, you asked for it. This is just a sampling of what’s available.
Float down Kelly park Rock Springs on a tube. Aka tubing
Boggy creek air boat ride
Orlando Science center including interactive and other exhibits
Botanical Gardens
Gator land: learn about gators
Bok Tok Tower Gardens: The main attraction is the “singing” tower which plays carillon music throughout the day. In addition to the 50-acre property, admission also includes access to a 3.5-mile hiking trail through Pine Ridge Preserve.
Harry P Leu Gardens
Lake Eola Park, currently home to five different swan breeds.
Winter Park which is a nearby city with picturesque homes and really cool restaurants
Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour
Orlando Museum of Art
It’s currently manatee season till March. Theres a place nearby that you can go see them in the springs
City Arts Factory, the largest collective of art galleries in Downtown Orlando. Exhibitions are rotated monthly
Bronze Kingdom African Art Gallery.
Capone’s Dinner & Show: think mafias heyday. Its is a show with Singing, dancing, and Italian buffet
There’s more. All nearby, all reasonably priced or free.
There's some really cool art in the NYC subway stations, mostly mosaics (and several helpful websites of where to find what). It's a relatively inexpensive way to spend a morning/afternoon and explore the city. Wear your comfy shoes...
Thanks for the tip!
(I always wear comfy shoes these days - haha!)
New York and Opera sound like they will make for a fun Spring trip. An Africa trip would be awesome but as you noted a long air ride and an expensive one but Business class sounds like the only way to go with that distance. Iceland has always struck me as an interesting place and then there are the volcanoes to check out.
Hope you enjoy the rest of the month and Thanksgiving. Sending you big hugs.
I did a preliminary air search to Nairobi and it looked like business class wasn't even an option on the long leg from Europe to Africa? First world problems! Haha. Maybe I just need to find a massage or yoga class for arrival.
If you go to Iceland make sure you see more than just the area around Reykjavik. Some tours only do that small area. While a really nice area, there is much more to see. I can send photos if you want to see some.
Both of the tours I looked at visited a wider area.
I agree, as long as one is traveling all that way, you should see as much as possible.
I just stumbled across a travel site that books small cruises (30-100 people) to places like greenland, patagonia, galapagos, etc... and now I want to try something like that. Iceland is super high on my list of places to visit too. The flight times are what's killing me for longer trips like you said. Japan is also high on my list as is the south pacific but sheesh... when my son went as an exchange student it was a 13 hour flight!!!! If you come to NYC and have a free moment, do reach out, it's only an hour and a half away and it's so easy to get to!
I've done a cruise on a 90 passenger ship and a 50 passenger ship. Definitely the way to go, I think. I'd be curious what tour company you found.
The Road Scholar schedule is fairly packed with lectures and tours, but I think we'll have at least a half day off (which I could turn into a full day by skipping a lecture). I will reach out!
@smartasswoman
Excuse me for interrupting... 😎💕
But a fifty-person craft is NOT a passenger ship...
... itZ a raft. And there's hardly any room for the fricken BBQ.
Or did you mean luxury yacht? 😶
What's the story?
I've been on one of those and...
@Paulxx001 here it is. Not a raft at all! (although I’ll acknowledge the solo cabin I was in was subpar. At least I paid no single supplement).
@Paulxx001 hm, photo didn’t come through. We’ll see if it magically appears later.
@smartasswoman
It looks compact and cute. And plenty of space for a fun time. 👍
@smartasswoman it was an AdventureSmith ad... do you know much about them? Road Scholar looks interesting, I like they have singles with no upcharge opportunities!
@TicklePlease I had not heard of AdventureSmith before...the Hawaiian cruise looks appealing. I've not been to Hawaii yet and a small ship seems like it would be ideal for island hopping.
New York is always an eclectic blast. Look both ways before crossing streets. 👍
Africa offers heat and those fun safaris where bull elephants charge your jeep as you all happily squeal. 😲
And Iceland... well. There's a perfect opportunity to sample the National Dish: Hákarl, also known as 'fermented shark.' Did you know they age it for twelve weeks? Tourists report the flavour as strong and fishy — like blue cheese — with an aftertaste described as urine.
Hey... if ya wanna save a few bucks, come up HERE in January. I'll show you some fine ice... and serve top-notch pickled herring.🤗
... how/why would tourists know what urine tastes like... ?
All of these hosting offers, I love it!
I was a little worried about the food in Iceland, having heard similar stories about fishy dishes. Somebody told me I'd have no problem. 🤷🏻♀️
@smartasswoman
Lol... you're funny and hugable.🤗
Ask for sour cream BEFORE ordering their "Ocean Specials." And, seriously, ANY fish dish you order THERE will be admirably softened by that creamy acid-modifier... on the side💕
Do the Icelanders fry?
You'll be fine.
Hey... for shits and giggles, if you DO go to Iceland, try that SHARK — and report back. 🤗
@smartasswoman
Wear that Lopapeysa that you'll knit... and mingle with the natives.
They might show you where the pork chops are hidden.🤗
@Paulxx001 Actually right after I read this comment, I read a review on the trip page wherein the traveler said that fermented shark tastes like an outhouse floor. Seems to be a common perception! 😂
@smartasswoman
lol 😂
As in any dish where the locals claim its merit, acquired taste is the presumeable cause. In the time you'll be there... I doubt you'll acquire that taste.
But hey... give it a try.
Makes you wonder about what taste buds are all about. I mean, frogs legs taste like chicken. Or does chicken taste like frog?
The Matrix had me thinking about that one. Because it's true. Have you ever tasted frogs legs? 😶
... haven't you knitted a Lopapeysa?
@Paulxx001 It's a good point about cultural taste bud differences. Friends and I went to a Chinese restaurant last night. We always ask the server for recommendations and usually end up with some fun choices that we wouldn't have known to pick on our own. Last night, the server claimed his two recommendations were "the best dishes in the house". None of us were crazy about either one. 🤷🏻♀️ One friend commented that maybe it was a cultural difference in tastes, seeing as we're midwestern white people (albeit fairly adventurous ones).
I've done a few sweaters with multicolor stranded knitting yokes, but none of them were a traditional Icelandic motif. Icelandic sweaters are usually knitted with Lettlopi yarn, which is beautiful but very scratchy, so I'm leery about spending months working on something that I likely wouldn't want to wear. I do have this pattern favorited though - maybe some day it'll make it into my queue. I like this version - it is NOT Lettlopi yarn and the colors aren't very traditional either.
@smartasswoman
I know the ice people would appreciate one of your sweater creations.
I'm pretty open about trying new foods, except when they continue to squiggle and move in my plate. Those worms in Star Wars would NOT be on my list.
And octopus...
Have you ever had one where itZ still moving?
Yeah... I like that sweater. 🤗
@Paulxx001 I don’t think I’ve ever had octopus. And at this point I probably would be hesitant to eat it because of learning about what fascinating creatures they are. I know that is slightly irrational. A chicken is no less deserving of not being eaten, and I still indulge in that…
@smartasswoman
One of my daughters is a vegan and sends me updates on chickens, cows, pigs and fish: didja know they ALL have personalities?
Well, all... except those fish.
I lose my appetite whenever we go out.
And gluten-free bread... needs gluten.😶
I love nature trips. I have little interest in cities, though I love old architecture. Give me critters, nature, hiking, fishing, something outdoorsy and I am in Heaven. I am getting a fun experience, not just sights.
I enjoy cities - just not an endless diet of cathedrals and other historical sites. It's nice to mix things up with some time in nature. I think that's why my favorite trip so far was to South America - the itinerary included three good sized cities (Rio, Buenos Aires, Santiago) but also visited waterfalls, glaciers, national parks for hiking.
I took a trip to Europe this year with a sweetie. We flew from DC to Copenhagen via Iceland. We took Play air lines based out of Iceland, which is a budget airline but worked well for us. Next time we will book an extended layover (few days perhaps), then return to Italy and then maybe Albania. I'm doing the retirement country shopping now.
Interesting, you're thinking about the ex-pat life? I'll freely acknowledge that I don't want to leave my friends nor deal with language barrier. Maybe if I could convince a few of them to relocate with me...
@smartasswoman Yeah, I was fortunate enough to have lived in Italy and Japan for a couple of years. So I've gotten used to be the odd duck out.
But my original point is recommending that you look into Play airlines if you head to Iceland. I look forward to hearing about your adventure.
I can only encourage you to travel, now. One does not tend to be as excited about travel after reaching a certain age. I have been to Iceland a couple times in my youth, I have visited Ghana in recent years. New York has so much culture to offer; your plays, your opera, your museums....and doing it with Road Scholar certainly has it's benefits. I have traveled with them and with other group travel organizations. You are taken care of....things are planned out...and you have the opportunity to meet some interesting people. I have been fortunate to travel to quite a few places around the world in my life. Only a few places now still hold the allure of a return. I should like to return again to New Zealand, especially the south island. I shall get there again in the coming year or two wanting to get back into nature and willing to make that long trip again. Closer to home, a trip to eastern Canada....as far north as one can go....perhaps by car....but then it is a long road trip....so maybe plane and then car rental. Wherever you travel I know you will find things interesting for I suspect you are a lifelong learner...and there is so much out there yet to explore. Just promise you will share a bit of what you find with us when you return.
I know you're right about doing travel now before I get TOO old. Although every OAT trip I've been on has had people up into their 80's. I guess if you really have the passion, it sticks with you.
I'm starting to feel like it would be more appealing to just go one place, off of the beaten track, and stay for a while. The standard tourist attractions are so very crowded these days.
P.S. New Zealand is lovely indeed. It would be fun to try to get back there, I went in 2013.
@smartasswoman Yeah, I don't know what too old is either. I suppose it really depends on how well one ages. I know folks in their 60's who wouldn't travel anymore...too stressful or too physical. I just know I am not near that point yet....lol. On the other hand I am a bit pickier these days as to where I want to go. My recent trip back to Transylvania was quite nice...I have been there 7 or 8 times in the past 20 years. Before I might have chosen a place just because I hadn't been there before. Now there has to be a good reason to go....a favorite place I have been before or a place I expect to learn more about something that is important to me.
Variety is nice. Domestically, I adore good old-fashioned road trip, and am itching for another one soon.
If I'm going somewhere, I still need something to do. I want to get out and SEE the place! Not one for those all-inclusive resorts where you go to some far away place and then never venture more than a mile from your room.
International travel can be tough one the body. Lately, I've been playing with the idea of taking a cruise to Australia as a way to cross the time zones gradually, touring, and then flying home (after which I can veg/die for a week - who cares!). But even beyond the cost, most of them take as long as I was planning for the entire trip.
That four-year around the world cruise is getting a lot of press after the recent election results!
One of the Road Scholar trips I looked at involved taking the Queen Mary to England and getting lectures on WW II history on the way over. That sounded fun to me but the various trip dates were pretty much all booked up for next year.
I have done the all inclusive thing. It's certainly not what I would want to do for every trip, but can be fun if you're at a beach destination where there isn't much else going on.
@smartasswoman No need to worry about picking excursions on a North Atlantic cruise! 🤣
A bit after making my comment your remark about Nawlins reminded me of a road trip I've been contemplating for some time. US-61, aka "The Great River Road" or "Music Highway". Basically it follows the path of the Mississippi River from Minneapolis to New Orleans.
@CleavageFan4U I think that would be a very fun trip! You might remember that I experimented with having Claude AI give me an itinerary for the north half of that route.
@smartasswoman No, I don't recall that actually.
I do my planning old school and think I spend more time planning the trip than MAKING it. And don't even get my started on what I spend on the photos afterwards! Right today, just finalized picture #280 (out of the 681) from the April 2024 trip down Route 66 in IL/MO/KS.
I would do Iceland in a heartbeat which is funny because I never would have said that before one of my best friends went a few years back and loved it. I love waterfalls and hate being hot so Africa, while I am sure it is beautiful, isn't even really on my bucket list. I have been toying with the idea of doing some kind of "tour group" trip to Iceland because one reason I haven't traveled more is because of the hassle of planning it all and not necessarily wanting to do it all alone (and hubs isn't that fun to travel with). I also thought it might be a fun way to meet some new people. What companies have you toured with and do you have one over another that you recommend?
All of my retirement trips so far have been with Overseas Adventure Travel (except the week in NOLA with Road Scholar). Their trips are well organized and a fairly good value, especially since they don't charge a single supplement. But they only set aside a few single slots in each trip, so you have to book quite a bit ahead if you're going as a single. (also they have a Black Friday sale going on right now)
You are younger though, so I will say that you might find the OAT crowd to be pretty old.
I've heard good things about Intrepid Travel and they do have a trip to Iceland that I was looking at, and I'm guessing the group composition on their trips would be more mixed.
Before I retired I also did one trip with Backroads - they do great trips but are more expensive. Also one with REI Travel, which as you might expect was not quite as posh. Also the participants were very fit - so even though all of the hikes were within my ability, I tended to feel like "the weakest link" in the group.
@smartasswoman Thank you so much. I did wonder about the age factor. I also worry about being the weakest link given I am not currently at all in shape. I've thought about the fact if I just go solo and do my own thing, I can control the pace better. Decisions, decisions.
Plan for autumn 2025. South of Spain: Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada, Malaga with trips to Gibraltar and Morocco. Probably 3 weeks.
If everything goes as planned.
Oh, nice! I did a group tour in 2017 (my first post-retirement trip) with a similar itinerary. It was a small ship cruise that went around the edge of Spain and then to Portugal. Barcelona, Valencia, Cartagena, Malaga, Sevilla (with day trip to Cordoba), Gibraltar, Lisbon. You're going to have so much fun!
@smartasswoman
I’m really looking forward to it. It was plan before Covid era. A few years back two weeks in Barcelona and Madrid was amazing. Especially Barcelona
For some personal reasons this year it was two weeks of south France. (Toulouse and Bordeaux)
I never go with groups. I love to explore by myself and now it is so easy to make plans. It’s amazing how free version of chatGPT made great recommendations. With sightseeing, museums, restaurants, cafes. Even with best parkings to for day trips for each location.
I hope you will post more of your trip to Africa or Iceland
@EnyojLife I understand. I do group tours because I'm lazy and don't want to figure out what I should see, but I suppose AI is a game changer for that.
I don't even mind riding around in a bus because it allows me to look at the scenery instead of having to focus on the road.
@smartasswoman
For Europe i prefer train. Cheep, comfortable, reliable, fast, usually goes from city center to city center.
I think the NYC trip sounds great.
Personally, I would do Africa. Take the longer flight while you're still young(ish). Plus, Iceland is so trendy right now. Save it for later.
That's a good point, those long flights aren't going to get any easier. It looks like it is 18-19 hours, maybe more depending on where I'd be going in Africa.
Watched Aida in Verona in Roman Amphitheater
Unforgettable
Many years ago.
What an amazing experience to have!
@smartasswoman
Definitely. Even now I got excited and got goosebumps when I remember it.
Have heard good things about Road scholar, yet have never gone with. My travels more International and longer. Iceland or Africa would be very cool. Yes South Africa air fare expensive. Air fare to Iceland not that bad. Iceland definitely on my agenda, one of two European countries haven't visited. Other is San Marino. Whatever do have fun. Have you looked into:Explore, Intrepid, etc
I'm doing a deep dive comparison of Road Scholar vs. Overseas Adventure Travel vs. Intrepid this afternoon. OAT comes out ahead on a cost basis (primarily because they don't add on a single supplement if you're traveling alone) and I've always been pretty happy with their itineraries so that's probably the way I'll go. I do want to try Intrepid one of these days!
Example - OAT's 15 day Iceland trip is $6195 before air. Intrepid's 9 day trip is $6062 plus if I don't want to share a room, an additional $2,190.
Road Scholar has an 11 day itinerary that is $8099 with the single supplement.
@smartasswoman have you tryed a search through Tour Radar?
@bignicktx I haven't, I'll have to check it out.
@smartasswoman Google machine it. Often have multiple trips with many discounted
New York is one of my favourite cities in the world.
I've been to Iceland - it's cold though I did stupidly go in the winter. It's a very interesting country from its geothermal springs, glaciers, geysers and trolls! It's quite expensive - taxes are high. I went at the wrong time to do a whale safari - summer's the best time.
As far as I could tell, Reykjavik is the place, and perhaps only place, to stay. The island is quite small so it's easy to get about by hire car or whatever.
The trip I was looking at spends a few days in Reykjavik, but also goes to Selfoss, Daeli, and Akureyri. And spends the night at a guest house on a horse farm in the middle of nowhere!