Things to do before your trip.
45
votes
11answers
1k views
Is there a good website to plan a trip via trains in Europe?
My wife and I have decided to move across Europe by train.
Do you know of any good sites for planning a trip via train (schedule and maybe prices)?
We're going to go across Europe from east (Russia ...
34
votes
9answers
1k views
How can I do a “broad” search for flights?
Several airline and trip planning sites will allow you to check "I am flexible with my dates" or a similar option. Is there any way to also search more broadly for location?
For example, if you ...
24
votes
14answers
382 views
What are some good ways to find things to explore on-site in an unfamiliar place?
When traveling, one of my favorite things to do is simply explore the local area and see what's going on. I do enjoy guided tours on some occassions, but I'm more interested in finding cool local ...
20
votes
8answers
994 views
What times of the year are best for visiting France?
When I visited Rome, Italy, I ended up visiting during August which seems to be a time when most Italians have fled the city to cooler areas. This was nice because there was less traffic so we were ...
19
votes
7answers
3k views
How does one recover from a (personal) disaster while abroad, travel-wise?
I was watching the Bond flick Die Another Day last night. In it, Bond ends up in terrible shape, but manages to escape to the shores of Hong Kong, where he strolls into the lobby of a swanky hotel, is ...
17
votes
2answers
799 views
What is the best time of year to visit Reykjavík?
When I ask for the "best" time of year, I am looking for a reasonable balance of the following criteria, in order of importance:
Mild weather. Ideally, warm enough to have coffee outside in a light ...
16
votes
4answers
3k views
How to prepare for very long train journeys?
A friend of mine is going to take a very long train journey the next week. The journey takes 44 hours according to the train schedule and takes place in Europe. He has to change trains two times. Once ...
16
votes
5answers
6k views
What is the minimum time to consider with a connecting flight in the USA?
Given the extensive time taken for immigration formalities in the US, what is the shortest time to consider between connecting flights in the US, when coming from abroad?
Until now I have always ...
14
votes
10answers
740 views
How to calculate the air-line distance between two places?
A lot of the time, I'm looking for a way to calculate the air-line distance between two places, most often city centers.
For example when I flew from Zurich to Helsinki I wanted to know how far it ...
14
votes
5answers
376 views
Can you go to the Maldives without assistance of a travel agency?
Organizing your travel without agents is almost always cheaper and more fun.
But does that also apply for Maldives? Can I just travel to the Maldives? Do you have some tips or experiences to report?
14
votes
7answers
261 views
Is there a list of online public transportation planners?
For Oslo in Norway you can go to ruter.no, punch in where you are and where you want to go. It then gives you options on how to get from point A to point B using various public transportation (and ...
14
votes
1answer
233 views
An online map indicating the status of all open and closed international borders
I like to make up my own interesting international routes on my longer trips rather than always following conventional routes.
But often it's tricky to plan a route in lesser-known parts of the world ...
13
votes
5answers
239 views
What kind of questions should I be asking about tropical destinations?
Tropical destinations have to be one of the most popular categories, which means there are always deals popping up, so it's hard not to be driven by these deals.
If I'm merely looking at the ...
13
votes
4answers
250 views
Kindle version of WikiTravel?
Is everyone's favorite open content travel guide, WikiTravel, available in some sort of Kindle / off-line format? Since I'll be travelling around, I won't have internet access. However I do have a ...
13
votes
2answers
180 views
How to get an impression of the average price level of a destination?
We are constantly looking for affordable offers to travel.
Sometimes it turns out to be cheaper to just pay a little bit more for the airfare and save money on for example food or accommodation. A 3 ...
13
votes
2answers
204 views
Travel planning web sites
I am currently planning a 2 month trip through China, and I wanted to know what are the best online options to plan a trip.
First off : I am really looking for an alternative to a spreadsheet. ...
13
votes
1answer
2k views
Is there an easy way to calculate the total cost of tolls for a trip within the United States?
Is there a convenient way to calculate the cost of tolls between two arbitrary points within the United States? I'm planning to take a trip along the Eastern seaboard and will be passing through ...
12
votes
4answers
10k views
What is the best method of purchasing a ticket with an open return date?
I’ve been doing some research on traveling to South America and staying for an extended period of time (working vacation). The usual sources for flight info (Kayak, Expedia, Hipmunk) don’t have any ...
12
votes
3answers
365 views
Is it always wise to book flights as soon as possible?
So I'm booking flights to go to Europe in September n October.
And it's a long way off, but I've already noticed in the space of a week or so, that the prices have started creeping up. Not by much, ...
12
votes
2answers
115 views
How do I find out which holidays will disrupt my travel and by how much?
I'm sure it has happened to many of us: You travel to a country with a different culture, and suddenly, you find yourself in front of closed restaurant/shop/museum/etc doors (or, alternatively, you ...
12
votes
1answer
108 views
Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination — How much time to allow?
My 7-year old is a HUGE Star Wars fan. (As am I, but this is more about him) I'm planning on taking him to the Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination exhibit at the Orlando Science Center. ...
12
votes
1answer
1k views
What is the cheapest way to get from South America to Australia
What is the cheapest way to get from South America to Australia?
I found several flights mostly from Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile, however the prices are quite prohibitive. Do you recommend ...
12
votes
3answers
200 views
Is there a flight search engine that has an option to show full flights?
Quite often when searching for plane tickets I get only some high priced results, ridiculous schedules, etc. It makes me wonder if these are the only options to get from point A to point B or have I ...
11
votes
4answers
4k views
How do you prepare for long haul flights?
I'm always feeling a bit unwell during and after long haul flights. I lose my appetite, can't sleep in the plane, food has no taste no matter what. However, I'm pretty sure it's not the flying itself, ...
11
votes
9answers
2k views
What sort of computer / electronic device would you take on a backpack trip around Europe to allow you to keep in touch?
As you may have seen in my other posts I am in the early stages of planning my Eurotrip this summer which if you are interested in seeing the planned route go here:
...
11
votes
4answers
857 views
What clothes should I bring on a backpacking trip
I am planning a 2 month backpacking trip through China.
I would like to
Bring the LEAST clothing possible
Be comfortable in temperatures ranging from 10 C (50 F) to 30 C (86 F).
Be equipped for ...
11
votes
6answers
307 views
Driving into Germany over Easter weekend
There's a Demoscene party (Revision) that occurs every year on the Easter weekend in Saarbrücken (Germany), and I'm thinking of attending this year. I live in England and am looking into methods of ...
11
votes
2answers
195 views
What considerations should I make for traveling in Israel on the Sabbath?
I am planning to travel around Israel (from Oct 19 to Nov 5th), and I am wondering what effect the Sabbath will have on transport, restaurants and the sights. Should I be planning to not do anything ...
11
votes
4answers
256 views
What's the easiest way to find a vacation rental?
I've rented a few vacation homes and really liked it but it always takes hours and hours to find a good one. It seems like there are 100+ different sites that all list different homes (some with a ...
11
votes
4answers
140 views
'One laptop per child'- like organisations?
One laptop per child (OLPC) is an organisation which brings laptops and technology to poor regions of this world and educates the people to use those tools.
As a computer scientist and passionate ...
11
votes
5answers
171 views
How to plan routes that aren't covered by Google Maps?
For the next summer I'm planning to drive to some countries that aren't covered by the route planning tool of Google Maps. What other possibilities do I have to calculate the route approximately in ...
11
votes
4answers
206 views
What is some useful software for brainstorming/planning long trips?
I'm planning on taking my partner and his family on a trip around the UK next year, and I have a ton of ideas in my head that I want to have written down in some form that makes it easy to edit and ...
11
votes
1answer
303 views
How to see the Norwegian fjords?
I am currently working in The Hague area of the Netherlands. This summer is too cold to spend weekends on the beach, so I've decided to spend 3-4 days seeing the Norwegian fjords instead.
I ...
11
votes
1answer
200 views
In Rome, are some days less busy than others?
I'm spending a couple of weeks in Rome in July, and I'm thinking about how to schedule the things I want to do. I appreciate that this is the high season, and everywhere will be busy, but are weekends ...
10
votes
5answers
2k views
Is this a realistic backpacking trip in Europe?
I'm trying to plan a backpacking trip in Europe but I'm not really sure where to start. We'll be flying from the US into most likely London. Our budget is about 2,000 USD (per person) not including ...
10
votes
3answers
255 views
How fast can one expect to travel in an ocean-going sailboat?
Assuming two different trips - one with a current and one without, what is a reasonable speed to assume for a journey?
First - Norfolk, VA to Bermuda to the Azores to Liverpool
Second - Liverpool to ...
10
votes
4answers
298 views
How much does it add to a North America / Australia journey to go “the wrong way”?
North American flights to Australia generally involve getting to the west coast (LAX or YVR) and then crossing the Pacific. I believe Air Canada used to have a tech stop in Hawaii and still may. I am ...
10
votes
3answers
723 views
Can I live in Munich - Germany for a month with 500 Eur
I have to travel Munich Germany (specifically: Hansastraße) and live for a period of 3 months. I have 500 Eur/ Month stipend. So, can I live? Is it possible to manage Food (pure-veg), Accommodation ...
10
votes
5answers
229 views
Good locations in Spain for hiking, nature, architecture, and photo opportunities?
I'm thinking about visiting Spain sometime in September or October.
I'm interested in hiking, nature and historic architecture and am constantly looking for great photo opportunities.
Which parts of ...
10
votes
5answers
501 views
What are Ireland's top places to visit with a toddler?
I am planning a visit with my daughter (2 years) and wife around Ireland (and Northern Ireland) for ten days. We start from Cork and finish in Dublin. What are the most interesting places to visit? In ...
10
votes
5answers
361 views
Avoiding or minimising altitude sickness
From my personal anecdotal experience, I've seen firsthand some horror stories with altitude sickness. I will always tell people now to acclimatise, drink fluids, and follow the local tricks like ...
10
votes
1answer
302 views
What should I expect when I stay in a hotel?
I plan to stay in a hotel in Los Angeles, CA by myself for a few weeks in the near future. Is there anything important I should know about staying at a hotel?
Things that I have considered but I'm ...
10
votes
3answers
193 views
What first aid material and medicines are absolutely essential when traveling?
When you arrive into a new place / city country / etc. it can be difficult to find some essential goods. Everything is new. First aid material and medicines are sometimes forgotten when planning a ...
10
votes
2answers
211 views
How can I estimate the duration of a long bicycle trip?
Next summer, I'm planning to do a very long bicycle trip. I'm not yet sure where it will take place, but I have 2-3 favorites. 1) from Stockholm to the North Cape 2) from Switzerland to Istanbul 3) ...
10
votes
3answers
106 views
Russia roadmap with information on the surface
In Russia, some segments of major highways are of mediocre quality:
Russia road M53 / Baikal Highway, near Taishet. Source: Wikimedia
Russian Trans-Siberian highway near Cheremshanka, Krasnoyarsk ...
10
votes
2answers
367 views
What is the best time of year to go to Disney World to avoid crowds?
When is the least busy time of year for Disney World? When should I go there such that there are the least number of people there?
10
votes
3answers
1k views
Scotland in one week: What to see and do?
I'm planning to visit Scotland this August with some friends, but we only have one week. We have already made a sketch of our trip and so far we have in mind to visit Glasgow, Stirling, Kyle Of ...
10
votes
3answers
857 views
Should I book Thailand Rail tickets online (pre-trip) or at the station when I arrive?
I plan on taking the Thailand rail system between Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket (particularly the overnight trains), and Siem Reap.
Is it safe to book these tickets ahead of time through their website ...
10
votes
1answer
759 views
Paris on a Tuesday - are the Louvre and the Pompidou Centre the only “big” attractions that are closed?
One that's caught me out before is that the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays. It looks like the Centre Pompidou is also closed Tuesdays (French - Tuesday=Mardi).
However, the Paris Modern Art Museum ...
10
votes
2answers
90 views
Route planner with heights (for bikes)
I use Google Maps to plan my bike routes inside Paris. However, it is missing height graphs of the routes (which is essential for biking). I would like such a site that would be capable of this. I may ...
