This February, I spent a few days in beautiful Marrakech, Morocco. From a tourist perspective, the city is mainly a large medina (old town) surrounded by medieval walls. Most of the main sights are located within this area.

My favorite landmarks were the Ben Youssef Madrasa (a historic Islamic university) and the Koutoubia Mosque—though, unfortunately, non-Muslims aren’t allowed to enter the latter. The biggest square, Jemaa el-Fna, is an intense experience. It’s mostly filled with stalls or carpets covered in souvenirs and other goods. There are also plenty of snakes and monkeys, though sadly, their living conditions aren’t great. Close to the square is the touristy section of the souk—colorful and vibrant, selling all sorts of trinkets. It can get a bit overwhelming, especially with the constant need to dodge bikes and motorcycles.

Interestingly, this tourist-heavy zone is really just a central strip of the medina. As you move toward the edges—around places like the old Jewish cemetery, the synagogue, and the tanneries—it quickly becomes more local. The colorful, ornate shops selling mugs, teapots, carpets, and sweets fade into market stalls offering fish (always surrounded by cats lol), meat, vegetables, and fruit. I actually enjoyed this side more

Outside the medina, the only major sight is Jardin Majorelle, a botanical garden surrounding the famous blue Cubist villa, filled with cacti and other plants. I definitely recommend reserving tickets in advance—entry is limited, and you likely won’t be able to buy tickets at the entrance.

While many people warn about tourist scams, I found my experience to be quite different. Overall, people were very welcoming. Sellers weren’t as pushy as in Tunisia (at least in my experience). The only annoying thing was that if you looked lost, someone would immediately offer to “help” you—for a tip, of course. But usually, a simple “La, shukran” (No, thank you) solved the issue. We even visited the tanneries, which get terrible reviews on Google Maps, without paying anything to self-proclaimed guides standing around the entrance.

Overall I really liked the city, I enjoyed it much more than our daytrips in Morocco (Imlil and Ouzoud waterfalls). It is sometimes bit dirty and loud, but nothing overwhelmingly annoying. The food is also excellent. Just bring cash, even the main tourist sights (excluding Jardin Majorelle) mostly demanded payment in it.

This grocery store owner just stole 100 TL from my mother. She paid and instead of receiving all her change, the owner withheld 100 TL without us realising (it's our first day here and we are very jet-lagged hence why we didn't notice). They scam people so much here (taxis, restaurants, hotels) that you genuinely have to supect it from EVERYONE - even the small grocery store owner down the street.

I know every country has this issue to a degree, but I feel like it's especially the case in Turkey.

I recently traveled to the UK with my mom, and although I am an EU citizen, she isn’t. We ran into an unexpected issue with Ryanair that I figured was worth sharing.

As most of us already know, as of this year, non-EU passport holders need to apply for a UK ETA before traveling. We did that for my mom, and her application was approved quickly. The confirmation email clearly stated:

”When you travel to the UK You only need your passport that ends in 0000. You do not need to print or show this confirmation email."

Sounds simple, right? Well, not according to Ryanair.

Right before boarding our flight to London, Ryanair staff insisted on seeing the ETA confirmation email, claiming it was mandatory. My mom doesn’t have an EU SIM card, so no mobile data to check her emails. To make things worse, she had applied using her work email and didn't realize it at first. Cue 15 minutes of panic while Ryanair refused to let us board.

We finally found the email just in time, but the whole ordeal could have been avoided if we had just saved a copy in advance. So, lesson learned: keep that ETA email handy, as the airline staff might ask for it, even if the UK government says you don't need it.

DISCLAIMER: I understand the reasoning behind requesting this documentation before boarding, and that it is probably a procedure followed by all airlines. Still, it contradicts the official ETA statement so I thought it was worth sharing.

Safe travels!

So I(36F) had bought my ticket before any political shifts a few months ago. I've heard great things about El Salvador and needed to see for myself (PS — highly recommend!).

Now for passing through immigration. I was already on edge given all the recent news, but I decided to just go with it. I didn't wipe my phone or prepare myself for anything. I figured if something were to happen, I might as well see it through LOL. I flew through EWR (New Jersey). I arrived at the security guard and, without stereotyping too much, he reminded me of one of those Jersey boys that could have been on Jersey Shore. At first, he was laid back and chewing gum and asked me where I came from and where I'm going. I said I came from El Salvador and was headed home to Canada. He perked right up. El Salvador?

I then got what felt like 20 questions: Did I go alone? Did I meet anyone there? Where did I visit? Why did I visit? How long was I there? Do I travel alone often? Why do I travel? What do I do for work? And more. All while going page by page in my passport looking at all my stamps.

Now, I've passed through the US a few times—always a layover, never a visit. I know these are normal questions they can ask, but I haven't been questioned like this before.

Overall, it was a fine layover—no real headaches—but you can feel they’ve upped the security.

I’ve only visited 18 countries and even though the historical buildings, architecture, and cuisine were incredible, I have little desire to return to India.

As a fairly tall Black American male I stood out among everyone. I was grabbed often, all by men, stared at for an ungodly length of time, and just generally felt overwhelmed and uncomfortable there. The staring is next level. It’s not a glance. It’s a purposeful observation that continues indefinitely. At one point a man was looking at me from a few feet away. I moved to block his view then he moved to get closer to me to continue the gawking.

The poverty is disturbing and the absurd amount of garbage is nightmare fuel for environmentalists. Locals don’t seem to care much about the cleanliness in the urban areas. Watched several people willingly throw trash into the street from apartments and train cars. Why do they do this?

On the other hand, the Taj Mahal is incredible. Easily the most fascinating part of our trip. We’ve been to 6 new world wonders, 7 if we include the Pyramids of Giza, and the TM is in my top 2 with Petra being the best.

Walking through the gate and seeing the mausoleum in the background bathing in the morning light was like stepping into a fairy tale land. We loved it so much, we returned for a second day. There are rooftop bars and restaurants too with incredible views and inexpensive food and booze.

My suggestion visiting India would be to ensure everything is private. Transportation, guides, etc. The logistics can be a pain so the peace of mind of having everything taken care of for you is worth the cost imo.

okay sooo this was not in the plan at all.

i booked a solo trip to italy cause i thought i needed one of those life changing moments ppl always talk about. packed my little backpack, journal, headphones with a sad girl playlist. i was READY to heal.

first day i was in naples and met this older lady (she was literally wearing a leopard dress and heels at 10am, queen energy). we started talking cause i helped her carry something, and somehow she invited me to her village outside the city for “real food and better wine”.

long story short: i said yes, she takes me on this sketchy but cute train, i meet her WHOLE family, everyone is yelling (but like the loving kind), i drink way too much homemade wine, and 6 hours later i’m dancing barefoot at a wedding for a couple i’ve never met in my life.

everyone was hugging me and calling me “bella ragazza” and i cried a lil cause it just felt so warm and… real. not like the curated tiktok travel stuff, just like life happening.

anyway. didn’t find myself but def found out that italian grandmas party harder than me lol. 10/10 would do again.

I find the hippie trail fascinating. What overland journey would you consider to be an equivalent in current times?

First time here and I’d heard a million times that it was a bit run down & grubby etc., but I was shocked to see the state of large areas of the city centre. I’m Scottish and it reminded me of Edinburgh during the bin strikes 3 or so years ago - 8 foot high piles of rubbish everywhere. Even saw some decomposing rats lying around that had clearly been there for weeks. Was a full-time job trying to avoid standing on dog shit as well. Assuming it was dogs! One guy also definitely trying to get me to take my hands out of my pockets in an attempt to rob me, I’m in no doubt about that. It wasn’t happening, though.

I took plenty of advice from various people to find the ‘nice’ parts, but we wandered around those areas for a couple of hours and it was terrible.

Has it gone downhill recently, or has it always been like this?

Any further advice on some decent areas with nice bars etc. would be welcome. We only have tonight left and we’d like to try enjoy it as best we can. Had a great dinner last night so wasn’t a total write-off, but after it certainly was. I’d rather not go out than wander around these areas again.

What’s actually going on here?

Hi everyone, I want to share with you a few pictures and feelings from my journey to Antarctica last autumn.

Icebergs, penguins, orcas, seals, landings, sleeping on the snow of the 7th continent – the trip had it all. I decided that if any of my travels is worth sharing, this is the one.

It’s my first ever post on Reddit so please let me know if I messed up somehow so I could do better next time.

Setting Sail from Ushuaia

On Nov 24th I boarded the World Explorer in Ushuaia with 160 fellow travelers for a 10-day Antarctic expedition with Quark Expeditions. $10 000 didn’t get me a private cabin, so I shared a room with Akira-san from Japan. We were perfect roommates: he spent his time at the bar while I rested in the cabin, and our shower schedules never overlapped. An introvert’s dream.

The passengers and crew came from all over: Canada, Australia, Europe, my new buddies from the US, and beyond. It was fascinating to connect with people from so many different backgrounds, accents, and stories. 10 days on a ship with no internet really boost communication skills.

Safety was a priority, starting with a mandatory drill. The ship had a small shop selling warm clothing for those who forgot essentials, a lecture hall, and a restaurant. One of the top decks featured an enclosed observation deck where we could watch the scenery with a drink in hand, or step outside for an unobstructed view. That’s also where we gathered for a toast at the end of the journey.

Beyond the enclosed lounge, the open decks at the bow and stern offered incredible views. The bow was off-limits at high speeds, but the stern remained accessible. The real adventure, though, began in the mudroom, where we suited up in waterproof boots and life jackets before boarding Zodiacs – sturdy rubber boats that carried us ashore or on exploration rides.

Crossing the Drake & a bit on Icebergs

To reach Antarctica from South America, we had to cross the Drake Passage, one of the roughest seas on Earth. Winds can exceed 100 km/h (62 mph), and waves sometimes reach 15 meters (50 ft) high. Between the 17th and 19th centuries, around 800 ships sank there. But we were in luck and the crossing went smoothly both on the way there and back.

As we neared Antarctica, icebergs appeared. In November summer began in Antarctica, and with temperatures around 0C the ice was melting. If an iceberg is white, it means it’s relatively young. If it’s blue, that means the ice has been compacted over thousands of years, and now filters out certain wavelengths of light. About 80–90% of an iceberg is underwater, and because seawater is warmer than air, the submerged part melts faster, sometimes causing icebergs to flip over.

I witnessed as one began to overturn and split apart – an incredible moment. It was so grand, but also fast and fleeting that I chose to save it in my memory instead of my phone.

Zodiac boat cruises

Every day, we made explorations cruises on the Zodiacs. Dressed in full waterproof gear (jacket, pants, boots, gloves) we boarded in groups. At first, people wobbled nervously as they stepped in, but after a few trips, everyone got the hang of it.

Some days, the boats drifted slowly among the ice, other times, flew fast across open water. We always found something interesting. One of the highlights was a floating whaling factory that shipwrecked nearly 100 years ago. We also scooped ice chunks from the sea a couple times. One particularly nice piece ended up in the ship’s bar for cocktails.

Weddell Seals

Besides icebergs, what did we see while cruising? Seals! Mostly Weddell seals, which only live in Antarctica. They can hold their breath for an hour while hunting krill, fish, and octopuses. I had assumed all seals ate penguins, but turns out, not all of them do.

After their deep dives, they lounge on the ice all day, behaving like oversized cats. Nothing threatens them on land as the polar bears only live in the Arctic.

Underwater they make bizarre, otherworldly sounds, like a techno party in full swing. If you’re curious, search for “Weddell seal vocalizations” on YouTube. It’s wild.

One day, we came across a juvenile elephant seal – a big brown blob with a large snout. I wanted to attach a photo, but Reddit’s limits had other plans. Still, quite the sight.

Landings & Penguin Colonies

Not every Zodiac trip was just a cruise, half the time, we landed on islands or the Antarctic continent itself. Before letting us disembark, the expedition team scouted the area for interesting sights like glaciers, penguins, or sleeping seals, then checked for dangerous crevasses in the ice. Once they flagged a safe path, we were good to go.

Penguins were everywhere. To prevent the spread of avian flu, we sanitized our boots before and after every landing and stayed at least 5 meters away from them. We also avoided crouching, so any potential contaminants wouldn’t transfer on jackets. Penguins, in turn, were completely unfazed by humans. They waddled right up to the boats or dove alongside them. Since the signing of the Antarctic Treaty 65 years ago, no one has hunted them.

We also visited an Argentine emergency shelter, stocked with food and a radio for stranded expeditions. It’s also Argentina’s way of staking a territorial claim in case the Antarctic Treaty is ever dissolved. Passed by several research stations, including the Primavera base, which studies rare mosses and lichens growing in an area where the permafrost has retreated. Couldn’t visit without permission though.

More about penguins

At the start of the trip, our expedition leader joked that we’d soon be rolling our eyes, saying, “Ugh, more penguins.” He wasn’t wrong.

We mostly saw two species: - Gentoo penguins with red beaks. Their population is growing, possibly because they feed their chicks for a couple of extra weeks. - Chinstrap penguins, named for the black stripe on their chins. Also spotted a few Adelie penguins, but they mainly live farther south.

What came as a surprise to me is penguin colonies stink. You can smell them from hundreds of meters away. My parka still carried the scent when I got back home, despite my last penguin encounter being four days earlier. These stinkies have interesting cooling strategies: since they don’t sweat, they either take a swim, gape their beaks open, or lift their flippers to expose thinner-feathered skin.

At this time of year (early December), penguins were nesting. They build their nests out of stones, leading to constant rock theft between neighbors. They also had to deal with skuas – birds pretend to rest in the colony, then suddenly snatch an egg. The penguins respond by screaming, stretching their necks, and snapping their beaks until the intruder leaves.

In Gentoo and Adelie families males and females take turns incubating eggs, swapping shifts every few days. A true team effort! They don’t rest the eggs on their feathers but on a special patch of bare skin to keep them warm.

Sleeping on the Ice

One landing was unique: 30 of us spent the night sleeping on the ice. The ship dropped us off on a shore with no penguins and sailed away. We stomped out sleeping spots, laid down mats and sleeping bags, and settled in. I took a few Lego figurines with me for fun photos and as a souvenir to bring back.

Slept for maybe two hours. First, because how do you sleep in Antarctica? Second, because it was the beginning of the polar day – so no real night for me. Third, it started snowing, and became increasing harder to breath in the sleeping bag while also not getting covered in snow.

I woke up first and got to watch a seal swim nearby. Some of my neighbors, however, were rudely awakened by mating skuas right next to them. Yes, there’s video. No, I’m not posting it.

Orcas and a Humpback

We encountered orcas twice. These apex predators eat anything that swims: seals, whales, even great whites in warmer waters. Scientists might eventually classify them as multiple distinct species, since some specialize in hunting penguins, others seals, others whales etc.

I also caught a glimpse of a humpback whale. Fun fact: each humpback has a unique pattern on the underside of its tail, like a fingerprint. I submitted my photo to the HappyWhale database and now I can track if anyone else spots “my” whale in the future.

Final takeaway

I can talk endlessly about all of this, but really the trip was beyond words. Antarctica is stunning and surreal. If you ever get the chance to visit – go for it.

Happy to share more details and answer questions if you have any.

Tl; dr : Philippines could be one of the premier travel destinations on planet Earth, but can’t help but shoot themselves in the foot

This was originally a comment on a post about 1Q tourist numbers being down here in the Philippines. Here is my perspective after three weeks traveling here, my third time in the Philippines, having spent almost 6 months here in total over the years, been to every major island except Mindanao.

I’ve been to almost 70 countries and travel full-time as a digital nomad (small business owner) including some tough ones—India, Egypt, Sudan pre-war, 90% of Latin America. The Philippines is an absolute pain in the as* to travel! Easier than India, but harder than Egypt. It hurts my soul to type that!!

—nobody uses Google maps; it’s hard to overstate how much more needlessly complicated this makes things. Half of the businesses that are on Google maps don’t exist or aren’t in the place they say they are, have no reviews, no photos of the menu or food, ambience…nothing.

The other half of the businesses that do exist aren’t on Google Maps because…reasons? “Reasons” and ignorance of the benefits are the only explanation I can think of, since it doesn’t cost money and takes about 10 minutes to set up. Any business person should see that is worth doing even if it brings you one customer ever. But it would bring you dozens if not hundreds over the course of years.

It speaks to a lack of understanding of the customer and their needs. Not that it matters anyway since half the items on the menu are typically “out of stock”. I’ve never experienced that anywhere else except the Philippines, but it’s a meme here.

If you show where you want to go to a tricycle driver on Google maps it will be utterly useless to him. Because they don’t use it, they don’t think of things like intersections as directions. Directions in their mind are “go to the Santa Isabella church, turn right after the light blue sari sari store (not the dark blue or you’re screwed), drive straight until you see the McDonald’s, then turn left and drive until you see the pink house. It’s across the street from that. I think.” There are other countries in the world like this, but none of them are a flattering place to be compared to. It’s just….backwards and frustrating.

Facebook is how everything is done here and it is an unbelievably inefficient way to find somewhere to go, I hate it. Westerners under the age of 40 don’t use FB at all, for anything, ever. Some of them use messenger but the overwhelming majority prefer WhatsApp or direct messaging on Instagram/snap etc.

Use FB to find the perfect transient/hotel/apartment? Turns out it’s 10 km from where you actually want to stay. And that’s if the owner messages you back in a timely fashion, which they rarely do. Use FB to find a restaurant? It’s across town and closed when you get there because…”reasons”.

—everyone wants to charge you quadruple what locals would pay, for everything, all the time, and act insulted when you call them on their BS. This happens in virtually every single transaction— every bottle of water from every sari sari, every tricycle ride, every everything. It makes tourists feel used and abused and exhausted.

—lodging is terrible value here compared to literally anywhere else in southeast Asia, arguably the worst value of anywhere I’ve been. Medium price for a moldy roach infested Shi*hole, high price for tolerable/acceptable. Exorbitant price for Nice.

—all of that accommodation is geared towards families/groups. Bunk beds crammed into a tiny space. Solo travelers can just get Bent. I have figured out from the looks on people’s faces that solo travel must not really be a thing here, which just makes it more isolating than it already is.

—food is extremely mediocre; not as terrible as I thought it was the first time I came here, but objectively not good by Asian standards. I gain weight in most Asian countries because I legitimately love the food so much, I can’t help but over eat. I’m down almost 4 kilos in 22 days in the PH….so far. Not because there isn’t plenty of food, but because I’m never tempted to overeat, except when I’m having seafood. I want to go back in time and remove whoever introduced mayonnaise to the Philippines from history. Nothing like a nice thick slathering of “mayonnaise” in tropical heat 💀

—Infrastructure is an appalling meme; 40km can be an all day Odyssey. No direct flights from or to anywhere meaningful unless you route through Manila, which is hell on earth for most travelers.

—No seatbelts in the buses or vans that have no or weak air-conditioning or broken fans; nothing leaves on time; nobody knows where or how to do anything. For example, this morning I was going from Sorsogon to Masbate. I asked four different locals which port was the best to catch a ferry— and got four different answers!!!!!!

I could tell just by the tone of voice and body language that two of them had no idea at all. Which is another huge problem in the Philippines; people will never just tell you they don’t know. Oh, how I wish they would just tell me they don’t know so I could go get information from someone who does.

Intentionally giving someone incorrect information/directions is just inconceivable to me. I understand it’s a face saving tactic. But it’s absurd and horrible from an outsiders perspective. You have to learn to recognize this and always double/triple check!

I could go on with this rant for at least as much as I have already typed. The Philippines could be one of the most visited countries in the world, but I don’t think it will ever even be top five in Asia. Traveling here is almost miserable in comparison to somewhere like Thailand, Europe or even Mexico.

So, why am I here, before my throat gets jumped down??

For the beaches and ocean, and because it was a cheap and convenient visa run. The people are also so friendly and kind—perhaps the friendliest and kindest of anywhere I have ever been, though Mexico is a very close second.

English being spoken by virtually everyone is huge too, a game changer for the less adventurous. It’s staggering how far short of its potential the Philippines falls when it comes to enticing and retaining travelers just based on that massive advantage alone. Don’t underestimate how nice it is to be able to communicate in a common tongue!

And that is why tourists either don’t come to the Philippines or don’t return after they have been!! Did I miss anything? I’m certain I missed things….

Do you know the worst part about it all? It’s such an amazing country that I still recommended it to everyone. Unparalleled nature, the best beaches and ocean in the world, diving so good it will make you want to throw away your old life just to spend every day in the ocean. Great surfing too. Did I mention the people are lovely? So kind.

I’ll be back repeatedly, and I reckon all the same problems will still be here whenever that is.

I want to take my family to Europe and last a year we were in Switzerland in August and the weather was very good along with greats activities for adults and kids. Looking for similar places where the weather in August will be pleasant and also some place where there are enough fun activities for kids and adults.

I was thinking a few days in Copenhagen/Stockholm/oslo/ and majority of it Bergen and fjords for the weather but afraid kids will bored.

The second options is London/paris/amsterdam

Thoughts?

My 80 yr old mother and I (50 yr old female) are traveling in Spain in a few weeks. Since my phone's algorithms are now sending me every news story about how much dislike there is in Spain of tourists, can someone tell me how concerned I should be? We are polite and genuinely interested in Spanish history and culture. We will be spending a few days/nights in Valencia, Denia, Granada, Seville and Barcelona. Tia.

Edit: thanks everyone!!

We are planning a trip for this summer, we are flying from spain to dublin, and doing a road trip from there to belfast, and then going down again. Flying out from Dublin.

I know an ETA is required to travel to the UK, but I also see there is no border check between ireland and north irleand. Do we really need to apply to the ETA?

Are hotels asking for passport / ETA?

My husband passed away almost three months ago. It’s now just me and my two kids (13 & 14 yr olds). My husband and I have traveled around together, but I’ve never traveled alone.

I’m planning a trip for this fall, for me and my two children, to Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. I have a little anxiety about payment methods, however.

Long story summarized: last spring my husband and I traveled to the UK, Norway, and Iceland. We informed our bank of each country we would be visiting and which dates we’d be in that country. However, because my husband had an amazing cash-back credit card, we’d be primarily using that for the duration of our travels. While in Edinburgh, I ran across the street to grab us some coffees and breakfast and had forgotten to grab the credit card from my husband, but I had my debit card so I attempted to use it for the purchase. It declined- over and over, it kept declining. No big deal.. I ran back to the hotel and grabbed the credit card, got the coffees and that was that. I told my husband what had happened and he thought it was odd. So later that day, we tried the debit card (Mastercard) again at a different shop and same story. We said oh well and moved on. Had an awesome trip.

I closed the credit card shortly after he passed. If I try to apply for a credit card, with my nearly non existent credit history, I’m only going to be approved for what I assume is like a $500-1000 dollar limit. That won’t work because I’ll be traveling for multiple weeks.

What are my options? Is there some sort of international prepaid card that works everywhere a credit card would work? I’m terrified of the thought of traveling all the way there, thinking I’ve done everything right, and then having no way to pay for anything. I am going to pre-book everything I can before we leave (airfare, lodging, airport transportation, ferry, and rental car) but I’m talking just our day to day spending like parking, food, shopping, and entrance fees.

Much appreciated!

Hello, my parents are looking at traveling Vietnam for 7-10 days in October/November. Its their first time traveling in South East Asia. They'd like to see the rural countryside. Small towns/villages. Just get a real feel of the culture. I've been to Vietnam a few times myself and my concern is that because they won't be riding a motorbike around and they will predominantly be using buses to get to places that everywhere they go will be the typical tourist destination that is now overcrowded with tourists. I know a lot of places in Vietnam have lost their charm from over tourism (Halong Bay, Hoi An by the river at night, etc) so I'm just a bit unsure where would be best for them to spend a week and have a nice time.
I was thinking of basing them in Hoi An and doing a couple little trips from there but that time of year looks to be the worst time to travel due to the rain. Also wasn't sure if there would be any nice small towns to visit from Hoi An.
The other option I was thinking about is North. The weather looks better that time of year and they could spend a couple night in Hanoi and do a trip to Ninh Binh or if anyone had any recommendations of nice small towns to visit that aren't too far from Hanoi. Possibly surrounded by rice fields and stuff like that. Stuff that old timers would love to see.
Any recommendations would be awesome. Thanks!

Edit* They don't want to do a tour group type thing. They would prefer to travel around by themselves.

Landed at ORD today, and it took almost 40min+ for the plane to reach the gate. Was wondering about what are some of the airports with long taxiing times?

*Sorry, my bad. I meant taxiing or taxi time - the movement of the aircraft on the ground. Would like to thank some of the folks who corrected the typo. Unfortunately, I don't think I can update the title.

Hi,

I am traveling in Chile because of a business trip, I have taken 1 week of vacation before my conference (Santiago) and one week after. Right now I’m still in my first week and I’m having second thoughts about my itinerary. I landed and went straight to Valparaiso, I was there for 1,5 days and was enjoying it. Now have arrived in Santa Cruze and plan to do some wine distilleries.

Afterwards I planned to go to Rancagua, but this seems like a bad idea. Because I don’t think there is anything to do. I really want to visit some nature and hike a bit. I had one night planned there. Do you have any recommendations to go anywhere else before I go back to Santiago?

I had a difficult time finding accurate and complete information for the bus route from Tissamaharama (Thissa) to Ella in Sri Lanka (bus route 10) online, so I wanted to provide this for future Sri Lanka bus travel planners.

General Overview According the bus station attendant in Thissa, route 10 buses leave at 7am and 8:10am from Thissa to Ella. The full bus route is from Katharagama to Kandy, which is shown on the bus signage along with its route number.

I got on the “7am” bus in Thissa at 7:09am and I got to Ella at 9:58am. This was a 2 hour and 49 minute bus ride.

The bus from Thissa to Ella costs 467 Sri Lankan rupees (about usd$1.58 at the time of this post)

Primary bus stops on Route 10 are: Katharagama, Tissamaharama (Thissa), Thanamalwila, Wellawaya, Bandarawela, Welimada, Nuwaraeliya, Pussellawa, Gampola, Peradeniya, Kandy

A map and downloadable GPS file I collected of the route can be found here

Ride Details and How to Get onto the bus either from the front door or back, it doesn’t seem to matter. If you are not at a bus station, and only a roadside bus stop and flagging the bus down, be ready for the bus to only slow down and not actually stop, you have to literally jump into the bus before it speeds back up. The buses typically have route numbers (Route 10 in this case) as well as origin and destination names displayed on the front and back of the top of the bus in English. When you get on the bus, the conductor will come to you, tell them your destination. You pay in cash, they can typically provide change. You will receive a paper ticket or receipt for your journey. Reservations are not possible that I know of, just show up and get on. I did not have a problem finding a seat on my buses in Sri Lanka, I never had to stand, however the buses do fill up periodically through the journey so be prepared to be crammed in if necessary.

There is some space for bags/luggage above the seats (overhead), the opening width is approximately 12 to 15 inches (30 to 38cm). On my several bus rides through Sri Lanka there was always space in these overhead spaces, but a large piece of hard-cased luggage could be difficult to find space for. I believe there is extra storage on the back of the bus for large items, accessed from the outside of the bus, but I never had to utilize this space, so am uncertain how it works. You can also place bags at your feet or under the seat in front of you, and if there is available space, directly on the seat next to you. As a heads up, if there is no seating left on the bus, and you have a bag in the seat next to you, you may be asked to move the bag elsewhere.

There are no restrooms on the bus, but most bus stations (not bus stops) do have basic restroom facilities, some for a small fee (~20rs) and some free. The buses do stop at some stations for 5 or more minutes, but I am uncertain how to know which ones these are beforehand if you wanted to get out, talking to the conductor would probably provide this information if you needed it. Ideally you don’t have to do this and just stay on the bus to keep your seat and not be left behind.

The buses stop when people wave them down on the side of the road. This means the buses stop and accelerate frequently depending on the route, day, and time of day. Buses can fill up and empty many times on a multi-hour trip.

Seats are in a 2 and 3 person quasi-bench configuration. On the left side of the bus, each bench can hold 2 people. On the right side of the bus, each bench can hold 3 people.

There is no AC on the buses, but windows do open. The windows are glass as well, so when it is raining you still have a view. Some buses elsewhere, like in parts of India, do not have glass windows but only opaque accordion-like blinds, so this is a nice feature in Sri Lanka.

Seats are covered with a vinyl type material and are cushioned. There are armrests on the aisle seat but not between individual seats. Legroom seems to vary between buses, some it is quite tight and others it is sufficient to generous.

Music is typically played at a medium-loud volume during the whole bus ride. Typically fast tempo local music. Personally, I found the music annoying for so many hours given its loud volume, but it is certainly part of the experience.

At larger bus stations vendors come onto the bus to sell edible items. Typically fruits, corn, nuts, and baked goods. There are also sometimes people selling (or requesting donations for) non-tangible items with pamphlets, possibly religious.

Buses do not have internal signage for stops like in the US, Europe, Japan, etc. You will need to keep the GPS on your phone up and running to know when you need to get off. When it’s your time, be ready to jump fast, as they often only slow down for you.

Bus drivers do not appear to care about road rules or safety. They drive incredibly fast, it feels extremely sketchy.

Getting to Thissa

The train does not go all the way to Thissa, so you will likely need to take a taxi or bus to get there. If you are somewhere west of Thissa, like Dikwella / Hiriketiya Beach, then taking the 334-1 bus is extremely easy. It comes about every 20 minutes and is in Google Maps. Most of the information above can be applied to that route as well.

Hello Travel community,

I wanted to share my disappointing experience in Prague. Over the last three days, I visited the city and was really enjoying my time there. I thought it would be a great place for peaceful walks, and I even considered coming back for weekend strolls. However, on the third day, I experienced something that has left me feeling deeply upset.

That morning, I was physically assaulted by a man. He grabbed my scarf from behind and yelled at me. Despite the tram being full of people, no one reacted or helped. I suspect that this might have been a racially motivated attack, as I wear a headscarf. A friend who has lived here before told me that, although sad, such incidents are unfortunately common because of the high level of Islamophobia.

While I've faced verbal abuse on previous trips (only in Europe!), this physical attack was terrifying, and I am still shaken by it. I am now left with a sense of unease, and I am disappointed that this is how I will remember what otherwise seemed like a beautiful city.

Thanks for reading.

In order: Nyhavn, Royal Danish Theater, random building near Kalvebod Bølge, fountain in Strøget, Rosenborg Castle, regalia inside Rosenborg, Church of Our Savior (spire), Marble Church, Amalienborg, windmill inside Kastellet, Scandic Hotel, room in Christiansborg.

With the coming of warmer months and stable weather, Copenhagen is a treat. Parks in abundance, scenic waterfronts along the canals, gorgeous architecture and (although not featured here) amazing food make it a prime destination in Scandinavia.

hi there! i’ll be in antwerp for a week in may and was wondering if i could get comments on my itinerary

day 1: arrive from london, stay in antwerp 

day 2: day trip to ghent

day 3: day trip to brussels (iris festival)

day 4: day trip to bruges

day 5: rotterdam and kinderdijk

day 6: stay in antwerp (family plans)

day 7: not sure but somewhere in the netherlands

Hey everyone I am looking for a travel idea for a 6 day trip April 16th-21st we are located just outside Philadelphia and I will be traveling with my brother (16) and grandmother (73). We are looking for a destination no more than 8-9 hrs driving distance. We definitely prefer nature oriented activities to a city vibe. We have been to Maine and cape cod before so those can be ruled out. Budgeting won’t really be too much of an issue as it is the off-season in most places. We don’t mind driving a bit once we reach our destination. Thanks so much!

First time visiting Taiwan that kicked off a 5 week trip in Eastern Asia. Had never been before, and had really only heard about Taipei. Overall I'm a huge fan, it's a beautiful and lush. The people are so dang friendly. We were there during a mini heat wave at the end of February, very humid! Made walking around and hiking a little unpleasant but totally worth it in the end. Our plans might seem a bit random but I wanted to get a couple of days without being inundated with crowds, so skipped some of the more famous landmarks outside of Taipei (ex Sun Moon Lake) in favor of meandering through the NE portion of the country for day 5 & 6. Was def our shit, but required a rental car (not a big deal, driving in Taiwan is pretty straightforward).

Itinerary:

• Day 1-3: Spent 3 days in Taipei. We stayed in a quiet neighborhood about 2 blocks from the Confusious Temple Complex, worked well for us. Really liked doing the Maokong Gondola and all of the night markets. So much good food in Taipei!

• Day 4: Rented a car and spent one day making our way over to Jiufen. We spent the first half of the day at Yangmingshan National Park which was a highlight, lot of cool things to see and easy to get around by car. Then went to Houtong Cat Village (meh) and ended at Jiufen. Spending the night felt key there, really enjoyed walking around in the evening without the gridlock crowds.

• Day 5: Drove along Highway 2 on the coast to Bitoujiao Trail, nice hike that delivers 360 views along the coast. Highly recommend! After we made our way to South to cycle the Old Caoling Tunnel, unique experience that's also worth doing! An old train tunnel that has been converted into a cycling path, goes 4 km and was a nice way for us to escape the heat. Finished our day by making our way to Luodong, spent the night there. Great day!

• Day 6: Slowly made our way back to the Taipei area via Hwy 7, a very lonely, winding mountain road that cuts across the country. Its was a bit impulsive to do it but it was very scenic, not sure I'd recommend for most people though. We love roadtripping so great for us. We stopped at tea gardens and overlooks, the Yixing Suspension Bridge in particular was an unexpected highlight! Ended at Daxi for the night, nice town with a memorable old street.

Day 7: Made our way back to Taipei and flew out to the next stop on our adventure! Can't wait to return one day, beautiful island!

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I couldn't find anything online. I'm going to be in Hong Kong at the end of the month during a layover, and I wanted to take the airport express and use the same-day return ticket, I can't figure out if I'm able to go to Hong Kong station on the way there, then take the airport express back from Kowloon station using the same day fare.

Hi! My Grandmother and I are planning a trip to Staletti to visit her mother’s birthplace. We want to make a trip of it so are considering flying into Naples and roadtripping it to Staletti. Any suggestions as to where to stop & stay along the way? Or any recommendations just in general? Open to any and everything!