Mar
26

Our Upcoming Itinerary

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Sample TripIt Information

Sample TripIt Presentation

The process of planning for our forthcoming round-the-world trip was not an easy one, since there were very many different issues that we needed to put into place to have a plan that would work and meet our needs.

We used a fantastic tool called TripIt (to be found at http://tripit.com) as an integral part of the planning process that we have used for the trip.

There is an earlier post about TripIt, and we decided to really give it a good workout while piecing together our itinerary.

Among the issues that we had to deal with were:

  • finding a suitable cruise to take us across the Atlantic Ocean from the Americas into Europe
  • linking in air travel options between Australia and the departure port for the cruise
  • Arranging suitable activities through Europe following the disembarkation from our cruise ship.
  • Linking all of this in to a fixed date of departure from Europe back home.

The final itinerary that we have developed with the assistance of the TripIt planning engine is:

  • Flights from Melbourne to LA and then from LA to Miami
  • 6 days in Miami
  • Board Liberty Of The Seas for transatlantic crossing from Miami to Barcelona
  • Sightseeing in Barcelona, then Elipsos night train to Milan (Gran Classe)
  • Wake up in Milan, then travel by rail to Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • Explore Ljubljana then board train to Belgrade, Serbia
  • Explore Belgrade then travel to Budapest, Hungary
  • Budapest to Brastislava
  • Bratislava to Prague, with lunch in Vienna
  • Prague to Berlin
  • Berlin to Mainz
  • Day river cruise from Mainz to Bonn, thence rail to Dusseldorf
  • Fly from Dusseldorf across the channel to London
  • Board flight from Heathrow to Singapore
  • Spend a couple of nights in Singapore warming up from the European climate
  • Back home to Australia

During the coming days and weeks, we’ll be keeping this travelogue up to date with summaries of the adventures and observations that we make during this trip.

Categories : Destinations, Technology, Vacations
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Mar
25

Our Latest Venture – Around The World In 49 Days!

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John and Barbara With The Get Packing BookWe have a couple of personal milestones coming up, and as a result have planned a trip that takes us first from Melbourne in Australia across the Pacific into the US of A, thence by cruise ship across the Atlantic and into Spain.

We plan to then travel largely by train around a number of the Eastern European countries before arriving in London en route back to Melbourne via Singapore.

We will be posting stories and experiences about this trip and the places we visit on this website as we go.

 

Categories : Accommodation, Air, Destinations, Rail, Sea, Vacations
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Apr
21

Earn Frequent Flyer Points While Travelling By Rail In Europe

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Fly and Rail Image
The concept of “code-share” has become common in the airline industry since the coining of the term by Australia’s Qantas Airlines in 1990.

It refers to the use of a common flight identifier code for services operated by different carriers.

One of the common advantages of code-sharing is that frequent flyer programs often enable passenger miles earned on a code-share flight to be added into a passenger’s account.

More recently, a number of airlines have formed linkages with several European rail carriers to enable the concept of code-sharing to extend to high speed rail travel as well.

The most recent of these arrangements was announced by Qantas Airlines on 19th April. Qantas plans to commence the new arrangement with German rail operator Deutsche Bahn between Frankfurt and seven cities in Germany from 1 May.

This will enable Qantas customers to connect with Intercity-Express (ICE) rail services from Frankfurt Airport to Cologne, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Nuremberg and Stuttgart. A Qantas spokesman said that the daily rail services complemented Qantas’ air services, whose daily flights arrive in Frankfurt at 0550 with rail services departing approximately 90 minutes after landing, depending on the destination.

A number of other airlines have introduced such code-share plans into the marketplace in recent years, among them being American Airlines, Continental, China Airlines, Lufthansa, TAP Portugal and Emirates.

In Europe these Rail & Fly systems are used to divide markets by selling these combination tickets abroad for a lower price to attract more customers. Rail operators participating include DB in Germany and SNCF in France.

Conditions for these code-share tickets vary, but most seem to offer accumulation of mileage points, and some airlines offer the rail component as a no-cost extension of the airfare for international travelers.

Why not consider this as an option when next flying into Europe.

Submitted by John Kumm www.onlinetravelconsultant.com

Categories : Air, Destinations, Rail
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Apr
15

A “Not To Be Missed” Experience In Shanghai

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Shanghai is located on the Yangtze River estuary. It is China’s largest industrial city and has an area of nearly 6,000 square kilometers, and a population of nearly 19 million.

Today’s Shanghai has embraced the forces of business and design and rewritten its rule book shaping a fresh multi-cultural metropolis with both modern and traditional Chinese features.

The Bund is a riverfront area within the former Shanghai International Settlement, in the eastern part of Huangpu District. The Bund usually refers to the buildings and wharves on this section of the road, as well as some adjacent areas. It is arguably one of the most famous tourist destinations in Shanghai.

Shanghai is the hotspot of modern China, buzzing with the concept of ‘lifestyle revolution’, showcased in art, architecture, dining and contemporary urban living.

You must not miss an airport transfer on Shanghai’s flashy new Maglev, the world’s fastest train, which has been tested at speeds up to 500 km/h. The futuristic magnetic levitation system may yet redefine travel everywhere. The thrill of low flying is amazing. The Maglev isn’t about getting from point A to to point B. Rather, it’s the ride, a glorious glide, from the past to the future.

The Shanghai subway is one of the youngest in the world and might well become the most rapidly expanding. The first line opened in 1995 and the first section of the second line followed only four years later. You will find that travel on this service is clean, fresh and well run. A truly great way to travel around the city.

Above all, the rule for Shanghai is to lay low during, or altogether avoid the Chinese New Year; the city grinds to a halt and public transport is flooded. The rest of winter offers good hotel discounts and few tourists.

Submitted by Barbara Walsh-Kumm www.onlinetravelconsultant.com

Categories : Air, Destinations, Rail, Technology
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Apr
15

South Africa’s Blue Train – for the Discerning Traveller

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The Blue Train experience is unique – not merely a trip, but a taste of real luxury combined with the romantic charm of rail travel.

The service operates between Pretoria and Cape Town, and runs on a regular schedule. There are also charter options for extensions of the journey to other South African destinations.

Traveling by train is a highly enjoyable, hypnotic escape into another world. Great trains romantically carry wide-eyed travelers to the very brink of all that is wild and wonderful, smoothly covering diverse terrains across the four corners of the world.

This service offers all inclusive luxury rail cruising, with opportunities to view South Africa’s spectacular landscapes and visit interesting tourist attractions en route.

From Pretoria to Cape Town, the train travels south through spacious farmlands to Kimberly, the epicenter of the worldwide diamond rush.

An off-train excursion through this historic town is available to passengers.

The trip then continues through the heart of Great Karoo, where vineyards and summer roses line a descent into beautiful valleys toward Cape Town’s imposing and instantly recognizable Table Mountain.

Whilst not for the budget traveler, this cruise offers an experience that will long be fondly remembered.

Further information can be obtained from the company’s website at: http://www.bluetrain.co.za/

Submitted by Barbara Walsh-Kumm www.onlinetravelconsultant.com

Categories : Destinations, Rail, Vacations
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Apr
10

A Memorable Rail Journey in Germany’s Harz Mountains

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This was a truly wonderful find to us on a recent trip to northern Germany.

The Harzer SchmalspurBahnen railway operates from Wernigerode at the North side of the Harz Mountains, and Nordhausen to the south.

This narrow-gauge steam-hauled railway takes us to Brocken, the highest mountain in the Harz region at over 3,700ft. During the Cold War, Brocken was a military base used for border surveillance and until the fall of the Berlin Wall, the mountain was off-limits to all but the Soviet army.

The Harz mountains, 90 kilometers (56 miles) long, 30 kilometers wide, and some 400 million years old, straddle the border between what was once East and West Germany, in the central part of the country.

Brocken Mountain, has an ancient reputation of being a haunting ground for witches, goblins and other creatures in the pagan pantheon. The well-traveled Goethe called the Brockenberg his favorite mountain, and gave it a place in literary history by using it as the setting for the witches’ orgiastic Sabbath scene in Faust.
At 60.5 kilometers, it’s the the longest narrow-gauge steam locomotive route in Germany.

Other towns to visit in the region are Wernigerode, with its many half-timbered houses, Bad Lauterberg, which has the leading health spa in northern Germany based on the unusual “Kneipp” method, and Goslar, whose medieval old town is so well preserved that it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You can find out more about this fascinating trip into history and fantasy, by visiting:

www.hsb-wr.de/hsb_barrierefrei/hsb/streckennetz/harzquerbahn_e.htm

Submitted by Barbara Walsh-Kumm www.onlinetravelconsultant.com

Categories : Destinations, Rail, Vacations
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Aug
21

Limited security implications for rail travel in US

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It is reported that US passenger train and cruise line operators are making decisions that are likely to have some implications for passenger security checks, but that it hasn’t triggered a major tightening of security procedures.

It seems that Amtrak is increasing the number of random inspections of baggage rooms and passenger waiting areas. Amtrak staff are bring kept aware of security issues, and report suspicious situations to the Amtrak Police Department.

Note that all baggage is required to be tagged to ensure carriage, and that identification must be provided when checking baggage.

Submitted by John Kumm www.onlinetravelconsultant.com.

Categories : Rail, Security
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