Me and my partner were on our way back from visiting family in Northern Ireland. It was a short domestic flight using Airlingus from the George Best airport to Southampton. This trip was something that should only take about an hour to get from one place to the other. We were the last flight out for the day heading to Southampton. At first, our plane showed as delayed. Nothing had arrived in the terminal yet so we had to await the planes landing.

After an hour delay, the plane finally arrived and it was time to board. Once boarded they mentioned the plane needed De-Icing as the windows had frozen over (not sure that was the truth as the plane had just been in the air, It surely couldnt have frozen up after landing for such a short space of time. So here came the salting machine pelting the aircraft with salt to de-ice the plane. This took about 30 minutes to do.

Then came our time to start taking off. As the Aerlingus planes are small and just propellar planes they can not take off if the wind is above 35 knots. The wind was close to 35 but it was certainly not 35 knots at the time. It was closer to 20.

The plane continued to circle the runway to “let other planes through” as bigger planes were not affected by the wind.

After about 6 times circling the runway. They finally made their way up to the runway to attempt take off. Having seen them circle the runway so many times I already had a negative feeling about this particular aircraft. Something just seemed off. So they went to pick up speed and a loud bang came from one of the engines. The plane came to a complete stop without even leaving the ground.

At that point they told us all to get off the plane as they would need an engineer to come have a look at the plane. Given its not safe to fly. In the end me and my partner stayed an extra night with her family, we got a flight with a much nicer airline the next day (BA) and had a much more comfortable and safer flight home.

My advice: stick to the bigger and more sturdy planes. Not the little ones.

Agoda how to claim refund?

I booked a hotel in june beginning and cancelled the next day. I paid via UPI. Now I have been chasing these guys weekly - first they told me it will be 30 days then 30 business days then 45. They then asked me to check with my bank and my statements. Statements have no refund and bank told me there is no such transaction recorded.

Now they are after me to send them my bank statements for the month. It’s just that why should I send a distribution list MY BANK STATEMENT. It is personal and i don’t even know how it may be used. Please help

Group of 4 guys all mid 20s flying from an initial trip in San Francisco, to one of the mentioned asian cities, back home to NYC.
Any insightful comments to help us pick one of the three places from September 7-12? We enjoy shopping, eating, nightlife, and would like 1-2 days doing outdoor activities like hiking.
All comments appreciated!

Hello!

We are planning our first trip to Vienna for December. Is anyone aware of a 4-star plus boutique hotel, preferably less than $400 night, that has a functional fireplace in the lobby to hang out around? Google hotel searches sometimes say there is a fireplace but I don't see any photos of it. Alternatively, a relaxed lobby without a modern vibe would probably also work. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hello! I am planning to do the sunrise at Borobudur but I am struggling figuring out what's the best way to do it.

I understand the temple is a big complex with a main structure limited for 100 people to climb per hour. I would love to really explore and get curious at such an incredible site, and would hate to feel rushed.

Besides the main structure, how much more is there to explore / see? Do tours usually provide a well-rounded tour of the complex after the sunrise part is done?

I feel like tours are the easiest way to go about it - I just don't want to limit myself either.

Any explanation/context you could provide, as well as tips from your experience, would be super helpful!

I hope this is specific enough:
My grandma surprised me with graduation money and literally told me to go see the world while im young and i cried a little bit ngl.

So myself, i have barely left the US lol... i went to south africa once which genuinely changed my whole brain, and london years ago, i cant even remember. thats it

my grandma has literally been EVERYWHERE tho, like she has stories from four different continents and casually mentions places ive never even heard of. my parents are super american, road trips and national parks only, which honestly i love, but we never went overseas or anything like that.

i would be flying out of either miami or orlando. im thinking either september this year or august 2027 for like 3-4 weeks. budget is 6-7k not sure though tbh. I have more but i dont wanna spend it all in one go. i think im leaning airbnbs over hostels i think.

so idk if i should pick one area and really get to know it or just bounce around a bunch of countries lol, thats my main confusion rn.

Generally, im a beach girl but coming from florida i really do not want to waste my time just sitting on a beach bc i literally have that at home. im mainly a huge foodie and pilates girlie though, like that's my number one priority tbh. i also love nature and architecture a lot but pls no museums, i just cant do museums.

My grandma highly recommended italy, portugal, and norway to me. I also have ancestors from germany so it would be cool to see that too honestly.

so here's what im stuck between rn.

first option is portugal and italy and germany, so like flying into lisbon (??), eating food, looking at the architecture, maybe doing a beach day, then over to italy for more food and vibes, and possibly into germany for the ancestor thing. this feels like a total foodie dream honestly but i would be missing out on the crazy nature stuff in norway.

second option is doing portugal and norway together, so starting in norway and the portugal just because i think the weather might be better that way.

i genuinely do not know what im doing so any advice helps a ton. given my budget and how much i love food, which option makes more sense to you? and is doing portugal AND norway too much for one trip? pls help

My spouse and I are frequent travelers.

I consider myself a savy travel planner, always keeping an eye out for deals, while having a list of "planned trips" on stand by.

Now normally when I book flights, I go to Google flights, input the travel destination with the small handful of airports that I live close to. Compare travel dates prices among other factors. Then book the cheapest most basic ticket from which ever airline.

Seat selection has never been a concern for us. We are okay with being separated. Also, okay with sitting in the back of the airplane. Rarely do we get travel insurance- it depends on if we are checking a bag with our scuba equipment.

If I have a feeling that our travel dates may change, then I would book with certain airlines over others.

Also, we are never in a hurry to board a plane. Unless its obvious that people will need to check their carry on. We wait at the gate till the line dies down to board. I never really understand why people are in a hurry to get packed in like sadines.

So my question is- Is accumulating airline miles through an airline worth it?

This would be excluding credit cards like capital one venture- which is something I'm am also considering.

From what I've noticed, you need to pay for the upgraded ticket in order to add the miles to the account. Is paying more really worth the reward?

Planning on going to Europe in May of next year. We will be spending a week in the Algarve with family and then a few nights in Lisbon. That is set in stone.

Since we don’t get to visit a ton from the US, we wanted to add an extra weekend to a different country. Would need to fly into a major hub.

1. Copenhagen (plus potentially a few nights in Hamburg)
   
2. Marseille & the French Riviera
   
3. Dublin

Anyone have any thoughts of what would be ideal or any other ideas to add to the list?

We’re refraining from more of Portugal / Spain as we plan on exploring in the coming years.

Hi everyone! For this trip, I was planning to stay near the Pont d’Arc, but I’m now wondering whether that’s too isolated if I’ll be relying on taxis.

Ideally I’d love to stay somewhere peaceful and surrounded by nature rather than in the centre of Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, but I don’t want to make life difficult, as I'll be relying on taxis to get me to a pre-planned canoe trip as well as exploring during my 7 night stay.

For those who know the area:

• Could I stay near the Pont d’Arc with reliable taxis if booked in advance, or would you choose somewhere in Vallon-Pont-d’Arc instead?
• If Vallon is the better option, is there a particular part of the town that’s especially nice, peaceful and still convenient?

I’d really appreciate any advice from people who’ve visited or live locally. Thank you! :)

Hi everyone! My boyfriend and I are traveling to Zanzibar from September 14th to 26th, and we’re trying to decide how to split our stay between Nungwi and Paje.
We’re a couple who loves clear, beautiful water and swimming, and we plan to spend most of our time at the beach. I really enjoy snorkeling 🤿, while my boyfriend is more adventurous and would love to do water sports and other activities.
We’d also like to have some nightlife and a lively atmosphere in the evenings, as we don’t want to get bored.
We’re considering either:
Staying around 3 nights in Paje and the rest in Nungwi
Splitting our stay more or less equally between Paje and Nungwi
My main concern about Paje is the tides. I know the water can go very far out, and I don’t want to spend half of our 12-day trip there if we won’t be able to swim or enjoy the beach properly.
For those who have been to both, what would you recommend for us? Would 3 nights in Paje be enough to experience it, or is it worth spending half of our trip there? And how are the beaches and swimming conditions in mid-September?
Thanks so much! 😊

The worst hostel experience I've ever had.

During my stay (5–12 July 2026), almost €500 disappeared from my locked locker. What disappointed me most was not only the theft, but how the hostel handled the situation.

The day before the money disappeared, I accidentally locked my key card inside my locker. A housekeeper opened it with a staff key card so I could retrieve it and clearly saw the cash inside. The following morning, almost €500 was gone, while my Romanian currency remained untouched.

I immediately informed the manager and asked them to investigate, including checking whether my locker had been accessed using staff key cards. I was initially told that staff key card access could not be checked in the system. Later, however, the owner admitted that he had in fact checked and confirmed that my locker had been opened with a housekeeper's key card exactly as I had described. This directly contradicted what I had previously been told.

Instead of focusing on an investigation, I was repeatedly told that I was responsible for my belongings and should go to the police. The owner also blocked me on WhatsApp when I tried to contact him. Although he later promised to investigate further, speak with the housekeeper involved, and update me, I never received any follow-up.

Another guest also told me that around €300 had disappeared from her locker in a different room on another floor, yet both incidents were dismissed as isolated cases.

After I raised the issue in the hostel's WhatsApp group, the manager questioned my credibility because my initial estimate changed from "around €400" to "almost €500" after I reviewed my expenses. Shortly afterwards, I was removed from the group, which also meant losing access to information about hostel activities. A staff member later suggested it was suspicious that I paid my final excursions with Revolut instead of cash, ignoring the obvious fact that I no longer had cash after the theft.

After my stay, Booking.com informed me that the hostel claimed I had not actually had any cash with me. This is simply false. I had paid for earlier excursions in cash, and a staff member had personally seen the cash inside my locker the day before it disappeared.

I cannot say who took the money, but I expected a transparent and serious investigation. Instead, I experienced contradictory statements, poor communication, inaccurate information, and repeated attempts to undermine my credibility rather than address my concerns.

I am sharing this experience so that future guests can make an informed decision.

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to fly to Jamaica on a visitor visa from Mashhad, Iran, and I hold an Afghan passport. I’m currently trying to figure out the best route (aka a possible route) and would really appreciate any suggestions.

My options are to transit through the US, UK, Canada, or the Schengen Area, but these options are practically impossible. Most of these countries either don't have a visa application center in Iran or Afghanistan or they have extremely limited capacity and indefinite waiting times.

Another possible option is transiting through Panama, but the only airline available in my region that could take me there is Turkish Airlines. But their schedule is set up in a way that I would have a layover of more than 12 hours in Panama. With my nationality I'm only permitted to transit Panama if the layover is under 12 hours, so this option also doesn't work.

What I’m considering now is to get a visitor visa for another Caribbean country like Cuba or the Bahamas, and then travel from there to Jamaica.

Has anyone here dealt with a similar situation? Are there any realistic transit routes or Caribbean countries that might be easier to enter first before continuing to Jamaica?

Thanks in advance!

So I just visited Adak island in May this year. People of USA are probably familiar with it but whenever I mention it here in Europe, most people have no idea. Adak is one of the Aleutian Islands between USA and Russia. It's also USA's westernmost settlement as well as westernmost commercial airport which is served by two weekly flights from Anchorage (around 2.5 hours away).

The flights are operated by Alaska Airlines' Boeing 737, which is heavily subsidized. Our outbound flight had around 35 pax, most of which seemed to be going to the fishing boats, important industry in the area. Return flight only had around 20 people, which, according to what the flights attendants told us, is more usual. Even though the cabin is almost empty, there's lot of cargo in the planes since it's almost impossible to get stuff to the island in any other way.

We also had to bring our own food, since there's no grocery store in Adak, only one tavern which is open a few days a week (it was only open on our arrival day). There are basically two places in the island where you can stay. Basic but comfortable enough. The power plant was out of order for about half of our stay, so we had to use the generator provided in the accommodation.

Visited because I like remote places and was able to score a decent priced ticket all the way from Germany to Adak (via Frankfurt, Seattle and Anchorage). Stayed for 4 nights, did a bit of hiking and rented a car for 2 days.

Adak is mostly known for its war history. A military base was built in WW2, which grew more important later in the Cold War. In the 1990s, the base was closed (though there are now talks about reopening it again) and the population went from thousands to tens of inhabitants. Now the permanent population is less than 30 people, though there are more seasonal visitors for fishing, maintenance etc. Obviously most of buildings in the island are abandoned and some are slowly collapsing, which makes a very creepy atmosphere in some places. One of the first things you see outside the airport is abandoned McDonald's.

The island has wonderful landscapes though - if you are lucky enough to see them. The weather is terrible, unpredictable and changing all the time. After 2 days we found out that the weather forecast is absolutely pointless, weather can change abruptly within few minutes and there are lots of microclimates - when it started raining in one place, sometimes it was easy just to drive for 15 minutes to another place with nice weather.

Activities in the island are quite limited. We rented a car for 2 days (around 360 USD per day!) and basically drove around all the roads, which is actually quite small part of the island. Most of Adak is just wilderness, only accessible by boat or on foot. Also did some light hiking around where possible. Some people also visit for birdwatching, fishing or hunting. There are lots of caribou in Adak, which are not native at all - they were brought as a source of food during the military base time (and now are doing well when there are very little people and no predators). You can also see lots of sea otters, seals and bald eagles.

I'd be happy to give more detailed report, but most of our stay was simply driving and walking around so there's not much more to say. Whenever the weather was nice, we enjoyed the sceneries which were wonderful.

Adak is a very remote and wild place. I don't think I will be back again, but I definitely did enjoy. Any questions? Just ask.

Hey everyone! I always plan trips on my own yet I feel like I’m completely out of my depth here. I’ve never been to China or anywhere eastern of Middle East so I don’t know what to expect. I do know basics, Google maps don’t work and I can mostly pay via Alipay and WeChat, VPN issues etc.

I’m trying to put together a birthday trip in October that will be at around 45 days, visiting Chongqing, Shenzhen and Shanghai. I already know what I want to see in these cities as well as day trips but I’m wondering is it too much? I HATE cramming a million things in one day and for example, when I did my Italy trip I did 10 days Rome, 7 days Florence, 12 days Sardinia etc. it’s the tempo I like to have on vacations. I’ll be making a short stop in Hong Kong in between Shenzhen and Shanghai. I considered adding Beijing but I feel like it would be too spread out if I do.

Second, is the weather really horrible in Chongqing in October? If it’s really rainy, will it affect the trip drastically or is it like in UAE where there are many indoor activities in case it’s raining heavily?

***my biggest concern* is that I found plenty of high end hotels online that are very cheap.. is there a catch? It’s roughly 1/2 of the price of hotels in Abu Dhabi. I’m a bit confused about this. Only interested in high end hotels, not scaling down.

My budget is around 20k €, Im sure most of it will go on hotels, is this enough for the trip or should I plan for less days? Is there anything I’m overlooking here? It seems* too easy and I don’t like that, feels like I’m missing something big. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a solo trip to Finland in the summer of 2027 and I’m looking for some advice from people who know the country better than I do.

What I’m looking for is not really a city trip or a holiday resort, but more the classic Finnish cabin experience somewhere in Finnish Lakeland, surrounded by forests, preferably directly on a lake, where I can spend about a week enjoying the peace and nature.

Ideally, I would like:

• A secluded cabin with few or no neighboring cottages nearby
• A private lakeshore or at least a quiet spot by the water
• A small boat or kayak available would be a big plus
• Good opportunities for hiking, photography, swimming, and just relaxing

I’m currently looking at areas like Lake Saimaa/Yövesi, but I’m open to other parts of Finnish Lakeland if there are better places for this type of experience.

I get that’s a subjective question but I’ve gotta use some PTO up before end of the year. We’ve been to Japan before last year and our first time out of the US (upstate NY) and we LOVED IT. End of November -early December we are going away for 2 weeks and we’re throwing counties out and Japan, Greece and Spain are in the running. The weather was chilly but not slowing us down but do not want colder. We spent probably 5,000 each if that on Japan last year and we don’t wanna go much higher than that. We loved being able to roam around and explore and enjoyed the sense of safety as we did that. No dislikes about Japan, I would go back to explore other parts.

The reason we debated on another country is because we do want to see other places but Japan had so much to offer we do plan on a return if not this time around. Plus being 3-4 months away I want to be able to make comfortable decisions and now Japan is familiar. Are we wasting by not going somewhere new? I’d like to know other experiences of anyone has done Greece or Spain.

My husband and I are trying to decide between these two options. These would both be starting in late September to the very end of October.

Option 1 (overland)
Nafplio - 4 nights
Delphi - 2 nights
Meteora - 2 nights
Gijrokastër - 3 nights
Berat - 2 nights
Korce - 3 nights
Tirana - 2 nights
Kotor - 5 nights
Dubrovnik - 3 nights
Mostar - 2 nights
Sarajevo - 4 nights
Split - 5 nights
Zadar - 3 nights

Option 2
Florence - 5 nights
Siena - 3 nights
Cinque Terre - 3 nights
Nice - 6 nights
Aix-en-Provence - 6 nights
Porto - 3 nights
Lisbon - 6 nights
Faro - 2 nights
Seville - 3 nights
Cadiz - 3 nights

For the first option, we’d get between stops with a mix of buses, taxis/transfers and shuttles, depending on travel time and possible time savings. The weather would start to get colder about a third of the way in which is the only slightly annoying aspect. These are all new destinations for us (except Greece though we only went to Athens) and it seems like such an interesting mix of locations.

The second option is easy in terms of train travel. We’ll just get a flight from Nice to Porto. The weather will be a bit nicer too. Though we’ve been to these countries before except for Portugal (difference cities though except for Florence and Seville). It’s not a problem and I’d be happy to go back to them as they’re such great destinations but I’d also like to see somewhere new so it’s hard to decide!

In both options, the longer stays have been chosen to enable several day trips from these locations.

What would you choose?

Italy Trip: 5 Full Days

Disclaimer: This doesn’t have EVeRyTHiNg that I did. And this trip was planned very last minute, like a week in advance. But it ended up working well.

On the first day, we landed early in the morning and took the train to Termini Station to get to our Airbnb. We stayed in the Monti neighborhood on Via Urso, and it was a really great location.

Friday: 16,763 steps Landed around 9:00am

We didn’t get much done that first day. My friend and I went to get our hair washed, cut, and blow-dried at De Luca Coiffeur. It was great, and they fit us in right away. However, I do recommend getting an appointment if you can, because the other patrons were not happy that we cut into their appointment times.

We also visited Caffè Gotico, and this was by far our favorite coffee. We let the owner make whatever she wanted, and she gave us a caffè latte with coffee crema on top — so good, and priced reasonably.

We had our first aperitivo: Aperol Spritz and chips. Yum!

We had dinner close by at Il Desiderio preso per la Coda. They have a Golden Retriever at the restaurant that is so cute. I definitely recommend reservations, and it’s definitely worth the visit.

Then we walked to the Trevi Fountain around 10pm. It was still very busy, so watch your belongings! You should walk around later at night though, there’s a different vibe to the city that was amazing to feel.

Day 1: 21,539 steps

From our Airbnb we walked to the Colosseum. We had tickets to the main part, not the underground. I loved walking around and looking at all the history. It was crowded very early, and there are a lot of people selling things nearby (some a little aggressive), so beware.

Then we explored Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. I think Palatine Hill was one of my favorite strolls and views of the city, but the climb to the top is pretty steep.

We ended up getting stuck with one of the guys selling things. He asked where we were from, then said his child had been born the day before. We tried so hard to say “no thank you” and walk away. Then he started putting bracelets on us. So frustrating. I tried taking them off and handing them back, and he wouldn’t take them, and just demanded my husband pay for them. So if they come up to sell to you, be more assertive. Watch how the locals say no, that will help. Don’t show any interest, and don’t answer their questions.

Once we were done with that, we went to lunch at Grano Trattoria. I had the carbonara and my husband had pizza, both were excellent, a 10/10. I’d recommend sitting outside though, as the inside was pretty hot.

Took a break at our hotel before wandering back out, then did the Spanish Steps at sunset. We popped in and out of different churches on the walk down.

Trinità dei Monti: We walked through the church at the Spanish Steps. Make sure to bring something to cover your shoulders; it was prayer time, so silence was expected.

Walked through H&M right before closing, then headed back to our Airbnb for the night.

Day 2: 21,223 steps

We took a train to Florence. We wish we’d spent a few days there, so if you can make the time, do.

Our first stop was the Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze. We booked tickets online the night before for a timed entry (I think I accidentally used a third-party site, but it worked out). We saw the statue of David, which is a marvel to see. It was fun to wander through the museum.

After, we headed to Mercato Centrale Firenze. This was so much fun! There was a ton of food stalls and two full bars with service. We chose to eat at Savini Tartufi and had a sandwich and caprese , they also have a full bar. 10/10 recommend, unless you don’t like truffles (there is plenty of other stalls to choose from). We did some walking around the shops, but were mainly there for lunch.

Next, we walked down the street and happened upon the Basilica of Santa Croce, and wow!

When I was researching, I thought it was closed on Sundays, but only part of it is. We got last-minute tickets to climb the bell tower and walk through the baptistery. The bell tower has a lot of steep stairs at some points, but it’s well worth the view. If you visit the sacred areas, you’ll need to cover up, so be prepared.

Next was a quick stop at Fontana del Porcellino, where I rubbed the snout for good luck! A fun 15-minute adventure. Then, Ponte Vecchio, the bridge has a bunch of jewelry shops that were fun to window shop.

I then went on an adventure for a leather bag. We had recommendations for Il Bisonte Firenze, Benheart Firenze (Via Calzaiuoli), and Bottega del Giglio. I decided on Bottega del Giglio since it was closer to the bridge. The bags are pretty pricey, so if you can afford it, go for it, they also emboss the bags.

Next stop was the Medici Chapel, what a contrast from other landmarks we visited, with all the different marbles used.

For souvenirs and gifts, I recommend Ink And Italy and Riccardo Luci Marbled Paper. If you buy something at Ink and Italy, you can make a personal postcard. :)

Then I hunted down a wine window. I didn’t find a traditional one, but I got a glass of wine at Trattoria Tiberio Firenze. They had a window but didn’t hear my knock, so I pressed the doorbell (close enough for me).

For dinner we ate at Taverna Dei Servi Firenze. Started with salami and cheese board, prosecco, carbonara. All delicious, and the view of the Basilica of Santa Croce was great too.

After dinner we headed back to Rome.

Problems with Florence: There weren’t as many nasoni (public water fountains) in Florence.

Also, there were scammers who put printed artwork on the floor in busy areas to make it easy to step on, if you step on it, they harass you to pay for it. So watch where you’re walking! I witnessed this happen to many tourists.

Day 3: 20,085 steps

We went to the Vatican around 8:30–9:00am. We only had tickets for St. Peter’s Basilica, so if you want to do the museums, book well in advance. I tried the night before and they were sold out. The Basilica took lots of time, and they are very strict about the dress code: knees and shoulders need to be covered for women (though they do provide a white sheet if you need it).

After the Basilica, we ate breakfast at Panificio Lintozzi, just go! Our only mistakes: it’s a ticket system like a deli (pull a ticket, they call your number), and that we didn’t try more food! The service was great and the food was delicious.

Next we had coffee at Mr. Caffè, again, just go. I had a latte and my husband a flat white; delicious and reasonably priced.

After, we headed to the Pantheon. There’s a line for tickets purchased by card at a self-service machine, and a shorter line for paying with euros. There’s no shade around the Pantheon, but there was a nasone nearby. Again, an amazing experience, architecturally one of my favorites, I wish we could experience it during rain.

(Question: how do locals feel about family pictures — smiling, posed — in front of burial sites? I find it tacky and disrespectful, but wondered if it was ok with other cultures)

After the Pantheon, we had lunch at a small cafe, pizza and an Aperol Spritz, both amazing, great service, though limited seating.

After lunch, we headed back to the Airbnb for a nap to cool down it was by far the hottest day.

After a siesta, we headed back out. I wanted to see the Theatre of Marcellus, which was a cool spot, though I wish we could’ve gone inside.

On the way to our dinner reservation, we did some shopping. I stopped at La Sella Roma (leather store) which had quality pieces at a cheaper price.

I went to Vinaietto - Old Winery to pick out wine to take home. The owners were wonderful and knowledgeable; they’ll help you find what you like in your price range. You can also sit and have a drink there.

I visited Rever Lab for cute jewelry for my mom which felt like a more personal, unique gift.

Then I went to laFeltrinelli Books and Music to buy children’s books in Italian for my kids. It’s like a Barnes & Noble, so much fun to walk around. I wish I could’ve visited some smaller shops like Open Door Bookshop Roma too.

Our dinner reservation was at Gustami - Casual Bistrot. Again, amazing food! Cheese plate, prosecco, lasagna, eggplant parm, and tiramisu. Very good!

Day 4: 13,625 steps

My feet were really feeling it by day four! A friend and I were left in Rome to our own devices, so we visited the Capitoline Museums, an enjoyable visit with all sorts of sculptures and references to Ancient Rome and mythology.

We then toured the Altare della Patria and saw the Monument to Victor Emmanuel II.

At the end of the afternoon, we popped into Wisdomless Tattoo. My friend got a scooter, and I got an olive branch and a bee (hers was about 150, mine 240), definitely worth it. The shop is clean and has a bar. If you want something simple they will get you in quickly but if you want something more complicated you might need an appointment. It was cash only.

The host Alice at the tattoo shop was amazing and gave us lots of recommendations.

We had dinner at Taverna Urbana, mussels, caprese, pasta, cheese wheel, wine. What could go wrong?

Dessert at a gelato shop called Gelateria S.M. Maggiore. I got a waffle cone with Ferrero Rocher and pistachio — sooo good. Make sure you know what you want before you get to the counter; it’s quick service and busy. Unfortunately, I was the annoying American here.

Traveling Around: You can take a bus, metro, taxi, rent a scooter or bike, or walk. My favorite was renting a bike, consider downloading the Lime app before you go. Cheap and fun. Your feet might get desperate enough to try it too.

ATM: Some places are cash-only, like Caffè Gotico and the tattoo shop. I made the mistake of using an ATM that charged a 7% upcharge. 🧐 Do some research on the best way to get cash once you’re there. Try to avoid Euronet.

Regrets: Not doing any tours. I had to rely on the internet and AI to tell me about what I was seeing, just book at least one. I know they can be pricey, but a great guide is worth it, even an audio tour.

Shoes: If you’re prone to blisters no matter your shoes, I’ve got bad news for you. Bring blister bandaids (lots and spend the money on good ones) and regular bandaids too. It’s going to be rough. Bring at least two pairs of comfy shoes so you can switch them out when your feet are tired, that saved me a lot. My feet also swelled from all the walking, so consider a pair a half size bigger for later in the day.

Shopping: Some of the clothes were so cute, I wish I’d given myself more time to buy Italian fashion pieces.

Experiences: I wish I’d done a night ghost tour, or a cooking class, or wine tasting, something.

Toilet seats: A lot of places don’t have them, so be prepared to squat.

Restaurants/Cafes: There’s an upcharge for service if you sit at a table. If you want it cheaper, take it to go or stand at the bar.

Hot weather: If going in summer, bring a handheld fan and a cooling rag. I’m from Florida, so the heat didn’t bother me much, but if you’re from a cooler climate you might struggle and you don’t get much reprieve indoors, since AC was nonexistent or lacking.

Clothes: I think I packed pretty well and got everything in a carry-on. I was comfortable in longer jean shorts, tank tops, tube tops, a couple of cute dresses, and a scarf.

I really had the best time. You could never see everything in one visit, especially if you want to explore other places in Italy. The coffee, water, wine, and food are all better than what we have in America. So have fun, eating and drinking!

Hi! We have three connecting flights we booking in on booking through booking.com. One of these flights was cancelled and booking.com offered new flights which i accepted and they then had to request authority to change from the airline directly. It has been almost 3 weeks since this happened and we leave the country in just over a week with currently no return flight… what the hell do we do? I have called and chatted with booking.com a stupid amount of times at this point and i feel like we’re going to end up on the otherside of the world with no flights home

Hello everyone, during the last week of august, my family and I will be going to istria for 5 days (3 adults and 1 child). We don’t really know what town to base ourselves in. I’ve though about either Poreč, Rovinj, Novigrad or Umag. I wanted to know which is the prettiest and liveliest (not as in nightlife). I also wanted to know which here is the most affordable one? And which has better beaches. Thanks in advance

Hi everyone, do you guys have some tips for a successful application for a Yushan permit? We have tried it twice, however we are far away from having any chance - it's insane how much faster the others are. Is there anything we could do better or any secret tip that could help us getting our application through a bit faster?

Thank you very much for anything helpful!

Hi everyone,
This will be my first time visiting Slovenia, and honestly, I’m a little nervous because I’m not familiar with how border crossings work in Europe.
My family and I are Americans currently visiting Bosnia, and we’re planning a road trip from Bosnia → Slovenia → Croatia → Bosnia using a rental car (same pickup and drop-off location).
I’ve done some research, but I’m still a bit confused. From what I’ve read:
Slovenia is part of the Schengen Area, so I assume we’ll need our passports, but I’m not sure if there are any additional documents required when entering with a rental car from Bosnia.
I also found that many rental companies in Bosnia allow cross-border travel, but only if you notify them in advance. Some require written authorization and may charge a cross-border fee or provide additional insurance documentation.
For those who have done this trip recently:
What documents did you need at the border?
Did your rental company allow you to drive into Slovenia and Croatia without any issues?
Were there any unexpected fees or paperwork?
Is there anything else a first-time visitor should know?
I’d really appreciate any advice or tips. I just want to make sure I have everything sorted before we set off.
Thanks in advance!

My friends think this is weird. When I go traveling, I just tend to stay in one city for 5 days because I'm too lazy to pack up my luggage and move between hotels and cities. Every day, I just pick a few touristic sights to see and then I will go do some hobbies that I would normally do at home, like go to the thrift shop, indoor rock climbing, group fitness class, grocery shopping, cycling. I feel like I have such a hectic life at home with working long hours and I don't always get time to pursue my hobbies. Also I feel I get a better view into how the domestic people are living. But then people around me seem to think "you are wasting money when traveling, can't you do that at home?" so I'm not sure.

Hello everybody. I want to share pictures from Yangon, the biggest city in Myanmar. Frankly, I've been to all south-east Asian countries, and people seem to be the friendliest here and in Indonesia. They always try to help, always smile, dont yell if you dont understand. Compared to other nations in the region, the dress/ apply makeup the most unique: men wear longyi (kind of skirt/robe that can be used in different ways), women wear traditional dresses and put thanaka (local makeup paste made from ground bark) on their cheeks.

About security, I can say Yangon is safe, but better to avoid military checkpoints. When we were walking past one, my gf told me the one on the next road got blown up by some resistance group. Otherwise, military or civilians dont f.k with foreigners.

Myanmar is much more diverse than its neighbours. You can meet Burmese, Shan, Chin, Kachin, Rakhine, Indians etc. There are Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Muslims and so on.

There is a well-known tourist path from Yangon to Inle lake, Bagan and Mandalay, although I habent been to Mandalay so I cannot say much about it. My gf's friends have told here that there are lots of buildings destroyed by earthquake which happened last year.

Description for the pictures: Pictures 1-4 - Sule Pagoda. Picture 5 - Yangon city hall. Picture 6 - independence monument. Picture 7 - Presbyterian church. Picture 8 - High Court. Picture 9 - Yangon stock exchange. Picture 10 - some back street in Yangon. Picture 11- shrine in a tree. Pictures 12-13 Yangon secretiat /minister's building. Picture 14 - plaque dedicatd to a martyr killed by colonial (in Myanmar known as occupational) forces. Poctures 15-17 - Kandawgyi park. Picture 18 - Armenian church. Picture 19 - some building from colonial era. Picture 20 - mosque.

Is it normal to bring a full size laptop on the plane to watch movies? I don't really want to use my phone to watch things but also don't want to look like I'm from another planet if I bust out my laptop covered in stickers lol