Cape Canaveral?
Will you be doing a bus tour or are you going to be touring around just the 3 of you ?
Unfortunately most of Europe and UK have many churches and castles and museums. Perhaps after you’ve seen what you want to see, ask your kids what they would like to do and see. That way you all get to do and see what you want. Don’t know what parts of the UK you will be in, but reckon your kids would enjoy a day at Alton Towers (amusement park) it’s in Stoke on Trent.
If you are doing a bus tour, they do give free time, so after seeing the sights,your kids can choose what they would like to do.
Hope that helps a bit.
First thing I saw when I got into Hanoi was a woman ■■■■ behind a car just around the corner from the backpackers.
Whole place was a bit like that (mind you I’d had about 3 hrs sleep in 48 hours). It’s the more culturally interesting than HCM but a lot grimier.
Awesome stuff around Hanoi tho. Highly recommend getting up into the hills, very different feel.
I am expecting it to be grimier, have read the car/bike fumes can be real crap.
Thanks!!
Wifey and I were there last year. Outside of the theme parks Orlando is pretty bland. We did Universal which was fun, and Epcot which is incredibly overrated.
Miami is cool. Try some Cuban food is Little Havana and definitely check out South Beach, if only to people watch and check out the art deco buildings. Hire a car and drive down the Keys (stay a day or two if possible). And for something different check out the Coral Castle in Homestead, about 20 mins South of Miami.
And an everglades airboat tour is a must. Whizzing around on those things is great fun.
Awesome mate cheers.
Heading to Japan for three weeks next April with wife & 15 YO daughter. Have bought flights into Tokyo & out of Osaka on JAL. Also booked an 8 day hike (only 4.5 days actual walking) on Nakahechi route of Kumano Kodo pilgrimage south of Osaka / Kyoto.
We will have about 10 days before the hike and a day or two after, so real keen to hear advice on what to see / where to go. @JohnRain? @mrjez?
Its early days, but as a rough outline I was thinking a few days in Tokyo (is Shinjuku the best base?), then maybe a day walk on the Nakasendo Trail on the way to Kyoto. A bit of time exploring the Kii Peninsula (Koyasan? Nara?) before the hike, then finish in Osaka. Make sense?
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Sounds fantastic. Despite living in Osaka I’ve never explored Kumano Kodo/Nakahechi, but have always wanted to.
Make sure you give Kyoto a good two or three days, the sites are stunning and plentiful.
A day in Nara is great and easy to manage, as really you just wanna take in the park area with the deer and Todai-ji. Koyasan is great too, many like to try staying at a Buddhist lodging then wake up super early for prayer and to walk the cemetery forest area in the cool mist of morning with no one around. I’ve never tried that, but have done a few day trips and it’s well worth it.
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Great, thanks. Sounds like I’m on the right track. What did you do in Osaka?
I’m here now, teaching English courses at some universities. 15 years. Feel free to ask any questions, particularly about the Kansai area, hopefully I can help out.
Will you have the rail pass? One huge recommendation if you can swing it, is Himeji Castle, an hour on past Osaka heading Hiroshima direction. It’s far and away the best castle in the country if you like that sorta thing.
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The drive from Koln to Berlin took far longer than it should have thanks to the constant roadworks and a couple of major crashes jamming the roads. We worked out that the longest stretch of road without roadworks was about 22km. My poor little Renault Captur had the cruise control set at 180km/h and that was still nowhere near good enough to keep up with most. My wife even chuckled when an elderly citizen went past us in his Skoda like we were standing still.
Berlin was fantastic once again, weather was high 30’s and as most people know they don’t have great Aircon’s so it was a little tough to sleep at night.
Stayed at the Meliá which is pretty well located and got upgraded to a club lounge room with partial views of the river Spree.
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Great drive from Berlin to Prague, beautiful country side although in some of the grain belt area of Germany the effects of the drought were clear to see. Prague is always amazing and probably close to my favourite big city. Would definitely recommend it anyone who been there. Stayed at the Novotel Wenceslas Square which was pretty basic but in a great location. Had a good rooftop bar with views of Prague Castle. Walked just over 8km on the first evening and the hike up to the castle felt a lot worse than previously. I’m getting old and badly out of shape lol.
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So today we had a wonderful drive from Prague to Vienna.
Stopped off for lunch in a great little town called Cesky Krumlov. Great place to wander for a few hours if you time your visit as not to clash with the tourist busses.
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I know what you mean re the speed limit’s. We’ve been (hubby driving) sitting on about 130, and cars just whoosh on by. It’s been an experience and think hubby will be happy when we return the car.
That will be a while yet as we are currently in Marbella, will be driving to Alicanti Saturday and then onto Barcelona on Sunday. (Dropping the car there). spending a few days there.
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Can you use the Pasmo card in Osaka and Kyoto now?
Also as someone who has done the major attractions in Osaka and Kyoto is there anywhere you’d recommend for good local ramen or shopping spots that aren’t the tourist hot spots?
Thanks!
Last stop on the way to Vienna was at the Mathausen concentration camp. Nearly 320,000 people were tortured and killed here, most of them Polish or Russian prisoners. We had visited here in 2006 and was pretty surprised at the changes made, some not for the better. A fair bit of maintenance has been done but it now doesn’t seem authentic and a lot of areas are now out of bounds.
“Parachutist Drop” After working long hours in the quarry below and lugging material up the 1000+ stairs the guards would often have fun and line prisoners up and offer them a chance to jump to their death or be shot in the head. The lake at the bottom has been dredged with many bones reclaimed in the last few years.
Cremation kilns where the dead and sometimes living prisoners were burnt. This area still stinks of death and was pretty depressing.
The Germans called this area the “Autopsy Room” but in reality it was a torture room aswell. Prisoners had gold teeth removed and fingers removed to recover gold rings often whilst alive and were subjected to other torture and experiments such as being injected with petrol. These tables are still stained with blood as is the surrounding floor.
Thanks posting and the bit of background.
I know I would not be up to visiting that place.