Goes without saying that you can’t miss the Alhambra and the Generalife.
To me, Seville is Andalusia though. If you can’t get to Seville, at least get to a decent flamenco show.
We also had a driver and a car to tour around wherever at our leisure.
Won’t be missing Alhambra, been wanting to see it for a long time. We are going to Seville after Marbella another place I been wanting to see for a long time.
We are then going to Portugal and Morroco. My brother has just come back from Portugal, has told me a bit about it.
Have you (anyone here) been to Morroco ?
Only been to Morocco on a day trip which is still one of my regrets. Caught the ferry from Tarifa to Tangier and back. Would love to go back and spend a decent amount of time there so I’d be keen to hear some of your stories when you return
We are leaving in Mid June and returning first week of September.
I will definitely have stories to tell probably won’t be able to shut me up. 
Almost the same time as we are in Europe. We are now leaving in early July and get back the last weekend in August. We have flights booked but no itinerary properly planned yet but will probably end up in the UK as I want to get to a few EPL games and the wife wants to go to the Edinburgh military tattoo and visit her Grandma’s birthplace at the top of Scotland
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In 2002 we spent three weeks in Honshu & Kyushu travelling (IIRC) Tokyo-Takayama-Kyoto-Himeji-Hiroshima-Mt Aso-Bepu-Fukuoka-Tokyo-Mt Fuji using a Japan Rail pass.
Next year we are considering doing the Kumano Kodo trek in the Kii peninsular south of Kyoto / Osaka.
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We skipped Morocco last year, just because of any potential ISIS issues.
more likely to have ISIS issues in France.
Anyone been to Malta?
Morocco is fabulous! Wandering the medina in Fez with a local guide to save us from getting lost is one of my favourite traveling memories. Having a tagine in a small Marakesch restaurant (exchanging not a word of common language with the wait staff) was pretty memorable too…
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Yep, went there for a Conference. It was in September and it was 40degrees and sunny every day. Some very large Tourist Hotels full of English and Dutch.
Valletta is interesting, but other places in the vicinity are better, Food is average, local beer and wine sucks. Some great places to dive; crystal clear water and fabulous underwater caves and such.
I have a few Maltese friends who go to visit relatives but not much else to do.
not sure if money is covered in this thread.
im a big fan of exchanging cash into the local currwncy when you arrive.
is the aussie dollar good enough to travel with?
any asian based blitzers comment on current street rates to convert? (i am thinking asia would be fine for our money)
I travel using 28 Degrees credit card + CitiBank Plus debit card for ATM withdrawals. I might have a bit of AU$ cash for emergencies only & a back up card.
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I have heard cash is excellent in Asia. Euros u.may as well buy here and usd likewise?
Ie street money changes will actually give you close to if not the market rate in somewhere day like Thailand with big aussie bills.(even better with usd) and some currencies even better with black market rates for cash.
And in most instances it’s nearly always buying currency at your destination as long as you carry a recognisable currency.(and I.think ours is at least top 10)
Don’t change cash at airports or railway stations. We got stung in Prague just changing 50 Euros…20% gone before we started.
Mt Aso? Courtesy finger first!!
I was real worried about this when I went to Vietnam (first OS trip). Then we drove past a Commonwealth bank ATM around the corner from our hostel.
You’d be surprised (if you’re with one of the big players) how widespread their atms are. If not, many local ATMs let you withdraw into local currency with a fairly reasonable fee.
Probably worth telling your bank you’re travelling too, they do freeze cards if they suspect fraud.
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Take US dollars if going to Cambodia - it’s used everywhere along side the local Riel currency. No need to change into Riel.
I always use a CBA Money card when overseas instead of carrying lots of cash. $3.50 transaction fee for cash ATM withdrawals, but no rip-off international transaction fees on purchases made using the card. Keep the balance in AUD, but can have in in selected foreign currency in you want.
Reckon about 99.999% of overseas ATMs can be used to withdraw money using an Aussie card.
As Henry-s-Angry-Pills says make sure you let your bank know in advance of travelling. The ever zealous CBA stopped my credit card once when I was in China.
Beware of street-side money changers.
Once in Bali I used a local stall to change $100AUD which came to 590,000 Rupiah. The money changer produced his calculator displaying 509,000. I then pulled out my calculator and showed him the correct amount of 590,000. He apologised for his numerical error!!!
He then laid 2 x 20,000 notes on the counter, then slowly counted out 11 x 50,000 notes, laying each on the counter, then gesturing for me to take my money.
In response I picked up the 2 x 20,000 notes, then counted the 50,000 notes laying on the counter one at a time. There were only 10 not 11. He re-counted, again apologised and produced the 11th 50,000 note.
What really impressed me was that although I watched him like a hawk from about a meter away when he first counted out the 50,000 notes, he was skillful enough to palm one of then off. Obviously expected me just to pick up the pile of notes and go.
In any significant city across the world, it’s getting pretty hard not to be able to find an ATM that accepts Cirrus/Maestro cards.
I usually primarily use ATMs when I travel, though in my recent trip I got some USD in advance simply because some of the visas-on-arrival pretty much demanded you pay using that, and in my case anything left over was directly usable for Cambodia nearer the end of my trip.
If you use a foreign card in Cambodia you get USD out of the ATMs. Locals get (a lot of) riels. Both legit for use. Try to withdraw amounts that avoid you getting stuck with big notes.
A backup AUD stash is rarely useful for direct payments but is readily accepted for conversion into the local currency.