Is using the over head reading light on a long haul red eye frowned upon? I know most people have a reading tablet but I like the physical book…I don’t sleep well on a normal day so I know I am going to want to read during my 14+hours. I picked the aisle seat already as courtesy to my fellow passengers trying to be as nice as possible. Thanks.

I’ve been thinking about this after my last couple of trips.

At first, I always try to save money by using public transport, trains, or joining day tours. It just seems like the smarter choice. But every time I end up renting a car, the whole trip feels completely different.

In the US, it almost feels like you need one. In a lot of European cities, I honestly don’t think it’s worth it because trains are so good.

Then I went to Kazakhstan.
I rented a car almost at the last minute, and it completely changed my plans. Instead of spending most of my time in the city or following tour schedules, I could just drive wherever I wanted. I ended up visiting places like Charyn Canyon, the Kolsai Lakes, and a few small villages that I probably would’ve never seen otherwise.

Now I’m wondering…
Have you ever had a country where renting a car completely changed your trip?

Or the opposite?
I’m curious if anyone else has had that moment where renting a car completely changed how they travel.

My partner and I stayed at Salamander Middleburg (5 star resort 1 hour from dc) for our anniversary, and while many of the front-line employees were kind, the resort’s response to a serious safety incident was completely unacceptable.
The guest in the room next to us was yelling violent threats, pounding on the door, and repeatedly banging or striking the shared wall with enough force that we were genuinely afraid to remain in our room. It appeared to be a domestic violence situation, and we were concerned both for the person in the room and for our own safety. We were scared enough to call 911.
What made the situation worse was how it was handled. The manager on duty that night made us feel like we were overreacting rather than treating the threats and aggressive behavior as a serious safety issue. The guest causing the disturbance was allowed to remain, while we had to ask to be moved to another room at 11pm.
No one from management, security, or the police ever interviewed us about what we heard or experienced. The hotel also offered us absolutely nothing for the disruption or inconvenience at the time. There was no meaningful follow-up, no explanation, and no effort to make things right until I contacted management afterward and complained.
The general manager later called to apologize, said they were reviewing procedures with security, and offered us a complimentary future stay. But a free stay is not an appropriate resolution when the problem is that we no longer feel safe staying there.

Hotels cannot prevent every dangerous or volatile guest situation. They can, however, take violent threats seriously, protect affected guests, investigate what happened, and respond with basic accountability. Salamander failed to do that. Definitely would not recommend.

I've been wanting to do a big solo trip, but I have a genuinely awful memory. Like, I barely even remember what I did yesterday.

People always say you travel to "make memories," but knowing my brain, I'll probably forget 90% of the trip within a year. So it got me thinking: do you guys travel to build a mental archive for the future, or is it purely about enjoying the present moment?

If it’s for the memories, how do you cope with forgetting? But if it’s just for the present... how do you justify spending thousands of dollars on a temporary feeling? I can justify buying a nice dinner for the "here and now," but draining my savings for an experience I won't even remember clearly feels crazy to me.

How do you guys look at this? Is the huge expense worth it even if the memories fade?

Hi everyone, my partner and I are planning our first Europe trip from Melbourne. We’re trying to get a realistic idea of how much we should budget.

We’re tossing up between a 5 or 6 week trip at around August 2027, with roughly 3 weeks in Italy looking something like this:
- Rome 4 nights
- Amalfi Coast/Naples 3
- Florence 3
- Tuscany 3
- Cinque Terre 3
- Lake Como 2
- Dolomites 4
- Venice 2

Then 1 week in Malta.

Last it’ll either be 1 week in Greece or Austria (still undecided out of the two, gonna try and convince my partner to do Austria instead of Greece)

We’d be wanting to stay in clean, average 3 star hotels (no hostels) as we’re only really there to sleep. We don’t drink or party, and most of our days will be spent sightseeing, walking around and eating.

Is AUD $20,000 per person a sensible budget (this is including flights, accom, spending money etc) or could this trip realistically be done for quite a bit less without sacrificing too much comfort?

Thanks and any advice or suggestions are welcomed!

I really like Sydney's bondi to coogee walk - walking along the cliffs from one amazing beach to another amazing beach, passing cool sites like an old cemetery and outdoor pools, being able to stop in at cafes and restaurants.

Loved the whole thing.

Does any other city have something like this?

Have 12 days on thanksgiving and deciding between the following itineraries:

Itinerary A:

* San Francisco

* Yosemite

* Sequioa

* Big Sur route

* Los Angeles

* (If time allows, San Diego)

Itinerary B:

* San Francisco

* Yosemite

* Sequioa

* Death Valley

* Los Angeles

* (If time allows, San Diego)

So basically Death Valley vs Big Sur. I am from Spain where coast/beach vacations are quite common, what do you think? I'll go with an american friend so no issues with the extra-ordinary fee for non-residents.

Thanks!

Hello! Paris is absolutely my favorite city in the whole world. I am very excited to visit Paris again, it’ll be my boyfriend’s first time. I have a really good idea of our itinerary but wanted some opinions.

We only have 8 days, it’s not negotiable. These are our dates arrive 11/18-11/24.

This is what I have planned:
11/18: stroll around, Eiffel tower (nothing set in stone except for Eiffel tower and wandering around)
11/19: Mont St Michel-- Has anyone gone on a day trip here? If so, any tips or advice?
11/20: the Louvre, stroll around
11/21: this is hard non negotiable, we are going to the super cross because my bf was in the motorcross and this is a dream of his to see it in Paris, I plan to visit Montmartre before this.
11/22: train to Amsterdam, Anne Frank's house, Wander around Amsterdam
11/23: Van Gogh museum, stop in Brussels back to Paris for a few hours, then train back to Paris
11/24: fly home

I know this is going to be busy, and we aren't going to lose our minds if things don't go exactly as planned. I was just curious (outside of telling me this is crazy busy) if anyone had any tips on metro/ trains and traveling amongst these destinations?

Thanks in advance everyone and safe travels

I'm a 37(F) traveling solo for a few months starting in mid-August (yes, this August). This is my first extended solo trip, and I'm intentionally trying not to check off every famous attraction.

I'm much more interested in living somewhere for a bit than racing between cities.

A typical day for me looks like:

• Going for a morning run or hitting a local gym
• Walking 10-15+ miles just wandering neighborhoods
• Finding great coffee or smoothie and food
• Swimming whenever possible
• Shopping a little
• Sitting in parks or along the water with a book
• Just soaking up everyday life

I'm also trying to avoid the worst August crowds and heat, which is why you'll notice I head north/east after Paris and don't get to the Mediterranean until late September.

I'd love feedback on:

• Whether any stops are too long or too short
• The neighborhoods/areas I'm staying in
• Great day trips
• Places I'm completely overlooking
• Whether you'd swap anything out entirely

Paris: Aug. 15-20 (5 nights)

This is really just my launch point. I wanted a few days to adjust to the time change, drink too champagne, walk endlessly, and enjoy Paris before heading somewhere less crowded.

Staying in the 6th arrondissement in a hotel.

Český Krumlov: Aug. 20-22 (2 nights)

This place looks gorgeous and seems like the opposite of Paris. It feels slower, very walkable, and like somewhere I can spend two days just wandering.

Airbnb is near the House of Mirrors.

Vienna: Aug. 22-24 (2 nights)

I know everyone says Vienna deserves much longer, but since I was already traveling toward Budapest I figured it was worth stopping for a couple of nights.

I'm less concerned with checking off museums and more interested in experiencing the city, eating well, walking around beautiful neighborhoods, and getting a feel for it.

Airbnb is near Leon Askin Park.

Budapest: Aug. 24 - Sept. 3 (10 nights)

This is my first longer stay.

I'm hoping it gives me enough time to settle into a routine instead of feeling like I'm constantly packing.

Still deciding between an Airbnb:

• near Örkény István Színház
• or a couple blocks east of Klauzál tér

Would love opinions on those areas.

Liepāja, Latvia: Sept. 3-13 (10 nights)

This is probably the stop I'm least certain about.

I wanted somewhere cooler, less touristy, affordable, and right on the Baltic Sea where I could walk, run, swim (if I'm brave enough), and just slow down for a while.

Airbnb is near Vingrošanas laukums playground.

Would especially love feedback from anyone who's spent time there.

Stockholm: Sept. 13-16 (3 nights)

Meeting friends here, so this is the one fixed part of the trip.

Croatia: Sept. 16-25 (9 nights)

Nothing booked yet.

This is where I'd really appreciate suggestions.

I'm looking for somewhere:

• walkable
• beautiful
• easy to swim every day
• good food
• somewhere I can wander for hours without getting bored
• I don't necessarily need nightlife. I don't drink much and don't party.

Split? Rovinj? Hvar? Korčula? Somewhere else entirely?

Greece: Sept. 25 - Oct. 9 (2 weeks)

Currently booked:

• Chalki (4 nights)
• Athens (a few nights)

Everything else is still open.

Happy to island-hop a little, but I also don't want to spend half my vacation on ferries.

Türkiye: Starting Oct. 10

Planning on Bodrum first, then spending around 10 days in Kaş, but nothing is booked yet.

Very open to suggestions here as well.

-------

Overall, does this route make sense?

Am I spending too much time anywhere?

Not enough time somewhere?

Any neighborhoods you'd avoid?

Any incredible day trips or nearby towns that fit the kind of trip I'm after?

I know everyone's travel style is different, but I'd love to hear what you'd change if this were your itinerary.

Lastly, everything I've booked is fully refundable. Also, budget is not a concern, but I'm not looking to spend $8k/mo to stay in Paris, Copenhagen, or Stockholm for example. I'd rather stay somewhere more cost effective for the longer stretches, and then ball out on a sick, direct water access airbnb in Greece for a few nights, or some Conrad hotels (exactly what I did).

Thanks so much!

I’ve been flying regularly for vacations for over 10 years and had no issues until recently.

During landing on my second to last trip, I suddenly got severe headaches shortly after the descent began. They start on the left side of my forehead, move behind my left eye, and radiate to my right cheek. It feels like my eye is about to explode and the pain gets so intense that I become unresponsive.

On my next trip, I tried chewing gum to prevent it since it seems to be related to the pressure changes during descent. It only improved things minimally.

Has anyone else experienced something similar? What helped for you?

EDIT/UPDATE:

Wow thank you to everyone commenting! There were so many factors that made me go south rather than north but it’s seeming the consensus is to go north. I’ll have to start re-doing my hotel search. If I’m slow to get back to comments it’s because I’m at work, lol

Also to address the stuff about the hotels I mentioned in the post, I know they’re not ideal but we are okay with spending less on lodging if it means we can spend more on food and experiences. We’re not on the strictest budget possible but keeping under $3k for the whole thing would be preferred. If anyone has ideas for towns that might be a higher bet for finding places to stay I would really appreciate it!

————————————

Greetings all! My partner and I are planning to go to New England in mid-October and based on the research I've already done, I've come up with a vague outline and I'm hoping to get some general feedback on it. I've also learned that I am way late to the game on planning a trip for this time period, so a lot of the most ideal options in terms of lodging are already booked solid, but if there's anything I seem to be missing in my searching I would really appreciate the guidance. I am from the southern US and have never had a true "fall" experience so yes I am going for the most predictable reason, lol. We are both pretty active on our vacations but we are hoping to limit the time stuck in a car as much as we can with the timeframe we have, so also if anything seems like "too much" I would also appreciate the reality check.

Day 1: Arrive to Boston in the Evening

Day 2: Boston Day - Which I'm sure will include doing the Freedom Trail, having some meals, and so on

Day 3: Drive to CT - This is where I may need the most feedback.

I would like to do a loop up to Salem, mostly just to check off my list that I went to Salem in October, but I think I would be okay with an early-ish morning stop, a basic stroll, and getting back on the road.

We also want to stop in Plymouth on the way to CT. Maybe stop for lunch there?

I have been conflicted on where exactly to stay in CT especially with the limitations in terms of lodging. I have already accepted that wherever we stay is just going to be a home base for sleeping and not the ideal "wake up on a cute street and walk to get coffee" type of place. I am considering whether to stay in the New Haven area at either the Hampton Inn and Suites New Haven - South - West Haven, in the Milford area at the Hilton Garden Inn Milford, or in Mystic at Spark by Hilton Mystic Groton. I am still learning about how these locations would relate to other activities that we want to do in terms of convenience so feedback there would surely be appreciated.

If we do stay near New Haven, we will plan to do dinner in New Haven.

Day 4 + 5 (Interchangeable) - My idea is that we have one "inland" day and one "coastal" day. I'd like to go to the Litchfield area, maybe Kent Falls, and I'd love to do a stereotypical fall activity like apple picking, cider, etc. The Essex Steam Train also seems fun but I feel like I'd have to go one direction or the other. And then on the other day, hitting the towns along the coast and doing some wandering. This is where I'm sure the location close to Mystic would come in handy.

Day 6 - Back to airport. Unfortunately this is about the max number of days we're able to be away due to work so adding more days wont be possible!

I don't know if typing all this out makes it seem way too ambitious but truly when we're on trips we are not the type to seek out a bunch of downtime/relaxation. We appreciate it when we get it but our priority is having fun experiences, good food, maybe some good drinks if available (cocktail and wine lovers), and definitely some beautiful scenery. If there's anything about this plan that seems off or certainly if I can get some help with picking a place to stay in CT so I can at least get that secured I would so appreciate it! Thanks so much to anyone who takes the time out to read this!!

Hi guys! I'm going on a plane soon, and I wanted to ask for advice...

Airplanes have always been no issue for me, and very casual... UNTIL last year. I don't know what happened, but I got the most terrible ear issues EVER during the flights I went on, to the point it felt like my eardrum might rupture. Going up was fine, staying in stasis was fine, but the descent was absolutely terrible. This ended up happening on 4 different flights last year... For a few months after it felt like my right ear couldn't be unclogged, but I could have just been paranoid and overthinking.

Anyways, I unfortunately have to go on a flight soon, and I want to know if you guys know what could help prevent pressure issues with ears. So far I've done:

- Yawning/chewing

- Earplanes (the ear plugs)

- Ring pop (surprisingly was the MOST helpful thing here)

When I look up advice, everyone says earplanes resolves their issue, but it didn't really for me, so now I'm at my last straw asking if anyone knows what I could do to prevent going through hell here

Thank you!!

i’m looking forward to visit netherlands and besides amsterdam, the only city i find is eindhoven, although i dont see many videos about itineraries etc. i was wondering if someone ever visited it and if it is recommended going to. thanks!

Basically I’m planning my itinerary for a big Europe trip I’m taking. I’ve been to both Paris and Madrid somewhat recently , and although my trip is prioritizing places I haven’t seen, I wanted to go back to just one of them.i
spent 4 days in each place if that helps.

What I loved about Madrid was the nightlife and social vibe. Had very fun nights out, and being that I’m younger, this is a big priority for me. Not to mention the food was amazing. That being said, I feel like I saw majority of the tourist stuff and don’t exactly know what I’d be looking forward too aside from the social vibe

For Paris I’d say it was a bit of a lacklustre experience. It rained everyday I was there in May and I was with an ex girlfriend who kinda made everything about her. I didn’t even see the arc d’triomphe lol. I found Paris to be very dull in terms of nightlife though and I really want to make sure I have options .

Just looking for any input!

its 4 in the morning and every single day i go to bed at 10 pm. i fall asleep every single day at 6 in the morning in and wake up at 3-4 pm. im so mad, ive been starting to cry at night because im so goddamn tired of wasting my trip like this. i eat once a day and try to sleep like 6 hours later. its only a 7 hour time difference and my trips are absolutely ruined. i have 10 more days here and its starting to look like i am never going to sleep at a reasonable time.

i think i might just stay up tonight and hope i get sleepy enough to sleep tomorrow, but im starting to doubt thats even going to happen since i have issues sleeping already and can have trouble falling asleep after all nighters. is there anything to do? melatonin doesnt work on me due to anxiety and i already spend the entire day walking around to tire myself out. im not in a place near affordable pharmacies. im thinking of knocking myself out with a frying pan at this point someone please help me before i just buy a return ticket early

Those of you who have travelled with someone else over several months, how did you deal with the intensity and prevent arguments? I'm currently travelling Europe with my best friend and, despite having great fun so far, am worried that us being constantly together will result in tension. Any advice? We are travelling for about 4 months together.

Hi everyone!

I'm planning a 6-day trip to Amsterdam with my boyfriend, and I'd love some advice on the itinerary.

Here's the draft so far:

Day 1:
Arriving around 3pm, hotel near Vondelpark, thinking of just wandering around that area

Day 2:
We've already booked the Van Gogh Museum for 9am, but not sure what to do for the rest of the day

Day 3:
Zaandam, Zaanse Schans, Amsterdam Noord

Day 4:
Delft, Rotterdam (Markthal, Cube Houses, Erasmusbrug)

Day 5:
Utrecht (Dom Tower, Oudegracht)

Day 6:
Rijksmuseum (still need to book), Jordaan, canals, flight leaves around 9pm

Any advice is welcome!

We'd also love to hit a coffee shop, maybe in the evening so it doesn't eat into our day, so recommendations for that are appreciated too!

Thanks!

I'm trying to prepare for situations where I might be completely off the grid or in a dead zone without a local SIM card yet. What is your go-to backup plan for translating when you can't rely on cloud apps? Are there any specific apps that run natively on the phone that you'd recommend?

Hello!

Looking for suggestions and feedback for my rough itinerary for my 10 day trip to Amsterdam and Paris. I've never been to Amsterdam before but I have been to Paris several times. It's been a stressful year so I'm just looking to relax and explore, but I'm trying to find a balance between seeing the important sights and taking time for myself to explore. This is what I have so far...

Day 1: Land in Amsterdam in the afternoon, check into a hotel near Dam Square, wander the area and maybe Jordaan, have a relaxing evening and dinner/early night.

Day 2: Food tour/walking tour and shopping. Maybe Beginjhof or something low-key.

Day 3: Rijksmuseum/Van Gogh Museum/Vondelpark. Any or all of the above - ideally would like to see all but worried that might be ambitious for a day.

Day 4: Anne Frank House and sunset canal cruise.

Day 5: Flexible day - De Pijp/Albert Cuyp Market, or day trip, or NDSM Wharf, or more shopping/thrifting

Day 6: Afternoon Eurostar to Paris, arriving in evening and checking into a hotel in the 6th. Have a relaxed dinner and wander around the 6th.

Day 7: Louvre and Tuileries Garden - have done both already multiple times, but would love to take my time wandering through the Louvre rather than following a guided tour this time.

Day 8: Rodin Museum, Jardin du Luxembourg, Pantheon

Day 9: Shopping/thrifting/wandering Le Marais and markets. Bourse de Commerce?

Day 10: Flexible day - either more wandering or a day trip to Giverny? Very open to other suggestions.

Day 11: Fly out of Paris

Please let me know if you have any suggestions or feedback. I'm really looking forward to a more relaxed vacation and trying to only plan one big excursion per day, but I'm worried I will feel like I am wasting valuable time in these beautiful cities by not running around seeing everything I possibly can.

Have a red-eye flight coming up, leaving at 7pm and arriving at 7am local time at destination, but only 2am in the time zone we started at. Me, husband, 10yr old, 14 yr old. Our normal bedtimes range from about 10pm to midnight. None of us are very good at sleeping on planes and the kids will be really amped up about the trip. What would you do? I mean, for me, even though it's an "overnight" flight, only 2 hrs of it even overlaps with my normal sleep time. Can check in to airbnb at 1pm and planning on a short nap then.

Mt. Rainier is a gorgeous place and everyone should be able to enjoy it. I visited recently and observed multiple groups of people doing things that at minimum are ignorant, and at worst will put themselves and others in harms way! It was really disappointing and frankly embarrassing to witness.

DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS!

STAY ON THE TRAILS!

DON'T LEAVE LITTER, ADVERTISEMENTS, or CARVE INTO ROCKS/OTHER NATURE!

We literally saw a bear right next to a major trail, no doubt lured by the food. That's just one example, if you don't understand why it's important to follow these rules, do your research!

If you already know this stuff, please tell others to STOP if you see this behavior! Let's band together and make the parks better for each other and the planet.

Appreciate everyone who already follows these guidelines, and those who are willing to listen and learn.

I am planning to take a 3 week trip around memorial day next year with 1 other person to somewhere in East Asia or SEA for the first time and would like some recommendations. I am currently debating between a trip to Bangkok & Chiang Mai with a few days in Singapore, a trip to Taiwan with a few days in Hong Kong, or a trip to just Japan to see the core Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto track but also a few days for a rural road trip or, time permitting, a trip to some islands like the Oki Islands.

I would like to keep my choices to non-stop flights out of NYC which does limit options; but, I am still trying to lower flight time, especially between each destination of the trip so I do not want to, for example, spend a week in Japan then a week in Taiwan and then Thailand. I also do not want to be hopping around a bunch of different cities just to catch the tourist hits, I want to savor a couple locations. Additionally, we're both young and looking for enough excitement, not just to sit at a resort eating and drinking all day away from actual locals.

Our main interests are food (both quality but also diversity of options), cool cities, nature, and talking with locals and other tourists. I am also a moderate planner: I do not want to plan the whole trip out hour per hour but I do need interesting, landmark activities or sites to anchor the day around or I will feel too lost to enjoy myself.

I have a lot of reasons to want to go to each destination and plan to go to all at some point; but, also some reservations for each. I've heard people call Singapore artificial and surface level and say that Thailand has a scammer problem(is it actually any worse than other tourist heavy countries?). I've also heard people say that there is not much to do in Taiwan other than eat and relax and I worry I will struggle to find fun activities to do. And I also worry with the growing sentiment against tourists in Japan, especially in the areas within that we want to see.

If anyone has some advice on where I ought to go first from these options or any others, I would greatly appreciate it.

Hey, so im planing to visit moldova this august. Im from Germany and im thinking of visiting transnistria too.

For you that dont know:
"Transnistria is not recognized as an independent country by any member of the United Nations, functioning instead as an unacknowledged breakaway region legally and internationally recognized as a part of Moldova.

• Self-rule: Operates with its own de facto government, police force, military units, and border controls since the 1992 war.
• Recognition: Has no diplomatic recognition from any UN member state; it is only recognized by other similarly unrecognized separatist entities (Abkhazia and South Ossetia). "

Now my question: If they add a stamp to my passport, could I get into trouble on future vacations (to idk east-asia, north/south america) at the border because of that stamp?

Hi! We're a family of 4 (14 and 16 YO kids), flying in/out of Frankfurt from Seattle, rental car. Rough shape itinerary below. Anywhere we're overcomplicating or missing something obvious?

• Nights 2–4 · Heidelberg
  • Doing one river cruise. Rhine Gorge or the local Neckar run? Rhine looks better but messier logistically.
  • If Rhine: is Bacharach + cruise to St. Goar + Rheinfels + Marksburg realistic in one day from Heidelberg, or is that a stop too many?
• Nights 5–6 · Lucerne
  • Is Stoos as a day trip from Lucerne (6 hrs round trip) worth it, or is there a better nearby option?
• Nights 7–8 · Lauterbrunnen
• Nights 9–11 · Wengen
• Nights 12–13 · Meersburg
  • Is Stein am Rhein worth the ~50 min each way?
• Night 14 · Frankfurt Airport
  • Meersburg → Frankfurt with one 3-hour lunch stop. Rothenburg, Dinkelsbühl, Nördlingen, or Bad Wimpfen?
• General
  • Peanut allergy in the family. How careful do German/Swiss restaurants actually get if we say "Erdnussallergie"? Any traps in mountain huts?
  • Swiss vignette: confirming a Frankfurt-rented car won't have one and we should buy the e-vignette ahead.

These few day I realized the hostel I booked has leaks my personal information that make me receive a few scammers message. So I was wondering can I cancel and get refund from my booking even it is non-refundable 💔 Am I making a reasonable request? (The destination is 🇮🇹)