Other Options...

[*WDW*Groupie*]

DO IT!!! If we weren't already scheduled for DD's Danube ABD that week, I would have hopped on this. I can't imagine seeing narwhals in their environment with Alex Trebeck-so cool!

I know!! My travel budget does not need this in 2019. But I REALLY want to. I need to explore the communal washrooms things as that could be a non-starter for me (I'd need a flush toilet in our yurt!).

 

[notaprincess]

I hope to hear how your Antarctica trips go! It's definitely on my to do list when my youngest gets a bit older. Our main non-ABD trips we're working on is Israel & Jordan in the Spring - queue the Indiana Jones music for visiting Petra. In the Summer we're going up to Banff - specifically Lake Louise. After almost 50 countries, I've yet to visit Canada. I kinda feel guilty about that. And we've pretty much set on Morocco on a private family tour next December. Conde Nast has a list of their recommended traveler specialists for most popular countries. We used one of their recommendations for Portugal last year and it was a great trip with lots of little VIP experiences here and there. After taht is probably an adults Golden Triangle trip with friends in 2020.

You are going to love Jordan, I've been living here for 11 years. Locals are very welcoming, albeit not very efficient/organized.

 

[Cousin Orville]

You are going to love Jordan, I've been living here for 11 years. Locals are very welcoming, albeit not very efficient/organized.

Thanks! We're looking forward to it. We're headed there next Spring and have found a good local travel specialist that's created a cool itinerary with a private guide for us. We'll spend a full day in Amman eating dinner at Fakhr El Din which I'm excited about. From there we'll head down to Petra. We'll get to see Petra by night which was on my wish list. We're heading out to Wadi Rum for a night and then up to a resort at the Dead Sea. All together we're staying about a week in Jordan and a little over a week in Israel. We're crossing at the King Hussein/Allenby Bridge which I've heard is a headache. We're planning on opting for the VIP paid crossing. If you have any tips, let me know!

 

[sayhello]

Thanks! We're looking forward to it. We're headed there next Spring and have found a good local travel specialist that's created a cool itinerary with a private guide for us. We'll spend a full day in Amman eating dinner at Fakhr El Din which I'm excited about. From there we'll head down to Petra. We'll get to see Petra by night which was on my wish list. We're heading out to Wadi Rum for a night and then up to a resort at the Dead Sea. All together we're staying about a week in Jordan and a little over a week in Israel. We're crossing at the King Hussein/Allenby Bridge which I've heard is a headache. We're planning on opting for the VIP paid crossing. If you have any tips, let me know!

Where are you going in Israel?

Sayhello

 

[Cousin Orville]

Where are you going in Israel?

Sayhello

We'll going to Netanya, the Sea of Galilee, and Jerusalem and visiting a ton of sites around those areas. It's with our church. We just added Jordan on our own as well as a winery visit in Israel on the way through the West Bank to Netanya. We also have a long layover in Istanbul which I'm excited about. Enough time to see Hagia Sophia. It should be an amazing trip.

 

[sayhello]

We'll going to Netanya, the Sea of Galilee, and Jerusalem and visiting a ton of sites around those areas. It's with our church. We just added Jordan on our own as well as a winery visit in Israel on the way through the West Bank to Netanya. We also have a long layover in Istanbul which I'm excited about. Enough time to see Hagia Sophia. It should be an amazing trip.

It does sound amazing!

Sayhello

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Update: I don't think I'm going to do the Arctic Expedition. I received some pictures of the yurt and compost toilet from Arctic Kingdom and it's just too rustic for me. I know my comfort level and I just don't think I'd be comfortable for a week sharing a shower and sink with a group of 14 others. Then there's the issue of the already accounted for 2019 travel budget. I could make it work if I really wanted to, but I'm just not feeling it.

 

[sayhello]

Update: I don't think I'm going to do the Arctic Expedition. I received some pictures of the yurt and compost toilet from Arctic Kingdom and it's just too rustic for me. I know my comfort level and I just don't think I'd be comfortable for a week sharing a shower and sink with a group of 14 others. Then there's the issue of the already accounted for 2019 travel budget. I could make it work if I really wanted to, but I'm just not feeling it.

I totally understand. That's outside my comfort level, too. That's too bad!

Sayhello

 

[tink1970]

Update: I don't think I'm going to do the Arctic Expedition. I received some pictures of the yurt and compost toilet from Arctic Kingdom and it's just too rustic for me. I know my comfort level and I just don't think I'd be comfortable for a week sharing a shower and sink with a group of 14 others. Then there's the issue of the already accounted for 2019 travel budget. I could make it work if I really wanted to, but I'm just not feeling it.

I totally understand. That's outside my comfort level, too. That's too bad!

Sayhello

Mine,too!

 

[OhanaCuz]

Update: I don't think I'm going to do the Arctic Expedition. I received some pictures of the yurt and compost toilet from Arctic Kingdom and it's just too rustic for me. I know my comfort level and I just don't think I'd be comfortable for a week sharing a shower and sink with a group of 14 others.

A friend of mine went on safari in Africa with his wife this year and it was more rustic than that. I couldn't handle that, especially knowing how much $$$$ it would be.

 

[notaprincess]

Thanks! We're looking forward to it. We're headed there next Spring and have found a good local travel specialist that's created a cool itinerary with a private guide for us. We'll spend a full day in Amman eating dinner at Fakhr El Din which I'm excited about. From there we'll head down to Petra. We'll get to see Petra by night which was on my wish list. We're heading out to Wadi Rum for a night and then up to a resort at the Dead Sea. All together we're staying about a week in Jordan and a little over a week in Israel. We're crossing at the King Hussein/Allenby Bridge which I've heard is a headache. We're planning on opting for the VIP paid crossing. If you have any tips, let me know!

Sounds like a great plan. As I'm not a huge fan of Arabic food, I haven't been to Fakhr El Din. Besides, I get the best food at work.
If you can fit it in, the baptism site, the mosaics in Madaba as well as Mount Nebo are all worth visiting. All 3 are near the Dead Sea. The ruins of Jerash are also great, for kids the Roman army Chariot Race in the Hippodrome there is fun.
Petra is amazing of course, been 3 times.
I did the crossing at Allenby Bridge and only will say that this was an experience that I will not repeat, ever. (and I had someone assisting me from my work). I did love Jerusalem and Bethlehem though.

 

[Cousin Orville]

Sounds like a great plan. As I'm not a huge fan of Arabic food, I haven't been to Fakhr El Din. Besides, I get the best food at work.
If you can fit it in, the baptism site, the mosaics in Madaba as well as Mount Nebo are all worth visiting. All 3 are near the Dead Sea. The ruins of Jerash are also great, for kids the Roman army Chariot Race in the Hippodrome there is fun.
Petra is amazing of course, been 3 times.
I did the crossing at Allenby Bridge and only will say that this was an experience that I will not repeat, ever. (and I had someone assisting me from my work). I did love Jerusalem and Bethlehem though.

Madaba, Mount Nebo, the baptism site, and Jerash are all on our list so that's great to hear. That is painful to hear about the Allenby Bridge crossing. As we are finishing Jordan 30 min away at the Dead Sea and our next stop would be a winery in the West Bank, I think we have to cross there as opposed to the multi hour drive around the West Bank. Painful either way. I'm hoping their VIP paid service makes a difference. It sounds like I may need that wine after we cross.

 

[notaprincess]

I also did the long layover in Istanbul once. Great to see the Blue Mosque and Topkapi, both near to the Hagia Sophia.
Did Lunch at a roof top restaurant with the most amazing view of all 3 and the Bosporus.

 

[Cousin Orville]

I also did the long layover in Istanbul once. Great to see the Blue Mosque and Topkapi, both near to the Hagia Sophia.
Did Lunch at a roof top restaurant with the most amazing view of all 3 and the Bosporus.

Yep, that's the plan for Istanbul - Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia. I'll look up Topkapi. Did you go on your own? If so, did you use the trains? We get in early at 3am and depart at 2pm. So, we hope to get breakfast and see a couple of sites before heading back to the airport.

 

[notaprincess]

Yep, that's the plan for Istanbul - Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia. I'll look up Topkapi. Did you go on your own? If so, did you use the trains? We get in early at 3am and depart at 2pm. So, we hope to get breakfast and see a couple of sites before heading back to the airport.

Oh, that is very early.
I went alone and took the tram. Mine was I think 7am to 6pm on the way to Tokyo.
The only negative I remember is that airport security was crazy busy in the afternoon.

 

[rlk]

Yep, that's the plan for Istanbul - Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia. I'll look up Topkapi. Did you go on your own? If so, did you use the trains? We get in early at 3am and depart at 2pm. So, we hope to get breakfast and see a couple of sites before heading back to the airport.

The Basilica Cistern is only a few minutes walk from the Blue Mosque and worth a visit.

 

[Cousin Orville]

Oh, that is very early.
I went alone and took the tram. Mine was I think 7am to 6pm on the way to Tokyo.
The only negative I remember is that airport security was crazy busy in the afternoon.

Good to know. Yes, it's early, but I was lucky to get it. I guess it's because we're flying west. My goal was business class on Turkish (or really any airline) on points. Originally we were planning on Jordan after Israel, but there were no good options. We switched the order of Jordan and Israel and this came up. We'll grab breakfast and visit the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. And if there's time left, we'll go to one of the other options mentioned.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

I received the Classic Journeys catalogue today. They have a nice variety of regular and family trips priced very reasonably. Single supplement is just a few hundred dollars more than the double occupancy rate! They could be a contender for me once dd goes to university.

 

[Calfan]

I received the Classic Journeys catalogue today. They have a nice variety of regular and family trips priced very reasonably. Single supplement is just a few hundred dollars more than the double occupancy rate! They could be a contender for me once dd goes to university.

I got that catalog too! I’ve been eyeing a couple of their trips (SE Asia and Cornwall, plus maybe Portugal and Croatia), so if you beat me to one of them, definitely post a review

 

[kaseyC]

I received the Classic Journeys catalogue today. They have a nice variety of regular and family trips priced very reasonably. Single supplement is just a few hundred dollars more than the double occupancy rate! They could be a contender for me once dd goes to university.

I got their catalog yesterday as well. I'm thinking about doing the Croatia trip solo next fall. I love that the single supplement is reasonable.