Just last week I was sitting outside in the 75 degree sun. Today we’re getting over a bad storm. As it passes the sun is…
Posted by Louis Dell'Olio on Wednesday, October 27, 2021
“WHAT A DIFFERENCE A FEW DAYS MAKE”
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Dear Louis, What a welcome home you had with the storm! Your tales of Africa have enthralled me! If you were planning another trip to Africa, is there anything that you would change, or do differently? You and Christopher really seemed to come alive when you got to Duma Tau. I know that I would need more than one night of rest after getting off that long flight, before heading to the bush. Would you pack the same way? Were you happy with the iPhone and binoculars? We would probably travel the same time of year. What area did you see the most animals? Thank you for the inspiration! Alyce
Dear Alyce…..I agree about getting more rest before heading into the bush, and after the safari is over. You definitely need a rest before going home. I think I would want to fly into Cape Town and spend a few days there first instead of Johannesburg. I hear it’s beautiful with lots to see, so I would do more research on that. Even though the Air Emirates isn’t a direct flight I have heard from many people that it is very luxurious so I might want to try that. Though once the United flight took off!!! It was comfortable and I slept most of the flight anyway. I don’t know which I would choose unless I wanted to stay in Dubai for an extra day or two…..I would definitely bring less clothing because each camp had same day laundry service. They took it in the morning and by the time you were back in the afternoon from the bush it was in the room. I was afraid to run short of underwear and socks, but now I know better. My new Iphone took great pictures…..but……the phone is so advanced that it did not work well with my PC and I had to get my computer geek in to help down load the pictures and videos. I wanted them saved on my computer, and not just on my phone. However I was able to post them on facebook directly from the phone. Their spring August and Sept is really the best, and most expensive time to travel to Africa. It was never really uncomfortably hot even though the sun was strong and I did need sun block so I didn’t burn my skin. The binoculars were fine, but I’m not great with them. My eyes are far apart and binoculars never seem to fit my face well. I used them but only when I had to see something in a tree! Of course if I ever went back to Africa again I would want to go to another location and different camps. DumaTao was definitely our favorite camp, and even though all the guides were very good, Peter was my favorite! I would use the same travel agency again “Ultimate Safaris” out of the state of Washington.
Beautiful! Love your views of the Sound. Our son went to the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut, so we visited that area often.
Louis, my husband & I just got back from the Alpine lakes regions of Europe – Switzerland, Italy & France this time. Your clothes packed perfectly and were a joy to wear over there.
This trip was wonderful and odd at the same time because there were very, very few travelers.
No crowds at all in Chamonix, France, Lake Como, Itay, Lake Maggiore, Italy, Interlaken, Switzerland, etc. etc… It was nice, because we could see and do everything we wanted, but we felt sorry for the people in those countries who depended on travelers. Our friends in Paris and Rome said the same thing. Not the usual crowds,
The hotels and restaurants, etc. checked our vaccination cards, so they are trying to be careful.
I hope things will improve for them.
Happy thoughts from Houston!
I’m not surprised that you didn’t find crowds. It’s difficult to travel with Covid tests being required, and all the paper work. Didn’t you have to have different Covid tests traveling from country to country? It is wonderful that you didn’t have to experience crowds, but it is sad for the people who need the tourists to make money. It’s almost two years for many of them. Where did you stay at Lake Como and Lake Maggiore. They are so beautiful this time of year!
I think I left this reply in the wrong spot. So here it is again… 🙂
Hi Louis!
We did not have to have additional Covid tests for each country. We did have to do a test before we flew home and United had to have verification that it was Negative. We flew in and out of Zurich and it was not crowded at all! The people at check-in did look very closely at our paperwork.
We were surprised that no one at the borders checked anything.
Every hotel, restaurant, museum, etc. did check our vaccination cards. So they are cautious.
Our favorite hotel on Lake Maggiore is the Regina Palace in Stresa. The hotel is beautiful and the views of the lake are wonderful. You would love it.
We have stayed at several hotels on Lake Como, but are still looking for one as nice as the Regina Palace.
You posted your first reply in the right place. I will eliminate it so there is only one….I never stayed in a hotel at Lake Maggiore. A friend had a beautiful villa on the water and iIwas fortunate enough to stay there three times. The Regina Place looks so resplendent…..Very beautiful. I always stayed at the Villa D’Este on lake Como, and it is magnificent. I stayed in the main hotel and in the annex hotel on the property. Of course the main hotel is much more luxurious, but the annex is more private. I will have to tell you a funny story, thought it wasn’t funny at the time, when I was in bed one evening on the phone with the French doors wide open to the lake, and a bat flew in!!!!
Thanks, Louis! I looked up the Villa D’Este on Lake Como & it is beautiful! It is on our list now. 🙂
We lived in Bavaria for 3 years as newlyweds when my husband was in the military. At the same time, my parents were living in Sweden for 2 years when my dad was head of an engineering project. So, we traveled a lot around Europe and loved our time there.
Back then, John was a LT in the Army Security Agency in Augsburg, So we traveled on a very tight budget, but we saw quite a bit! My parents helped us with some of our expenses back then and my mom shared a lot of info on places to see.
So now that our kids are grown, we are loving going back to the places we loved & traveling to new places. We enjoy driving and cruising depending on the places we want to see.
Thank you again for your memories of travels in Italy & France. A lot of us do take notes. Enjoy your day & God bless. 🙂