13 hours ago, eagle45 said:

We did...and took a 7 month old too.  We had beautiful weather and went last week, which is not high season.  So it was a great, worthwhile experience.  The black sand beach is beautiful (reserve parking spaces in advance) and the real attraction is the scenery along the way, not the destination.  We stopped at Mamas Fish hours on the way back to hotel in Wailea at the end of the day (need reservations 5-6 months in advance there). 

That part of Maui is usually a bit cloudier and rainier...and the hours of narrow, blind hairpin turns might make for an unpleasant vacation day in bad weather when the roads are loaded with tourists in high season.

So if you do it right with a little luck, it's awesome.  If it doesn't go quite right, it could probably be a regrettable day.

 

 

We did it. It's also important to go in the right direction

13 hours ago, Toty said:

is that a euphemism for something having to do with that hot lady in the pool?

The road to Hana took me about 8 hours.  The other road involving that lady usually takes me about 90 seconds.

Comments on the Cayman Islands?

7 hours ago, xzmattzx said:

Comments on the Cayman Islands?

Do you like to dive?

14 hours ago, eagle45 said:

Do you like to dive?

I've never gone diving, but I like snorkeling

10 hours ago, xzmattzx said:

I've never gone diving, but I like snorkeling

The Caymans have world class diving; if you were ever going to try diving, that's the place to do it.

Due to their banking and tax system, Grand Cayman is one of the safer, more developed Caribbean islands.  Pre-covid, it was very crowded with cruise ship passengers because it was one of the stops on nearly every major Caribbean cruise itinerary.  If you want an island with total desolation and exotic feel, there are other options to consider.  If you want nice beaches, nice water, first world facilities, and some very good restaurant options, then Grand Cayman should be high on the list.  Little Cayman and Cayman Brac take you off the beaten path; there is nothing to do at these islands besides lay on a beautiful beach and scuba.  The vast majority of people on those two islands are dive tourists (and their diving is absolutely incredible).  

On 11/14/2021 at 9:03 AM, eagle45 said:

The Caymans have world class diving; if you were ever going to try diving, that's the place to do it.

Due to their banking and tax system, Grand Cayman is one of the safer, more developed Caribbean islands.  Pre-covid, it was very crowded with cruise ship passengers because it was one of the stops on nearly every major Caribbean cruise itinerary.  If you want an island with total desolation and exotic feel, there are other options to consider.  If you want nice beaches, nice water, first world facilities, and some very good restaurant options, then Grand Cayman should be high on the list.  Little Cayman and Cayman Brac take you off the beaten path; there is nothing to do at these islands besides lay on a beautiful beach and scuba.  The vast majority of people on those two islands are dive tourists (and their diving is absolutely incredible).  

My dad and I received our advanced open water certification in Grand Cayman when I was 16 years old, and it lasts our entire life.  The diving there was absolutely breathtaking.  Hovering 120 feet under staring down the cliffs of the Cayman wall is an exhilarating experience.  Turtles everywhere, barracuda, sharks, and corral structures that blew my mind.  Oddly enough, our best dives there were just shore dives right near the turtle farm and the Cracked Conch (great restaurant).  

3 hours ago, hputenis said:

My dad and I received our advanced open water certification in Grand Cayman when I was 16 years old, and it lasts our entire life.  The diving there was absolutely breathtaking.  Hovering 120 feet under staring down the cliffs of the Cayman wall is an exhilarating experience.  Turtles everywhere, barracuda, sharks, and corral structures that blew my mind.  Oddly enough, our best dives there were just shore dives right near the turtle farm and the Cracked Conch (great restaurant).  

Best dives of my life were in Rangiroa, which is middle of nowhere South Pacific…Cayman islands are right there too; amazing coral formations, pelagics…all right from the shore or a minute-long boat ride.  We were so disappointed when they took us in from the shore and then shocked once we went under.  Amazing diving.

For those that have flown internationally, what are you doing regarding the new law where you'll have to produce a negative Covid-19 test within 24 hours of flying back to the US?

Happy Delaware Day! Today is the day in 1787 that Delaware ratified the Constitution, making Delaware the first state.

On 12/3/2021 at 1:33 AM, xzmattzx said:

For those that have flown internationally, what are you doing regarding the new law where you'll have to produce a negative Covid-19 test within 24 hours of flying back to the US?

For Mexico and the Caribbean, it's easy.  Those are countries, economies, and hotels that are nearly 100% dependent on American tourism for survival.  So they know they are toast if they don't make it easy for you.  Most big hotels will offer it and you'll be good to go.

Anywhere else abroad, you might have to venture outside the tourism infrastructure into their healthcare system...which will be a pain...to get the test.  Pharmacies are the best bet, but the cost and convenience will vary significantly country to country.

 

1 hour ago, eagle45 said:

For Mexico and the Caribbean, it's easy.  Those are countries, economies, and hotels that are nearly 100% dependent on American tourism for survival.  So they know they are toast if they don't make it easy for you.  Most big hotels will offer it and you'll be good to go.

Anywhere else abroad, you might have to venture outside the tourism infrastructure into their healthcare system...which will be a pain...to get the test.  Pharmacies are the best bet, but the cost and convenience will vary significantly country to country.

 

Coworker went to Mexico with family thanksgiving week. Got "test” at resort. He said he honestly thinks they were just printing off "pass” results and handing them out to people lmao 

I've been reading up on it to answer my own question, and it sounds like buying an at-home, CDC-approved test is the way to go.  It's cheap: between $35 and $60, and you just pack it in your bag with you.  If you can be on a virtual call with them for the administration of the test, you're fine.

Just arrived in squaw valley

I didn’t know I was so close

On 10/19/2021 at 10:44 AM, mr_hunt said:

jealous.

ireland was the best trip i've been on in my life & it's not close...absolutely loved it there. 

we flew into shannon...drove to galway & spent a couple days there including day trips to cliffs of moher & inishmore. then drove down to cork for a night...did blarney castle...then a night in kilkenny...then to dublin for our final 2 nights & flew home from there.

i know that sounds like a lot of driving but we never had to drive more than a couple hours in any single day. of course the dynamics will be different with a 1 y/o.  dublin was fine but we f'n loved the west coast & smaller cities.

enjoy!

 

Thank you for this post Mr Hunt!  My wife and I were literally 1 click away from booking our trip to Amsterdam, Bruges, and Paris when we saw that Amsterdam had a mandatory 10 day quarantine.  We had to think fast, and I honestly trust some of you ****ots in this message board, plus we didn’t want too long of a flight for our 7 month old girl. 

I literally copy and pasted your post above about Ireland, sent to a travel agent, and we are going from February 16-26.  They don’t have many restrictions for fully vaccinated people either. We are flying into Shannon, staying in Galway for 4 nights, driving to Cork and staying for 3 nights, driving to Kilkenny, and finishing up in Dublin.  We are so excited!  We already booked a thing to Cliffs of Moher, we are actually staying at the Blarney Castle Hotel, and I’m gonna drink so much Jameson and Guinness that I’ll drive our entire family right off a ‘ukn cliff!  Seriously - thank you though!  There is so much good info in this thread. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

On 11/11/2021 at 9:00 PM, Toty said:

Santorini is on the list. Maybe one day.

I got to Crete (Xania), which was pretty cool except for the over-aggressive vendors.

Yeah, Xania has that feel.  Easy to get out of there though and 30 minutes with a car and it is an entirely different world.

1 minute ago, Toty said:

What I really wanted to see were the Minoan ruins (Knossos, etc.) but they were too far. Can't do that on a cruise itinerary.

Nope.  I went to Crete three times and never on a cruise.  We rented jeeps every time and drove all around. Went to Knossos twice.  There are some super cool spots on Crete but some sheet hole more urban type places as well which are just best to stay out of for the most part.  One evening in Xania getting hounded by the hawkers and restaurant callers is plenty.

23 minutes ago, Toty said:

these guys 

they were the ones getting on my nerves

Yeah, they suck, lots of fake news as to where the sun would be setting and the view from the restaurant and so very aggressive

Just now, Toty said:

off-topic, yesterday I was helping my stepmother plan a trip to Iceland (for her, not me, sadly) and I ended getting off track looking at their girls 

I've only been in the airport but yeah they are Scandinavian ladies just like the others from what I understand

2 minutes ago, Toty said:

they seem to dress a little weird... very "Bjork-ish" but still hot

I suppose but I would assume you are more interested in them sans dress in any case

3 minutes ago, Toty said:

My perversions are more complex than you're giving me credit for.

So then is "weird" not a positive for you?

3 minutes ago, Toty said:

only the kind of weird that makes them attainable 

They are absolutely "attainable” if you have any game whatsoever. For sure a large amount of kink on Iceland as well. Helps them get thru the long dark winters. 

13 minutes ago, Toty said:

here-in lies the frågeställning 

You obviously have a heartbeat and you breathe.  Is your BMI less than 40 and does your plumbing work?

On 1/23/2022 at 5:13 AM, hputenis said:

Thank you for this post Mr Hunt!  My wife and I were literally 1 click away from booking our trip to Amsterdam, Bruges, and Paris when we saw that Amsterdam had a mandatory 10 day quarantine.  We had to think fast, and I honestly trust some of you ****ots in this message board, plus we didn’t want too long of a flight for our 7 month old girl. 

I literally copy and pasted your post above about Ireland, sent to a travel agent, and we are going from February 16-26.  They don’t have many restrictions for fully vaccinated people either. We are flying into Shannon, staying in Galway for 4 nights, driving to Cork and staying for 3 nights, driving to Kilkenny, and finishing up in Dublin.  We are so excited!  We already booked a thing to Cliffs of Moher, we are actually staying at the Blarney Castle Hotel, and I’m gonna drink so much Jameson and Guinness that I’ll drive our entire family right off a ‘ukn cliff!  Seriously - thank you though!  There is so much good info in this thread. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Good talk!  F your/my trip!