Best Of
Re: Part 2 of my report…much delayed
Our last three days in the Serengeti were at the Melia Serengeti Lodge. This is a five star hotel and much nicer than the Four Seasons where we have stayed before.
It is in a gorgeous setting overlooking the landscape and sensibly laid out. The pool was the least cold of all of the other places we stayed. Meals were a sort of family style where small dishes of all sorts were continually brought to the tables. If you wanted more of anything, you just asked. Service and friendliness of the staff was wonderful.
What was a surprise was that almost all drinks including popular cocktails were included and you could keep ordering throughput the day.
My husband and I had excellent massages. The wifi was good here but I was mostly busy or relaxing between already planned activity to feel like using it.
The ballon ride day began by leaving the hotel at 4am. A long drive but worth it.
On the last morning, the drive to the airport takes about an hour. During that drive, we saw a pride of sixteen lions and were able to stop to see them. Also more hyenas than we had seen the entire trip.
Further notes that may be of interest.
Some people did not need their duffel bags. Our tour director gratefully took them as he had about 20 drivers and hotel staff who wanted one. As mentioned, you receive quite a few free gifts from Tauck on this tour, some are fragile or bulky, you might need your duffel to transport them home. Our daughter gave him two of their three duffels. My husband had a pair of safari pants which were too big for him. Again, the TD said he would try them on as he wears nothing else. If not, he would give them away to drivers or to others. We also gave him our two pajamas that Qatar airlines give you, the tops make a pretty nice sweatshirt.
Good idea to ask the TD if you want to leave items so they can be directed to the best people. Our son gave a driver his spare pair of sunglasses….lets just forget he lost his best regular prescription glasses in the first couple of days!
Oh, the cheapest place to get laundry done is at the Tloma lodge, $1 an item and promptly returned.
Our tour was greatly enhanced by traveling with SueK’s family. Sue is sweet and kind and everyone got on well. I also met Cindy Somers who has been active on the forum. She recognized my description of my grandchildren and came over. She was on the last day of her tour, all gussied up for the farewell dinner, we had just arrived after a dusty drive😂😂
British
Re: Rhine and Moselle southbound Aug. 24
ray
Re: Staying Active
The ships gym is the only guaranteed exercise outlet. The sun deck can be used but on tours we've been told not to do so early morning as the sound travels down to the Diamond deck waking people up. But he'll likely have the gym to himself. I've never shared it with anyone. And there will likely be some opportunities to run or bike on the paths along the river. I believe they still carry bikes on board.
You do get a fair amount of walking and stair climbing during the sightseeing.
If he's going there to exercise in Europe he might be frustrated. If he's there to see the sights, learn the history, try some different foods, etc he'll have a good time. Always best to have realistic expectations.
Re: Staying Active
I don't know too much about Mt. Pilatus. I didn't go there. I surely can recommend a great run in Heidelberg.
I went on the Rhine cruise with one of Tauck's competitor. While most senior would choose the Heidelberg castle ruins, there was the option of Heidelberg Old Town. One other person and I decide to do a run and skip Old Town and Church of Holy Spirits. You can start at Bruckenaffe, a well hidden famous city landmark, go on Alte Brucke, see Liebesstein on the opposite side of the Nektar river and take Stausufe and Schleuse Bridge back. Just make sure when you come back, you do not get lost since the all streets at Old Town looks the same. It is a very scenic run with multiple great sights to see off the beaten path.
Re: Staying Active
jfairman, don’t let age keep you from going. My husband and I starting traveling with Tauck 40 years ago. He was 40 and I was 37. Yes, we were the youngest of the group and had a fabulous time. We are still traveling but now as the seniors on tour.
Choc
Re: Staying Active
In my younger years, I was a marathoner - I even ran the NY and Boston marathons. When I traveled for business, I'd take my running clothes and shoes and run in the city. The good thing was that I got to see parts of various cities that I wouldn't have otherwise. But I'd only run 6 to 10 miles in a city, not nearly what your husband runs.
I'd say to him to check the map of the city you'll be docked in and plot out a course that he can do in the afternoon. It might not be the distance he'd like, but it will be better than just sitting on the ship.
And even though many of us will be older than you two are, we've lived interesting lives and can be good dinner companions.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
[I take my hat off to him. It was all I could do to run 26.2 miles. I couldn't even dream of doing a 50 mile or 100 mile run. I was an 8 minute per mile marathoner, about 3:30 for a marathon. My best time was 3:26 at the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC. I was faster in a 10K race, with a personal best of 40 minutes.]
[Any other marathoners out there?]
Re: clothing advice
On our trip an elderly gentleman traveling on his own, 81 years of age, ended up seriously ill. On the plane to Auckland he was sweating profusely and having trouble breathing (one of the doctors in the group had a pulse oxymeter and he was measuring an O2 saturation of 84%) . When we landed the airport medics were already there and he was wisked off to the hospital. The TD went with him and made sure he was tended to. It was towards the end of the trip so we had all bonded. The TD spent time with him every day, and gave us regular updates on him , even after we were home. He made sure a relative flew over to be with him while he was in the hospital. This was the first time we had ever witnessed anything like this while traveling. We made 2 decisions- 1. Better buy the travel insurance that Tauck offers ( fairly comprehensive); 2. We are only going to very far locales with Tauck as we get older because even though we have a considerable amount of time before we are in our 80s, you never know what is going to happen when you are traveling. Another example- When we were in Switzerland 2 years ago, an 87 (!) year old collapsed from dehydration on the way down from the Matterhorn. A medivac helicopter was there in 5 minutes. I opt for that instead of a few missed meals here and there……( I know this has strayed from the topic of clothes….).
Re: The Great Migration
Tauck's service and the African experience was one of the most amazing trips we have ever taken. Everyday of the tour I woke up and went to bed smiling. (this from a born and bred city girl). We saw the big five, witnessed thousands of wildebeests and zebras in migration and had an amazing "glamping" experience.
