Best Of
Re: Is this trip worth the price that Tauck demands?
I’ll offer some insight into hotels in Scandinavia (I have dual citizenship and have a family cottage in Denmark.)
The best advice I can offer is to have an open mind. If you go there with the notion of what “should be” based on American standards, you might be disappointed.
Most hotels in the large cities were not built as hotels. They typically are municipal buildings retrofitted into hotels. As such, rooms are small and lighting is not always modern. Whether a home, apartment, inn or hotel, Scandinavians take a minimalist approach to design with clean, simple lines. Efficiency is more important than luxury. The rooms are clean, however.
Sadly, many people think Scandinavians are unfriendly. Making an attempt to understand their culture will give you a more accurate understanding of their personalities. They are reserved and really do not take well to idle “chit chat” with strangers. It is considered rude to ask personal questions of someone you do not know. They are typically very direct and succinct in their conversations. This is especially true in the service industry. Their job is to provide a service, not to befriend you. The Danes especially like their personal space and some are not very tolerant of people encroaching upon their space. They will tolerate it but you might be glared at if you don’t back off.
I admit to being biased but Scandinavia is a fabulous region to visit. All three countries are very different insofar as topography but share many norms and cultural aspects.
Finally. for those who have visited Karen Blixen’s plantation in Africa, her childhood home and museum is just a short train ride north of København. She—birth name Karen Christenze Dinesen—returned home after leaving Africa and is buried in a beautiful garden setting in the adjacent park.
kfnknfzk
Re: French Escapade 08/22/2025
We did this cruise last month. We had to be back at the hotel to leave about 11:00, as I recall. (We did have time to walk up to Montmartre and back beforehand. So we got some exercise on that travel day!)
Re: French Escapade 08/22/2025
My wife and I along with two sisters are on this trip and fly through JFK arriving early Tuesday morning for our extra day. We are hoping we can manage an early check-in at the hotel. Looks like we could have some rain on Thursday and Friday so bring your raincoat on your walk Friday morning.
Re: French Escapade 08/22/2025
As noted above, we have never been allowed to embark the ship before 1600 so as to allow sufficient time for the crew to prepare the ship for the next tour group.
I would be sure to be back in the hotel’s lobby by noon. Paris’ traffic is notoriously unpredictable and the coaches may wish to leave earlier.
kfnknfzk
Re: South Africa packing panic
Sandman - scsmithwy is 💯 correct! No need for a smaller duffle on the Elegant Adventure tour. However, if, like me, you don’t feel like having to worry about all of your stuff (plus alcohol if you bought any in South Africa) for a couple nights in Zimbabwe, you can check that bag in at the airport. Tauck has someone who will help do that for you (we had “Jo from Jo’burg” 😜). So basically the local Tauck rep will come meet the group, and she’ll take care of any luggage you want to store from there. Then she’ll have it for you when you come back to the airport in Johannesburg. Easy peasy! I think I may have been the only person on our tour who left a bag with Jo but I just found it easier to travel light to Zimbabwe.
Re: On-trip airline luggage restrictions?
This is what I read which gives weight limits but not dimensions:
Special Luggage Restrictions for this Tour:
Checked luggage aboard the on-tour flights to and from Johannesburg and Victoria Falls may not exceed 44 lb (20 kg).
In addition, guests are limited to one soft-sided, carry-on bag per person not to exceed 15 lbs (6.8 kg), and no larger than an average knapsack.
Re: On-trip airline luggage restrictions?
Since we took the tour about 2009, I think luggage stuff has changed. People here don’t seem to care about the restrictions but I would say, take too big a bag at your own risk because there could be consequences. The planes are small, no room for big bags and fuel measurements are based on what should be the weight of each person’s luggage,
This Africa tour does not require lots of fancy clothing, especially on the safari portion. Even in Cape Town it’s casual Even the lovey Cape Grace hotel, an all time favorite for us for service, will treat everyone the same, however you are dressed. The key thing is you are going in winter so it can be really cold in the early mornings on safari, so bring layers, some may even need gloves. The vehicles generally provide blankets. Cape Town weather is very changeable, you can encounter wind rain or fog as well as sunshine, so again be prepared. Cape Town is one of my favorite destinations.
British
Re: Input on food re: A Week in Spain
I hope you enjoy some of them. I am sorry you had some bad experiences in Portugal. Some of the best regional cuisine I have had was there, especially the fish and seafood. And blood sausage! Just a little bit since it is so rich.
Again, best wishes.
kfnknfzk
Re: French Escapade 08/22/2025
You will not have much time in the Gare Lyon Paris station to grab food or go to the restroom
Ben