Hey guys, I've got a question (again). One of the countries on my itinerary is China, I'll be staying there under the 144hr Transit Visa system. I will arrive on the night of the 23rd June, the visa duration starts midnight of the day after you arrive (hence it'll be 24th June). This means I have to leave before midnight 30th June.

I want to leave China at night on the last visa day, as I want to maximise my relatively short amount of time in China. I saw a flight that departs on 00:10am on 30th June. Do you think this would be accepted or not? On one hand, the flight's take off is past the visa deadline by 10 mins. On the other hand, in order to catch this flight, I will have needed to be stamped out of China at passport control 1 or 2 hours before the flight and before the visa deadline (and obviously you don't get stamped out of the country as you board the flight).

The departure is after the deadline but the stamping out is before the deadline, this is the main connundrum. Just wondering what people think about this.

Ps. Caution is good of course, I'm asking because the timing of this flight is near perfect, aside from this visa concern.

Hello! My husband and I are looking to travel for 2-3 weeks outside of the USA for a total budget of 10k. We would likely travel between August-September. I'm stumped on where to visit next. Any advice on where we should go next? Would appreciate any cost saving tips for the trip as well. I've put a few countries we are considering below and would love feedback on any of them or if you recommend another location. Thanks!

Context of where we have traveled and enjoyed
We've done three big trips which have included Iceland, Northern Italy (Dolomites region), and Portugal/Azores/Madeira. We both love hiking, nature, wildlife, good food, wine, and are not big city people. We don't mind starting a trip in a large city but we've enjoyed being outdoors the most on our trips. For example we flew into Munich and then drove to the Dolomites and enjoyed a the few days in Munich but would not have enjoyed two weeks in Munich as much as the hiking and towns we visited in Northern Italy. We are have rented and driven automatics on all of our trips (except Mexico). I am okay at driving stick shift but my husband can't drive it and honestly some of the places we've been stick shift would have been too stressful for me to do 100% of the time.

We go to Puerto Vallarta every year and I've travelled a decent amount through Mexico and Costa Rica already so we are not interested in going to either country this trip.

Places we are considering
Argentina - We've looked at Argentina but the flights costs are high and I know finding an automatic car rental is difficult.

Slovenia - We talked to someone at a party recently who raved about their time there.

Albania - I have read that two weeks is too much time here so I am curious if that is true or if we should consider adding another country?

Andorra and South of France - My concern is staying on budget in these countries.

Poland - My husband's grandparents were from there (since passed away) and I had lots of colleagues at a past job who lived there and all the photos they shared were stunning.

Ireland - Most of the hiking seems to be coastal cliffs and we've really enjoyed hiking in more mountainous areas.

Open to other countries too!

Let me paint the picture of our RV rental experience, starting from the moment we picked it up in Seattle (Kent) – it was a disaster. The RV was filthy, with dirt coating the floor as if it hadn't seen a cleaning in ages. Despite the agreement with Indie Campers that either we clean the RV post-trip or pay for cleaning, it was evident that nobody bothered to tidy it up.

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Heading into Washington state, we thought we were prepared with snow chains rented from Indie Campers. But when we inquired via live chat if the depot employee could demonstrate how to install them, as promised, we were met with a firm "no" upon arrival. To add to our frustrations, essential features like the vent fan in the dining area and the fridge were malfunctioning. Even the generator required multiple attempts before it decided to cooperate.

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The employee's feigned ignorance about these issues was infuriating, especially considering this was a 2024 model. During contract signing, we were pressured into marking the RV as suitable for use, despite our reservations. This lack of transparency continued as we were left clueless about mirror adjustments and the RV's gas tank size – leading to a costly surprise of over $500 spent on gas alone, with a pitiful 11mpg fuel efficiency.

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But the grievances didn't end there. Our supposedly sealed RV harbored an unwelcome guest – a field mouse that had taken up residence under the gas stove, contaminating our groceries and requiring us to foot the bill for trapping and disposal. Customer service's suggestion to shoo it away with noise in freezing conditions was utterly impractical.

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Mechanical issues plagued our trip further – broken drawers, erratic USB charging, and a bathroom vent fan leaking water everywhere after rain. Dumping the tank proved to be a messy ordeal, with the gauge consistently misreading its capacity. Communicating with customer service via WhatsApp, with no local support available, only compounded our frustrations. Their solution? Pay out of pocket for a mechanic, with the vague promise of reimbursement.

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Seeking a refund was met with disappointment – a mere $268 offered for a trip that cost us around $2k, a pittance considering the litany of problems encountered. Additional charges for excess miles felt like a money grab, especially when denied the option to opt for unlimited miles retroactively.

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As grad students on a budget, the financial strain coupled with the stress of a ruined vacation was unbearable. Indie Campers' abysmal service left us regretting our decision to trust them. In conclusion, I implore anyone considering their services to steer clear – this company is nothing short of a scam, offering more headaches than relaxation.

Just booked a rural house in the mountains 3h drive from home for august and was EXTREMELY lucky to find something at all. Everything already booked months in advance.

How do you do it everyone?

Hi all.

Long story short, but a travel window from the last week of May until the third week of June just opened up for me.

I may not get to travel again for a few years due to work/life stuff.

I preemptively booked (all refundable) a 19 day solo trip to Japan, as I've been there many times/love it/have friends there.

I'm having last minute panic though; should I force myself out of my comfort zone and go somewhere new?

It's an expensive trip no matter where I go, but a big part of me feels silly to spend this much (around 10k) and literally go to places I've been before (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hakone).

That being said, I was able to book amazing hotels with this short notice and am worried that say, Europe, will have a lot less options.

Is there somewhere I'm sleeping on for travel at this time of year? Or should I just go with my tried and true and do my "greatest hits" version of Japan?

What would you do? Go the easy/comfort/luxury route of Japan or push myself and try to book a last minute two week trip to say, Norway or Spain, which I haven't been to?

I also realize I don't have much time to decide, so I'm trying to be booked in the next few days.

Thanks for any advice! My shrink is on vacation this week, ironically!

We were going to go to NZ, but due to the Boeing shortages and our flight couldn't be rebooked. Expedia counldn't help us so they had to cancel. We could rebook ourselves, but it would involve rerouting for a lot more money and potentially more visa requirements and such, we can't go til my husband is done with the rest of his education program in like 5 years D: I guess it will give me time to work on my health and lose some weight before then, because I was really anxious about flying. We'll be out like $600 in nonrefundable things like travel insurance passports, nzeta, and stuff like that. But at least the passports are good 10 years. I've never traveled internationally, so this was a shot in the gut. But hopefully we haven't missed our once chance in life and there will be another down the road. Hope anyone who was planning to go can get their flights rerouted!

So my partner and I are taking a trip to see family/friends in Italy for 3 weeks (in July of all times gah! Not by choice).

We have a somewhat structured plan already, but there are 4 days/3 nights we have to ourselves and we need some help deciding where to go!

Plan so far: Puglia (Bari) for a week (Polignano, Barletta, Lecce, Matera, Alberobello etc) then 4 free days (???) then 5 days in Bologna (Ferrara, a lake, Florence maybe) then two days up near Asti with a friend before we finish with a day in Dublin as that's where we fly out of the continent. Does anyone have any ideas? We'd like to stay below Bologna geographically to have our travel itinerary make the most sense and we're from a place where it snows 7 months out of the year so as many swimming opportunities as possible would be amazing.

We like nature, water, less touristy places (we speak Italian so that's no problem), but we won't have access to a car so the place will need to be accessible by public transportation. I thought Rome would be nice, especially for day trips but now I think I'd like to stay on the beach nearby (and just day trip to Rome) if it's swimmable and I need advice! Thank you!!

I’m going to Lisbon for the first time this fall and the travel agent has sent over a bunch of packages I can buy of different tours and activities, day trips, etc… Is it worth it to pre-book some of this stuff or can you play it by ear and just do it when you get over there?

Hi all, my family and I will be spending 2 months traveling around Europe this summer before ending up in London for a big Indian family wedding. We need several days' worth of outfits/accessories for the wedding but don't want to lug those around Europe with us. Given that, I'd like to send a suitcase ahead and then have it stored for us in London for a couple months. Anyone have a lead on the best way to do this and/or recommended service providers? Thanks!

I know a lot of people say you need a ton of time for just one area, but I don't know the next time I'll have the opportunity to be on that side of the world, so we want to make the most out of our time as possible.

So far I think we've narrowed down October as a likely good time of year to go, but open to suggestions. Looking to get the best mix of scenic views/hiking, beach/snorkeling, and maybe a little city life.

So far I was thinking Auckland>Sydney>Cairns, each for ~3 days. You think these are good choices to see the best variety without too much extra traveling? It all just feels a bit overwhelming since the 3 places I'm looking at are pretty much the equivalent of traveling like Houston>LA>Seattle.

Am assuming to make the NZ leg worth it we'd need to rent a car to drive and see some of the more scenic area of the north island. Also open to another location in NZ, I'm just assuming Auckland is the easiest/cheapest to get to from US and then over to AU?

Hi fellow travelers, looking for advice and travel suggestions to Guatemala. So far this is what I have

Day 1 Arrive in Guatemala City, Transfer to Antigua Day 2 Hike Acatenango volcano and camp overnight Day 3 Descend Acatenango transfer to lake Atitlan Lake Atitlán Day 4 Lake Atitlán overnight Day 5 Lake Atitlan overnight Day 6 Transfer to Antigua / Guatemala & Depart

Is 2 and half day enough to hang around in Lake Atitlan and then moving on to Antigua for another day or two?

I may have more questions ….

My family wants to vacation on Padre Island this summer, (husband, 11yr old, and myself) but I have so many questions! We've been told North Padre Island is better for a kid and that South has all the clubs. So we figured we'd go North. But all I'm seeing on Google is stuff about South Padre Island or the National Seashore in North. Is the entirety of North Padre Island a National Park? Are there hotels in North Padre? Do we need a car to get around or is everything walking distance? Can we somehow bring our car into the island...? Clearly, we've never been on a island and have no idea how any of this works. Sorry if some of the questions are ignorant.

Hi all! Me and my boyfriend are thinking of going to Lisbon in September. We are not sure whether to do 6 days in Lisbon or 4 days Lisbon + 2 days Porto and visit two cities in one trip. Any recommendations on this? Do you think a few days is enough to explore Lisbon? Thank you in advance!

Hi, I am planning a 10 days trip to Indonesia from Bangalore, including flights: 3 days in Bali, 3 days in Lombok and 2 days in one of Gili Islands sometime in mid June. Can someone tell me if this is feasible? Any suggestions? Itineraries?

Has anyone dependent on meds (as in you will die quickly without them) traveled anywhere more off the beaten path?

I have questions!

How did you deal with the risk of theft of your meds or medication pump supplies?

How did you keep meds at the right temperature (for me it's 60 - 77F)?

What was your backup plan if you got sick or lost access to the meds/pump supplies?

Is there anywhere you feel is off limits to travel to safely? Or any safety rules you go by?

How did you communicate your needs if you didn't share a language?

Could you get travel insurance?

Any other tips?

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About me for context: I have adrenal insufficiency (SAI) and need continuous infusion of cortisol through a medication pump. If I get sick, I need to give myself injections. It's kind of like T1D, but involving a different organ/hormone.

Despite taking other meds (just pills), having (non life-threatening) health issues, and mobility impairments, I traveled extensively in my 20's. I stopped when I developed SAI, but I want to get back out there. I'm willing to take risks, but don't want to get too crazy.

Hi, I’ll be traveling from US to Italy in a few weeks, and I don’t feel confident that I understand electric stuff fully 🤣

I bought an adapter when traveling to Asia before, and tried my 120v (non dual voltage) curling iron with it. Turns out it was a mistake and I needed a converter with it.

I’d like to bring this 120v curler to Europe but I’m not sure if I need an adapter, a converter, or both?? Google results only give general answers about dual voltage electronics and the most recent smartphones, etc. and I’m thinking they don’t apply to my curler.

Please help!

Hi all

My partner has gone to work on a US cruise line and I'm wanting to set her up with an e-sim card just looking for advice on the best deals

I checked what the major networks are in the US etc. Here in the UK we have a fair few budget SIM card options which are circa $25 equivalent per month for unlimited mobile data

Are there similar budget networks that aren't as well advertised but I should be looking at that also support esim?

Thanks

Hello everyone. Trying to think of a fun quick trip in either mid- or late-September or early October for my wife and I’s anniversary.

We can probably only swing like 5-6 days (maybe like a Tuesday through Sunday) due to some other future travel plans.

We generally like more city exploration over nature, but are open to either. With the limited time, we’d probably have to focus on sticking around North or Central America.

(We are based in Chicago for reference.)

My current thoughts are:

Mexico City - We’ve been before and loved it. We went at the end of October previously. Flights from Chicago tend to be very affordable, so that’s a plus.

Mérida, Mexico - I’ve heard great things about it. I’ve never been to the Yucatán area. Only concern is that it seems like it would be crazy hot in September/October.

New England - Either Boston or Maine. Never been to New England at all, so would be new area for us. Obviously a very different vibe. More chill and relaxed likely. I’m sure it would be super busy in the autumn.

Montreal - Also been previously and have always wanted to go back. Weather seems a little more variable if we end up going more in October.

I am a very indecisive Canadian, and have 7 days vacation in the summer. I'm reserving two for travel, especially if I'm going internationally.

I have been to England, France, and the Netherlands and enjoyed them all. England was my favorite, I loved London and surrounding cities, villages, and countryside. I found Paris beautiful and fascinating but overwhelming and very expensive. Biking around the Netherlands was amazing, and the people were so friendly. I've also been to various American cities.

Things I really enjoy when I'm traveling:

1. Great museums and rich history, the older the better
2. Beautiful and unique landscapes - preferably a combo of urban and natural... I love a big city and also love a tucked away nature experience
3. Connections to literature and major history - my MA is in English lit and I did a BA minor in History. These always really amplify the traveling experience for me.
4. Old architecture/churches/castles/graveyards/ancient homes

Things that aren't a very big priority to me:

1. Food/drinks/unique restaurants
2. Nightlife/partying

Places I'm considering (in no particular order):

1. NYC
2. Washington, DC
3. San Francisco
4. Quebec City/Montreal
5. Rome, Italy

Where should I go?

Hi everyone, I'm planning a trip to Switzerland for 7 days in July for my wife and I. We put together a basic itinerary using ChatGPT and a few reddit searches. I wanted to see if anyone has advice on what we have so far. We would like to see a decent amount of the country but want to avoid taking on too much. I think we are already at the limit of hotel hopping we are comfortable with at 4. For the most part we like relatively relaxing activities: boat rides, helicopter rides, etc. Maybe some light hiking, but not stuff like paragliding.

I also tried to squeeze in a day in Berlin as my family is from there and I will likely not have another chance to visit any time soon.

Any feedback is welcome, thanks!

Day 1 Depart

• Depart from home to ORD Chicago
• Enjoy a layover in the United Polaris lounge.
• Depart from ORD Chicago to Zurich.

Day 2 Arrival in Zurich

• Arrive at Zurich Airport (ZRH) at 7am
• Relax at the Swiss Air lounge until the Dolder Grand hotel is ready for check-in.
• Once ready, proceed to the train station located within the airport.
• Take the S-Bahn (suburban train) S16 towards Meilen or S2 towards Ziegelbrücke. These trains stop at Zurich Stadelhofen station.
• Once at Zurich Stadelhofen station, transfer to tram line 3 (direction Klusplatz) or tram line 8 (direction Hardplatz).
• Get off at the "Römerhof" tram stop, take the rack-and-pinion railway, known as the Dolderbahn, to Bergstation Dolderbahn. This railway connects Römerhof to the Dolder Grand hotel.
• Check in to the Dolder Grand hotel and request accommodation in the spa wing if available.
• Begin exploring Zurich, starting with landmarks like the Old Town (Altstadt), Grossmünster church, and Lake Zurich.
• Enjoy breakfast at a local café or restaurant.
• In the evening, head to Jules Verne for cocktails. Located in the Urania Observatory tower, Jules Verne offers stunning panoramic views of Zurich's skyline and Lake Zurich.
• After drinks, return to the hotel and relax in the luxurious ambiance of the spa wing.

Day 3 Free Day in Zurich and Round Trip to Berlin

• Enjoy a leisurely morning in Zurich, perhaps exploring more of the city or relaxing.
• In the afternoon, take a flight from Zurich to Berlin. Flight time is approximately 1.5 hours each way.
• Upon arrival in Berlin, spend the evening exploring the city. Visit iconic attractions such as the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall, and Museum Island.
• Take a late evening flight back to Zurich.

Day 4 Zurich to Interlaken

• Take a scenic train ride from Zurich to Interlaken, which takes about 2 hours.
• Upon arrival in Interlaken, check into the Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa.

Day 5 Interlaken

• Take a day trip to Jungfraujoch, also known as the "Top of Europe." Experience breathtaking views from the Jungfraujoch observation deck and explore the Ice Palace.
• Return to Interlaken in the evening.
• Dine at La Terrase Brasserie, located in Interlaken.
• After dinner, unwind and enjoy a leisurely stroll around Interlaken.

Day 6 Interlaken to Bürgenstock with Golf Cart Rental

• Check out of Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa in Interlaken.
• Travel from Interlaken to Bürgenstock. You can either take a train to Lucerne and then a boat or bus to Bürgenstock, or drive directly if you prefer.
• Upon arrival at Bürgenstock, check in to Hotel Villa Honegg.
• Rent a golf cart or e-bike to explore the expansive resort grounds and surrounding area.

Day 7 Full Day in Bürgenstock with Helicopter Tour

• Start your day with a hearty breakfast at Hotel Villa Honegg.
• Embark on a thrilling helicopter tour with Helikopterflug.ch Luzern. Experience breathtaking aerial views of the Swiss Alps, Lake Lucerne, and the surrounding landscapes.
• After the helicopter tour, return to Bürgenstock and explore the amenities and activities offered at Hotel Villa Honegg. Options include relaxing at the hotel's spa facilities, exploring hiking trails, or taking a boat trip on Lake Lucerne.
• In the evening, enjoy dinner at one of Bürgenstock's restaurants with panoramic views.

Day 8 Bürgenstock to Zurich

• Check out of Hotel Villa Honegg in Bürgenstock.
• Travel from Bürgenstock to Zurich. Depending on your preferred route, you can take a train to Lucerne and then transfer to a train bound for Zurich.
• Check in to the Park Hyatt Zurich.

Day 9 Departure from Zurich and Arrival in Chicago

• Check out of Park Hyatt Zurich.
• Your departure flight from ZRH is on July 29 at 12:40 p.m.
• Layover in YUL (Montreal).
• Use Air France lounge (Amex Platinum). 3:40hr layover.
• Arrive in ORD Chicago at 8:11 p.m.
• Check in to the Langham hotel in Chicago.

Day 10 Return Home

• Check out of the Langham hotel in Chicago.
• Fly back to home

Our hotel will be at grindelwald for 8 days (already booked). What would be the best panoramic train that we could ride (passing thru swiss alps) and is achievable in 1 day to and from grindelwald?

Looking for some travel insurance suggestions.

We’re heading to England for six weeks, staying in six Airbnbs.

We need medical coverage but evacuation coverage not so much. Medical repatriation insurance perhaps yes.

Trip cancellation is less of an issue as our bookings have generous cancellation policies.

Renting a car for about a week.

TIA!

Does anybody happen to know if you’re allowed to pick people up from the baggage claim area at AMS (Amsterdam international airport)? I know some airports allow you to meet people at the baggage claim area in arrivals however last time I traveled and flew into Brussels it wasn’t allowed so I’m curious is AMS allows it. Thanks in advance.

Hello everybody, I was planning to initially travel to Germany for one week so I bought a travel insurance that will cover only during that week. (non-extendable), if I want to stay a little longer than that week, I was wondering if I can stay in Europe even if that insurance expires.

Hi everyone! My husband and I are planning to go to Portugal and Spain from October 14 to 27. We are visiting from the United States. Considering the 14th and 27th are travel days, we have 12 days we are trying to split among the two countries. I’ve been to Barcelona before so I’m thinking to cut that out of this trip. For Portugal we are planning on spending a week between Lisbon & Porto (including day trips to Sintra and Duoro Valley). I am confused about what to focus on for the Spain portion (about 5-6 days). My husband and I aren’t into museums and would Iike to have that portion of the trip be a bit more relaxed and just focused on trying good food & seeing beautiful places. We’d like to see sights that we don’t normally get to see back home so we’re not looking so much for big cities with lots of skyscrapers. We are also debating whether to do Morocco instead of Spain for a couple of days.

Any suggestions on how to do this trip? Cities to focus on? Spain vs Morocco, etc. Thank you!

So here is the story. I have a flight around 11am on Thursday 05/02. I applied for my visa last Tuesday on 04/23. It has been 5 working days already including the day it was applied on.

So I have no worries today until i checked Vietnam's public holidays. Boom 04/30 is a public holiday and then boom again so is 05/01. I haven't received my approval. Is it over, do I need to rebook another ticket now?

I’m using Travel Insurance Direct (TID) (Aussie here). My original trip to America was 11/04 - 30/4 landing 2/5. My insurance is covered 11/4 - 2/5. On 24/4 I decided to extend my holiday to the departure 6/5 landing 8/5 and I paid for a new flight, but not accommodation yet. I haven’t extended my travel insurance yet. I got sick with MPox on 26/4 and have these options.

Option 1 - Instead of paying for the accommodation, and spending the rest of my vacation stuck inside a hotel room, I was thinking of getting the next flight home and recovering there, the flight is cheaper than accommodation in LA from 304-6/5.

Option 2 - keeping my flight on 6/05, asking my insurance company to pay for my accommodation from 30/4-6/5? Which now that I’ve typed out sounds ridiculous because why would they pay for my accommodation until the 6/5 if my travel insurance ends on 2/5 and I have already changed my flight home? Unless I asked them to pay for my accommodation and didn’t tell them that I have already changed my flight? Is this fraud?

Apologies for the probably stupid questions as I am young and new to travelling alone.

So currently - I’m covered until 2/5. Have paid for my new flight on 6/5. Haven’t paid for accommodation from 30/4-6/5. I haven’t notified travel insurance company yet.

I’m basically not sure how to go about what to tell the insurance company. Are either options viable?

Apologies if I’ve left out information, I’m feeling terribly sick.

I'm a student, the flights from my city to Europe (Rome) is around 500$ and I'm planning to spend 2 weeks there around March next year(is it a good time?) I have another 500-600$ basically to spend for my time there.

I'm planning to visit Italy-Matterhorn-Slovenia-Croatia(?).

And I'm down to stay in hostels and maybe couchsurfing. Can you please suggest me what I can do with my budget?

Sorry if this is dumb, I've been wanting to travel to Europe for a long time and please do correct me wherever. Thank you:)

Our general itinerary is Venice 2d -> Istria 4d -> Krka 0.5d or Plitvice 1d -> Split 0.5d -> Korcula 5d -> Dubrovnik 2d

This is a once in a lifetime trip. I've always wanted to see Plitvice. But Krka looks beautiful as well, and it's more convenient. With the Krka itinerary, we could see more of the coast and linger a bit longer along the way. Plus, with the hot heat, I'm sure we will be happy to swim at Krka! I'm concerned not being about to swim in Plitvice.

What do you think? How similar are those experiences? Are there places too swim near Plitvice?

Hi! I’m planning for my trip in July but can’t decide whether I should visit Portugal or Sicily. I’ll be there for 2 weeks. I’ve visited Italy twice(Venice,Florence,Rome,Naples/Ischia/Sorrento) and absolutely loved it. Ischia and Naples were my favorite out of all! Meeting friendly people and having good foods is very important for me and these two places checked all the boxes. Since I’m spending 2 weeks in one country, I’d like to rent a car instead of taking public transportation but I’m not sure how the driving experience is like in these two places. Has anyone done a solo trip to these places? If so, how was your experience? Did you feel safe?