I just booked using booking.com for first time. they haven’t sent me any QR code or anything..? just the confirmation that I booked it. is this normal? when will they send me the boarding pass ? first solo trip and i’m panicking

Hello! I'm setting off on a solo trip over New Year's to Peru and would love some feedback and recommendations for my itinerary. I'm 25m from the US, Spanish speaker and have solo traveled internationally a few times before (Spain, Portugal, Mexico) but this is my first time in South America.

I enjoy learning about local history, museums, nature/parks, and trying new food (I'm vegetarian so would love any recs for veg/vegan friendly restaurants). I enjoy nightlife too but that's not as important on this trip for me, although I'd like to go out for New Years. I'd also love some recommendations about good hostels/neighborhoods to stay in Lima & Cusco. The only things I've booked are my flights to/from Peru so everything else is flexible.

Some specific things I'm wondering about:

1. Am I giving myself enough time at Machu Picchu? I've tried to account for the time it takes to get from the station to the site, but wondering if I should get an earlier train & entry.
2. How easy is it to get a Sacred Valley tour from Ollantaytambo? Almost all of the ones I'm finding online leave from/end in Cusco.
3. Is Humantay Lake worth it/better than Rainbow mountain if I have to choose?

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrive in Lima late evening, stay at hotel

Day 2: Spend the day exploring Lima. Late evening flight to Cusco.

Day 3: Cusco day 1 - Get acclimated and explore Cusco. Potentially will take a city walking tour if the altitude sickness isn’t getting to me

Day 4: Cusco day 2 - Inca temple horseback riding tour (half-day)

Day 5: Cusco day 3 - Either Red Valley & Rainbow Mountain tour OR Humantay Lake day trip (need help deciding)

Day 6: Cusco day 4 - Rest day/New Years Day. Will probably do a cooking class/food market tour or something else low-key.

Day 7: Ollantaytambo day 1 - Taxi from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, try to get to Ollantaytambo by early afternoon. Settle in and explore the town.

Day 8: Ollantaytambo day 2 - Sacred Valley day tour

Day 9: Machu Picchu/Ollantaytambo day 3 - All-day trip to Machu Picchu. Morning train to Aguas Calientes arriving at 9:50a for an 11a entry to Machu Picchu. Train back from AC to Ollantaytambo leaving at 4:45p.

Day 10: Travel day back to Lima - Hang out in Ollantaytambo in the morning, take taxi back to Cusco around noon for 5p flight from Cusco to Lima. Go out to a neighborhood in Lima if I'm feeling up for it.

Day 11 (1/6): Huacachina day tour from Lima.

Day 12 (1/7): Fly home early morning from Lima.

We recently booked international flights from Amsterdam to Barcelona through Trip.com, but after four days, our tickets are still showing as "issuing" in their system. This delay is causing some concern, especially since our travel dates are approaching. Although I'm trying to remain optimistic about our situation, I can't help but feel anxious. Has anyone else gone through a similar experience with Trip.com? I'm particularly interested in knowing how long it typically takes them to issue international flight tickets, and whether extended processing times like this are normal for their service.

I'm a drive-away truck driver, so I have to walk long distances with my main luggage. Sometimes even in the rain. I also need to maximize my space and the weight available for cargo. I will also have a backpack, but I need a checked case that is rugged enough to handle a lot of sidewalk hiking and will not drench my items in the rain. Most of my very important items will be in a waterproof backpack though. I carry mostly camping gear, clothes, and a few tools for the job. Right now I have the cheap walmart portege 62 linear inch soft case, which is VERY light, and not too waterproof or durable. I may consider continuing to use that and just cover it with rain gear if that time comes. However, if it breaks while I am in a fairly remote area without Uber or Lyft to come save me, that is going to make for a bad day.

Hey guys so we are planning on traveling to Newyork city during Christmas, and we are not sure what to expect. We all speak English pretty well, but would it be safe for us to stay outside until 9p.m.~9:30? It won't be far from our hotel which is in the middle of the NYC but we want to hear from you guys. We are asians and all girls ,so we know that it might be more unsafe for us. However i also heard that nyc during christmas is pretty safe..what are yall's thoughts? Pls let us know what to expect( we won't ride a subway at night)also it will be really helpful if we can get some recommendation for breakfast, lunch, and dinner places!( not too pricey but good food and lots of chirstmas vibes)

Hello,
Excuse me for what might seem stupid, but as we all know, carry-ons usually have restrictions... like liquids not exceeding 100ml and all of them fitting in a 1L bag (I'm from Toronto). If I plan on bringing back skincare, makeup products, etc... is a carry-on and its restrictions enough? I've seen a lot of people suggest travelling to Japan only with a small suitcase to avoid the hassle of baggage claim etc. What do you recommend me to do? :) Thank you!!

Hi I am Australian and have a friend who has a previous conviction for growing weed but was his first offence and just got given a good behaviour bond which is long past (3 years ago).

I am planning a USA and Central America trip and are wondering

a) what are his chances of getting approved for entry, is there anything we can do

b) if he gets denied can we fly to central via USA stopover

We (family of 4) are flying to Istanbul for a week during the last week of December and are looking to book a hotel that’s somewhere $200-300 per night. I found Union Hotels which seem nice but am looking for other recommendations. Thank you!

My wife and I are flying from NYC to Paris for 8 days in February. We’ve been to Paris before and will spend some time there. Question is should we travel up to Antwerp/Ghent for a few days or go down to Lyon and take a day trip or two to Annecy and/or Chamomix? We both love food. My wife loves art and museums and I like to walk outside as much as I can to see either architectural and beautiful natural sights. We also love punk music and I love soccer/football . I know we can’t do everything but I was weighing which is more worthwhile. Any recommendations are appreciated. Thanks!

Hi everyone! Beginning to plan a joint bachelor/bachelorette, and looking for location recommendations. We are located on the east coast and fine with flying or driving, and looking for somewhere that we could rent two airbnbs nearby. We are loving summer camp for the theme, so thinking somewhere with nature maybe woods/lake. Lastly hoping to find somewhere with good nightlife. If anyone knows of anywhere that sounds like I am describing please comment below. Thanks in advance :)

Booked Business class (prestige class), but shows advance seat selection is unavailable. Is this normal? Seems pretty weird to have this restriction for business class.

We are looking for local tips and activities, preferably as authentic as possible: festivals, concerts, cultural or sporting activities. For example, we are in Cape Town and have bought tickets for a rugby match (Stormers vs Lions).

Maybe a weihnachtsmarkt with music or other cultural events (targetgroup should be the locals - not tourists)

We are in SOUTH AFRICA for a total of 4 weeks:

19.12. - 26.12. Cape Town > what are the Locals doing on 25th Dec in CapeTown? 26.12. - 30.12. Hermanus 30.12.-04.12. Garden Route 04.01.-07.01. Southern Krueger Park 07.01.-09.01. Panorama Route 09.01.-13.01. Central to northern Kruger Park 13.01.-15.01. Johannesburg

Any recommendations?

We are hoping to go to Zanzibar and wondered what the transport is like for a wheelchair user. We want to stay near a beach resort and read the North East is best for that. Would it be suitable to go that far with wheelchair access, if not would it be better to stay near Stone town and the airport?

Hi all! My fiance will be visiting El Nido and Coron in May 2025 for our honeymoon. We are looking for recommendations for hotels in both locations. We have a budget of around $7k total for hotels. Open to being in town or on private islands. Your input & recommendations is appreciated :)

I am going to fly from LAX to Hanoi in a month through China Airlines, im planning to bring my cat, and I have all medical documentation, rabbies shot microchip needed, however im a bit worried about the checked baggage thing.. Does anyone else have similar experiences flying checked with a cat through China Airlines? Is it worth it?

Silly American here - going to first Christmas markets in Germany this December.

I'm torn on which two shoes to bring (wearing one on plane and another in luggage). I've seen some people wearing sneakers at Christmas markets and others wearing snow boots. I need help deciding!

Here are options (all water resistant):

1. Thick sole Merino hiking shoes. Pros: Easy to slide off and on at airport. Con: A bit slippery on wet leaves and unsure about comfort all day.

2. Rubber Chelsea boots. Pros: Really comfortable and waterproof. Cons: Never wore for cold temps before and difficult to take off and on at airport.

3: Colombia snow boots, lace up: Pros: Really warm and comfortable. Cons: Too big to pack and not easy to take on and off at airport.

Thoughts? I only want to take two shoes on the trip since I pack minimalistic.

I'm visiting family in Rome for Christmas and New Year's. I want to add another leg to the trip and I'm looking at parts of Africa. What do you recommend? Looking for wildlife fun.

1.) I am flying JFK-CDG, and it’s my first flight with Priority Pass aka I now have lounge access. Many of the lounges say there’s a smart casual dress code, how strictly is this enforced? What’s the likelihood that I won’t be able to get into the lounge due to long lines?

2.) Does anyone know if the Paris metro system takes ANY card on Apple Pay, or does it HAVE to be the Navigo card? Wondering if there’s some setup I should do before arrival. (((Edit: I am strictly asking about contactless entrance to the metro, not purchasing tickets at a kiosk or machine. In some cities such as London or NYC, the subways can be accessed without a “ticket”, you just tap your credit/debit card via Apple Wallet.)))

My mom is going to Nigeria for two weeks. She has T-Mobile but T-Mobile won't work in Nigeria? Is an e-sim the best option or is a physical sim at the airport better?

Hi all,
We are travelling to vietnam in one month, and in the processs of obtaining evisas. I Just submitted request for the visas, however i just realised I put Da Nang airport as the point of exit instead of Moc Bai (as we will be leaving HCMC by Giant Ibis bus to Phnom Penh).

Will this be an issue? Is it better to just purchase new evisa with the updated point of exit?

I understand that it would be cold but we don't mind that. Our concern is if it will still be worth it, knowing that it would still be winter then and that it might be too foggy? Thanks. 😊

Hello! I am traveling to NYC early December. Coming from California, I am not used to the cold at all. It’s my first time going during the colder months to NYC. I have a long down puffer coat I bought I was thinking of wearing. But by the looks of this year being hotter than usual, I am not sure if it’s going to be that cold. But then again, I’m not used to anything 40 degrees and lower.

Thoughts and suggestions on what outerwear to bring?

Thank you in advance! :)

So i plan on going to Australia in a couple of months and i am currently within the visa application process. Though there is one question i am getting stuck on, which i cannot find the answer to online.

They ask for my residential adress, which is fine but i will be moving away from there and storing my stuff at my parents place while i am travelling. So my legal adress will be my parents house for the duration of my travels.

So, should i fill in my current adress, which will be void by the time I get to Australia or should i fill in my parents adress?

Help would be much appreciated as this is the last thing i am stuck on before i can send in my application :)

I want to plan a trip for Jan or Feb 2025 (soon, I know!) and am between Finnish Lapland or somewhere in Norway. I still have a lot of research to do obviously but I’m wondering if anyone has any insight or advice based on the below:

• Ideally, I’d like to go not rent a car. I’m nervous about driving around in such wintery conditions so a place where tours companies or public transit could help me get from A to B or a place where I could have one “home base” and still have a great trip would be phenomenal.
• I know I can’t base a trip around seeing northern lights because it’s never a guarantee, but that would be a huge goal and something I’d love to see
• I’m absolutely obsessed with those beautiful wintery landscapes with snow covered trees and cotton candy skies…that’s a must!
• the husky sledding also looks super fun not sure if that’s something they have in Norway tho!

Anyone have any personal experience that could be helpful? Thanks so much in advance!

I planned to do IVF abroad and narrowed it down to a clinic in Prague and a clinic in Madrid. Having compared everything else and the clinics both seemed to be great, the deciding factor would be which city is better for living with a kid for a whole month. I will have my 5 yr old with me, so I would like a safe and walkable city that has a lot of kid's activities. I know the 2 cities are probably close in comparison, but if you have to pick, which one would you pick? Please also recommend a neighborhood to stay at that is more family friendly in the city that you prefer. Thank you so much, I appreciate any input!

My husband and I are looking at taking our kids on a vacation next year to celebrate our son's 10th birthday. We also have a daughter that will be 6 at that time. His birthday is in April but their school has very strict attendance policies and we will likely have to wait until June to go (unless we find there's some major benefit to going earlier). My husband and I generally trend toward adventurous travel without our kids (think hiking National Parks in off-season, just did 9 days in a van in Iceland, 10 days going all over mainland Europe) and more touristy/domestic/smaller trips with the kids. We live near Chicago so a Caribbean destination or even Mexico aren't terrible flights for them. The idea of staying at a giant resort with a bunch of people doesn't appeal to me but I realize that might be more realistic with children, especially because my daughter still needs a car seat and driving all over will likely be a problem. We have talked about going to Costa Rica in the future when they're both a little older since we'd do more hiking and exploring, which will also require more traveling. That being said:

• What country would you recommend? We want beach time with some minor adventuring available (again, we will have a six year old)
• What were some of the pros/cons staying at a "family friendly resort"?
• Do you think all-inclusive is necessary for traveling with a family?
• How long did you stay?

We've considered Bahamas, Punta Cana, Cancun, Turks and Caicos, and Jamaica. Our local airport flies to Cancun and Riviera Maya, Costa Rica, and Punta Cana (which is super convenient) but O'Hare is most likely where we'd fly out of due to scheduling availability and would allow more destinations. Any information/tips/opinions are greatly appreciated.

hi fellow reddit travel lovers

recently my partner and i did 10 days around japan, we just had our flights booked and basically just winged the rest. Some days wed spend 2 days in places some just the 24 hours, in a country like Japan i guess its lucky their public transport is so reliable but i did really enjoy that aspect, in the past i have been 200% control freak!

wondering if this is an option to do around south east asia? and if so what would you recommend doing, wouldnt want to hire a car as wouldnt feel to confident either of us driving. love to hear anyones ideas...

So, I read probably every single Peru Itinerary post in every subreddit from the last 7 years. I will go on rainy season and can't decide on wether I should include Sacred Valley or not.

I'll be going Dec 25, returning 68 Jan. Around 1316 days.

Maybe some of you may help me figure out the better itinerary?

Basically, I've got two options:

[ Alternative A ]

Week 1 - Lima; Cusco/Machu Picchu/Sacred Valley; Arequipa Week 2 - Ica/Nazca; Paracas/Ballesta; Lima

[ Alternative B ]

Week 1 - Lima; Arequipa (and around?) Week 2 - Ica/Nazca; Paracas/Ballesta; Lima

What is driving me crazy: Cusco will add an airplane trip and I believe it may get cancelled because of rains and have a snowball effect on the other destinations. So, I'm not sure I should risk going there this time of year and maybe seeing nothing but cloudy skies, while also risking jeopardizing the other destinations.

At the same time... if I scrape Cusco/Machu Picchu, will I even have enough to do for two weeks? If Ica/Nazca/Paracas aren't enough to fill 14 days, what else should I add?

Are there cool day trips around this region that I'm missing? Maybe wineries or trekkings/hikes that aren't in the Alps, since it's rainy season?

I plan on going again to Peru in May to do hikes (Rainbow/Lake 69...) and Amazon, maybe Sacred Valley. December just doesn't seem ideal for it, so I' trying to figure out what other amazing activities are there to do this time of year. :)

Money is fine, I'm thinking about 1k USD (excluding international flights)

Thanks for the inputs!

Hi I’m planning on doing a yoga retreat in Nepal soon! Let me know your experience!

I will be travelling from Toronto to Dubai for the first time. I had questions regarding two things.

1. The forex fees on my cc is 2.5%. Someone had recommended to exchange money through the wise app and use the wise card as a debit card in Dubai. Is this the preferred route? Are there any other methods?

2. My Canadian sim won't work in Dubai. Is it better to land in Dubai and get a sim from there with a plan or are there any apps where I can get an e-sim and activate it before I land in Dubai?

Any other recommendations for a first time traveler?