A wake up call at 440am got me going to the Berne train station for a 5:29 am on the dot departure to Zurich. A quick change required got me on the RailJet train 161 in direction of Vienna. Comfy seats, WiFi and power outlets at every seat make this journey fly by. Of course,… Continue reading European Rail day from Berne to Vienna – part 1
Berne for a day – reflections on my home town
Spring continues in Berne today and it afforded me the chance to fine tune my hotel selection for the September 2019 Oktoberfest and Swiss Highlights tour I am hosting. In addition, I took a long leisurely walk with my dad's dog Richie through this majestic city built over 900 years on the banks of the… Continue reading Berne for a day – reflections on my home town
Dream day in the Bernese Oberland
After 24 hours of traveling from San Francisco to Amsterdam on KLM ( worst legroom yet on an airline), then on to Geneva on Easy Jet, followed by trains and I arrived in Berne. From here on out, the stunning early summer weather provided us with the chance to explore lake Brienz on a leisurely… Continue reading Dream day in the Bernese Oberland
Springtime jaunt on the Danube
My travel plans accelerated a bit over the past week with the departure to Europe for a Viking river cruise moving up by 3 days. This change allows me to make a quick visit with my dad ahead of surgery to remove cancer. Join me on my journey via Amsterdam to Geneva and Berne before… Continue reading Springtime jaunt on the Danube
River Cruising on my mind – Christmas Markets in Germany
Not sure if it was the rainy week or my lengthy discussion with travel colleagues last night that got me in the mood for the magic of Christmas Markets in Germany. I reminisced back on my 2015 trip along the Danube which was just wonderful. This experience should be on everyone's bucket list at least… Continue reading River Cruising on my mind – Christmas Markets in Germany
Hawaii – Final reflections
Awesome scenery, great friends, and lots of delicious meals made this week fly bye quickly. Overall the trip exceeded expectations with the weather being the only thing that could be improved. Well rested after a good night sleep at the DoubleTree hotel overlooking Hilo bay, we returned our Chrysler 300 to Hertz and went through… Continue reading Hawaii – Final reflections
Big Island drive
You can tell from my blogs that this was not a sit by the beach trip. Today was no exception as we packed our stuff, said good bye to the Royal Kona Hotel and headed north around the island. The first sight seeing stop was at Waipi'o valley lookout. Of course, we had a bite… Continue reading Big Island drive
The story of a pig…
Attending a Luau may seem like a touristy thing to do but there is lots of local Hawaiian culture embedded in this ceremony. It all starts hours before the feast with a fire in a pit filled with lava rocks. Here at the Royal Kona Hotel on the Big Island, access to the Imu is… Continue reading The story of a pig…
Kona here we come
It was time to say good bye to Oahu and make our way south to the Big Island via Hawaiian Airlines flight 358 on a Boeing 717 (née McDonald Douglas MD-80).We enjoyed our time on Oahu but we are ready for new adventures. One piece of advice, if renting a car or considering buying one,… Continue reading Kona here we come
North Shore drive and more
Another early morning awaited us with blue skies and almost no wind. The perfect setting to climb diamond head. It has been 22 years since I did that last and the entire experience has changed. There is now a visitor center with a huge parking lot in the crater. Concrete paths take you up the… Continue reading North Shore drive and more
The day that changed the world – 07 Dec 1941
Another early morning awaited us as we made our way to Pearl Harbor for a must see visit of the memorial sites. Thankfully our friends Kurt and Jim know the logistics of this National Park site and were able to secure us tickets for the USS Arizona visit at 1245. That left us with 31/2… Continue reading The day that changed the world – 07 Dec 1941
A Royal day in Honolulu
This morning's getting up was worth it as we were the first group to enter the only royal palace in the U.S. located in the city center of Honolulu. Our docent Joanne introduced us to the beauty, artistry, and history of the Hawaiian Royal Family. The tour took 90 minutes and took us from the… Continue reading A Royal day in Honolulu
Waikiki continued…
Nothing beats a local guide when visiting a new place! Jim had grown up here and he toured us around in expert fashion. Thanks Jim! From dinner at a food truck to dancers at the international market place to scenic vistas on Round Top Drive, we got it all in one afternoon. Fantastic first day… Continue reading Waikiki continued…
Aloha from Waikiki
After an early start from home, we made it to SFO by BART for our flight to Honolulu on United. By the way, if you have not tried it before, purchase the economy plus seats for more legroom and a power outlet it is totally worth it. We locked out as we had the seat… Continue reading Aloha from Waikiki
HAWAII here we come…
Pardon my silence for the past few weeks. I was busy adjusting to my new job at Direct Travel and planning our upcoming trip to Hawaii. Yes, after 22 years, it is time to return to the islands for a much more in-depth immersion. We will be joined by our friends Kurt & Jim for… Continue reading HAWAII here we come…
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