Hi Jeannie! We're having a debate right now. I want to go to Greece but Curtis (my husband) wants to go to Sweden and Norway. So we'll have to decide which one for next year.

I've also been intrigued by the series we've had on ETV (our educational TV) about the history of our national parks. It's a 6 part series by Ken Burns and covers the history (beginning to current day) of the system. It makes me want to visit more of our parks, but I figure I can do that as I get older and can no longer stand the long flights.
I'd love to see the Canadian Rockies too.

Where are you off to?

Mary-Louise, if you do the land tour, Denali National Park is wonderful and the Tundra Tour is not to be missed. It's a wonderful trip through Denali park on a gravel road deep into the park where cars are not allowed. When I was watching a series on the national park system on ETV here, I saw a photo of the road we traveled in Denali.

I also greatly enjoyed our trip to Seward and our boat trip to the Kenai Fjords National Park. We actually got closer to the glaciers there and could hear the groaning and cracking like thunder before they calved. I also saw the pod of orca whales there.

Jenno, wow that's quite a list! We met a lot of folks from down under who were on tour for a long time. Some had come from New York and done several tours. What a marathon! I was worn out after our 16 day tour but it seems you'll know how to pace yourself.

I'd like to see Hawaii some day. If you go to Alaska, you'll need to try the reindeer sausage. My husband also swears a steak he had was elk. It was so tender you could cut it with a fork. We had elk at Yellowstone National Park and it was like that. If you have not seen Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon, that's a good trip too. We did Senic Parks Explorer with TT a few years ago and saw several national parks. That tour starts and end in Vegas. It takes you to Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Arches National Park, Zion, The Grand Tetons, Mt. Rushmore, Little Big Horn, Salt Lake City, and Monument Valley on the Navajo Indian Reservation. It was a wonderful trip.

Sandra thank you for that advice. That tour you mention sounds great. But the places I mentioned before come first. My husband wants to see Las Vagas, and the Grand Canyon, and also New York. We will see how things pan out. First things first, and that is Hawaii in May. Hopefully I don't forget the name reindeer sausage. Can't imagine what it would be like.

Jenno, Hawaii sounds great! WHen you think of Santa Clause, think reindeer It tastes like keibasa or polish sausage

quote:

Originally posted by srd:
Hi Jeannie! We're having a debate right now. I want to go to Greece but Curtis (my husband) wants to go to Sweden and Norway. So we'll have to decide which one for next year.

I've also been intrigued by the series we've had on ETV (our educational TV) about the history of our national parks. It's a 6 part series by Ken Burns and covers the history (beginning to current day) of the system. It makes me want to visit more of our parks, but I figure I can do that as I get older and can no longer stand the long flights.
I'd love to see the Canadian Rockies too.

Where are you off to?

Hi Sandra. Sorry for the late reply. I was in New York City the week after your post and I'm still playing catch-up on the BB.

I am sitting here on my lunch hour at work looking at the winter TT book. My next tour is going to be Egypt. I will be researching other companies as well but I've been pretty happy with TT so we'll see. What fun it is to plan trips!

quote:

I want to go to Greece but Curtis (my husband) wants to go to Sweden and Norway. So we'll have to decide which one for next year.

srd: I very much want to see Scandinavia but I don't think this is a good time to book. Those tours are pretty expensive and therefore perhaps more likely to not run in bad economic times. Greece is a popular destination and, in my opinion, less likely than Scandinavia to be canceled. Just my two cents' worth.

SRD,
Loved your tour tale. My husband wants to go to Alaska and do a cruise. I finally got him to do a cruise this year and now he is hooked. I'm hoping to be able to do Alaska in June of 2010 with him (he's not getting any younger) while he can still get around on his own. I'm doing Best of Germany in August 2010 so have to do Alaska early in June/July to fit in my work schdeule. thanks again for the tale it really makes me want to go now. Loved the pictures.

Hi Jeannie, I have not been on the board in a while. I agree!!! It is great fun planning the trip!! Egypt sounds exciting. We are pouring over the different tours for Scandanavia. I've looked over Insight tour tales as well as TT tour tales looking at information. I'm pretty sure we'll do Scandanavia but we're undecided as to which tour or which tour group at this time.

Hi Caitie, you are right as to the expense. Scandanavian tours are very expensive and the Euro is up there as well. I want very much to go to Greece, but it's the other half that wants to go to Scandanavia. I'll get to Greece eventually. I am not certain we'll do a land tour (coach) to Scandanavia. I'm probably not supposed to say this, but one option I have also been looking at is a cruise with multiple Scandanavian ports as well as Russia and Poland. The company is the one we used for our Alaska cruise portion of the tour. It's not as expensive. We're in the deciding stage now.

Traveling Dot, Alaska was my husband's idea and it turned out to be a wonderful tour. Cold but wonderful! I hope you will go to Denali if you go. We loved Denali and the Tundra Wilderness tour. We also loved the Kenai Fjords and the boat tour to the glaciers. The Princess cruise was wonderful and a great way to rest after the land tour. There was also a lot to see on the cruise with Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. I'm glad the tale was helpful. Germany should be wonderful!

Sandra: If you can throw in Russia and Poland, so much the better!
Scandinavia is one place I wouldn't be afraid to venture on my own, without a guide, because a huge percentage of the population speak excellent English.

Caite, that's great to know. I meet with my TA on Tuesday and I'm planning on making the decision by then. I am liking the idea of unpacking once and being able to relax more in between tours.

very enjoyable trip report and photos! what a cabbage!
we would love to see the bears and beautiful scenery. never heard of mammoth bone carving, fascinating. always something new to learn.
its a toss up between alaska or norway and its fjords.
both very different. thanks again. regards.