Where are you going next? How many days to go? (#3)

Mary - I arrive in Krakow 6 days before you but only there for 4 nights.

• 111 days to Krakow
• 116 days to Budapest

Oh Mary, you will love Krakow. I haven't been in way too many years, but it is a very special place.

My next planned trip is a long weekend in Rome the first weekend of September, solely because my (college-aged) niece will be doing a short program there in late August to mid-September, and her birthday falls within those dates. So I am going to make sure I am there to take her to dinner for her birthday when she is far from home.

Otherwise, I have a trip to LA, Seattle, and Oklahoma planned for October. Going to visit that same niece at her university after going to LA first for her sister's 18th birthday. And will wrap up taking advantage of Alaska Air's new direct Seattle-Tulsa flight to go home and check on my mom.

So it's 111 days until three nights in Rome, and 145 days until my flight to LAX.

I wish I had my dates pinned down! Too many moving pieces!

*Sometime this summer, I'm going to Honolulu for my daughter's PhD defense.
*Sometime in July, I'm going to Washington state for some camping and to see my son and his family. (Why plan ahead when campsites and other reservations are more easily obtained?! UGG!)
*27 days in Ireland in 105 days
*11 days in Scotland in 140 days

In 3 1/2 months we are going to Armenia and Georgia.

120 France & Italy (about 6-7 weeks)
262 Cambodia & Vietnam (39 days)
335 Peru, Chile & Ecuador (not sure how long, still planning)

In less than two weeks - Norway in a Nutshell, but beginning in Gdansk, then Copenhagen, Oslo NIN Bergen, Stockholm, Helsinki and day trip to Tallinn. Oh boy......

131 days until 13 nights in Portugal!

108 days until we leave for Romania followed by RS Prague and Budapest.

At the airport currently heading for Athens Greece and islands... 9 days.

Joy, Budapest is great! I'm excited for you. My Budapest trip report is linked in my profile if you want ideas.

Oh Mary, you will love Krakow. I haven't been in way too many years, but it is a very special place.

I am so looking forward to it, Kim!

Iceland in 29 days with my sister and our niece, her college graduation gift. Never been and really excited.

Heading to Vietnam in less than 2 weeks

Last minute addition:

• 3 weeks to Lake Tahoe for long weekend with family

We just got back from a trip to Madrid and Valencia. Next is a river cruise on the Rhine and Mosel. But the real question is, where to go in 2027 for some really slow travel, hanging out and pretending to be locals? I am just starting to consider that question, and my two choices so far are Zaragoza and Malaga, one of them for 2 or 3 weeks.

Why Zaragoza and Malaga, you ask? We like Spain, and we've been to Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, and Valencia.

Flying home from Dublin today, sitting in the lounge reading the Forum, of course. (Addict here!)

• 44 days until a week with family in Minnesota, 3 nights on the North Shore and it’s been years since we visited that area
• 13 weeks until departure for Switzerland and Italy for 8 weeks
• 6.5 months until Christmas trip to MN where we insist on exposing ourselves to brutal cold to remind ourselves how pleased we are to live in Oregon.

Time to plan something for 2027…

Katherine--Oh my favorite place! I hope you do a trip report when you get back. It is such a magical place and seems almost unreal for how beautiful it is.

After 2.5 hours! 🥴 with a rep from Delta yesterday who worked tirelessly to fix a glitchy eCredit and push a booking through:

• 105 days until Krakow
• 161 days until Barcelona

@Mary - I'm happy to hear you got the ecredit to work and booked the trip to Barcelona!

• 39 days to Iceland, Stockholm, and Norway
  
• 214 days to Germany and France (Christmas markets)
• Approximately 336 days until Scotland
• Approximately 459 days until Uzbekistan

Mary, yay for having definite dates!!!

On a whim this morning, we booked a trip to Vienna for mid November. This has been on my bucket list for some time. This morning I checked the award tickets and found a good one at a good price. Delta's website was being wonky so I had to call, but that actually was good as she found a better price for the exact same flights and it saved us 17k miles each.

If I counted correctly, 99 days until the Netherlands and then the Best of Germany, Austria, Switzerland tour.

21 days to Montréal!

Hei hei! 13 days till we take off for Norway - Oslo, Gudbrandsdal Valley and the fjords. Still got some shopping to do and then get going on that packing bed, where I lay everything out. Decided my color scheme to minimize how much I stuff into my carryon and backpack. Can’t wait!

Have a great time in Montréal, Nancy!

Thanks, Mary! I’m looking forward to those bookstores!

95 days until wheels' up for RSE Berlin, Prague and Vienna Tour.

Then, waaaay out on the horizon, we just ticked under 700 days for a planned/hopeful Sicily trip (Spring '28). Thank you, DAYS app.

@Matt, “ Then, waaaay out on the horizon, we just ticked under 700 days for a planned/hopeful Sicily trip (Spring '28). Thank you, DAYS app. “

My head is spinning with that one. I can’t even plan a full year ahead!

October 5th for Slovenia, Croatia and a bit of Bosnia on the RS Adriatic tour. Next month to the east coast and Mexico in February.

Thanks Joy, yep it's a ways' out there so you never know what life has in store in the interim. 🙃

But keeping fingers' crossed for finally getting to Sicily, a region we've been trying to see for awhile now. That's the problem with travel :) ... you realize there are all these great places and how (when?) can we get there.

Oct 2 - depart for annual trip to London to visit Miss Penelope (and her parents).

She's my second granddaughter, aged 2 1/2, whom I see twice a year, which is not nearly enough. They visited me at the end of April.

Heading to Perth and Mandurah in August for my SIL's 60th then flying into Adelaide and off campervanning around South Australia for a couple of weeks.
Booking flights today.

In 4 days (next Monday) I depart for Mauritius (5 nights) Réunion (4 nights) and Madagascar (3 weeks).

A rescheduled trip to Bavaria in 116 days. We had to cancel last year. Can hardly wait.

44 days until a week with family in Minnesota, 3 nights on the North Shore and it’s been years since we visited that area.

Laurel, where do you stay on the North Shore?

• 44 days Norway, Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland and Amsterdam
• 175 days German Christmas Markets
• 249 days Caribbean Cruise with family
• 300 days Danube River Cruise (Budapest to Bucharest), Greece
• 459 days Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Dordogne Valley
• 586 days New Zealand

Barbara--Where are you going in Greenland and Iceland? Is this a cruise? We are not cruise people, but went to Greenland last summer and loved it! Iceland we have been to many times and keep returning.

Sadly, the only thing I have scheduled is Portland in 11 days.
Working on Upstate New York in about 75 days.
Vaguely considering Germany and Austria in about 180 days.
Working on UK in about 320 days.

Edited to add: I'm not sad anymore. UK trip booked in 327 days.

In a week to Chicago
55 days to Venice, Ortisei & Santa Maddalena (hiking)
Sept 2027 Hf Holidays: North York Moors 7 nights guided walk and 4 nights Southern Yorkshire Dales guided walk.

@Katiecem - Sadly, the only thing I have scheduled is Portland in 11 days.

This is exciting as I have never been to Portland and I hear it's beautiful and fun.

Mikliz97--Yes, part of it is a cruise (Atlas). We will visit Norway (Lillehammer, Oslo) then fly to Svalbard to board the ship. Cruise Svalbard, Greenland and end up in Iceland. We have been to Iceland before and this time we have rented a house just south of Akureyri. Total eclipse is supposed to happen while we are in Iceland. Hoping to see it. Then we fly to Amsterdam for a few days prior to our flight home. A few years ago we took an Antarctica cruise and loved it. Now we want to do the Arctic.

Barbara--I love the north. Last summer we skipped everything else and just flew straight up to Akureyri and spent a week in that area. We were in a farm house south of there on a very desolate road, but we loved it as it was so quiet. Have fun!

@joy- I'm not sad to be going to Portland. I love Portland. My daughter and her spouse live there and this time both sons and their spouses and my 2 grandchildren will also be coming. I was just sad that it was only trip I had booked. Now I have a flight to London booked.

39 days to NYC and Broadway shows booked!
119 days to a 4 week trip starting in London, Prague, Athens, Istanbul then RS Turkey tour starting on 10/19!

Claudette, which shows are you seeing?

78 days til Munich, Salzburg, and Vienna.

I leave in 51 days for Manchester.

I have:
7 days walking in the Brecon Beacons
3 days walking out of Sedbergh
2 days rest in Grange-over-Sands
14 days walking the Coast to Coast Walk across northern England and through three national parks:
Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors

Average miles per day: 14
Longest days: 21 and 22 miles

Sadly, the only thing I have scheduled is Portland in 11 days.

Portland, OR or Portland, ME?, not that it matters

Germany, the day after tomorrow! :)

I'm excited to report we returned from Portland (Oregon, Stuart) today.

Booked for New York in 32 days (for 12 days)

Booked for London in 313 days (we don't have return tickets yet)

Have a cruise. booked for September 2027: Iceland, Norway, Amsterdam, Bruges ending in Southhampton. Less than 15 months but can not figure out days.

But I have the travel bug and am looking at a week in London for October. Have hotel booked but no air.

But Southwest just sent me an email reminding me that I have 130,000 rewards which will allow me to go anywhere I want in the United States.

I am wrestling with decisions.

13 days until I fly to the UK for a 14 night cruise to Scandinavia and the Baltic from Southampton. I have 2 nights in Southampton before sailing to Sweden (Visby + Stockholm), Germany (Hamburg and Kiel), Denmark (Skagen and Copenhagen), Helsinki and Talinn. Other than that, nothing on the cards until a cruise for my mother's 70th birthday in February/March 2028.

We got our camper van booked for Iceland for next May. It is a ways off, but it feels good to have this booked. Plus, I just happened to hit a one day flash sale so had an extra discount which is always nice!

I am doing Bhutan and India in 82 days.

India is a gateway to Bhutan and since I’m going to be there, I wanted to see the Taj Mahal. So, I’m spending 3 days in India and then the rest of the trip in Bhutan.

~315 days until RS "Best of Switzerland" followed by a week-long Viking river cruise, Basel to Amsterdam. I booked this when we were still in the afterglow just after returning from RS "Heart of Ireland" and "Heart of Scotland." I'm so ready to go again...

44 days until a week with family in Minnesota, 3 nights on the North Shore and it’s been years since we visited that area

Laurel, mnannie asked you about this, but I would also like to know where you're going on the North Shore. And if you let me know when you're driving through Duluth, I'll stand on Hwy 61 and wave as you go by! 😊

KB, I would kill for that trip! I've got to bump India up on my list!

Iceland and Scandinavia in 34 days.

derek, you'll be getting there right around the time we leave. Enjoy!

52 days until a week in Vienna and then a week at Lake Bled. Not purely sightseeing, though I certainly intend to squeeze in as much as possible. Two new places for me, never been to either one.

I'm rowing in the World Rowing Masters regatta at Lake Bled, and doing a coached rowing camp in Vienna the week before. Can't wait. It was my passion, but I haven't been in a boat since I moved to Italy nearly six years ago. Turns out I can't give it up, so I've found a coach and bought a rowing machine to train indoors. Rowable water is scarce in Abruzzo. My friends know I'm out of practice and out of shape, but are willing to let me row me down the course with them anyway - those are good friends!

Going to California (from Oklahoma) in two days' time for a two-night trip.

Tulsa - Salt Lake City - LAX on Delta on the way there, and the reverse routing on the return Sunday.

279 days until I leave for my Best of Europe in 21 days trip. I’m so excited!

London for a week, just London no cruise in 3 1/2 months. About 100 days.

I did Paris for a week in May and now I am doing London for a week in October.

Had been thinking about London but yesterday I booked air fare so it is now firm.

Loved London when I was there a few years back and looking forward to getting to know it better this time around.

Idaho-meet up with RS Forum friends in Sept 2026, 72 days
Washington DC - memorial for dad at Arlington NC in Oct 2026, 89 days
Montreal & Quebec City, first time visit in Oct 2026, 92 days
Germany/Hungary Danube River cruise in Sept 2027, 440 days

Today, but it is a more local trip up to Bellingham for our son's wedding.

I am a whiz at packing light for plane travel, but road trips I tend to keep tossing stuff in. Of course I did that today too, but still managed to only need my 21" rolling bag, not expanded. I do have my dresses in dress bags though, and a tote bag for my heels since I didn't wan those to get squished. So not too bad!

26 days until we leave home for Vancouver, BC to visit my hometown and cousins; and set sail for Alaska (12 days)
68 days until Idaho-meet up with RS Forum friends in Sept 2026 & Chicago concert in Spokane (3 days)
123 days until LONDON & other UK locations (20 days)---Booked minutes ago!

I wish we could have an online calendar ---list of months---so we could post our locations of travel during those months. We could post the city, region or country. If a forum member wants to connect with another member about sharing a location, they can send a private message.

10 days to Cape Cod for 9 nights
A little over a month until 4 nights at Lake Tahoe
10 months until a 2-week trip to Greece.

Scotland - 22 Days!

Well, I have uncharacteristically booked a last minute trip! An artist I follow on Patreon posted 2 weeks ago that one of her participants had to drop out of her watercolor workshop in Scotland In mid-August. I thought about it for 24 hours then booked the workshop and when I had confirmation of my registration, booked airfare and a couple of nights in Edinburgh ahead of time and 1 night after within 2 hours. Hahaha.....

Today I started packing because I have one leg on KLM and want to be under their carry on limit of 26# so yes, have out the digital kitchen scale and am weighing everything and cutting way back on my normal 30 days of toiletries!

The actual test will be when I start weighing the art supplies. Her list is massive and it is clear that she is not a light packer for workshops, hahaha! She DID just do a packing video for traveling with minimal art supplies so once mine all get here I can start determining what I am really going to take! Do I really need 3 erasers for 6 days of art instruction AND she uses a tiny format - so 2inx2in or 2.5inx3in, lolol.

Thank you Mary for this thread. I really needed to talk and I think I am boring everyone I know so it's good to bore a new audience, hahahaha!!

Oh, Pam, that is exciting! On Friday night after I told my husband I'd booked our favorite country house in Wells, I was bursting to tell someone. My husband hadn't decided on his retirement date (we knew NovDec) so locking in our accommodations for the 2nd week in Dec (I wanted the country house relaxation to be the end of our trip) also locked in a narrow range for Art's last work day, as he wanted to work as long as possible up to a trip. During the TripIT zoom on Sat, Katie recommended not leaving the day after last day at work, but my husband insists---so we booked our flights Sunday night. No I'm having a difficult time getting anything done here at home!

In about 10 days a short holiday in a small city in the Sub-Carpathian region east of Budapest.

DAY ONE: Shared transfer to the hotel https://youtu.be/M_XRHobOX9g?si=PaVRlkDD3VILEFRD. Afternoon a guided short walking tour of the city: https://youtu.be/vmmHm5dpuBE?si=xUpDUxRQZoRFkWBN.

DAY TWO: Day trip to Nevtske Castle https://youtu.be/0Dr0ipFZciE?si=igz32Rfrv3DFDFpM, then the village of Lumshory for the mineral baths: https://youtu.be/CDcCs3RYAjU?si=tmJ27-S7k1VP0eG6.

DAY THREE: Another Day Trip. Palanok Castle: https://youtu.be/xRAdErAYbV8?si=siAEE-BfQdAK-bnE. St. Miklos “Castle”: https://youtu.be/8D_cs2YJhjc?si=7XaAN9KOh4Nb8bdv. Schönborn Palace. https://youtu.be/YvmbZMavVyE?si=omX8pIpxAI7xJh-7

DAY FOUR: The Philharmonic Theater, originally a 19th century synagogue, and the Performing Arts theater are doing tours to raise money for relief programs.

DAY FIVE: A shared transfer back to Budapest.

Then in about 30 days is back to Montenegro and Albania.

Day One: Arrive from Budapest and stay in a sort of urban eco-farm boarding house https://maps.app.goo.gl/8zqoSo2GZyeHjFGf6 . Home cooking with food grown and raised on the farm. Lovely people too.

Day Two: in the high country fly fishing. https://maps.app.goo.gl/wTktWPhmdLoWhvWb9

Day Three: same as Two.

Day Fout: train to Ulcinj on the coast. https://maps.app.goo.gl/ieKex6Bdg8uiBWau8

Day Five: in northern Albania https://maps.app.goo.gl/s1AK9JUXXxYRXtNw7

Day Six: same as Five.

Day Seven: back to the farm for the night.

Day Eight: flight home

Flying to Perth (Western Australia) on Thursday (family stuff) then to Adelaide on Tuesday. Campervanning around South Australia for 2 weeks. Kangaroo Island then Limestone Coast at least as far as Robe.

Going to Norway three weeks from today, dreading the midday EES experience at Amsterdam and hoping three hours will be enough to make the connection to Bergen. Two nights there, then boarding the Havila Castor for a cruise up the coast and back, including Geirangerfjord, North Cape, and other places I've wanted to see. Bringing long underwear and a down jacket to Europe for the first time. Debating wool vs. cotton socks, will probably bring both kinds. Returning to Bergen Sept 10 and flying home the next day if EES makes it possible. Lately I've been lurking in the Norway section of this forum, so thanks to the contributors who have helped me figure things out!

@Dick - I do hope EES in Amsterdam is easier in 3 weeks as I fly through there in 4 weeks on my way to Krakow and I have about 2h20m if flight from Seattle is on time!
Enjoy Norway and Bergen - a truly special and beautiful place.

Mexico City / Oaxaca

4977.5 hours.

-- Mike Beebe

Joy/Dick—my husband is flying through AMS on Saturday morning so I’m curious how EES will go for him. I’ll have him let me know. He made sure to have a longer layover there so as to not miss his next flight.

9 days until Krakow, Prague, Budapest, Vienna and Slovenia. Can’t wait!

Just added another trip:

Troll Trek in 44 days for 5 days
Cambria in 115 days for 4 days
England in 267 days for 23 days

Thank you Mary for this thread. I really needed to talk and I think I am boring everyone I know so it's good to bore a new audience, hahahaha!!

OK, now you're down to 1 day, Pam! 🥳

@Dick - I do hope EES in Amsterdam is easier in 3 weeks as I fly through there in 4 weeks on my way to Krakow and I have about 2h20m if flight from Seattle is on time!

I also have a 2h20m layover in AMS from ATL next month. I'm consoling myself by remembering how well set up AMS is for connections, and also last year when I was connecting there to Budapest they were calling out for people short on time to go to the front of the line. I know that was pre EES, but still. I'm hoping if I'm running late I can politely let the staff know and they'll move me up.

A week from today flying back to Paris CDG from SFO for another 3 more weeks to start part 2 of this summer's trip, the end of which will be 12 weeks total in Schengen.

Except for 4 full days in the Berlin/Potsdam area (optional, depending) , this part 2 will be spent all in France....more Paris (obviously), northern France (Maubeuge, Lille, Lens, Arras vicinity) , "deep in the heart" of France...ie Grenoble, the Aube River region, the Champagne-Ardennes area, and Lorraine. The summer weather is still prevailing.

In less than a month, I'll be going back to the US for a week for work. I am going to see the Nationals play the Phillies - so excited. Also going to see my parents - even more excited. Also going to Trader Joe's - the most excited.

Fred, enjoy your 2nd trip! Are you visiting the Louvre Lens? Daughter enjoyed that quite a bit. And one of my favorite Napoleon paintings (by JL David) is in Lille. We enjoyed our short time there , sure could have spent longer but our trips are significantly shorter than yours.

I'm off to the Green Man festival in South Wales tomorrow (Wednesday), until Sunday. Then 4 days in London babysitting my eldest son's 4 year old. Then 10 days cycling in Georgia with my younger son. 10 days in Southern Spain with family at the end of October. We're going somewhere snowy for a few days before Christmas (our granddaughter could not understand why there was no snow at Christmas in London last year!). Then Singapore and Vietnam in Jan/Feb27. And we're just back home from two glorious weeks in Cornwall.

37 days until our trip to Portugal! I don't feel ready. We're staying in the southern part as Nick really really wanted to go Lagos for a few nights. We'll fly into Lisbon and spend 3N Sesimbra (also a Nick request) 2N Tomar 2N Evora 3N Lagos 3N Lisbon. Renting a car for Tomar through Lagos and training from Lagos to Lisbon. Wish I could have fit in Porto and other places north but they'll be for another time!

Pam, I had to laugh about you talking about boring people. I think my family is so sick of me talking about trips that they'll do anything to avoid it, so that's why I love coming here! I also tend to go on about the details a little too much. My daughter told me I said, "I just love ferries!" at least 7 times during our trip, and she said that was 7 times too many. 🙄

Also going to Trader Joe's - the most excited.

Emily, I don't blame you a bit. I live two and a half hours from Trader Joe's, and I get excited every time I go to the Twin Cities to shop there!

So I've just added 3 trips for 2027, and I still have 2 left to go this year:

38 days till the great meet-up in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
102 days till the Germany/France Christmas Market trip (with my sister)
150 days (approx) till my annual Naples, Florida visit
250 days (approx) till Scotland (northern islands and plus a few others)
380 (approx) till Rye, England and the the Southeast (I just booked a sewing retreat in Rye beginning in early September. I'm very excited about that. Now I just have to try and figure out how I'm going to get everything I make home!

27 days until ✈️ to Spain. 30 days until I hit the trail from St Jean to Roncenvalles ...

@ pbscd.... Thanks. I was in Lens ages ago, 1999 ? A couple hours in the centre-ville only.

I hadn't thought of checking out the Louvre there, good that you're reminding me. My main interest is to see the captivating architecture, simply fascinates me. It's different from Lille and Arras and the rest of Nord Pas-de-Calais in that it is Flemish, which you see in the little villages as the train proceeded to Lens. I think the terminus of that train was Dunkirk.

Bottom line: Seeing that architectural style was totally new to me, had never that type in northern France.

Where is the famous David painting of Napoleon in Lille? With the Emperor in the blue colonel's uniform of the Guard or when he was much younger?

It’s fun to read about everyone’s plans!

• My trip coming up very soon is my first time in Ireland! Similar story to Pam’s. Four months ago I received an email that my future art instructor for my 2027 Italian class had one cancellation for her Ireland class this year. After a short hesitation I signed up for this spot. I am very excited to spend a week with 10 artists & our instructor for plein art pastel painting in gorgeous spots!

• A Fall colorful leaves bus tour in the US to the northeast states. Hoping for some gorgeous photography! This is a big bus tour - my first & probably my last! ; )

• Christmas Markets! A nice loop of 11 northern, southern, eastern & western German cities by train. All cities are new to me, so I am looking forward to the architecture, the churches, the beauty and historical aspects during the day and the ambience of the Christmas Markets during the evenings.

2027 European:

1. RS Portugal tour followed with independent time in Belgium & France
2. Pastel painting class in the Le Marche region of Italy. I have reservations already for Venice, Ferrara, Ravenna & Rimini on the way there. After the class, I’d love to go to Ascoli Piceno for a couple of days. Otherwise, routing either to Rome or Milan to fly home.

2028 European wish list:

1. Back to southern Spain in February
2. Some type of 10-day tour of southern English gardens in June followed by ?
3. September? No itinerary thoughts, but Italy is always pulling me back!

Leaving for Switzerland in 11 days. It's a two-week tour with Imprint Tours, the company of Reid Coen, who was a longtime Rick Steves guide and managed our 2017 VFR tour.

Fred,
Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille, Napoleon in Imperial Costume (1805) by Jacques-Louis David. Small painting, but I love it. I was excited to show my daughter because I had really liked this one at the David exhibit at the Louvre last October but she wasn't with me then so it was nice to get to show her.

I loved the architecture at Lille, as well.

There are gardens just outside of Louvre Lens, too. It's a small art museum and there were mostly just elementary classes on field trips when we visited.

@ pbscd....Thanks very much for this salient piece of information on where to see this painting by J. David of Napoleon. Since you say it was from 1805, then it is not the painting I had assumed, that of the Emperor having on the blue uniform of the Grenadier of the Guard because that famous David painting portrays him at the age of 40, which in 1805 he certainly was not and said of himself that in 1805 he was in his prime.

Your info has certainly piqued my curiosity and heightened my interest.

Fred, it's a small painting, but I love it. There are 2 busts of Napoleon in that same art museum, too. I would have spent more time there if we had had it. Happy trip planning!