Europe, with an Arctic cruise, a Balkan tour and bits of France and Malta

RooFlyer said:
Yowsers. Entry into Notre Dame Cathedral is free, and you don't need a ticket, but getting one ensures entry at a nominated time.

They go on sale via their app on the current day, and for the two following ones. 10-15,000/day. Snapped up quicker than a Qantas Award J seat to London!

Travel agent called me yesterday to go through the flight, cruise and tour itineraries to make sure I was aware of any changes and docs from the companies. I share my TripIt with them, so they can see my hotels and rail that I've booked myself, too. Ponant cruise clothing tips for the Arctic voyage. Another cruise line that wants me to haul several outfits around the world to wear on one occasion. :mad:

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Did they ask you to bring a special outfit to meet the Pope as well?
 
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I've done the Ponant antarctica thing - did not attend the gala dinner (went to the buffet and had a blast there instead). Did end up at the white night thing but just wore my white sunshirt and it was fine. Heaps of people didn't even do that level of effort.
 
Woolen thermals (baselayer tops and leggings, underwear) = NZ icebreakers
Glove liners = NZ icebreakers
Fleece = suggest down filled puffer jackets

The above actually take up minimal volume and weight

Just visit your favourite ski shop.
 
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k_sheep said:
Did end up at the white night thing but just wore my white sunshirt and it was fine. Heaps of people didn't even do that level of effort.
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I did their White Night on a Kimberley cruise - at least it wasn't international to take the gear! If they want white this time, its going to be a white torso :eek:

Quickstatus said:
Just visit your favourite ski shop.
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Am already kitted up after my Antarctica cruise in 2023 (and time working in northern Canada before!). Will also all be set for Greenland later in the year (waves to k_sheep ).

One thing Ponant don't mention, that I took to Antarctica are these:

1747808308229.png
 
I think I mentioned that I shared my TripIt 'trip' with my Travel Agent, for info, so she knows where I'll be at any one time. Haven't done that before.

Usually she will send me an itinerary of the flights, tours & cruises she's booked for me a day or so before departure, so its the latest version.

So today she sends me an itinerary with ALL my own bookings (hotels, rail, rental cars, domestic and Award flights) and the ones she has made for me. Nine pages, properly formatted with addresses, phone numbers, confirmations etc :oops: . Such a gem.
 
RooFlyer said:
Leave on the weekend, but I don't get to the Loire until June 10. San Souci has already sent me their menu. Did you have dinner there, or out?
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Yes I ate there because the food was excellent. When I was there they didn't do meals every night so I ate out a couple of times. The advantage of eating in is you don't have to worry about drinking and driving and they do some great coughtails. Please give them my regards. I think they have a child now from what I've seen on Facebook
 
RooFlyer said:
Excellent, thank-you.
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We generally stay at the Pullman at CDG which is only a a couple of minutes walk through the T3 train station and the Pullman has a restaurant which is ok but there is a group of Accor properties all immediately next to each other in the Pullman, Ibis Styles and Ibis and inside the Ibis there is several restaurants and we have had good food in Pia’s which whilst isn’t an upmarket restaurant does decent pizzas and pasta
 
jase05 said:
We generally stay at the Pullman at CDG which is only a a couple of minutes walk through the T3 train station and the Pullman has a restaurant which is ok but there is a group of Accor properties all immediately next to each other in the Pullman, Ibis Styles and Ibis and inside the Ibis there is several restaurants and we have had good food in Pia’s which whilst isn’t an upmarket restaurant does decent pizzas and pasta
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Thanks. I stayed at the Pullman once before and recall the restaurant as being pretty good (but I'm pretty easily satisfied when it comes to food :) ). I have about 7 nights at the airport over the month (4 pairs of flights in and out) and the Pullman was bit pricey for all of those!

I'll explore around; might try all the eateries!
 
RooFlyer said:
Thanks. I stayed at the Pullman once before and recall the restaurant as being pretty good (but I'm pretty easily satisfied when it comes to food :) ). I have about 7 nights at the airport over the month (4 pairs of flights in and out) and the Pullman was bit pricey for all of those!

I'll explore around; might try all the eateries!
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Haha, I hate CDG but for some reason more often than not we end up going through there to/from Europe so yes we have stayed our fair share of nights at the airport
 
You mentioned some discount RER ticket / pass which hopefully helps because it’s relatively expensive to just rock up and get a same day return CDG-Central Paris if you want to pop in for lunch/dinner - as I discovered a few years ago. Googling suggests it’s ~€26 return. Mind you, if the airport hotel is €100 pn cheaper than central Paris, then you’re ahead!
 
SYD said:
You mentioned some discount RER ticket / pass which hopefully helps because it’s relatively expensive to just rock up and get a same day return CDG-Central Paris if you want to pop in for lunch/dinner - as I discovered a few years ago. Googling suggests it’s ~€26 return. Mind you, if the airport hotel is €100 pn cheaper than central Paris, then you’re ahead!
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Can get a tourist day pass for under €30 from the kiosk right near the Novotel. Unlimited rides on trams, buses, Metros and RER lines. The 2 day one was only about €10-15 more for memory
 
SYD said:
You mentioned some discount RER ticket / pass which hopefully helps because it’s relatively expensive to just rock up and get a same day return CDG-Central Paris if you want to pop in for lunch/dinner - as I discovered a few years ago. Googling suggests it’s ~€26 return. Mind you, if the airport hotel is €100 pn cheaper than central Paris, then you’re ahead!
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Because I'm flying back and forth, I just can't be fashed taking luggage back and forth to the city for a hotel each time, then maybe walking with bags etc to my final destination. Much easier for me just to stay at the airport Novotel (or one of the others) and commute into the city by rail for the three days total I have free there. PLUS, I'll be looking to leave a bag of surplus gear at the hotel when I go off on the Bosnia tour and the Arctic cruise, so it needs to be the same place.

I actually did the same thing at Vienna last trip - Novotel at the main station (I arrived by train) and then took the metro into the city.

One thing that makes this more acceptable for me than most is that I don't travel on my stomach. Not after fancy restaurants or 'nights out' in general. I get too tired. So I save on food and spend it on other stuff! 😂

So, for transport, I'm looking at a Visite Paris package purchased through the Bonjour RATP app for €44 for 2 days initially, able to be used throughout Paris and the airport line, all forms of public transport.


Pretty good value.
 

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