Do It Yourself International Travel

After deciding I was done with Travel Tours, I thought I had enough knowledge and travel ackground to create my own travel adventures. The first time I did this was on a trip to India. I had a friend who had traveled there previously and knew of a tour guide whom he highly recommended. So, I contacted this individual and told him what I wanted to see and asked for a price quote. He responded asking me for the dates I wanted to travel, the specific sites I wanted to visit/see/enjoy and the hotels where I planned to stay, as well as the flights in and out of Delhi. So, I researched all of these things and came up with a plan. I booked hotels and flights and responded to the tour guide. He quoted me a price and we agreed. When I reached India and stepped off the plane, there he was, holding a sign with my name. We retrieved my luggage and he took me to the hotel where I checked in and then we were off on our firt sightseeing adventure. Throughout the trip, my tour guide was there with advice and always looking out for my well-being. Throughout this trip I managed to see everything I had wanted from the Taj Mahal to the Red Fort, Jaipur to Old Delhi. It turned out to be an amazing trip and I didn't have to wait for other people, I saw what I wanted to see and not what the tour wanted me to see. 

Encouraged after the India success, I have done this several times since. The most recent DIY International Travel was a trip this past summer to Prague, Bratislava, Budapest and Vienna. I was not alone on this one. My daughter and granddaugher joined me on this fun adventure. We panned together, settled on dates and the amount of time we wanted to spend in each city. We researched airfares, hotels and sites we wanted to see. Then, we made our air reservations both internationally and within the Continent. International air was the easy part. Reserving hotels was easy enough. The challenge was not knowing exactly where they were located in reference to the sites we wanted to visit. The good news is that all turned out to work well. On this trip we had to consider transport between these capitals. We chose the trains, as it is an easy and inexpensive way to get from one point to another. The bigget challenge here was two fold: some of the information was in German and not easy to translate and knowing if the station location was close to our hotels. We also chose to take the river boat from Bratislava to Vienna which was one more task to ensure we were ready.And finally, prior to leaving, we booked some tours within the city that we didn't want to miss. The Parliament in Budapest. A nightitme rivercruise in Budapest. A cruise on the Vtalva River in Prague. We also researched cit transportation and found that Uber is both safe and inexpensive throughout the areas we were visitng. The final research was the currency within each locale. We wre fully prepared once we boarded our flight. 

We chose to fly through Canada to Madrid. Once in Madrid the air transportation was a challenge, but persistence won out. while in Prague, our first stop, we took the hop on, hop off bus which enabled us to see many of the sites on our itinerary. We found Uber here was very easy and safe. The train ride from Prague to ratislava was long, but uneventful. Walking in Bratislaa was easy and led us to the areas we wanted to see. Another train ride, this time to Budapet and then an Uber to our hotel. The Ubers in Budapest are basically city taxis with meters, so not quite as inexpensive as the real Ubers we took elsewhere. The city tour including the Praliament is a must, as is a day at one of the mineral baths and a nightime cruise on the Danube. After three full days we once again boarded a train to return to Bratislava where we boarded out boat to cruise the Danube to Vienna. This is a muxt do between these two cities. With limited time in Vienna, we spent time at Schonbrunn Palace and Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Another must see. This tirp turned ut to be an exciting and fun adventure, all planned on our own. Next up?????

NYC Icons

It was a bright, sunny and very hot day in New York City.  We were up early because we had several things to see that day.  We walked to Battery Park from our hotel and got in line for the ferry to the Statue of Liberty.

 

As we sailed across the harbor, we plotted our strategy.  Only a limited number of people would be able to climb up to the crown and we wanted to be part of that group.  So, we positioned ourselves at the gangplank and sprinted across the walkway to the Statue's entrance.  We had made it!  We were in the group that would be allowed to climb to the crown.  

And so the grueling climb began.  The stairs leading up wind around and around and are very narrow.  They are like a corkscrew.  And, of course, it was hot and humid inside the Statue.  But, no mind, we knew the reward would be well worth any discomfort going up.  The climb took close to 30 minutes as we covered 354 steps (22 stories).  But the view was spectacular!  As we peered out the crown, we had a 180 degree view of Manhattan and the harbor.

Looking out one side, we could look up and see Liberty's arm extended and holding the torch.  Many years ago people were allowed to climb up to the torch by a ladder, but that has been closed off for some time.    Looking out the other side of the crown, we looked down and saw the book held by Liberty.  The date, July IV M DCCL XXVI (July 4, 1776) was visible from this vantage point.  After lots of photos and enjoying the moment we descended to the pedestal level where we learned much about the history of the Statue of Liberty.  One of the things we learned as we investigated and enjoyed the magnificence of the Statue of Liberty is that there are three of them in the world.  THE Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor; a replica in Paris, France and a small replica in Guam.  A couple of years ago I was in Guam and located that Statue of Liberty.  It is was difficult to locate and off the beaten path.  

A gift to America from France to commemorate the friendship developed between the two countries during the Revolutionary War, America built the granite pedestal upon which Liberty rests; the French built and constructed the statue.  Over the years there have been renovations due to wear and corrosion.  The most notable is perhaps the replacement of the original torch during the 1982-1986 restoration that included the complete refurbishing of the raised arm and the replacement of the torch.

Following our time at the Statue of Liberty, we took the ferry to Ellis Island to embrace additional history.  As we entered the museum there was a strong and profound sense of history as we read the signs and looked at the displays.  This was the first federal immigration processing center in the United States.  It served in this capacity from 1892 to 1954.  Despite being subjected to intense scrutiny and long hours of processing, the immigrants kept coming.

Although we did not know their port of entry, Susan and I both added an immigrant family member that we knew had come to the United States prior to 1892 to the records at Ellis Island.  I added my Great-Grandmother, Eliza Ann Braithwaite, who came to the United States from Scotland when she was just 16 years old (probably in 1856).  Susan added her Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather John Justice Knoeppel who came from Germany.  This visit was a great history lesson on the early settlement of the United States.

After a long and exhausting day, we took the ferry back to Manhattan and walked to the World Trade Center.  Initially we thought to pass it up, but decided since we were there we'd take the time.  Wow!  How impressive the Twin Towers were.  We went to the very top, peered out at the city far below and enjoyed the breathtaking beauty of being so far above.

The Towers were built between 1966 and 1973.  The two towers both rose to more than 100 feet higher than the Empire State Building and became the signature landscape of New York City.  Owned by the Port Authority of NYC, The World Trade Center was comprised of 7 buildings located on 16 acres.  At the time the World Trade Center buildings were completed they were the tallest buildings in the world!  One tower stood 1362 feet high, the other 1368 feet high.  This is over 100 stories!

As we looked back on the trip that took us to the World Trade Center we were very thankful that our decision had been to explore just one more icon of New York City.  After the terrible events of September 11, 2001, we treasure the pictures we took that day and the experience we had.  It is one of the most amazing opportunities we've had in our travels.

The Seven Wonders....

When I first started traveling I never thought much about specific places to visit.  I just wanted to see as much of the world as possible.  Over the years, I've come to realize that there are so many treasures throughout the world and each is unique and special in its own right.  However, with the recent emphasis on the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, and having seen several of them, I find myself wanting to see each one.  I have seen all but Petra in Jordan (going in October 2012), Chichen Itza in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico and Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.   


The Colosseum in Rome was the first of the great wonders that I experienced.  I have been fortunate to see it twice and walk where the Romans and the lions once fought.   I have sat where Emperors Titus and Vespasian once sat.  Completed in 80 AD, this Flavian Amphitheatre that seated over 50,000 people, provided a variety of entertainment, including gladiator shows and contests with many different kinds of wild animals.  On my second visit I was with my daughter and as we entered the Colosseum she looked at me and said, "I've got chills!"  Due to several major earthquakes over the centuries, air pollution, politics and religious dogma, the Colosseum has deteriorated.  Major renovations have occurred throughout the years, but it is still very fragile.  The Italian people value their antiquities, none more than the Colosseum.  It is one of the most visited sites in all of Italy.  

The Great Pyramid of Giza outside Cairo, Egypt is considered both an Ancient and a Modern Wonder of the World.  It is technically not one of the Modern Wonders of the World, but was designated with "honorary wonder" status following protests by the Egyptian government since it is the oldest and only Ancient Wonder of the World.  

My first view of this was from the plane as we circled over the city on our landing approach.  It took my breath away!  

The awe and wonder this pyramid and the others inspire is amazing.  To think that it was built about 2560 BC by the Pharaoh Khufu to be used as his burial tomb, long before we modern beings had developed computers, pulleys and construction technology, and that it is still standing without any major damage or renovation is simply unbelievable.  At one time this pyramid was thought to be the tallest building in the world at 480 feet!  As one examines the pyramid, it is hard to understand how the Egyptians managed to lift the heavy limestone blocks up as they built this tomb.  Historians and archaeologists have speculated that the Egyptians had devised a levering and pulley type of system that allowed them to drag the blocks from a quarry, build up and then move up with each level completed.  It is estimated that there were over 5 1/2 million tons of limestone used to construct the Great Pyramid of Giza.  

As one walks into the chamber it is small and narrow.  Instead of entering on a level plane, one walks down a sloping path to an anteroom or chamber where there are remnants of gifts for the late Pharaoh.  It is small and only a very small number of people can be inside at one time.  To exit, one must climb up the long narrow walkway which has a very steep slope...perhaps 6-7%.  

Like the Italians, the Egyptians have great pride in this "Wonder."  They are eager to show it off, but have very strict rules governing visitors.  Close to the Great Pyramid and its neighbor pyramids rests the Sphinx that is thought to keep watch over all three.  It is a particularly beautiful sight in the middle of a barren desert.  During the daytime, it is massive and overpowering.  At night, under the stars and at a light and sound show, it takes on a very ethereal quality and the sense of wonder is amazing.

Machu Picchu in Peru is yet another true wonder and the third of my visits to the Wonders of the Modern World.  Located high in the Andes in the Amazon area of Peru, Machu Picchu sits high atop a mountain overlooking the Urubamba Gorge and is a remnant from the ancient Inca civilization.  To get to Machu Picchu, one must take a train to Aguas Calientes, and then a 20 minute bus ride that covers an endless number of switchbacks up a very steep mountain road.  

Once we arrived, we entered the Sanctuary and experienced the wonder and majesty of Machu Picchu!  As I wandered and climbed through the ruins, I was impressed with the beauty of it all.  Built during the 15th Century, the question is:  How did the Incas get the stones and rocks from the quarry that is located on the other side of the river and down in a deep valley?  Like the Egyptians, they did not have the modern equipment we have today to transport these heavy stones.  Nor did they have the equipment to measure and build this masterpiece to minute specifications.  It made me wonder, just how advanced we really are.  As I looked at the rocks placed side-by-side and one-on-top of another, it would be virtually impossible to place even a thin sheet of paper between them.  And they were perfectly smooth and squared.  

I was struck with the similarity between Machu Picchu and the Great Pyramid of Giza.  Centuries apart, across great oceans and treacherous land masses, and without modern forms of communication, yet they achieved similar fetes.  They constructed marvels that have defied nature and human beings and survived relatively unscathed.  

Like so many of the fabulous sites throughout the world, Machu Picchu was "lost" for many years, probably from the time of the Spanish Conquistadors who conquered the area, until rediscovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham.  Despite uncovering these ruins, historians still do not have all the answers to the whys and wherefores of Machu Picchu.  The one thing they all agree on is that the Inca civilization was very advanced!

The Great Wall of China is yet another miracle of ancient craftsmanship that has defied the odds and survives to this day.  Built between the 5th Century BC and the 16th Century AD, the Chinese sought to keep the invading Mongol tribes out of China.  It is said to be the longest man-made structure.  It stretches over 4,000 miles along the northern Chinese border.  There are many places to access the Great Wall, but the most visited is a location about an hour outside of Beijing.  

It has been stated that the Great Wall is the only man-made object that can be seen from space with the naked eye.  However, the many astronauts from the US, even China, have stated they could not find the Great Wall without high powered binoculars.  The reason for this is that the wall is built from bricks, stones and the surrounding earth, so it blends into the rest of the landscape.  At its widest point, the wall is no greater than 30 feet across.  

Walking on the Great Wall (more like climbing) is not for the feint of heart or those with little physical stamina.  It is a tough climb.  There are areas where the wall is flat and has a gentle slope and easy to walk on.  In other areas I encountered stairs that were 12 inches in depth and only about 4-6 inches across each step.  The good news was that there were railings in these areas to hold on to and help pull yourself up.  But the higher I climbed, the better the view.

There are watch towers all along the tower that were used for communication by the Chinese that today provide good rest stops to catch your breath, get out of people's way and enjoy the view.

The Taj Majal in Agra, India is a gorgeous testament of the love a man had for his wife.  Like my daughter entering the Colosseum in Rome getting chills, that was my response as I entered the courtyard where the Taj is located.  I just stood there in a complete trance for a few moments, drinking in the sheer majesty and beauty of this beautiful monument.

Built by Emperor Shah Jahan following the untimely death of his beloved wife this mausoleum is constructed entirely of white marble.  Throughout there are walls inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones.

The Taj took over 15 years to build, but the Shah never saw it except from the cell where he had been imprisoned by his son. Following his death, he was laid to rest inside the mausoleum next to his wife.  The Taj is considered to be one of the most outstanding examples of the Mughal architecture and design.  It is a combination of Persian, Turkish and Indian design.  While the mausoleum is the focal point of the complex, it is one of many structures on the site, including four minarets, one at each corner, a mosque and a palace.  

The grounds surrounding the Taj are beautifully manicured and there was a sense of serenity as I wandered and took photos.  A visit to India is incomplete without a visit to the Taj Mahal.  If I had not been able to see anything but the Taj, I would have said that I saw all that was necessary of this great country! 

With all these fantastic adventures, I can't wait to experience and explore the remaining Wonders of the Modern World!