Category Archives: Trip Reports

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Trip Report: JTB Tour from Tokyo to Hitachi Seaside Park and Ashikaga Flower Park

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Buenos dias everyone! I recently found this article gathering dust in the vault, and decided to clean it up and share it with you all.

When we started talking about going to Japan last year, it was originally intended to be a trip with friends to see the wisteria tunnels in Fukuoka. That plan eventually fell apart, partially due to the short duration of our own time in Japan, but then my friend E from demflyers pointed out that you can get a similar experience just a couple of hours outside Tokyo at Ashikaga Flower Park.

We were originally going to just go to the park on our own via train, but then E discovered a day trip on Japanican.com that included a trip to Ashikaga as well as a visit to Hitachi Seaside Park and a half hour of all-you-can-eat strawberry picking. She went on her tour the day before we arrived in Japan and said it was worth it, so after arriving at my hotel, I went ahead and booked a spot for the next day – the last day the trip was available.

Google Maps screenshot showing driving directions from Tokyo to Hitachi Seaside Park, Itigo no Sago farm, and Ashikaga Flower Park. Continue reading →

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Copenhagen to Stockholm: How Would You Get There?

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Cousins ask me the darnedest questions. And they seem to think I’ve been everywhere. One recent question stumped me, so I did some research, but I’m still not sure which option to suggest. The question was how to go from Copenhagen, Denmark to Stockholm, Sweden. My research reminded me of one of the funniest movies ever Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, and in this case, there’s even a bus option.

Turns out getting from Copenhagen to Stockholm is pretty easy, so let’s take a look at the options I discovered. It’s not a trip I’ve done, so I’m curious what you’d all suggest. Seems like each option comes with its pros and cons.

Planes: Copenhagen to Stockholm by Air

There are daily direct flights from Copenhagen to Stockholm. The flight is about 75 minutes. Depending on the time of year, flights can be inexpensive. This option is fast, but you’d have to also add in the cost of getting to and from the airports and also add in some time for the usual airport transit experience.

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Great Circle Mapper: http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=CPH-ARN

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Bean Around the World: A Great Coffee & Bakery Combo

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My favorite combo is when a great coffee space is coupled with a great bakery. Even if those two are across the street from each other. Or even next door. I discovered a great combo in Boston that I want you to know about.  The last time I was in Boston, I checked out and reviewed one-off coffee shops. On a recent trip, I decided to enjoy my tried-and-true favorite coffee chain, Peets Coffee. Peets doesn’t have a big presence in Massachusetts, but there is one in Cambridge and two in Boston proper. The Cambridge Peets is in Harvard Square. The interior has plenty of seating and I enjoy the outdoor space in the garden. Any Peets with a relaxing outdoor space scores extra points in my book.

a building with a few people walking on the sidewalk

Harvard Square Peets Coffee. Image source: https://harvardsquare.blogspot.com/2011/10/peets-coffee-and-tea.html

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How do you Handle Rude Taxi Drivers?

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Time for a reality check! And when I need one, who better to check with than TWG readers? Here’s the backstory. I have a taxi service I use to go to the airport. I’ve been using the same one for a few years now because they give me a great flat rate fee, and up until recently, I haven’t had an issue with them. The company always sends different drivers and it’s always worked well. Drivers are always on time and the cars are generally in good enough shape.

a cartoon of a man driving a yellow taxi

Image source: http://www.universaltaxidispatch.com/blog/2015/01/dealing-with-rude-cabbie-drivers/

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What’s Your Funniest Travel Story? Here’s Mine!

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Happy Saturday, everyone! It’s the weekend, so let’s relax and have some laughs. I was thinking about how there are certain experiences we’ve all had that no matter how many times we conjure them up in our memories, they ALWAYS make us laugh. And since we all travel a lot, I wondered if any of your “always make me laugh out loud” experiences are travel-related. I have one that’s travel-related to share with you!

A few years ago, I was staying in an Embassy Suites. I was working while I stayed there, so I preferred to have housekeeping as little as possible. After a few days, it seemed to me that my room needed to be vacuumed. I looked in the hall and didn’t see a housekeeper. I did see a vacuum, though. I thought, why bother the housekeeper when it would only take me a few minutes to vacuum. Turns out the vacuum was broken and barely worked.

a vacuum cleaner on a carpeted hallway

This is not the vacuum I found and this is not the hotel I stayed at. Image source: https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g255069-d257801-i231589895-Pullman_Cairns_International-Cairns_Cairns_Region_Queensland.html

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