Opinion
Michael Gebicki is Traveller’s expert Tripologist. Each week he tackles the thorny issues in travel as well as answering your questions. Got a question for the Tripologist? Email tripologist@traveller.com.au
Before attending a wedding in San Francisco on April 2, we are spending a week at California’s Red Mountain. We would love suggestions of how to spend our time between March 22 and March 31 as we head towards San Francisco. We are happy to drive.
M. Bade, East Brighton, Vic
Late-March is a perfect shoulder season for California, with snow still in the high country, milder temperatures and desert wildflowers starting to bloom. You will need a vehicle and because you have plenty of time, I am proposing a slightly roundabout itinerary. It first takes you east towards Nevada and then west and north to follow the Sierra Mountain Range, since the roads that cross the mountain from the eastern side will be closed in March.
From Red Mountain out in the Mojave, drive north-east to base yourselves at Furnace Creek for two nights. Use this time to explore Death Valley National Park. Highlights include sunrise at Zabriskie Point, the Badwater Basin salt flats, the Golden Canyon hike and sunset at Dante’s View. The Titus Canyon drive is amazing but only try it if you have a high-clearance vehicle. Temperatures should be tolerable but check heat and wind forecasts.
Day three takes you west to join US Route 395; stop in Lone Pine for two nights to take in the dramatic views of the Sierras from the east; do the Alabama Hills hike and visit the iconic Mobius Arch. From here drive south and then north via Bakersfield and Fresno heading for Yosemite National Park. In March you can expect some glorious sights including roaring waterfalls fed by snowmelt. The Lower Yosemite Falls loop, the Mist Trail (provided it’s open and safe) and Sentinel Bridge at sunset are must-sees.
Stay either inside Yosemite National Park or at El Portal or Mariposa. If you stay outside, since you’ll be making multiple visits you would need an America the Beautiful Non-Resident Annual Pass which costs $US250 ($350) and includes an entire vehicle and occupants. If you enter the park only once the cost for non-residents is $US100 ($140) a person.
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From Yosemite drive south-west to Big Sur, a sensational strip of California’s coastline. Spend some time here to relax and enjoy the vibe, with visits to the local beaches, Pfeiffer State Park and the Monterey Peninsula, including Carmel-by-the-Sea, a ritzy, artsy village favoured by the rich and famous. From here it’s an easy drive north along California Highway 1 to San Francisco.
In June I will be visiting Casablanca, for a day, on a ship. Instead of meandering around in Casablanca, I thought of catching the train to Rabat. Would this be a worthwhile trip?
T. Denham, West Pennant Hills, NSW
Casablanca has limited appeal, and provided you watch the time carefully to make sure you return to your vessel well before departure, Rabat could be more satisfying. Fast trains from Casablanca to Rabat cover the distance in an hour. The trip from the Casablanca Cruise Port to the railway station should take about 20 minutes and the railway station at Rabat is also close to the capital’s main attractions. These include the 12th-century Hassan Tower minaret, Rabat’s iconic landmark, and the nearby mausoleum with the tombs of King Mohammed V and Hassan II, a great photo stop.
Next, head for the Kasbah of the Udayas, a historic quarter of blue-and-white alleyways perched at the mouth of the Bou Regreg River, overlooking the Atlantic and the medina of Sale. The Andalusian Garden is a highlight and stop for a mint tea at Cafe des Oudayas which has river views. For a dramatic and less touristy quarter of the city, Chellah is an archaeological site with Roman ruins and a medieval Islamic necropolis, often filled with storks nesting in the minarets.
Finally, a wandering exploration of the souk, which is much smaller than its counterparts in Fes or Marrakesh, and more authentic. You’ll need a guide, see the Tours by Locals website, there are several Rabat guides with excellent references.
At the end of April, I fly to Amsterdam for a week to visit areas where Canadian troops and their allies fought the Nazis in 1944-45. I want to see the Scheldt region and then go to Wageningen and the hotel where German forces surrendered, then to Apeldoorn for the Liberation Day celebration. Suggestions, especially for the Scheldt, would be appreciated.
K. Pisichko, Coimbra,Portugal
That’s a terrific theme for a trip. Spend your first two days exploring Zeeland and the Scheldt Estuary. The Battle of the Scheldt was critical for clearing the Germans from the estuary, since without it Antwerp could not have been used as a supply port and the Allied advance would have stalled. Essential sites include Sloedam and the Walcheren Causeway, Westkapelle and the Walcheren sea wall, bombed by the British to flood German positions; the Polderhuis Museum in Westkapelle explains this vividly. The Breskens Pocket was key to clearing the south bank of the Scheldt, and pay your respects at the Bergen op Zoom Canadian War Cemetery. Over the rest of your time explore the Camp Vught National Memorial, the Overloon War Museum and the Wings of Liberation Museum, all located in the North Brabant region.
Follow this up with Arnhem and Oosterbeek, the site of Operation Market Garden, where you can visit the excellent Airborne Museum Hartenstein and the Oosterbeek War Cemetery, the Freedom Museum and the Canadian War Cemetery at Groesbeek and nearby Nijmegen, where the Canadians held and expanded the bridgehead through the winter of 1944-45, and finally Wageningen’s Hotel de Wereld, where the German forces surrendered to Canada’s General Charles Foulkes on May 5, 1945. You need a car to make the most of this experience. Zeeland’s battlefields are in rural areas, the war cemeteries are outside towns and a car would give you the flexibility to stop at smaller memorials.
My partner and I are considering a trip to the Veneto region of Italy in May. Any suggestions regarding companies that offer small-group tours to Umbria, Tuscany, Bologna and Lucca? We’re interested in tours that are based in places for a couple of nights. We are an active couple in our late 60s and early 70s. Walking tours are not a problem.
K. Simmonds, New Farm, Qld
One small-group operator that focuses on regional tours is Untold Italy. It operates seven-day tours in some of the most appealing regions of Italy such as Puglia, southern Tuscany, Umbria and Sicily. These are high-end trips that feature culinary experiences, expert guides, comfortable transport and luxury accommodation, and that’s reflected in the price.
If you want something less expensive, Explore! has several regional tours between eight and 15 days; the average group size is 11. Italian Tours is operated by Sydney-based Luca Torrigiani and Philippa Hansen, who guide many of their own tours and who offer theme tours as well as regional experiences, such as the great gardens of Italy, or a cultural and cuisine tour through Emilia-Romagna. Groups are limited to 12 guests and their reviews are first-rate.
Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances
Michael Gebicki is a Sydney-based travel writer, best known for his Tripologist column published for more than 15 years in Traveller. With four decades of experience, his specialty is practical advice, destination insights and problem-solving for travellers. He also designs and leads slow, immersive tours to some of his favourite places. Connect via Instagram @michael_gebickiConnect via email.