Going to Berlin just before Xmas - Tips wanted

Hello everyone, I am going to Berlin between 19 Dec to 23 Dec. Am going with my girlfriend, I have been there once before but in a rush. Am looking for advice on things to do. We're happy to walk and I am keen to find spots for great photos. All ideas are welcome. Also ideas on the weather are great. I guess it's a regular European weather.
Thanks.

Delegating time in Chile/Argentina

Hi all-

I'm lucky enough to be able to visit Chile and Argentina as a side trip from an extended cultural immersion experience in Brasil. I will start in Santiago de Chile in early January and I also want to visit Valparaíso before heading south to the lakes region. I am considering two different itineraries and wonder if anyone has experience or advice:

1. After Valparíso, take a bus across to Mendoza and stay for (?) days and afterward an overnight bus to Bariloche to visit the Lakes region in Argentina, eventually flying out to Buenos Aires on the way back to Brasil.

2. Another option would be to skip Mendoza and head south to the Chilean Lakes region from Valparíso and crossing the Argentinian border further south, from Pucón perhaps. Allowing me to experience the lakes regions of both Chile or Argentina.

My main concerns are how much time would be sufficient for each ... more »

Booking a car and driver/guide

Hi,

We leave for Sri Lanka next week!!
For the first 4 days we plan to hire a car and driver in order to do the Ancient Cities, ending in Kandy.
Should we prebook or is it easy to find a driver and car at the airport?
We arrive early in the morning, but hope to do some touring that day.
Thanks for any advice.

Kakadu National Park in January ?

Dear people,

We would really love to visit the Kakadu National Park early January and maybe do a 3-days safari with a tour-company (I heard kakadu dreams was good)

I understand January is the wet season and therefore green tours run with limited options as some parts of national parks can be closed.
Tours companies also state on their website website that tours may be cancelled because of climatic conditions at last minute

We are a bit confused because most websites say the wet is the best time of the year and most beautiful because wildlife is very active at this season but at the same time everyone recommends visiting the kakadu during the dry...

Is it okay to visit the kakadu during the wet season (january) ? We already live in a tropical island so we don't mind the rain, heat and mosquitoes
What are the tours like in the Kakadu at this time of the year ? Are they of... more »

Diving in Perhentians

Hi guys,

Does anyone have a rough idea how much it costs to do the Padi Open Water in the Perhentians? We will be going to thailand afterwards so there is the option to do it in Ko Tao but i really want to dive in the Perhentians and can dive again in Ko Tao....its too much back tracking to do OW in Ko Tao and then come back down to Perhentians!!

Cheers!

Re enter Kenya from eithopia on orginal visa

Hi,

I am asking this question behalf of my daughter who is currently travelling around Africa. She is an Australian.

She will be in Kenya from 5-15 December. She then will leave Kenya to travel through Tanzania, Rawanda and Ethiopia. At the end of January 2010 she will fly back into Kenya to fly to Edinburgh. Her visa for Kenya covers this period.

Can she re-enter Kenyan from eithopia on her orginal visa?

I would appreciate any advice

cheers

Tony

hostel recommendations in Rio??

Hey all,

I'm travelling from Manchester in the UK and I'm travelling around South America on my lonesome, so can anyone recommend any hostels in Rio and around Brazil, to meet like minded people, have a laugh and get drunk with?? I'm starting in February 2010 to catch carnival time so it should be awesome! Anyone else doing the same??

Cheers in advance!!

Canaima vs Orinoco

Hello my friends,

My pals and I are going to visit Venezuela in January-February and we have a problem. We decided to go both to Canaima and to delta Orinoco, but we have only 6 days for them. Firstly we wanted to divide in 3/3, but our friends, who have returned recently told us that Canaima was fantastic and 3 days there is not enough. Besides, 4th day in Canaima is usually free. So now we thought about going to Canaima for 4 days and to Orinoco for 2 days. But I wonder if 2 days is enough for it and if we'll be able to see anything?
I'm asking people who were there - is it ok, or we better take 3 and 3 days?
Thanks and greetings from Russia.