It’s been a year of adventures and plenty of globetrotting for our readers, who have celebrated major anniversaries and fulfilled dreams from California to Paris — hey, Mickey! — Norway and Fiji.
Each week, our Wish You Were Here feature has followed them on their adventures and made us wish we were indeed there. Today, we’re rolling out a Wish You Were Here extravaganza of 10 bucket list trips — exploring the fjords of Flam, diving with whale sharks and channeling a little royalty, too.
Fiji celebrations
Campbell residents Paulette and Brent Wilkinson celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in September with a 12-day trip to Fiji. “We visited the Coral Coast of the main island of Viti Levu and then stayed at the Likuliku resort on Malolo island,” Paulette says. “While on Viti Levu, we visited Natadola Beach, considered the most beautiful beach in Fiji. We also learned about and helped support the endangered Fijian Crested Iguana at the Kula Wild Adventure Park.
“Because it was our first trip, we participated in a traditional kava ceremony. There are a few etiquette rules to follow: You must sit cross-legged while on the mat — called the apei. Men are served first, unless a woman has special status. Ideally, you should drink the kava in one gulp without making any negative facial expressions. Fortunately, we were able to do so! The Fijian people are warm and welcoming. We were greeted with a hearty ‘Bula!’ everywhere we went. Fijians consider visitors family, and we were told ‘welcome home’ many times.”
Travel tips: “Fijians dress conservatively. We’d read before traveling that we should cover our shoulders and knees when in villages, but after arriving, we learned that it’s best if you dress conservatively anytime you aren’t swimming. Be sure to avoid packing short skirts, shorts, dresses or tank tops. We noticed numerous signs at our hotel on the main island of Viti Levu requesting that guests respect Fijian culture by dressing conservatively. Some restaurants have dress codes in the evening requiring collared shirts and closed-toed shoes for men.”
Diving in the Philippines
Concord resident Sylvia Rodriguez’s trip to the island of Cebu this summer offered plenty of adventures underwater and on land. “Aside from the amazing people, scuba diving and canyoneering, I most appreciated the warm and welcoming nature of the Filipino people,” she says. “Oslob is a municipality on the southern tip of the island of Cebu. It’s known for being one of the top destinations in the Philippines for whale shark watching. The town’s popularity is due to the daily appearances of whale sharks at the beach of Tan-awan, where tourists can swim, dive and watch them.”
Travel tips: “You do not have to be a scuba diver,” she says. “There are plenty of snorkeling opportunities, and you can still meet these magical creatures on the surface. They may even skim your feet. In addition, I would recommend SB Canyoneering, if you want the adventure of a lifetime. You can jump off cliffs and into ‘Gatorade Blue’ waterfalls. It’s a magical place, must-see bucket list.”
Riding the Inca rails
The Peruvian trip taken by San Jose residents Emma and Mario Ramirez in August was pure “bucket list.” “What a beautiful place to visit!” Emma says. “We traveled by Peru’s Inca Rail, a panoramic train, to the country’s most famous site, the ancient sanctuary of Machu Picchu The UNESCO World heritage site is the ultimate example of Inca architecture.”
Travel tips: “Check with your doctor before going, because the altitude is quite high. Remember to dress in layers, because it allows you to stay comfortable. Don’t forget good walking shoes, because you walk and walk! There’s lots of steps and uneven terrain.”
Riding the Rockies rails
If ever there was a case to be made for the famous “it’s the journey, not the destination” quote, it’s the epic train ride taken by Pleasant Hill’s Bill and Sharon Gegg. “Sharon has always wanted to take the train — The Canadian — through the Canadian Rockies from Vancouver to Toronto,” Bill says. “The train takes four days, so if you want to get (there) faster and cheaper, take a plane. But if you are interested in the journey, take the train. The pace is slow, and you will sit for hours in the Dome car, watching the world go by. The scenery is spectacular, and it will be a memory forever.”
Travel tips: “There is no Wi-Fi or even regular cell service, so bring cards and books and load up your tablet with novels. If you really like good coffee, don’t drink the train stuff. Bring your own ground coffee and a hot water kettle — brew in your cabin. The food and service in the dining room are very good.
“The rooms are efficient but very small. Two people cannot be moving around at the same time when the bunk beds are in place. Freight trains have priority over passenger trains, meaning your train will make frequent stops. This is the time to take a shower.” You may find watching the videos about this trip on YouTube especially helpful beforehand.
In the land of fjords
Last May, longtime Concord residents Kanda and Kamala Alahan celebrated their 50th anniversary in Norway, Kanda’s mother’s homeland. “A highlight of the trip,” Kanda says, “was the Bergen-bound train ride from Oslo across the central plateau, stopping at the Myrdal station and taking the famous Flåm Railway down the steep mountainside to the heart of Norway’s stunningly beautiful fjord country, a world heritage site. To take the daily ferry from there to Bergen, the city at the head of fjord country, was also unforgettable.”
Travel tips: “Arrangements can be made for the various connections individually, or tours can be arranged simply through Norway in a Nutshell or other tour companies. Like in all of Europe, the tourist season means a lot of crowds. We’d recommend coming early in May, just after the snow has melted, and the crowds are still small.”
A mammoth road trip
The Wild West’s spectacular sights were the aim for San Jose residents Ken Kelly and Linda LeZotte last spring as they embarked on a trip that included stops in Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming in May. In South Dakota, they stopped at Mount Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Memorial, Deadwood, Sturgis, the Badlands and Black Hills and “our favorite — a functioning mammoth dig in Hot Springs, South Dakota,” Linda says. “We saw herds of buffalo, longhorn sheep, Rocky Mountain goats, antelope and thousands of groundhogs. The drive from Nebraska to Wyoming was spectacular.”
Travel tips: “May was a perfect time weatherwise, cool but not cold. Don’t miss the shoot outs and other actor portrayals in Deadwood. Walk completely around Devils Tower (in Wyoming) and take the trails to Mount Rushmore. Give yourself plenty of time to drive through the Badlands and Black Hills. The mammoth dig in Hot Springs, as well as the museum and film at Mount Rushmore were awe-inspiring.”
At the edge of the Atlantic
A July trip to Ireland took Bob Wackerman of San Mateo to the Cliffs of Moher in the southwestern edge of the Burren region of County Clare. Book tickets (6 to 8 euros) ahead, he says, and “make sure to visit the interactive welcome center. It has two cafes and a gift shop. It’s a 2½ hour hike along a trail to Moher Tower or an easier walk to O’Brien’s Tower built in 1835.”
Travel tips: “Afterwards, visit Doolin for the best traditional Irish music in Ireland — at three pubs. Music starts around 8 p.m.”
In the land of the mouse
Four generations of Raymonds — including Joan Raymond of Scotts Valley and Kaylee Raymond, Noelle Raymond and Joelle Vega from Ben Lomond — had a girls’ trip to Disneyland this spring. “It was a busy, fun time watching the 3-year-old discovering the magic of Disney,” Joan says. “Great Grandma wanted things easy, so we had a car service that provided a car seat pick us up and take us to our hotel near Disneyland, where we had a stroller waiting for us that we rented online. So easy not to have to take all that through airport security, etc. We used the ART Disney area bus that stops near most local hotels and drops you at Disneyland. “
Travel tips: “Joelle had an appointment to be dressed and made up as a princess,” Joan says. “Be sure to book that ahead of time, because they fill up quickly with future princesses!!” The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Fantasyland offers royal makeovers ($75 and up) for kids ages 3 to 12.
In the French land of the mouse
Lifelong Disney fans — Santa Cruz residents Mark and Jenny Daniels and their daughter, Kimberly Grover, and two of her children, Ian and Mia Grover from Lafayette — “fulfilled a dream,” Kimberly says, with a trip to Disneyland Paris in June to celebrate Mark and Jenny’s 50th anniversary. The trip highlights included “riding Phantom Manor, which is similar to Disneyland California’s Haunted Mansion, and enjoying Champagne from the Champagne cart on Main Street!”
Travel tips: “Disneyland Paris is an easy train ride from Paris. All of the train signage has Mickey Mouse ears so you know which train and stop.”
Exploring the Big Easy
Long-time friends Sheryl Wobber of Scotts Valley, Nona Inouye of Campbell, Marcia Yasukawa of San Jose and Lois Neishi of Tracy enjoyed a trip to New Orleans in October. The highlight, Nona says, was a cooking class at New Orleans School of Cooking with Chef Tom.
Travel tips: “We stayed in the French Quarter, which enables you to walk practically everywhere. Book the cooking class at least two weeks in advance. We did the hands-on class. Learning how to flip a crepe and sprinkling ‘voodoo dust’ on bananas Foster was great fun.”