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Vincent K

Vincent K

USA

Sep102011

Tour/Activity

Wine Tasting Bike Tour departing Vienna

Vienna, Austria

My Rating
5 star rating: Highly Recommended

My Review

This is a terrific way to enjoy a nice day in the Wachau Valley. We visited three wineries and tasted (drank) 4 different wines at each. The tastings were spread out enough that we never felt drunk. We had a really nice casual lunch (extra cost, but worth it) at the second winery.
The bike ride itself is not too strenuous - and you feel safe because it's mostly on paved bike paths when you're near a road, or it's on dirt bike paths in the countryside.
Near the end of the tour, just before the third winery, there is some free time in the town just below the castle ruins where King Richard was imprisoned for two years. The view from the ruins is worth the climb - but warning, it is a LONG way up and should not be attempted unless you're in pretty good cardio condition.
Sasha, our guide, was extremely pleasant and friendly.
I would recommend this to anyone who wants to see some beautiful Austrian scenery outside of Vienna, and anyone who likes white wine (the main grape tasted is Gruner Veltliner).

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My Photos

King Richard's and quot;castle ruins and quot;
View from the second winery
Lunch stop at second winery

Feb162010

Tour/Activity

America's Cup Sailing on Auckland's Waitemata Harbour

Auckland, New Zealand

My Rating
4 star rating: Recommended

My Review
This was a great experience, especially since Team Oracle had just reclaimed the America's Cup for the United States. Unfortunately, the winds weren't very strong, so we couldn't sail very fast. This is a good excursion for tourists who want a nice taste of sailing without too much risk. Given the price, this is something I would recommend but it's probably not for everyone.

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Feb152010

Tour/Activity

Waitomo Caves and Rotorua Day Trip from Auckland

Auckland, New Zealand

My Rating
5 star rating: Highly Recommended

My Review
This was an incredible experience. However, contrary to the description on Viator.com, we did not get a chance to milk a cow. Te Puia was fascinating, with its mud pits and geysers and Maori ceremony. And the stop at the Hobbiton sign in Matamata was a treat. The drive was very scenic, and the driver/tour guide was very informative. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants a sample of what New Zealand has to offer. My only suggestion: I noticed that some of the people who boarded our bus in Auckland got off at the Waitomo Caves and did not continue with us. The driver said that they were going to stay overnight, so they could do the Black Water tubing, which is something I would really have loved to do. It would be nice if that kind of package were available - bus from Auckland to Waitomo, overnight there, and then pick up the next day's bus for the rest of the tour.

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Feb132010

Tour/Activity

Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium Entry Ticket

Auckland, New Zealand

My Rating
3 star rating: Worth doing

My Review
The Antarctic penguin exhibit pictured was the highlight of Kelly Tarlton's for me. The penguins are SO cute! However, other than the penguins, Kelly Tarlton's is much like other aquariums in other major cities around the world, so I'd only go if you're excited about seeing penguins.

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Feb132010

Tour/Activity

Auckland Hop-on Hop-off Tour

Auckland, New Zealand

My Rating
3 star rating: Worth doing

My Review
The confirmation details don't give you enough information as to WHERE to pick up the Hop-on Hop-off tour. I found myself wandering around the Sky Tower unsure of where to go. The answer is out on Victoria Street. Look for the sign that says "Explorer Bus." The other drawback is that the buses only come by every half hour and on the satellite loop, it's only once every hour. So, be sure to pick up a schedule of when they're supposed to be at each major stop or you may "just miss" a bus and have to wait a long time. Overall though, the Explorer Bus was an easy way to see most of Auckland's major attractions. I would recommend only a one-day pass, though. If you want to spend a lot of time at the Auckland Museum, there are cheaper ways to get there.

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Jul132008

Tour/Activity

Berlin City Hop-on Hop-off Tour

Berlin, Germany

My Rating
4 star rating: Recommended

My Review
The hop-on hop-off bus tour of Berlin is a great way to see the major landmarks of the city on your own. There are headphones on the bus with audio tracks in multiple languages that describe all the sights along the way. I highly recommend the included river boat cruise during the summer as it's a great way to see many of Berlin's landmarks including the Chancellor's residence and the Reichstag from a unique angle. The tour guide describes all the sights in both German and English, and includes some history as well.
The only drawback to the whole experience was that the buses stopped running at 4pm. Given that we didn't arrive in Berlin until around 11am from our cruise ship which docked 3 hours away in Warnemunde, that left us with little time to explore on our own. We actually did not get a chance to take the entire bus tour, skipping some of the museums.

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