Questions! Questions.

[Toni]

Almost every place in the US takes credit cards, including supermarkets, restaurants etc, and as Toni suggested, you can tell your credit card company that you will be traveling to avoid any problems. When we used to travel or even if we purchased something unusual, Discover sometimes notified us to make sure that we were the users of our credit card. While we also have another credit card, we like Discover the best due to its generous cash back program. I think Visa has a similar program now, if I'm not mistaken.

We don't use debit cards as you may be liable for whatever someone spends on your card if its lost or stolen. Most credit cards never make you responsible for more than about 25 dollars if its lost or stolen. We've had credit cards stolen twice, probably online. Discover never made us pay a cent for the charges, but in both cases, the charges were suspicious so Discover notified us and then gave us a new card within days. One time, Macy's called me to verify if I had purchased over 400 dollars worth of clothing to be sent to a different address. I told them to cancel the order and then I notified Discover. Another time someone tried to buy an Apple phone with our card. Again, we were asked if we ordered it. The order was canceled and we got a new card. My point is that it's pretty safe to use credit cards most anywhere. Just keep tract of what you charge. But, it is a good idea to have a second one, just in case.

Hope you have a wonderful time with your son as well as a safe trip.

I've bought cars on my Visa, in emergencies, and gotten calls from the bank to ask if it was me. I like that they keep an eye out. Did that recently and heard nothing. Don't know if they keep notes going back 20 years, or they don't care any more.

Beware that busses in the US tend to have rather seedy clientele as they are generally not competitive with airplanes on high traffic routes once you consider time. For this particular trip that might not be the case (the overhead time of the plane is higher) but it is something to be aware of. Typically, buses are for people going to little places (which is inherently low volume) or people after a rock-bottom price who don't care about time--and even then food costs can easily make the airplane the better deal.

I want to see at least something of the country. San Diego - L.A. is unlikely to be representative, but I'll see a little bit, and maybe get to talk to some people on the bus.

Do bus tickets let you get off and complete the journey a day later? I've wondered if I'd be better to hire a car, but you people drive on the wrong side of the road, and I am a creature of habit. I'd like to see some countryside, but not from 1" away.

I think this is a matter about which you need to consult your son. Loren has a point: travel by bus is generally among the least expensive modes of transportation. It can be a mode of transportation for less savory people. Not always. I have never been to to California but it strikes me that you are planning to visit areas which are well known tourist destinations. There may well be excursion buses specifically for tourists. I don’t know your age but if you are 55+, there may well be exactly the sort of trips specific to seniors which would make stops at various locations along the route. It’s worth exploring.

I saw this under a quick google search —I don’t know if this is what you had in mi d or not but: https://anothersideofsandiegotours.com/san-diego-to-los-angeles/

I also know there are tours of wine country, etc.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner sounds nice. Review

https://www.pacificsurfliner.com/

 

[spikepipsqueak]

Almost every place in the US takes credit cards, including supermarkets, restaurants etc, and as Toni suggested, you can tell your credit card company that you will be traveling to avoid any problems. When we used to travel or even if we purchased something unusual, Discover sometimes notified us to make sure that we were the users of our credit card. While we also have another credit card, we like Discover the best due to its generous cash back program. I think Visa has a similar program now, if I'm not mistaken.

We don't use debit cards as you may be liable for whatever someone spends on your card if its lost or stolen. Most credit cards never make you responsible for more than about 25 dollars if its lost or stolen. We've had credit cards stolen twice, probably online. Discover never made us pay a cent for the charges, but in both cases, the charges were suspicious so Discover notified us and then gave us a new card within days. One time, Macy's called me to verify if I had purchased over 400 dollars worth of clothing to be sent to a different address. I told them to cancel the order and then I notified Discover. Another time someone tried to buy an Apple phone with our card. Again, we were asked if we ordered it. The order was canceled and we got a new card. My point is that it's pretty safe to use credit cards most anywhere. Just keep tract of what you charge. But, it is a good idea to have a second one, just in case.

Hope you have a wonderful time with your son as well as a safe trip.

I've bought cars on my Visa, in emergencies, and gotten calls from the bank to ask if it was me. I like that they keep an eye out. Did that recently and heard nothing. Don't know if they keep notes going back 20 years, or they don't care any more.

Beware that busses in the US tend to have rather seedy clientele as they are generally not competitive with airplanes on high traffic routes once you consider time. For this particular trip that might not be the case (the overhead time of the plane is higher) but it is something to be aware of. Typically, buses are for people going to little places (which is inherently low volume) or people after a rock-bottom price who don't care about time--and even then food costs can easily make the airplane the better deal.

I want to see at least something of the country. San Diego - L.A. is unlikely to be representative, but I'll see a little bit, and maybe get to talk to some people on the bus.

Do bus tickets let you get off and complete the journey a day later? I've wondered if I'd be better to hire a car, but you people drive on the wrong side of the road, and I am a creature of habit. I'd like to see some countryside, but not from 1" away.

I think this is a matter about which you need to consult your son. Loren has a point: travel by bus is generally among the least expensive modes of transportation. It can be a mode of transportation for less savory people. Not always. I have never been to to California but it strikes me that you are planning to visit areas which are well known tourist destinations. There may well be excursion buses specifically for tourists. I don’t know your age but if you are 55+, there may well be exactly the sort of trips specific to seniors which would make stops at various locations along the route. It’s worth exploring.

I saw this under a quick google search —I don’t know if this is what you had in mi d or not but: https://anothersideofsandiegotours.com/san-diego-to-los-angeles/

I also know there are tours of wine country, etc.

I had some half arsed notion about talking to some people who weren't tourists. Frequently, Aussies go overseas and spend their time with other Aussies. I am comfortable with the Great Unwashed, being somewhat bogan myself.

Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner sounds nice. Review

https://www.pacificsurfliner.com/

Yes. Yes it does. (Light bulb.)

And designated stops that I could buy a ticket to and move on the next day.

Thank you both.

 

[Toni]

Almost every place in the US takes credit cards, including supermarkets, restaurants etc, and as Toni suggested, you can tell your credit card company that you will be traveling to avoid any problems. When we used to travel or even if we purchased something unusual, Discover sometimes notified us to make sure that we were the users of our credit card. While we also have another credit card, we like Discover the best due to its generous cash back program. I think Visa has a similar program now, if I'm not mistaken.

We don't use debit cards as you may be liable for whatever someone spends on your card if its lost or stolen. Most credit cards never make you responsible for more than about 25 dollars if its lost or stolen. We've had credit cards stolen twice, probably online. Discover never made us pay a cent for the charges, but in both cases, the charges were suspicious so Discover notified us and then gave us a new card within days. One time, Macy's called me to verify if I had purchased over 400 dollars worth of clothing to be sent to a different address. I told them to cancel the order and then I notified Discover. Another time someone tried to buy an Apple phone with our card. Again, we were asked if we ordered it. The order was canceled and we got a new card. My point is that it's pretty safe to use credit cards most anywhere. Just keep tract of what you charge. But, it is a good idea to have a second one, just in case.

Hope you have a wonderful time with your son as well as a safe trip.

I've bought cars on my Visa, in emergencies, and gotten calls from the bank to ask if it was me. I like that they keep an eye out. Did that recently and heard nothing. Don't know if they keep notes going back 20 years, or they don't care any more.

Beware that busses in the US tend to have rather seedy clientele as they are generally not competitive with airplanes on high traffic routes once you consider time. For this particular trip that might not be the case (the overhead time of the plane is higher) but it is something to be aware of. Typically, buses are for people going to little places (which is inherently low volume) or people after a rock-bottom price who don't care about time--and even then food costs can easily make the airplane the better deal.

I want to see at least something of the country. San Diego - L.A. is unlikely to be representative, but I'll see a little bit, and maybe get to talk to some people on the bus.

Do bus tickets let you get off and complete the journey a day later? I've wondered if I'd be better to hire a car, but you people drive on the wrong side of the road, and I am a creature of habit. I'd like to see some countryside, but not from 1" away.

I think this is a matter about which you need to consult your son. Loren has a point: travel by bus is generally among the least expensive modes of transportation. It can be a mode of transportation for less savory people. Not always. I have never been to to California but it strikes me that you are planning to visit areas which are well known tourist destinations. There may well be excursion buses specifically for tourists. I don’t know your age but if you are 55+, there may well be exactly the sort of trips specific to seniors which would make stops at various locations along the route. It’s worth exploring.

I saw this under a quick google search —I don’t know if this is what you had in mi d or not but: https://anothersideofsandiegotours.com/san-diego-to-los-angeles/

I also know there are tours of wine country, etc.

I had some half arsed notion about talking to some people who weren't tourists. Frequently, Aussies go overseas and spend their time with other Aussies. I am comfortable with the Great Unwashed, being somewhat bogan myself.

Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner sounds nice. Review

https://www.pacificsurfliner.com/

Yes. Yes it does. (Light bulb.)

And designated stops that I could buy a ticket to and move on the next day.

Thank you both.

Cough cough: Americans can be tourists in California as well as Aussies. Heck, CALIFORNIANS go on wine country tours.

I think it's great that you want to talk to 'real' people. I haven't been to California and haven't traveled on a Greyhound bus since my grandfather died and the guy sitting in the seat ahead of me kept hitting on me. Oh, I've taken plenty of public transport: Subways in Wash. DC, Boston and the light rail in Chicago and I've taken commuter busses and I've even taken tourist busses since then. Just not in California. But do ask your son who will have a much better idea about who you are likely to encounter on commercial bus travel. And also do check about whether you can get off and on commercial travel busses. That was what first got my attention about what hoped for. There is no doubt you will encounter other tourists, at least some of which will be tacky Americans, however you travel.

 

[southernhybrid]

I don't know if this is relevant today, but I took a bus trip when I was in my 20s when I was too poor to fly, from San Antonio, Texas to New York City, so I could visit my parents. It was one of the most horrible experiences of my life, other than being bitten by a rattle snake and things like that. The trip took over 48 hours and by the time we reached our destination, the bus was filthy. At one point, I found myself sleeping with my head on the shoulder of a strange man. I was traveling with my 3 year old son, and one good thing was that I looked after a 7 year old boy who was traveling by himself to visit his grandparents. Of course, that never happens these days, but it did help to have an older child play with my little boy. Plus, I think it helped him feel better being around a protective adult. At one point we were stuck for over 4 hours in St. Louis, Missouri, but we couldn't leave the staton as it was located in a very high crime neighborhood. I traveled by Greyhound. Do people even take long bus trips that like anymore? Maybe a train trip would be better.

I took public buses throughout my childhood, including with my teenage girlfriends to visit the World's Fair in 1964 in NYCity. Those short trips were fine, but taking a long trip on a bus is something I decided I would never do again after that experience in the early 70s. I never minded taking the subway in New York either, but I'm not sure I'd feel safe doing that these days, due to all the crimes and crazy people pushing passengers on the track in front of an oncoming train.

 

[Elixir]

Waaay back when, I had to move some… uh, consumables from Miami to Chicago. It was bulky - a couple foot lockers full - so instead of flying I decided to take the train.
So nice! I enjoyed it so much that the next time, I took the train from Miami all the way to San Francisco. What an education, seeing how people live all over the Country (at least people within view of Amtrak tracks). I highly recommend it.
Never took a long bus trip, and don’t like the whole idea of it.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I had some half arsed notion about talking to some people who weren't tourists. Frequently, Aussies go overseas and spend their time with other Aussies. I am comfortable with the Great Unwashed, being somewhat bogan myself.

Quite understandable. My parents normally chose to go in a fashion that most exposed them to the locals.

I'm just questioning inter-city busses due to the nature of the clientele they typically attract--as with anything rock bottom prices come with downsides and are generally best avoided. Note that this does not apply to tourist busses. I have no experience with US trains.

 

[spikepipsqueak]

Cough cough: Americans can be tourists in California as well as Aussies. Heck, CALIFORNIANS go on wine country tours.

I think it's great that you want to talk to 'real' people. I haven't been to California and haven't traveled on a Greyhound bus since my grandfather died and the guy sitting in the seat ahead of me kept hitting on me. Oh, I've taken plenty of public transport: Subways in Wash. DC, Boston and the light rail in Chicago and I've taken commuter busses and I've even taken tourist busses since then. Just not in California. But do ask your son who will have a much better idea about who you are likely to encounter on commercial bus travel. And also do check about whether you can get off and on commercial travel busses. That was what first got my attention about what hoped for. There is no doubt you will encounter other tourists, at least some of which will be tacky Americans, however you travel.

I have nothing against "tacky Americans". Even if I find myself talking to other tourists, they are unlikely to be people that I have shared a culture with since birth. I'm sure I'll talk to lots of Americans during the cruise component of the trip, but this 120 odd miles might be my only chance to check out some of the terrain and some of the non tourists. Having said that, TV and Credit Cards has pretty much sold me on the train.

I'll tell you my secret fear, and I am only partially joking. That I would let my politics slip, maybe even having so little self control as to be unable to stop myself refuting someone's positive image of Trump - and get myself shot. Or punched.

I suspect I've been exposed to the worst of American news by my habitation of this place, but it's an issue I wouldn't even have to consider at home, and I suspect may be on the edges of your warnings.

(I would bet money that my son has never seen much of the inside of American public transport. Between his car, bike and plane he has most distances covered.)

I don't know if this is relevant today, but I took a bus trip when I was in my 20s when I was too poor to fly, from San Antonio, Texas to New York City, so I could visit my parents. It was one of the most horrible experiences of my life, other than being bitten by a rattle snake and things like that. The trip took over 48 hours and by the time we reached our destination, the bus was filthy. At one point, I found myself sleeping with my head on the shoulder of a strange man. I was traveling with my 3 year old son, and one good thing was that I looked after a 7 year old boy who was traveling by himself to visit his grandparents. Of course, that never happens these days, but it did help to have an older child play with my little boy. Plus, I think it helped him feel better being around a protective adult. At one point we were stuck for over 4 hours in St. Louis, Missouri, but we couldn't leave the staton as it was located in a very high crime neighborhood. I traveled by Greyhound. Do people even take long bus trips that like anymore? Maybe a train trip would be better.

I took public buses throughout my childhood, including with my teenage girlfriends to visit the World's Fair in 1964 in NYCity. Those short trips were fine, but taking a long trip on a bus is something I decided I would never do again after that experience in the early 70s. I never minded taking the subway in New York either, but I'm not sure I'd feel safe doing that these days, due to all the crimes and crazy people pushing passengers on the track in front of an oncoming train.

I wonder how much I can derail my own thread?

We didn't have a car when I was a kid. We went everywhere by public transport. When I was 14 we moved from a working/middle class suburb to an inner city one with a very rough reputation (Collingwood, for those that means anything to.) I wanted to stay with my old Guide Company, so once a week I took the train back, returning around 10.30pm, alone and completely at ease. Never once had cause to regret it. (Except for the time there was a locust plague and I had to commit multiple murders just to cross Punt Rd over the carpet of insects.) Even when there were drunks on the train I never felt threatened. If my mother thought it was a bad idea she never mentioned it.

Melbourne is a spread out city. Fast forward 30 years and you'd be housebound without a car. The only time my son, growing up, saw the inside of a train was going to the city if I didn't want to worry about parking. But I somewhat miss those old days. Reading while someone else does the driving. Getting a little exercise at either end of the journey. I have no idea if it would be so stress free now, 50 years later.

The planning of this trip may turn out to be more fun than the trip itself. I want to thank everyone and fully intend picking your brains as questions arise.

 

[Toni]

Most of California is not Trump country anyway. I do t think you’ll have a problem. If you should happen to see someone wearing something Trump related, just talk to other people who will be charmed by your accent even before they get to see your personality. Let the idiots sit by themselves. Honestly, most Americans don’t talk about politics with strangers. Or friends, if they want to keep them.

 

[southernhybrid]

Most of California is not Trump country anyway. I do t think you’ll have a problem. If you should happen to see someone wearing something Trump related, just talk to other people who will be charmed by your accent even before they get to see your personality. Let the idiots sit by themselves. Honestly, most Americans don’t talk about politics with strangers. Or friends, if they want to keep them.

Not only that, but most of the Trump people I know personally aren't that bad. They are just, shall we say, brainwashed. The man across the street from me believes that Obama was born in Kenya and I assume he voted for Trump. He is one of the nicest, most helpful neighbors I've ever had. I have several other Trump supporters on my street who are good people and we live on a mixed race street, where everyone gets along. I have a nurse friend who was a big Trump supporter. She is totally harmless, but we never discuss politics. You are probably seeing the worst of the Trumpers, but even most of them aren't going to kill you if you disagree or want to have a friendly argument with them over politics. So, don't be too scared of Americans in general. We do have too many guns, which makes people scared, but statistically, most of us are harmless, even when we disagree on politics. Black people tend to be much friendlier, at least where I live, but I can't speak for California. Where I live it's very common to start up a friendly conversation in a grocery store, even with a white person. And, that's what I love about the South, at least my part of the South.

 

[steve_bank]

I have driven cross county a number of times. Can't drive anymore with my eyes.

Amtrack is the way to go. Unless all you can adfford is a bus ticket.

You can take the northern train to Seattle from Chicago and then down the coast. Or across to SF and down. Or go through Denver. Or you can take the train across Canada and thne down the coast,

Not this year but next year I am thinking of getting an Amtrack pass and see the couNtry at a leisurely pace.

Amtrak - Reservations - Select Train

www.amtrak.com

Tickets to California Travel & Desert Adventure - Amtrak California Rail Pass

Get tickets to California travel with the Amtrak California Rail Pass and see the Golden State - from San Diego to San Francisco, from Lake Tahoe to Los Angeles and the high desert area.

www.amtrak.com

 

[spikepipsqueak]

Yes, I'm pretty well sold on trains.

The plans are a bit different now, anyway, and I might only be doing trains in Europe.

Passport turned up Thursday, 1 week after I applied, which is pretty damn good.

Yesterday I booked a cruise from San Francisco to Barcelona. Depending what my son intends I may not get to see any of inland USA.

I was hoping to do Europe on an ad. hoc. basis but not sure how flexible flights can be within a RTW ticket.

This has been such a fun learning experience.

 

[Rhea]

I’m pretty sure there is a local train/tram line from San Diego to LA? (Maybe it’s San Diego to Tijuana, I forget). But even if “unsavory” characters are on buses, they are unlikely to bother you. My son takes the bus from NYC out into the rural areas regularly, and no issues. My first thought on buses isn’t “too un-savory for me,” anyway.

Anyway, take a photo of all your documents, front and back. License, passport, credit cards, medical cards. Store them in some online space you can access with the new phone you have to buy because you lost yours. Then if anything gets lost or stolen, it’s super easy to replace. There are a number of password keeps that can handle secure storage of this info. You can also give access to your son, who can tretrieve them if you need it.

Yes, call your credit card company with your travel times.

I’d use an ATM (not in airport) and get out $50 that’s enough to handle any unexpected interactions, and you can likely use it on the cruise to get rid of it when you leave.

California has fewer Trumpers, so the issue is less likely there.

The phone may need a new SIM card. That could be tricky. My phone has “Global Service” so I pay a flat fee (US$10) for each day I use it, and I haven’t yet met a country I couldn’t use it in - France, Germany, Canada, Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Mexico. But my daughter’s phone does not have, and she needed a new SIM card to use it in Japan. So check your plan in advance.

It sounds like a FABULOUS trip you have planned! I’m just sorry you’re not visiting the east coast so we could host you!

 

[bilby]

The phone may need a new SIM card.

Australian telcos tend to charge eyewateringly high fees for international roaming, and a lot of these can be run up by your phone using internet/data in the background, so you can easily find a massive and unexpected bill awaiting you when you return home.

Whenever I visit family in the UK, the Telstra SIM card stays in a ziploc bag in my bedside draw in Brisbane, where it cannot possibly run up any international fees or charges; I get a family member to buy me a local pre-paid SIM in the UK that gets discarded at the end of the trip.

The only problem with this is that it means I have a different phone number while in the UK, so I have to advise anyone who might need to call me of that new number. But as the ten hour time difference makes email more practical (for contacts still in Australia) than voice calls anyway, that's a minor issue.

 

[spikepipsqueak]

From what I can tell it's $20 for 24hrs international roaming. Cuts off 24 hrs after you first use it. I will use that maybe 3 times while I'm away. Don't plan to ring anyone unless for emergencies but don't want to use internet cafes for banking. I will be in about 20 countries, only 9 for more than 24 hours. Too many SIM cards.

I booked the Irish bit last night. Currently gasping because travel insurance is $1700.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Ran into a discussion about Amtrak's unaccompanied minor policy--and one person in the discussion said that many train stations are in pretty seedy parts of town.

 

[spikepipsqueak]

I don't think I share your horror of seedy parts of town.

But the question is academic now.

Major changes of plan and the only countries whose railways I will see are Spain, France and the UK.

But I am grateful for the inputs here.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I don't think I share your horror of seedy parts of town.

But the question is academic now.

Major changes of plan and the only countries whose railways I will see are Spain, France and the UK.

But I am grateful for the inputs here.

It's not horror, it's the increased risk of being a crime victim.

 

[spikepipsqueak]

The phone may need a new SIM card.

Australian telcos tend to charge eyewateringly high fees for international roaming, and a lot of these can be run up by your phone using internet/data in the background, so you can easily find a massive and unexpected bill awaiting you when you return home.

Whenever I visit family in the UK, the Telstra SIM card stays in a ziploc bag in my bedside draw in Brisbane, where it cannot possibly run up any international fees or charges; I get a family member to buy me a local pre-paid SIM in the UK that gets discarded at the end of the trip.

The only problem with this is that it means I have a different phone number while in the UK, so I have to advise anyone who might need to call me of that new number. But as the ten hour time difference makes email more practical (for contacts still in Australia) than voice calls anyway, that's a minor issue.

Do you know? If I buy a SIM in Spain is it likely to be good for the rest of western Europe and the UK?

Also, see bolded. Do you have to be a local?

I don't think I share your horror of seedy parts of town.

But the question is academic now.

Major changes of plan and the only countries whose railways I will see are Spain, France and the UK.

But I am grateful for the inputs here.

It's not horror, it's the increased risk of being a crime victim.

I get it, but after being reasonably careful I don't think you can live your life as if everybody is a mugger.

 

[bilby]

Do you know? If I buy a SIM in Spain is it likely to be good for the rest of western Europe and the UK?

Also, see bolded. Do you have to be a local?

A SIM bought anywhere in the EU should be good anywhere in the EU.

I'm not sure if that still includes the UK though.

I don't think you have to be a local to buy a prepaid SIM, though you might need to provide ID (eg passport) in some countries.