To start of question time:
i. I guess we will be 3 of us only for the moment.
Oh, what a shame. I expected a big reunion of zoochatters! Anyway, 3 of us (plus me if I finally can do the trip) will enjoy the zoo visit more than each one alone!
ii. I would be happy to accompany you on the weekend (July 20-21) as I have no prior obligations for now. But the week prior or after is an impossible as I am not stretched for spare time myself and staff availability at the office means I cannot take that much time off (a day probably yes, but not much more ...).
Thanks! The problem is that if the time is limited to a weekend, we only can visit two collections (then they will be of course Burguers and Apenheul, I think). I would be very interested in know what are the visit plans for the other 2 assistants of the meeting!
iii. I suggest you stick to collections around the Arnhem area, like Apenheul, Dierenpark Amersfoort or even Ouwehand's Dierenpark in Rhenen.
I did (usin Zoo radius search in ZTL). But Ouwehand's is pretty prescindible for me. It have no exciting species except the spotted cuscus and gambian giant pouch rat. Burgers have much more interesting species than Ouwehand's! Exactly the same thing happen with Amersfoort, well it have giant malagasy jumping rats and feathertail glider, but nothing more exciting species for me. In both cases, only the rats will be new for my photo collection, for the marsupials will be only for substitute the taxidermy specimen photos by alive animal photos...
The Natural History Museum would be a possible and would be a definite highlight for an afficionado, but be aware that the major part of the museum is currently closed for renovations, expanding and building new facilities for a revised Natural History Museum.
Oh, that is a sad new! I counted with a complete visit to natural history museum that is where I can get much more new species than in a zoo... That thing alone is enough for made me rethink in the worth of the travel
But there are some other nice alternatives around (Haarlem - Teylers ..., really old school, but very cool!) and well if botanical gardens takes your fancy (???) quite a few destinations near to Arnhem-Utrecht area.
Good! Are these places enough close to Arnherm to travel? Have they enough good public-displayed collection? Maybe you can tell me about some highligt species on each? I love old school! I also love botanical gardens and my passion for plants can be sometimes as big as for animals. Just we must accomodate to the time limit - we can't visit many places in just two days!
Some minor ohter things ...., to consider!
Accomodation: I am in the clear as to you wishing to save money in any way and depending on when, where and how ...... I could offer a place to stay (please note: it is north of Amsterdam and you would need to travel some way to get to Arnhem ... and further). Alternatively, you could consider sharing a room with us around the Arnhem area for the weekend.
That's very kind! Many thanks! Of course that I don't mind sharing a room with you, if the hosting option is not available! Then it will be much cheaper than each one in a room.
Travel: I myself do not own a car and do all transport would be by public services for me, I am afraid. I have a free annual travel card by courtesy of my employer, not sure on what possibilities they allow me to share on the card (to bring down travel costs to / fro).
Shame about the car, but maybe the other 2 assistants will have a car? If not, we can travel together by public transport (I hope is not too much expensive!)
Personal situation: Two big questions!!!
A) What do you mean with simple mind ..., state of mind or other ...? For example, booking tickets and that ....? Or do you mean language barrier(s) ... or both? Please elaborate / explain.
Sorry! Probably are precisely the language barrier what made me tell this thing in a too unprecise way! I mean that find very complicated to manage travels alone, overall in a different country. In my zootravels I always stayed with my mother or with a resident friend, that guided me someway. I guess that for me is somewhat easier to get lost in the airport, or not find the correct bus or the correct stop, or not reach to the zoo at time because I make a mess with the transports... Last year, my mother and I even ended in a zoo when we was trying to find an art museum for her (very far from this zoo). Maybe this is related with my slight Asperger syndrom.
BTW: Yo habla espagnol poco mas ....
B) How and by which means would you travel from Zaragoza?
Don't worry about language. My english is horrible but enough to survive outside (even if I must repeat things for my spelling or ask others to repeat for understanding better). About the traveling is something I must think of. Probably is better to go to Madrid or Barcelona first and from there taking a plane. Direct flights to Amsterdam from Saragossa also is a possibility, if they are some. But before thinking in that I must obtain holiday permission from my boss, and before ask my boss I must know if some of the meeting assistants can host me/guide me and visit the other zoos with me (in ideal situation, with the whole group of zoochatters, but that depends on the plans of each one) in a slighly more long period that just the weekend...
I think you should be able to take up to 3 (?) other passengers with 40% discount with you in the NS trains. This is the case with all other NS cards.
@Kakapo, Easyjet, Vueling and Transavia often offer relatively cheap tickets from Spain to Amsterdam (or alternatively try Ryanair to Eindhoven), skyscanner should give you the cheapest options.
Thanks for both tips. The public transport discount is something great to know! I will chek tickets once I have the holiday permission (if I finally have).