Your dream destinations

[sfcalifornia]

I would have to say the Seychelles Islands. Anybody been?

Hi HWGA.

I went to the Seychelles about 15 years ago and I have to say my experience wasn't entirely a good one but I think it might have been because of a few chance circumstances. The islands themselves are stunning. It is expensive for sure but any island nation is going to be because they have to import everything. I was taking anti-malaria medicine at the time (not necessary for the Seychelles but we were coming in from Africa) and anyone who has taken this stuff knows it makes you go completely psycho!! LOL I'll never take that stuff again!

I know I just wrote a post about not judging an entire nation based on the attitudes of a few but unfortunately on more than a few instances , we just didn't get a warm, fuzzy hospitable feeling from the folks there. One hotel owner wouldn't let us store our luggage for half a day after we checked out. We wanted to spend the afternoon on the beach before taking a boat to another island. Subsequently we had to drag our bags to the beach. After dozing off under a palm tree, I woke up to find someone rifling through our bags and he stole my friend's wallet.

Don't let any of this deter you though. If it has been your dream to go to the Seychelles then by all means go. If I went again, I would:

1) not be high on malaria medicine
2) not leave luggage laying around for petty thieves to find (that one is common sense....we just let our guard down)
3) I might redesign the trip so that we cruise through and around the Seychelles instead of staying on each island in hotels.

Hit me up if you want more info.

 

[sfcalifornia]

HWGA -

I am very fortunate, because I'm self-employed. There is an element of work in travel because I generally try and produce 4 stories per summer, but it's mainly holiday. But I decide where to go and how long to go for. Standard holidays in Finland are 5 weeks anyway, though, so it isn't unusual.

Hi Saigon!

It's sounds more and more like you and I have a very similar life! I too am self employed and I realize how fortunate I am to be able to take about three months off each year to travel around wherever I want to go. I've been doing this for about 20 years now and I don't see that changing any time soon!!

Admittedly, other than Copenhagen, I have not spent any time in Scandinavia! I'll have to work on that!

 

[Saigon]

SFCalifornia -

Wow, that is great. We must swap travel plans - it would be great to meet up for a beer somewhere sometime!

My main trip this year will be Senegal and The Gambia in July/August, and before that Croatia for the EU celebtrations.

Scandinavia is worth a trip - Copenhagen is probably my favourite city, but Stockholm is gorgeous, and there is a lot to see and experience out in the wilderness and mountains. It also links well with St Petersburg, which is spectacular!

 

[Unkotare]

I would have to say the Seychelles Islands. Anybody been?

Hi HWGA.

I went to the Seychelles about 15 years ago and I have to say my experience wasn't entirely a good one but I think it might have been because of a few chance circumstances. The islands themselves are stunning. It is expensive for sure but any island nation is going to be because they have to import everything. I was taking anti-malaria medicine at the time (not necessary for the Seychelles but we were coming in from Africa) and anyone who has taken this stuff knows it makes you go completely psycho!! LOL I'll never take that stuff again!

I know I just wrote a post about not judging an entire nation based on the attitudes of a few but unfortunately on more than a few instances , we just didn't get a warm, fuzzy hospitable feeling from the folks there. One hotel owner wouldn't let us store our luggage for half a day after we checked out. We wanted to spend the afternoon on the beach before taking a boat to another island. Subsequently we had to drag our bags to the beach. After dozing off under a palm tree, I woke up to find someone rifling through our bags and he stole my friend's wallet.

Don't let any of this deter you though. If it has been your dream to go to the Seychelles then by all means go. If I went again, I would:

1) not be high on malaria medicine
2) not leave luggage laying around for petty thieves to find (that one is common sense....we just let our guard down)
3) I might redesign the trip so that we cruise through and around the Seychelles instead of staying on each island in hotels.

Hit me up if you want more info.

Aren't all those things your own fault rather than that of the people on the Seychelles?

 

[Saigon]

we just didn't get a warm, fuzzy hospitable feeling from the folks there.

It's amazing how often this is really the defining factor in our overall impression of a place.

Even in magnificently beautiful places, I sometimes get the impression that the people I meet would prefer tourists left them alone, and particularly in areas with a lot of tourism, maybe they just see tourists as numbers. They also know people will keep coming, and don't feel they need to ensure guests enjoy their trip. A hotel not letting you leave your bags there after checkout is a great example of that - it costs them nothing, and a nicer response might have really improved your take on the hotel.

Other places, people go to such effort to be welcoming, and it really transforms the experience entirely.

 

[sfcalifornia]

I would have to say the Seychelles Islands. Anybody been?

Hi HWGA.

I went to the Seychelles about 15 years ago and I have to say my experience wasn't entirely a good one but I think it might have been because of a few chance circumstances. The islands themselves are stunning. It is expensive for sure but any island nation is going to be because they have to import everything. I was taking anti-malaria medicine at the time (not necessary for the Seychelles but we were coming in from Africa) and anyone who has taken this stuff knows it makes you go completely psycho!! LOL I'll never take that stuff again!

I know I just wrote a post about not judging an entire nation based on the attitudes of a few but unfortunately on more than a few instances , we just didn't get a warm, fuzzy hospitable feeling from the folks there. One hotel owner wouldn't let us store our luggage for half a day after we checked out. We wanted to spend the afternoon on the beach before taking a boat to another island. Subsequently we had to drag our bags to the beach. After dozing off under a palm tree, I woke up to find someone rifling through our bags and he stole my friend's wallet.

Don't let any of this deter you though. If it has been your dream to go to the Seychelles then by all means go. If I went again, I would:

1) not be high on malaria medicine
2) not leave luggage laying around for petty thieves to find (that one is common sense....we just let our guard down)
3) I might redesign the trip so that we cruise through and around the Seychelles instead of staying on each island in hotels.

Hit me up if you want more info.

Aren't all those things your own fault rather than that of the people on the Seychelles?

Where did I say they weren't? Because of my experience there, those changes I listed are the things I would do in order to possibly have a better experience next time. The only thing I can't change is the attitude of the people who live there.

 

[sfcalifornia]

SFCalifornia -

Wow, that is great. We must swap travel plans - it would be great to meet up for a beer somewhere sometime!

My main trip this year will be Senegal and The Gambia in July/August, and before that Croatia for the EU celebtrations.

Scandinavia is worth a trip - Copenhagen is probably my favourite city, but Stockholm is gorgeous, and there is a lot to see and experience out in the wilderness and mountains. It also links well with St Petersburg, which is spectacular!

I look forward to that a lot!! When I make my way to Helsinki in any event, I'll let you know for sure. I have a feeling the two of us could spend hours talking about our experiences.

All of Scandinavia is on my bucket list in fact. I want to do a two month tour around all three countries. And I've always wanted to stay at the Ice Hotel. That sounds really cool. I don't know if it's possible to tour the facilities or even get close to it but I'd be interested in going to the Seed Vault in Norway too.

Croatia-- beautiful country! I liked Dubrovnik a lot but one of the best things I've ever seen in all my years was Plitvice Lakes National Park. You must go there if you haven't been there yet. It blew my mind!

 

[earlycuyler]

Given the money and given the time - where in the world do you most dream of going?

Zamzibar, Mauritius, Paris or Jersualem...where would you most like to spend your next vacation?

Australia to hunt Asian water buffalo with my bow. Then, on the way home, a stop in Hawaii for some pigs and fishing. Or, just a trip to Easter Island.

 

[Saigon]

Easter Island would be great, I'm sure. Damn hard to get to, though!

 

[Esmeralda]

I had always wanted to go to Paris. I'd been to a lot of other places. I finally got Paris last summer.

It exceeded expectations... which was the best part of the trip.

Paris is an incredibly beautiful city.

it really is. we stayed at a hotel opposite the tuilleries and could walk to the louvre and the champs elysee. the scale and grandeur was phenomenal. but more than anything, i'd always heard that parisians are rude... snotty... don't like americans. and we were treated so well. everywhere we went, people went out of their way to help us and try to communicate even if my french and their english were both bad.

best food, too. at one point, we found a cafe on the river just across the bridge from notre dame, and sat there having the most wonderful meal and watching people go by.

I was in Paris for two weeks over the Christmas/New Years holidays. I've been to Paris several times before. I have never found the French or Parisians to be rude. This time was no different. Everyone was very nice to me, very pleasant and helpful.

My next travel experience will be Portugal. I'll be there for 2 months this summer. I was there last year for a week and decided to go back and spend more time there.

As far as saying where I dream of going, it's very hard to say. It would be much easier to say where I have no desire to go because I pretty much want to go everywhere. I travel a lot.

 

[Saigon]

Portugal is lovely, and there really is a lot to do there. Two months is a long time, but I doubt you'll be bored!

 

[Unkotare]

Portugal is lovely, and there really is a lot to do there. Two months is a long time, but I doubt you'll be bored!

Two months is a very short time to really get to know a place, but a good amount of time for a vacation.

 

[Esmeralda]

Portugal is lovely, and there really is a lot to do there. Two months is a long time, but I doubt you'll be bored!

Two months is a very short time to really get to know a place, but a good amount of time for a vacation.

Ah, come on, admit it. You're both dying of jealousy. I'll be living there, no hotels, and not running around like crazy in a desperate attempt to try to see everything in sight. It's the best way to really experience a culture.

 

[editec]

Given the money and given the time - where in the world do you most dream of going?

Zamzibar, Mauritius, Paris or Jersualem...where would you most like to spend your next vacation?

Given unlimited funds and time it's not going to some specific destination that would interest me,so much... as the GOING, itself.

If I had unlimited money I doubt I'd own much at all.

Owning chattel is something that one does because one is too poor NOT to own a lot of stuff.

 

[Unkotare]

I'll be living there, no hotels, and not running around like crazy in a desperate attempt to try to see everything in sight. It's the best way to really experience a culture.

You will be staying there for two months, not "living there." Really getting to know a place and its people takes longer than two months, but it's a real good start. Certainly better than the drive-by bus tour. I don't suppose many visitors have the luxury of staying so long. I agree with your idea to pick a spot and hunker down rather than running around just seeing how many pictures you can take. And hell yes I'm jealous! I've long been interested in visiting Portugual. I've heard there is great seafood.

 

[Unkotare]

Given the money and given the time - where in the world do you most dream of going?

Zamzibar, Mauritius, Paris or Jersualem...where would you most like to spend your next vacation?

Given unlimited funds and time it's not going to some specific destination that would interest me,so much... as the GOING, itself.

If I had unlimited money I doubt I'd own much at all.

Owning chattel is something that one does because one is too poor NOT to own a lot of stuff.

Oh brother...


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSvJaYxRoB4]Picard Facepalm - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Esmeralda]

I'll be living there, no hotels, and not running around like crazy in a desperate attempt to try to see everything in sight. It's the best way to really experience a culture.

You will be staying there for two months, not "living there." Really getting to know a place and its people takes longer than two months, but it's a real good start. Certainly better than the drive-by bus tour. I don't suppose many visitors have the luxury of staying so long. I agree with your idea to pick a spot and hunker down rather than running around just seeing how many pictures you can take. And hell yes I'm jealous! I've long been interested in visiting Portugual. I've heard there is great seafood.

I will be living there like anyone else is living there, though for a short time. But amongst the real folks day in and day out. I've done this before in five other countries. I've also lived and worked for a minimum of 2 years each in 6 other countries. It's how I live my life. 'Staying' versus 'living' - I suppose it's a matter of perspective on the terminology. Staying has connotations that really don't fit too well with what I will be doing there. Not imo. But, anyway. No problem. And as I said, I was there for a week last year and decided to go back for a longer period of time as I found it so appealing. I've spent a good amount of time in all of the Western European countries and this one is now at the top of the list in appeal for me.

 

[Unkotare]

I'll be living there, no hotels, and not running around like crazy in a desperate attempt to try to see everything in sight. It's the best way to really experience a culture.

You will be staying there for two months, not "living there." Really getting to know a place and its people takes longer than two months, but it's a real good start. Certainly better than the drive-by bus tour. I don't suppose many visitors have the luxury of staying so long. I agree with your idea to pick a spot and hunker down rather than running around just seeing how many pictures you can take. And hell yes I'm jealous! I've long been interested in visiting Portugual. I've heard there is great seafood.

I will be living there like anyone else is living there, though for a short time. But amongst the real folks day in and day out. I've done this before in five other countries. I've also lived and worked for a minimum of 2 years each in 6 other countries. .

Then you should know what I mean.

 

[Saigon]

Portugal is lovely, and there really is a lot to do there. Two months is a long time, but I doubt you'll be bored!

Two months is a very short time to really get to know a place, but a good amount of time for a vacation.

Ah, come on, admit it. You're both dying of jealousy. I'll be living there, no hotels, and not running around like crazy in a desperate attempt to try to see everything in sight. It's the best way to really experience a culture.

Ha! It's true - it sounds amazing!!

I think you have a really good and quite unusual way of travelling. Two months time is really enough time to 'sink into' a culture....you can go back to the same cafes and places and have a bit of a feeling of being a local! I can't think of many cities that I have spent two months in (ignoring the half dozen cities I've lived in). But when I have spent two months in and around one city, I have certainly felt that I knew it quite well. I like that feeling of knowing everything from where the nearest Metro station is to which cafe has the best espresso, or where you can buy that particularly great kind of wine or something.

And to make it worse my next dream destination is - a week at the Chernobyl plant in Ukraine!! Really!

 

[Esmeralda]

Two months is a very short time to really get to know a place, but a good amount of time for a vacation.

Ah, come on, admit it. You're both dying of jealousy. I'll be living there, no hotels, and not running around like crazy in a desperate attempt to try to see everything in sight. It's the best way to really experience a culture.

Ha! It's true - it sounds amazing!!

I think you have a really good and quite unusual way of travelling. Two months time is really enough time to 'sink into' a culture....you can go back to the same cafes and places and have a bit of a feeling of being a local! I can't think of many cities that I have spent two months in (ignoring the half dozen cities I've lived in). But when I have spent two months in and around one city, I have certainly felt that I knew it quite well. I like that feeling of knowing everything from where the nearest Metro station is to which cafe has the best espresso, or where you can buy that particularly great kind of wine or something.

And to make it worse my next dream destination is - a week at the Chernobyl plant in Ukraine!! Really!

You do know what I'm after. The type of experience.

I think a week in Chernobyl would be very interesting, as long as it is safe. Is it safe?