Places I want To Go

[+ Lucky]

Today I had to cancel a trip I had planned to Paris, London, and then to Edinburgh in time for the festival. It's not that I don't want to go anywhere, after all, I replaced those cities with Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro, but I did wonder if I would ever make it back to these cities which I had very much enjoyed before. Paris, for its walking, the Seine, the bridges, Notre Dame, the Louvre- one can go on and on. London mostly for the theater, but I once did enjoy the tourist sites. And Scotland just lights me up, particularly Edinburgh. I don't think you can go anywhere there that would not be interesting.

 

But the economy rules right now. Two of us can go to Rio for less than one to the cities above. With the frequent flier miles I have, I can go just about anywhere I want. I would like to go back to Hong Kong, see some of China, take in Laos for the first time, and, well, perhaps some more time in Bangkok.

 

Not many new places appeal to me. Africa has never interested me much, and the Middle East doesn't feel welcoming. Of course, I am no doubt wrong here. Russia would be great except for the hoodlums and the cold.

 

So, if I prioritize, I am likely to return to Venice, if anywhere in Europe, and maybe take in the Canadian Rockies again. And, if you have read this far, you have some travel ideas of your own. What am I leaving out?

[Guest greatness]

well

 

How about Peru Machu Picchu? It is a magical place. I am traveling asia this summer and ready to leave at the end of next month. I'm so excited! China has many beautiful places. I love food in Hong Kong. If you want a relaxing beach vacation bora bora (Tahiti) is nice. Most of resorts there have over water bungalows. Anyways, have a great vacation.

 

Today I had to cancel a trip I had planned to Paris, London, and then to Edinburgh in time for the festival. It's not that I don't want to go anywhere, after all, I replaced those cities with Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro, but I did wonder if I would ever make it back to these cities which I had very much enjoyed before. Paris, for its walking, the Seine, the bridges, Notre Dame, the Louvre- one can go on and on. London mostly for the theater, but I once did enjoy the tourist sites. And Scotland just lights me up, particularly Edinburgh. I don't think you can go anywhere there that would not be interesting.

 

But the economy rules right now. Two of us can go to Rio for less than one to the cities above. With the frequent flier miles I have, I can go just about anywhere I want. I would like to go back to Hong Kong, see some of China, take in Laos for the first time, and, well, perhaps some more time in Bangkok.

 

Not many new places appeal to me. Africa has never interested me much, and the Middle East doesn't feel welcoming. Of course, I am no doubt wrong here. Russia would be great except for the hoodlums and the cold.

 

So, if I prioritize, I am likely to return to Venice, if anywhere in Europe, and maybe take in the Canadian Rockies again. And, if you have read this far, you have some travel ideas of your own. What am I leaving out?

[Guest alanm]

Russia

 

I visited St. Petersburg, Russia exactly four days ago this week, which is the time of the White Nights -- about two hours of darkness each night. I went with the same concerns you did about the unsafe streets and the Russian mob.

 

I couldn't have been more wrong. St. Petersburg is a beautiful city, with canels and bridges all over the city that are raised at night in June so people can travel by water and see daylight even under usually dark bridges.

 

Language is a problem, but I had hired Russian escorts in Berlin a few years before. The very best thing about the city is the ability to walk everywhere without having to worry about safety, contrary to what you read in travel books. I walked 5-6 miles a day or more.

 

Finally, you get to see the Winter Palace (now the Hermitage Museum) where Nicholas II, and long before, Catherine the Great lived until the revolution.

 

I have traveled a lot, but St. Petersburg was easily my best experience. I spent the next few days in Munich. Germany seemed like the US; whereas Russia is a truly a foreign country.

[TruthBTold]

Sao Paulo and Rio are first class cities and you will love them (if you have not been there before). Like any other city you have to be careful, but no more so than any other city of

12 million people. Have a great time.

[Lankypeters]

And Scotland just lights me up, particularly Edinburgh. I don't think you can go anywhere there that would not be interesting.

 

Perhaps reconsider Scotland? The exchange rate between the dollar and the pound is better than in years, about 1 to 1.5. And Scotland has never been an expensive country.

 

I visit there often and wonder where you stay and what other places you visit, particularly in the Highlands.

 

And have you ever met any working boys there you recommend?

 

Have you ever stayed at the Bonham in Edinburgh? Or Malmaison?

[+ Lucky]

St. Petersburg was going to be next on my list, Alan. thanks for the tip.

 

As for Edinburgh, I have been there 5 times already, the last being 3 years ago. I have pretty much been everywhere, including once up in the Highlands, and have done the lake tour as well. None of the hotels I stayed in were particularly great, and I never found an escort who appealed to me. I was there to enjoy being there, and I love to hear the Scottish accent. I've read a lot on Mary, Queen of Scots, and enjoyed following her trail. Sadly, on my last trip, hordes of drunk teenagers took over the main tourist area at night and were quite annoying.

[edjames]

I am planning another trip to London and Paris in October. This is a repeat visit to these wonderful cities that I have visited oh so many times.

 

So many places to go on my own list. I am planning an eastern European trip to Budapest and Prague next spring with perhaps some time in Germany. A trip to Mexico will also be on next year's itinerary, as well as a birthday weekend in Las Vegas. Buenos Aires has always interested me, too, but I would want to do a longer trip to SA and take in a few places on that continent.

 

I definitely want to go back to Spain and Greece.

 

New and adventurous? Perhaps Australia. A very long trip from NYC, therefore stopovers along the way to and from will be required.

 

I, too, would love to see some of Russia. Perhaps one day a cruise in the Baltic with a stopover in St. Petersburg.

 

I have no desire to go to Asia and visit cities like Hong Kong, Bangkok or Tokyo. Africa doesn’t interest me either and I am reluctant to travel to places where the political situation is risky (eg Middle East).

 

In the meantime to break up the summer doldrums, I’m headed north to Montreal and P-Town.

 

ED

[Guest alanm]

Perhaps Australia. A very long trip from NYC, therefore stopovers along the way to and from will be required.

ED

 

I suggest your fly to Australia in our winter, their summer. When you finally arrive in beautiful, sunny Syndey, all these hours in the air will be just be a distance memory. Seriously, the long trip sounds much worse than it is once you are actually flying.

 

You seem certain about Hong Kong, Japan and Thailand. Even though I disagree, but I respect your opinion.

[+ Lucky]

"In the meantime to break up the summer doldrums, I’m headed north to Montreal and P-Town."

 

ED

 

We go to LA or San Diego to break up the summer doldrums- something Palm Springs has in abundance. It's going to be 110 this weekend, 70 in San Diego.

[KMEM]

I highly recommend Ozland (SYD, in particular) as a fun place to visit. People are friendly, the scenery magnificient and then there is the Opera House.

 

NZ is also very high on my list of places to visit and re-visit, especially once you get out of Auckland, not that there is any thing wrong with AKL.

 

Lucky, you live close to LAX and SFO, so just remember, once on board and they close the door, when the door opens, you will be there.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[+ Charlie]

I visited St. Petersburg last year when the Tampa Bay Rays were winning----oh, you mean THAT other St. Petersburg. I visited that one when it was still Leningrad, as the Soviet Union was beginning its transition to calling itself Russia again. It was a potentially beautiful city then, but pretty rough to be a tourist, because of the chaos; I assume it is easier to deal with today, but I never felt any impetus to return.

[fedssocr1]

I actually enjoy Melbourne more than Sydney when it comes to Australia.

 

You can't beat SE Asia for value though. I am headed back to Thailand and then off to Vietnam for late Oct/Nov. I am really looking forward to it. Laos is interesting and fairly laid back, especially Luang Prabang which is beautiful. If you haven't been to Cambodia I definitely recommend it as well. Angkor is amazing and there are lots of other interesting sites around the country.

[Guest]

With the frequent flier miles I have, I can go just about anywhere I want.

Wow. I never seem to be able to use my frequent flier miles. I just cashed in 350,000 miles on United to get an Apple laptop. I never seemed to be able to use the miles for flights. How do you do it? Are you just very flexible with dates and destinations??

[+ Lucky]

You do have to be very flexible. Occasionally I get just what I want, but I have had to add some interesting stops before. That's how I made it to Buenos Aires. I wanted to go to Rio, but the only way to get there free was through Buenos Aires. I loved the place.

 

On the trip I just canceled, the return was impossible, with an overnight at JFK and then 12 hours waiting in Salt Lake City for my last leg home. Why did I ever think that was a good idea?

[+ Axiom2001]

Sao Paulo and Rio are first class cities and you will love them (if you have not been there before). Like any other city you have to be careful, but no more so than any other city of

12 million people. Have a great time.

 

I wrote Lucky a response regarding Brazil before I read that he'd already experienced my most favorite city: Rio. I would suggest that you might be interested in obtaining a "Brazilian Pass" and travel to Salvador "Bahia" and perhaps to Curitiba. You'll see opposites and definitive contrasts when it comes to Brazilian culture and its history and people.

 

The former city is the most African of all of Brazil's cities, contrasted with Curitiba's and its highly European influence. This city is one of Brazil's most ecologically influenced if not its principal one.

 

As things stand now in my life and economic pocket-- I do hope to be in South America in 2010 sometime in (March/April/May).

[+ Axiom2001]

Lucky, I lived in Australia (Melbourne) for two years and will always cherish this experience. I yearn to return one day. If you do decide to go "Down Under," take in various places of the country besides Sydney and Melbourne if possible. "The Outback" and the Great Barrier's Reef would give you another very unique slice of Aussie life and culture. (I fell in love with Sydney!)

 

Although you mentioned that Africa does not interest you, I think you would enjoy a visit to Egypt (a truly dynamic place with its rich history and culture). While you're there, take a cruise on the Nile for five days, stopping off here and there.

 

I was truly taken aback by the stunning and phenomenal library that's in Alexandria, a city in which I felt quite comfortable and where I would have liked to have spent much more time. I preferred it over Cairo in spite of what Cairo had to offer.

[Romann]

Agreed!

 

I second that motion! My parents go to Europe every other year and have always spoken very highly of Egypt and all the national treasures that it has to offer.

 

Lucky, I lived in Australia (Melbourne) for two years and will always cherish this experience. I yearn to return one day. If you do decide to go "Down Under," take in various places of the country besides Sydney and Melbourne. "The Outback" and Barrier's Reef would give you another very unique slice of Aussie life and culture.

 

Although you mentioned that Africa does not interest you, I think you would enjoy a visit to Egypt (a truly dynamic place with a rich history and culture).While you're there, take a cruise on the Nile for five days, stopping off here and there.

 

I truly was taken aback by the stunning and phenomenal library that's in Alexandria, a city in which I felt quite comfortable and would have liked to have spent much more time there.

I prefer it over Cairo any day although this place offered a lot of culture which will indeed be memorable.

[Romann]

I learn something new everyday!

 

Now that's something I didn't know that you could do; trade in miles for other products such as your Apple laptop. Thank you for that bit of info!

 

Wow. I never seem to be able to use my frequent flier miles. I just cashed in 350,000 miles on United to get an Apple laptop. I never seemed to be able to use the miles for flights. How do you do it? Are you just very flexible with dates and destinations??

[Guest ryan2552]

I enjoy visiting San Juan Puerto Rico once a year. The people are friendly the weather is nice the beaches are beautiful. Should you want a companion the Latino men are the best.

[zeferrelli]

I agree; San Juan is great!

[+ Lucky]

Down Under is something I seriously considered a few years ago when I had two free tickets to anywhere in the world. Although Sydney has its attractions, things there are very far apart. The Great Barrier Reef is 1000 miles away and would be a very expensive side trip. There's a rock somewhere out in the middle of the country that some people like to go to, but it didn't interest me. I went to Japan instead.

I have to admit that Egypt and the Nile have their appeal, but the politics of the region turn me off.

 

Frequent Flier miles used to be valued at .02 cents per mile. By that token, Unicorn's computer cost him $7000. It's a sign of how devalued the miles have come to be, now worth a penny or less. The trip to Europe that I canceled cost 100,000 miles, for Business Class. That wasn't such bad deal, except the return itinerary sucked. Interestingly, I also had to pay $341 in taxes and fees. In my refund, they only calculated $271. The difference seems to be the fuel surcharge which applied at the time of purchase, but is no longer charged. Right now it looks like they are going to stiff me for it, but I expect to get it back.

[KMEM]

I found plenty of things to do in SYD but then I am easily satisfied. With the bridge, the opera house, the harbor, the river leading into the harbor, the nearby petting zoo, Bondi Beach, etc., etc. Melbourne isn't that far away and can be driven. There is no need to think that because it is so far away that one must see every thing. Sampling might be sufficient. Ayers Rock, the Great Barrier Reef, Perth and Tazmania are all there but if you don't see them, you can still have a really good time or so I think.

 

However, there are plenty of flights that would go back with a stop at AKL. Stopping in NZ for a day or so can never be wrong.

 

Both the OZies and KIWIs are very friendly and the dollar, at last glance was at least reasonable.

 

Best regards,

 

KMEM

[+ Lucky]

The petting zoo? Now that's entertainment.

[Steven_Draker]

Interesting places I've been and I enjoyed:

 

Sydney

Port Douglas (Great Barrier Reef)

Hong Kong

Kuwait

Rio de Janeiro

Punta del Este (Uruguay)

Buenos Aires

St. Petersburg

Sedona, AZ

 

Places on my "to do" list

Iceland (hopefully this summer)

Japan

Cape Town

[+ Lucky]

You left New York, Paris and Brussels off your list. Do you go there just for work, or do you have fun as well?