Tocky on 6/3/2010 at 05:13

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I would skip Texas and Louisianna Scots. No offense to anyone there as I advise skipping my state as well. Texas is flat with chapperal and dust until you run into buildings. New Orleans is okay for street musicians and artists and I reckon titties during Marti Gras but has a high quotient of assholes. Skip those for Washington. Go to Fords theatre and stand where Booth stood. Touch the moon at the air and space. Run through the reflecting pool at the Lincoln memorial yelling "Jenny". There is too much to see in a week.

Much depends on your memories. My wife was touched at the Kennedy gravesite whereas I was most affected at Audie Murphys simple stone. When you know the history it touches you. That's why I want to sit in the Roman colosseum and on the steps of Mayan temples where the heart had to beat on the bottom step or you cut out another. But there are the sights. Colorado and Montanna are beautiful. Don't dismiss the Appalachians for beauty and music either. Even Vegas has a crude hard edged beauty.

You enjoy different places for different reasons but mostly for the people you are with. I'll never forget Soho or being run off pricing whores on Mayfair because of the questions we asked (is there a discount for short peckers?) because of Rob and Jack. The women of London were bubbly brilliant as well if somewhat taken aback at blunt carefree American boys. Yeah. The people. I love history but you can't beat people.

I envy your range you bastard. I've yet to reach so far so easily. Enjoy it for those of us who can't and for fucksake give us a story or two.

BrokenArts on 7/3/2010 at 01:01

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Tocky, depends on which part of Texas you are going to. The hill country, has just that, hills, hills and more hills, certainly not flat. Was down there some years ago, damn vultures flying overhead, they were HUGE. Cool roads to cruise on. Go east you'll hit the Nacogdoches forest, and more forests. Its not all flat.

Great thread, love the feedback. Something to keep in mind for later.

SubJeff on 7/3/2010 at 11:31

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I won't not recommend anywhere because even if its not the dream holiday you always wished for there is something to be said about visiting just about anywhere imho.

So - where have I been.

England - I live here so... London is a fun place if you know it a little and you have a plan and good people to go with. I used to live there but I prefer to taking the occasional visit. I'm not sure its a great holiday destination unless you want to see the sights because its overpriced and as far as I'm concerned is best experienced with friends and agenda. As to the rest of England... bah. Living here is nice but I don't ever want to holiday here if I can help it. Wouldn't mind visiting Cornwall/Devon though (outside of festivals).

Scotland - I've been to Edinburgh for a few Xmases and its an interesting place. Somehow just more chilled (boom tish!) than England and the people are friendly. Its a beautiful place too. But I've visited the Trossachs (North of Glasgow) twice and its stunning. Again the people were really friendly and just driving through the hills is a joy. Its just so peaceful - its almost spiritual.

Spain, the Basque Country - I long to go back. I went for a friends wedding and the entire experience was just wonderful. The countryside and the towns are just so. Don't get me started on the food and the cidera! (I don't like Spanish wine though). I was with friends so ymmv but I doubt it. One thing that was awesome was that I was the only Englishman I saw there (in the mirror of the ocean, natch).

Corfu - don't go to the party places. Well, they can be fun - I went to Kavos for some good times, but Corfu town and the countryside were where it was really at for me. I went at the end of the party season so there were few Brits about and we're planning a possible return trip this year. Food is great.

Cyprus - I don't remember too much about it since it was about 15years ago. I went with my parents and it afair it was pretty nice. Picturesque. I've never been as an adult though so...

Israel - don't knock it till you've tried it. I've been twice, all over the place. Tel Aviv is very happening but for me the friends and the Old Stuff is where its at. Jerusalem, especially the Old City, was weird in a "what, THE King David?" way. I spent lots of time in the Arab Quarter but I doubt I'd do this again. Oh, and the Dead Sea is a laugh. Do. Not. Splash. You've been warned. I've been to so many sites of note here I won't bore you all by going into it. Suffice to say - do it once. And go out in Tel Aviv at night. Also - watch out for hot army chicks with UZI 9MM. Yes.

Malawi - Yes. This was my crucible and I can't say enough good things about it. Malawi is a spiritual place. In the dusty dry heat you'll feel the primal lifeforce running through you. As you notice that yes, the tarmac road IS turning to liquid in the heat, you'll know that you are alive. When a local passes you, effortlessly carrying a massive stack of wood, the heat and humidity causing his toned body (with abs you can only dreeeeaaam of) to glisten in the shards of sunlight, as you puff and pant on your way up the footpath to Zomba plateau you'll know that until now you've been a pathetic example of a human being and all your moans about your own life are a nothingness.

I can't vouch for tourist food here since you guys are mostly not going to like the local fare (though I'm an eater of fooods and I still make traditional Malawian stuff right here in my whitey kitchen) and its likely there is nothing poncey. This is Africa though, and bizatch you're here for the being here. The nature here is awesome, the country is a gem. 1/3 of the Malawi is a freshwater lake and if you go to the right places you'll be in a primal paradise. Yeah, you can go to Thailand (coming up) but you're never going to follow a baboon up a path to get you to Otter Point (googlemaps: -14.039729,34.82329) or actually get chased by an elephant as you drive to the lake (don't worry you pussy, just drive, they get bored/tired. You do know how to drive on a dirt road, right?), or have hippos roam around your tent at night unless you get into the Dark Continent. There is almost too much to see here, and its a tiny country. The lake, Nyika Plateau, Mount Mulanje - all so different and all so awesome.

Thailand - I love the Far East. Mostly for the food and the heat. Did I mention that I love the heat? Its a bit too humid for me in Thailand and I probably like things about it many wouldn't. Bangkok was interesting and the tourist thing is fun, but I don't indulge in what many people I've met do - the whole porn/sex nonsense, so I never saw the seedy side. Beaches are nice and its a good place to relax. I'd be aware of the places with kids trying to recreate The Beach though and avoid. We met a few backpacking Americans who were just :rolleyes: but were lucky enough to go to a non-Brit resort so it was lovely.

Oh, and the prawns are the biggest I've ever seen. I love seafood so I was in heaven. Check these bad boys out. (http://img534.imageshack.us/i/dsc06421.jpg/) Yes, that is a Tiger Prawn. No, stupid, the tiny insignificant thing ON TOP of those two monsters! And that is a full sized plate.

Taiwan - I lived here for 4 months and I've been back twice, once for a friend's wedding. I don't know how it would be without friends but let me say this - the food here is the best. The best. I know anyone who hails from the Far East will back me up on this - Taiwan is known in the Far East for being an awesome eatery. Yeah, you might think some of it is messed up but don't think about what you are eating and just enjoy it. The range and variety is mind blowing and its not just Taiwanese and Chinese food you get here - they do food from all over the East. Its another seafood paradise and believe me when I tell you the hottest food in the world lives here. I used to live in Nigera, they make fish and Scotch bonnet stew there so don't argue. Plus being a tech geek it's fab. Everything is cheaper than in the UK and they have hella gadgets that are so damn useful why are they not sold worldwide? It was also fun seeing all the tryhard stuff, like the bonkers mobile phones (no that's not a stylus, its a TV aerial, don't ask me why). The history of Taiwan is complex and interesting too and if you want to see the Chinese crown jewels and all the stuff that would have been destroyed in the Cultural Revolution its here. Plus about 70% of the country is awesome mountain jungle and after you've trekked 'til you're sore I frakking dare you to get a 20 min massage from one of those blind guys.

I lived in other parts of Africa too but I can't really comment because I was too young. And I've been to Dublin, for a 24 hour stay. The Guinness was actually nice (hate it in England), the people friendly the city quite handsome. Its overpriced something stupid though. 4.50 Euro for a Guinness? Not again thanks.

Places I'd like to go.

The USA. Anywhere really. NYC and Nevada are on the list because I want to see the big city but the vast expanses of nothing appeal to me bigtime. And maybe Montana because a guy I knew from there told me the scenery is amazing. I'll be going to Philly this year I think, or maybe Chicago, for a reunion thing.

France. I've just never been. Crazy, I know. It was a few hours away when I lived in London and I've always wanted to visit the south coast. I'm not too fussed about Paris tbh, and I hear the people are really rude (from multiple reliable sources too).

Germany. Berlin and then out to the country. There is so much history I don't think I'd have time for it all.

The Rest of The Middle East. I'd really like to go to Egypt to see the Pyramids and so on, and to Damascus but I doubt I'll ever do it, especially not Damascus.

South America. I don't really want to go tbh, but I'm itching to see some Mayan/Aztec structural artifacts. I know it'll never be as awesome as I imagine it because everywhere will be crawling with tourists. I dig the food, bigtime, but I loathe the music so much I just think it'd kill me if I ended up in a bar that had some "cool" Latin American musak playing. Yes, I know I'm being really ignorant but there is a type of music I cannot stand and with my luck that's what'll happen.

Northern Europe. I'm put off by the cold but still, I'd like to make it. The Northern Lights are on the list after all.


Places I have no active desire to go.

India, Pakistan. I'm sure it's awesome. You go then.

Australia/NZ. Meh. Same as above.

I bet I'd love these places but I just don't have the urge.

Illuminatus on 8/3/2010 at 01:38

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It’s hard to overlook the region where, along with China, humans first "became" humans (cities, empires, etc). I gotta mention part of a trip me and a friend took last summer: we made our way down from Istanbul to Cairo through the Middle East by bus/train/boat, crossing every country in-between (including Syria). Forget the headlines, forget the clichés: the sights, history, and hospitality in the Levant have few peers in the world. Nowhere else have more civilizations and landscapes intersected, and it actually shows: almost every city and site noticeably bears the legacy of Greece, Rome, Byzantium, Arabia, etc, etc (something many people forget is that the Middle East was the most urbanized part of the Roman Empire along with Greece and Italy, so the number of preserved ruins here is hard to exaggerate). And then there’s the whole Biblical and Egyptian thing (without even mentioning Turkey, which is a whole other acid trip of surreal landscapes and endless history).

The widespread friendliness also totally dispels any preconceived “danger” you may be wary of (I can’t count the number of times we ended up having tea or shisha with locals and fellow travelers, even a mosque imam). Syria, in particular, actually looked and felt largely like the Middle East I imagined as a kid: enormous crusader castles, desert Roman cities, spice-filled bazaars, etc. Forget the tourist hordes at Pompeii or Delphi: there is nothing like being almost alone in a sweeping Roman ruin like Palmyra with columns and tower tombs that stretch beyond the sandy horizon. And the old towns in Damascus and Aleppo have an authentic medieval atmosphere that still manages to be really tourist friendly (we actually met a lot of Australians on their “grand tour”). A lot of the old caravan palace courtyards have been renovated into lavish restaurants, and the prices are super-cheap (as is the case everywhere except Israel) so quite often we ate like kings in centuries-old buildings for something like 7-10 dollars.

And yes, there is sand, if you go looking for it: south of Petra, we spent a few days in Jordan’s spectacular desert valley Wadi Rum, which is probably the closest one can get to visiting Mars with camels. We stayed in a Bedouin camp at night and, after sharing an awesome roasted lamb with our hosts, smoked shisha while staring at a brightly visible Milky Way. It was like camping on another planet. As obvious as it seems that we’re on a big rock circling a star through space, I don’t think I really spatially felt what that means until that night, when I saw the sun silently set in the evening and rise again in the morning on opposite ends of the desert. Long story short: these countries really do contain the awe-inspiring and sublime moments that drive most of us to pick up a backpack and set out on journeys in the first place.

Fragony on 8/3/2010 at 02:45

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Well that is how it is in my experience. Maybe Dutch rudeness isn't something that only exists in the mind of the rest of the world, that or the Parisians are a really welcoming bunch. I have never been treated rude there, quite the contrary. Maybe they look less kindly upon English speakers, it would be a very French thing to do. Paris is a bit like my second home, I hope I will be able to buy an apartment there some day.