Author Topic: Where would you travel?  (Read 47214 times)

deborah

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Where would you travel?
« on: April 02, 2015, 05:21:53 AM »
For someone who spent her working life complaining bitterly about the number of work trips I had, I seem to be metamorphosing now I have been FIRE for a few years. Before FIRE I had been overseas on no more than a few occasions, and on one of these trips I was representing Australia, so it could be removed from the count of trips purely for pleasure.

This year was always going to be one where I traveled overseas - once. But in the past few weeks, this has become as many trips as I have ever had overseas, which will all be undertaken within the next year, and all for a couple of months. I am currently a pincushion - rabies, typhoid, hep C... and I have a brand spanking new passport. SO is not going to see much of me this year - especially as I am also going to be wandering around Australia for a few months. I am beginning to wonder where else I should travel, and then I realised there are an enormous number of mustashians who really WANT to travel...

So where do you want to travel in FIRE, and what do you want to see there?

dude

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2015, 05:55:14 AM »
The list is too long to list, but Mexico (lots of it; I've been to several places on many occasions, but want to travel the country extensively), Patagonia (I am a climber, and those granite towers beckon like a Siren's song), Thailand (been a couple times, want to do more exploring), Vietnam, the European Alps, the Greek Islands (have visited three, and they were all magical), Borneo, Tahiti, India (specifically the Punjab and Himalayan foothills), and on and on and on . . .

RunHappy

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2015, 06:15:07 AM »
It would be easier for me to tell where I don't want to travel:  any war zone.  Other than that I want to go everywhere and see as much as I can.

Exflyboy

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2015, 03:06:25 PM »
For someone who spent her working life complaining bitterly about the number of work trips I had, I seem to be metamorphosing now I have been FIRE for a few years. Before FIRE I had been overseas on no more than a few occasions, and on one of these trips I was representing Australia, so it could be removed from the count of trips purely for pleasure.

This year was always going to be one where I traveled overseas - once. But in the past few weeks, this has become as many trips as I have ever had overseas, which will all be undertaken within the next year, and all for a couple of months. I am currently a pincushion - rabies, typhoid, hep C... and I have a brand spanking new passport. SO is not going to see much of me this year - especially as I am also going to be wandering around Australia for a few months. I am beginning to wonder where else I should travel, and then I realised there are an enormous number of mustashians who really WANT to travel...

So where do you want to travel in FIRE, and what do you want to see there?

I didn't know there was a vaccine for Hep C??

For me.. wow.. where wouldn't I go if I had enough money.. everywhere...:)

And thats coming from someone who has been almost everywhere for business..:)
« Last Edit: April 02, 2015, 06:57:06 PM by Exflyboy »

deborah

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2015, 11:01:25 PM »
I didn't know there was a vaccine for Hep C??
Well, I looked it up - Hep A, Hep B, Typhoid, Rabies, Meningococcal, and something else - at least I already had Tetanus. I was wrong, no Hep C.

JoJo

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2015, 10:52:59 AM »
Here's my plan for the first 4 years of retirement:
Travel down entire western Africa by truck
South Africa & Lesotho
Madagascar
Reunion
Mauritius
Seychelles
India
Nepal
Indonesia
Mexico to Panama
All of eastern Europe, from Estonia down to Greece
Hiking the entire Camino de Santiago
Portugal

Capsu78

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #6 on: April 03, 2015, 12:40:14 PM »
Just returned from Ecuador and had a great time.  Many backpackers and European visitors seen. 

YK-Phil

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2015, 02:51:55 PM »
I already lived on four continents and traveled pretty much everywhere for work and pleasure, and my wife and I intended just a few months ago to continue traveling during retirement, but in a different way, staying extended periods of time in one spot as a home base, working as an ESL or scuba diving instructor, and exploring neighbouring regions. However, while my wife still wants to travel, I have almost lost that desire and would rather stay closer to home in the Gulf Islands where we plan to build our retirement cabin this summer. There, the scenery is breathtaking, I am filled with awe when I look at the ocean and the teeming wildlife, and I simply want to spend my waking hours outdoors to hike, sail, kayak, surf, scuba dive, etc. I am not entirely sure why I am no longer inclined to travel so this is something the wife and I will have to discuss.

Cookie78

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #8 on: April 05, 2015, 05:21:14 PM »
Travelling in FIRE, my favorite topic!

Current places at the top of the list:
all around Canada and the USA - I still need to make a list of parks, cities, and other places to see
Alaska to Argentina - Planning to do this in about 5 years. Hopefully including Antarctica and Galapagos
Cairo to Cape Town, and/or some other variation of overlanding Africa
Vietnam
Cambodia
Thailand
Indonesia
Malaysia
Mauritius
Ireland
Iran
Jordan
Turkey
Greece


Punxsyboy

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #9 on: April 05, 2015, 09:08:13 PM »
Just FYI. 
There is NOT a Hep. C vaccine.  (not yet anyway) . 
Hep B is a series of 3 shots.

deborah

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #10 on: April 08, 2015, 05:09:15 AM »
In a few days I'm traveling to Turkey for two months. But before that is Ocean Grove.

Turkey is one of the few things on my bucket list - the last will be crossed off when I go to New Zealand in January. But Turkey has been a dream. Because so many of the men in my family went to the first world war, I wanted to go to the Dawn Service at Galipolli in 2015 for a number of years. I also wanted to see the archeology and textiles of Turkey, as it is the source of the Euphrates and was thus part of early civilization. The Australian Government held a ballot (raffle?) for the dawn service this year, and about 10 times as many people in the ballot as there were places (about 10,500 will be at the dawn service). I was lucky to get one. So I am doing everything I have dreamed of doing there. It is terribly unmustachian as the dawn service will be one long queue - you have to arrive at the first check point by 2:00am to get through, and there are several check points. I guess they are really worried about terrorists, and Turkey has been having more of late than previously. It will be tourist high season in Turkey (possibly the peak of 20 years) as an enormous number of Australians and New Zealanders will be there (huge numbers of people are going even without tickets to the service itself, and many tours are putting together their own service for those who missed out on the real one) - so everything will be more expensive than usual.

Cookie78

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #11 on: April 08, 2015, 08:08:47 AM »
Wow Deborah, that sounds like a really amazing experience. I'm looking forward to hearing about it after you get back.

mrshudson

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #12 on: April 08, 2015, 05:03:24 PM »
It would be easier for me to tell where I don't want to travel:  any war zone.  Other than that I want to go everywhere and see as much as I can.

Yep. Me as well.

flyingaway

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #13 on: April 08, 2015, 10:12:32 PM »
I have visited all 50 US states and more than 20 countries and areas. We travelled to at least one new country each year. Since my younger son goes to college this year, we plan to travel to at least two new countries, starting this year. Our goal is to visit all convenient countries in the world (at least those without visa requirements) in retirement. So, this year will kick off our pre-retirement travels. Current on our list are: Dominican Republic, Spain, Cambodia, and most countries in South America and Europe.

soccerluvof4

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #14 on: April 09, 2015, 09:30:22 AM »
Wow i envy so many of you! I have been to all of US except Alaska and have been to Canada a few times as well as Mexico BUT a lot was Military or Soccer with Kids so really didnt "visit" them. So now that I am recently retired we are planning our first family trip in 16 years which we will head down to northern florida (daughter has a 3 days soccer event and work our way about into SC, NC, VA and head home. As much as I want to go over seas i have so much of my homeland i want to see first and right! and that will take me quite a while.

Shenzhenigans

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #15 on: April 22, 2015, 01:53:12 AM »
I'm currently teaching ESL in Shenzhen, China, but I think I'd like to continue traveling around Asia. We recently took a trip to the Huangshan mountain range. It was amazing. I think I'd enjoy climbing some more mountains. Hoping to make it to Danxia mountains in a couple weeks!

Iceland and Egypt are also high on my list right now. Iceland will happen soon (especially with Wowair!), but I'm waiting for Egypt to calm down a bit. I'd love to learn some arabic .

Minion

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #16 on: April 22, 2015, 07:31:28 PM »
Hop on ozbargain and cruise the discount flights :)

sequim

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #17 on: April 23, 2015, 08:34:06 AM »
Even though we're not FIRE quite yet, I'm very excited about finally having the freedom to travel.  We had many years of not being able to arrange it with work and family matters.  Because our passions are mountain biking, skiing and food, these interests are what will dictate where we go.  Some countries high on the list are Iceland (outdoor activities in general and such a fascinating country), New Zealand for the same reason, the Alps (skiing!), Italy, France and Spain (the food!), Scandinavian countries (biking). 

Soon to be moving to Utah, we're really looking forward to all the skiing and biking opportunities in the state and the four corners region, especially the desert red rock areas.  Would love to do constant short road trips this year with our bikes.  And then to branch out and seek out cool biking areas within the country.  Bike magazine always features interesting places to ride so I've been collecting some of those issues.

Also on our list as foodie destinations would be Mexico (love Mexican culture and food), Chicago and New Orleans.

Aussiegirl

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #18 on: April 23, 2015, 12:38:24 PM »
Fantastic Deborah!  Can think of nothing more amazing than listening to that bugle at Gallipoli tomorrow morning!

Adventures With Poopsie

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #19 on: March 07, 2016, 02:33:08 PM »
Great thread, I have really enjoyed reading it and gotten some awesome inspiration.

My mum did the Camino two years ago (and during it, had some sort of epiphany and two weeks after she got back, she retired at the age of 54!). That inspired Poopsie and I to do the same and that will probably be the first thing we do when we retire (ala arebelspy).

After that, we intend to slow travel for a number of years. The list of destinations is endless.

We want to make sure we travel in the interim 8 years before ER though. We're off to the USA in August and somewhere in Europe next year (probably France).

Travel is our reason for striving toward FIRE.

Parizade

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #20 on: March 07, 2016, 02:43:50 PM »
I already lived on four continents and traveled pretty much everywhere for work and pleasure, and my wife and I intended just a few months ago to continue traveling during retirement, but in a different way, staying extended periods of time in one spot as a home base, working as an ESL or scuba diving instructor, and exploring neighbouring regions.

I'm thinking along these lines as well. I want to spend winters in a warmer place, just not in the same place every year. The first few years will look something like this:

Killarney Ireland
Botswana
The Yucatan peninsula
India
The Azores



2Birds1Stone

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #21 on: March 07, 2016, 02:50:34 PM »
Right after FIRE

Flip Flop Thru-hike the Appalachian Trail
Move to Poland for 5-6 months (Have dual citizenship and parents have paid off apartment there)
Travel Around Eastern/Central Europe from Poland
Move back to USA and Spend a year car camping/RVing around North America
Slow Travel through Central/South America for 6-9 months
Bicycle Across the USA
Move to Portugal for 6-9 months and travel around Western Europe using that as home base.
Slow Travel SE Asia
Learn How to Sail
Sail Around the Caribbean for 3-6 months

The list goes on and on from here =D

flyingaway

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #22 on: March 07, 2016, 07:22:52 PM »
It is interesting this thread came back. We are going to Costa Rica on Sunday. Went to Dominican Republic, Canada, Mexico, China, since the last post.

Abel

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #23 on: March 07, 2016, 08:02:10 PM »
A few years ago I bicycled across the Americas with my two brothers. Alaska to the southern tip of Argentina. Bikepacking so we had the tent and stove and everything we needed, but happily accepted the frequent invitations of strangers to sleep in their home or barn and made a lot of memories. Once you travel in this manner (very mustachian by the way! I've never had more frugal adventures) I don't think any other method measures up.

My bikepacking shortlist of places I have never been:

Italy
Norway
The Himalayas

Places I will never get tired of returning to:

Ecuador
Colombia
Bend, Oregon
White Mountains, New Hampshire
Anywhere in California

Classical_Liberal

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #24 on: March 07, 2016, 08:57:36 PM »
I didn't know there was a vaccine for Hep C??
Well, I looked it up - Hep A, Hep B, Typhoid, Rabies, Meningococcal, and something else - at least I already had Tetanus. I was wrong, no Hep C.
I had a Hep C vaccination a few years ago. It's a series of 3 shots done over a year. Probably not something a person travelling overseas would get along with the other vaccines.

So Deborah - where and when are you going? Enquiring nosey minds want to know :-).

The three shot series is Hep B, not yet a Hep C vaccination that I know of on the market.  Although there is a VERY expensive Hep C "cure" that works in the most common infection types. Also, those Hep B vaccinations dont always work, make sure you get a titer if you are concerned.

Oh, and I REALLY want to travel more.  A year road tripping across the US, a year in SE Asia, a year in central and S America and maybe 6 mos in Europe....

deborah

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #25 on: March 08, 2016, 02:07:24 AM »
Looking at this thread, I never really responded to:
So Deborah - where and when are you going? Enquiring nosey minds want to know :-). 
I did say:
In a few days I'm traveling to Turkey for two months. But before that is Ocean Grove.

Turkey is one of the few things on my bucket list - the last will be crossed off when I go to New Zealand in January. But Turkey has been a dream. Because so many of the men in my family went to the first world war, I wanted to go to the Dawn Service at Galipolli in 2015 for a number of years. I also wanted to see the archeology and textiles of Turkey, as it is the source of the Euphrates and was thus part of early civilization. The Australian Government held a ballot (raffle?) for the dawn service this year, and about 10 times as many people in the ballot as there were places (about 10,500 will be at the dawn service). I was lucky to get one. So I am doing everything I have dreamed of doing there. It is terribly unmustachian as the dawn service will be one long queue - you have to arrive at the first check point by 2:00am to get through, and there are several check points. I guess they are really worried about terrorists, and Turkey has been having more of late than previously. It will be tourist high season in Turkey (possibly the peak of 20 years) as an enormous number of Australians and New Zealanders will be there (huge numbers of people are going even without tickets to the service itself, and many tours are putting together their own service for those who missed out on the real one) - so everything will be more expensive than usual.
WOW! Everything about that post! The draw for who gets to go, the 2am check-point, your big dream coming true!!!

I never "get" people wanting to go far away to "see" something, because my body doesn't care about that, but I 100% get the desire to stand in places one's ancestors stood, touch the things they touched, etc. That, my body/mind/soul totally grasps, and it's the one element remaining that still gets me interested in travel. (Previously it was learning languages, immersing for months in any one culture, etc.)

Congrats, deborah!!! I'm really excited for you!
Wow Deborah, that sounds like a really amazing experience. I'm looking forward to hearing about it after you get back.
But I never reported back. And I've done more travel since.

Turkey was just amazing. I did a battlefield tour (you had to be in a tour group to go to the Galipolli commemoration), and it was really good. We went to where the British and French battleships were sunk by the Turks (this preceded the land campaign) and had maps that showed us exactly how it happened. We went to many of the war cemeteries, the landing sites and the sites of major battles. One of my relations was in charge of the withdrawal when they left, and I saw where all of my different relatives had fought (there were about 20 of them). Then I went to the tourist spots in central Turkey - and underground city, the churches carved into the rocks (a UNESCO heritage site), the fairy floss Roman health resort, and Ephesus (another World Heritage site). Then I went to South East Turkey - and it was absolutely AMAZING - the enormous stone heads at Mt Nemrut, Gobelki Tepi, Mount Ararat,  all the places around Van, Ani... and I left just two weeks before places I had been started to have bomb attacks, after being at peace for about 10 years.

Then I came home, went to Perth for a week and visited the Pinnacles, the beaches, the caves and forests of south east Western Australia and the stromatolites, went to Victoria, and then on my second overseas trip. LA, the canyons and Indian sites (including Mesa Verde), and Ecuador - Andes, Amazon, Galapagos, Quito including a few Inca and pre-Inca ruins.

I am soon going to western Canada and Alaska for a couple of months, but in about a week, I will be going to Alice Springs, and will hopefully visit some of Uluru, Watarrka, Kata Tjuta, Lake Eyre (which has water in it again) and Anna Creek Painted Desert.

My New Zealand trip is actually next year rather than this.

happy

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #26 on: March 08, 2016, 02:15:34 AM »
You've been busy! Sounds like you've had some great trips.

rockstache

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #27 on: March 08, 2016, 08:50:29 AM »
I already lived on four continents and traveled pretty much everywhere for work and pleasure, and my wife and I intended just a few months ago to continue traveling during retirement, but in a different way, staying extended periods of time in one spot as a home base, working as an ESL or scuba diving instructor, and exploring neighbouring regions.

I'm thinking along these lines as well. I want to spend winters in a warmer place, just not in the same place every year. The first few years will look something like this:

Killarney Ireland
Botswana
The Yucatan peninsula
India
The Azores

I love Botswana so much. It was my first international trip ever and will always have a special place in my heart.

Deborah your Turkey trip sounds like it was amazing!

On my list is (in no particular order)

-Thailand
-South Korea
-Israel (again)
-Italy
-Scotland


Parizade

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #28 on: March 08, 2016, 09:16:51 AM »

I love Botswana so much. It was my first international trip ever and will always have a special place in my heart.


THANK YOU rockstache, most people give me a quizzical look when I say I want to spend 3 months in Botswana, but I think it looks like a completely amazing place.

Cookie78

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #29 on: March 08, 2016, 09:59:32 AM »
A few years ago I bicycled across the Americas with my two brothers. Alaska to the southern tip of Argentina. Bikepacking so we had the tent and stove and everything we needed, but happily accepted the frequent invitations of strangers to sleep in their home or barn and made a lot of memories. Once you travel in this manner (very mustachian by the way! I've never had more frugal adventures) I don't think any other method measures up.


That sounds absolutely incredible!! I will do that route some day, but not likely by bicycle. :)

Looking at this thread, I never really responded to:

Thanks for the update!!


I love Botswana so much. It was my first international trip ever and will always have a special place in my heart.


THANK YOU rockstache, most people give me a quizzical look when I say I want to spend 3 months in Botswana, but I think it looks like a completely amazing place.

I haven't been to Botswana yet, but it's been on my list for years. I just finished reading 'White Dog Fell from the Sky' which was set there. Great book, imo.

Abel

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #30 on: March 08, 2016, 04:43:07 PM »
You're living my dream! I have a dog who doesn't like biking much but follow some long distance biking blogs on crazy guy on a bike (some from MMM forums) as well as long distance solo female cyclists.  Some day I hope to do the same.

Spartana - Crazy Guy on a Bike stuff is great. My personal favorite is While Out Riding, writing and photography by an amazing man named Cass Gilbert out of Santa Fe, NM. He and his wife have taken their two year old on bicycle tours in the Andes. Inspirational. And the photography and stories is really out of this world. Enjoy!

Jeremy E.

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #31 on: March 08, 2016, 04:48:46 PM »
I've been looking at low cost of living places, as these are the places I will go to first, I learned about most of these from retire early lifestyles blog
Panajachel, Guatemala
Antigua, Guatemala
Chapala, Mexico
Chiang Mai, Thailand

I also really want to go to New Zealand, as well as the great barrier reef, but I assume you've already been to both
I also want to go to all of the national parks in the United states

dude

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #32 on: March 09, 2016, 07:12:15 AM »


Soon to be moving to Utah, we're really looking forward to all the skiing and biking opportunities in the state and the four corners region, especially the desert red rock areas.  Would love to do constant short road trips this year with our bikes.  And then to branch out and seek out cool biking areas within the country.  Bike magazine always features interesting places to ride so I've been collecting some of those issues.


Recently returned from a week in Utah.  Spent 2 days at resorts (Sundance and Solitude), and 4 days in the Wasatch backcountry -- and OMFG was it fucking fantastic.

Dee18

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #33 on: March 09, 2016, 01:56:48 PM »
+1 on Guatemala.  I'm finally going there in November after having it on my list for years.  A safari  in Africa is also on the short list, although I'm not quite sure which country.  My favorite animals to see are elephants, zebras and giraffes.  I welcome suggestions for those.  Went to Kenya years ago...it was great but I'd like to go elsewhere.

JoJo

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #34 on: March 09, 2016, 02:13:42 PM »
Just booked my next trip: 2 weeks in Cuba in November.  $488 US from Vancouver, BC to Havana.

Not post FIRE yet but this might be my last big trip before (hopefully) FIRE next year.

Cookie78

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #35 on: March 09, 2016, 02:17:37 PM »
+1 on Guatemala.  I'm finally going there in November after having it on my list for years.  A safari  in Africa is also on the short list, although I'm not quite sure which country.  My favorite animals to see are elephants, zebras and giraffes.  I welcome suggestions for those.  Went to Kenya years ago...it was great but I'd like to go elsewhere.

I've only been to serengeti and a few other parks nearby, so I can't compare, but it was wonderful and had plenty of elephants, zebras and giraffes.

YK-Phil

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #36 on: March 09, 2016, 02:31:29 PM »
+1 on Guatemala.  I'm finally going there in November after having it on my list for years. 

We will be leaving in the fall on a road trip from Western Canada, along the Pacific route to Panama, via Mexico (Leon, Potosi, San Miguel de Allende and Merida areas) Belize, Guatemala (Antigua area), Honduras and Nicaragua.  Has anyone driven to Panama recently who could share their experience about safety and security along the way?

Eric

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #37 on: March 09, 2016, 02:37:34 PM »
+1 on Guatemala.  I'm finally going there in November after having it on my list for years. 

We will be leaving in the fall on a road trip from Western Canada, along the Pacific route to Panama, via Mexico (Leon, Potosi, San Miguel de Allende and Merida areas) Belize, Guatemala (Antigua area), Honduras and Nicaragua.  Has anyone driven to Panama recently who could share their experience about safety and security along the way?

These guys made it to Costa Rica (from California) before heading back up towards Nova Scotia (at the moment):

http://freedomwithbruno.com/

Good tips about overland border crossings and such, along with general cool travel stuff.

JoJo

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #38 on: March 09, 2016, 02:43:46 PM »
+1 on Guatemala.  I'm finally going there in November after having it on my list for years.  A safari  in Africa is also on the short list, although I'm not quite sure which country.  My favorite animals to see are elephants, zebras and giraffes.  I welcome suggestions for those.  Went to Kenya years ago...it was great but I'd like to go elsewhere.

I've only been to serengeti and a few other parks nearby, so I can't compare, but it was wonderful and had plenty of elephants, zebras and giraffes.

For those of you interested in longer term in Africa, look into "Overlanding"   I did a 10 week trip there 12 years ago and it's quite cheap compared to the typical safaris.  It involves alot of camping.  I'm thinking about doing a trip down the entire west coast of Africa the year after I retire.

Cassie

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #39 on: March 09, 2016, 02:54:19 PM »
WE have been to Europe 4x's but only 2 countries so I would like to see the rest of the countries. The next 2 will be Ireland & Scotland. we are going to Alaska this summer.  Canada, Japan, and some states on the EAst Coast that I have not seen yet. What I learned from going to Thailand is that I don't like going where it is hot and poor. We went in Nov and it was still 90 with a ton of humidity.

JLR

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #40 on: March 09, 2016, 07:30:07 PM »
I'm so glad to hear an update, Deborah.

Was it you who was taking their niece (??)  to LA? How did it go?

deborah

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #41 on: March 09, 2016, 08:58:55 PM »
It went OK. She can't navigate. The GPS (which I had updated with US maps) died on the second day. I think we should have been killed several times that day, but the LA drivers are pretty good, even if they do honk you. We ended up spending 4 hours getting home that night because we went in the wrong directions. Unfortunately, I never saw a shop during that memorable part of the trip.

But it was good. She hadn't done any research, and didn't get out of bed until noon, but we saw a lot (since I had worked out things I wanted to see, and how to get to some of the places she had mentioned), and if I hadn't had her, I would never have gone to all the canyon parks and the Pueblo Indian sites I saw after she went home, and they were worth everything I went through in LA. It was a wonderful trip.

JLR

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #42 on: March 12, 2016, 07:43:25 PM »
I'm glad it was a wonderful trip overall. :)

We had a GPS in the car on our trip last year, but only had a car for 3 days out of 5 weeks. Instead my husband downloaded some maps to his phone before we left. Apparently by downloading them to his phone there were no data charges to use them as a GPS?? Let me know if you are interested in that for a future trip and I will ask him the name.

Villanelle

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #43 on: March 12, 2016, 08:08:23 PM »
 I used to have an extensive list, but having been fortunate enough to live in Europe and Asia, I've been to far more places than I ever would have dreamed I'd make it in a lifetime.

I'd like to return to:
Scotland (especially Skye and the Highlands)
Venice
Iceland (in the summer next time(

I'd also love to see more of Italy than the few parts we managed.

And I'd love to dive the Great Barrier Reef, see New Zealand, visit Brazil, see Machu Pichu, do a trip with Vietnam and Cambodia, go to China, see more of Africa (only been to Morocco), and probably many others, if I really sat down to think about it. 

dougules

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #44 on: March 16, 2016, 11:03:41 AM »
Have you ever thought about just up and moving to another country?  I love wandering, but sometimes it's nice to find one good spot and stay there long enough to really understand the place.  We're considering moving to Ecuador or Mexico. 

I want to do some serious roaming the world, too, though.  I really want to go just about everywhere, but the some of the ones that stand out aside from Ecuador and Mexico are:

Thailand
Kerala
Sri Lanka
Rajasthan
Sichuan
Nepal
Rwanda
Cameroon
Malawi
Brazil
Spain
Hong Kong
Bangladesh
Colombia
Netherlands

I could just go on and on.  I know I'll probably never get to half of these places, though, and I'm fine with that because it's much better to pick a few and slow down to really get to know them.  Plus some of those are such huge amounts of territory.  Brazil could mean the Nordeste, or Sao Paulo, or Rio, or the south, or the Amazon or so many other regions, then do you mean rural, small town, or big city.  All of those could each make for its own trip with a completely different experience. 

Villanelle

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #45 on: March 16, 2016, 11:29:44 PM »
Have you ever thought about just up and moving to another country?  I love wandering, but sometimes it's nice to find one good spot and stay there long enough to really understand the place.  We're considering moving to Ecuador or Mexico. 



Having done it twice (for DH's work), I don't think I am likely to ever become a long-term ExPat.  I loved our experiences, and I've given a lot of thought to what makes me hesitant to ever do it permanently.  I think it's that I am someone who loves words, and communication.  Operating in a language that will never be like my first, which means so much nuance is missed, I don't have the vocabulary to pick the absolute best word for a given situation, and I think I would always feel like I was less understood and connected that I would be if I had my the full language abilities of my native language--it just feels somewhat isolating. 

Of course, there are countries other than my own where English is the primary language, but certainly that narrows the options. 

Miss Prim

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #46 on: March 17, 2016, 07:28:50 AM »
My husband and I spent 2 weeks in St Thomas and St. John USVI in January.  It was the most beautiful and amazing vacation I have ever had and I've been a lot of places!  The weather was in the 80's F during the day and 70's at night.  On St. John, we would get up in the morning and have a leisurely breakfast in our rented apartment and then head out for some hiking.  After we hiked, we would head to a different beach everyday and hang out, swim in the warm water, snorkel and than head back to Cruz Bay for happy hour.  There were a lot of bars on both St. Thomas and St. John with happy hour specials and food specials.  After that, we would head back to our place and hang out on the deck overlooking the car ferries and watch what we called car ferry TV.  Than watch a little real TV, or read and hit the hay and started all over again.  It was both active and relaxing.

I know you are in Australia and it may not be easy to get to from there, but I would definitely put it on any list of places to go.

                                                                                          Miss Prim

ol1970

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #47 on: March 17, 2016, 08:10:08 AM »
When I first "FIRED", I didn't really think I was going to stay retired...I negotiated a nice exit package along with selling my business interests that had a non-compete for a couple of years tied to it.  I left the next week and spent a month driving all through Costa Rica & (attempting) to surf in the pacific.  3 weeks visiting expat friends in China, a week snowboarding in Japan, a couple months in the U.S. & British Virgin Islands, visited most of the national parks out west.  Snowboarded about a month in Utah and Colorado, & learned to sail here in the Great Lakes. 

During all of this I asked myself since I was not tied to my home here, and you could do anything you really want, what would make you the happiest.  Perpetual slow travel on the water kept rising to the top of the list...so now after taking time to really make sure it is what I want to do I'm selling my embarrassingly un-mustacian too large of home (paid for) and buying a sailboat to go see the world.  It will actually be less expensive than living on land (a lot of that has to do with the expensive area where I live) if you can believe that.  I'm not sure how long I will do it for, but I'm under no misconception that it will be without significant headache...I'm giving it 2 years & then see what I think.  That will give me enough time to sail the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, from there who knows, but at least I will have done it.  If I were to guess, I find it hard to imagine not wanting to continue to immerse myself in new locations and adventures vs. living in cornbread suburbia for the next 30 years.

My advice, travel a bunch of places & see what you like, something just might grab a hold of your imagination and not let go!  I have had the feeling of euphoric happiness about 10 times in the last 14 months, each time was setting out on an adventure where I didn't know the outcome or where it would take me.  Honestly I'm a pretty darn happy person in general, but not sure I've felt that alive 10 times in the previous 10 years...sort of like I woke up out of the Matrix.

Cookie78

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #48 on: March 17, 2016, 09:04:50 AM »
When I first "FIRED", I didn't really think I was going to stay retired...I negotiated a nice exit package along with selling my business interests that had a non-compete for a couple of years tied to it.  I left the next week and spent a month driving all through Costa Rica & (attempting) to surf in the pacific.  3 weeks visiting expat friends in China, a week snowboarding in Japan, a couple months in the U.S. & British Virgin Islands, visited most of the national parks out west.  Snowboarded about a month in Utah and Colorado, & learned to sail here in the Great Lakes. 

During all of this I asked myself since I was not tied to my home here, and you could do anything you really want, what would make you the happiest.  Perpetual slow travel on the water kept rising to the top of the list...so now after taking time to really make sure it is what I want to do I'm selling my embarrassingly un-mustacian too large of home (paid for) and buying a sailboat to go see the world.  It will actually be less expensive than living on land (a lot of that has to do with the expensive area where I live) if you can believe that.  I'm not sure how long I will do it for, but I'm under no misconception that it will be without significant headache...I'm giving it 2 years & then see what I think.  That will give me enough time to sail the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, from there who knows, but at least I will have done it.  If I were to guess, I find it hard to imagine not wanting to continue to immerse myself in new locations and adventures vs. living in cornbread suburbia for the next 30 years.

My advice, travel a bunch of places & see what you like, something just might grab a hold of your imagination and not let go!  I have had the feeling of euphoric happiness about 10 times in the last 14 months, each time was setting out on an adventure where I didn't know the outcome or where it would take me.  Honestly I'm a pretty darn happy person in general, but not sure I've felt that alive 10 times in the previous 10 years...sort of like I woke up out of the Matrix.

This is extremely exciting and inspiring to me! Keep us posted on the sailing adventures, ya? Thanks for sharing. :)

MishMash

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Re: Where would you travel?
« Reply #49 on: March 17, 2016, 09:14:01 AM »
I already lived on four continents and traveled pretty much everywhere for work and pleasure, and my wife and I intended just a few months ago to continue traveling during retirement, but in a different way, staying extended periods of time in one spot as a home base, working as an ESL or scuba diving instructor, and exploring neighbouring regions.

I'm thinking along these lines as well. I want to spend winters in a warmer place, just not in the same place every year. The first few years will look something like this:

Killarney Ireland
Botswana
The Yucatan peninsula
India
The Azores

Having been to Botswana might I suggest Etosha National Park in neighboring Namibia?   It was freaking AWESOME...better then the delta when I was there (although the bat caves in Botswana were pretty cool)

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!