"Oh, The Places You'll Go!" - The Travel Thread [Archive]

esophagus

01-26-2008, 02:13 AM

Possibly heading to Portland, that'd be fun.

Going to San Diego, which I'm definitely looking forward to although I doubt I'll do much outside of the con while I'm there.

After that, it's off to Ireland for a year. That's the grand finale. So excited. If I could go anywhere, that would be it, and it's a 99.99999% sure thing.

itsbecca

01-26-2008, 02:16 AM

I'm going to New York in April.

Hooray! Me too. Although it's the first time I'll have been to New York, so I was hoping to stay for a weekish and play around in the city, but now because of family things that might not be possible. So I'd like to take another trip perhaps later in the year. Flights are just so damn cheap from here it's a crime that I haven't been already.

Otherwise, nothing planned. I mainly try to coerce my friends to come visit me instead of the other way around, primarily for monetary reasons (I'm a miser). I would very much like to visit Orlando. For people. The place itself is a freaking hell hole.

I've also been looking at my schools exchange programs, they have some reaaaaally awesome ones. My main issue is delaying my graduation and throwing another 10k on the ol' student loans. So I'll probably fantasize, but pass.

paper

01-26-2008, 02:21 AM

I went on a cruise to Bermuda just after my high school graduation. It was a trip hosted annually by the librarian and a history teacher. Bunked with two of my best friends. I spent much of the week hanging out with the ship's magician and comedian.

On the first night at port we heard tell of a wondrous late-night beach party. We journeyed beyond the tourist shops and up a ridge crawling with lizards. We reached a narrow staircase leading down to a patio-sized beach. Peering down the stairs we could see a small cave opening in the hillside. A local man sat on a rock next to a very large boombox. The beach party.

That night we called for room service and watched Ladybugs. Due to seasickness and poor planning, I never did touch Bermudan sand.

esophagus

01-26-2008, 02:26 AM

Somewhere on this unorganized hard drive exists a picture of me jumping from Leech Brook. That qualifies for best vacation. So much fun each time.

luthor

01-26-2008, 02:28 AM

If anyone is interested, I've got photos of my various football trips on my flickr page.

http://www.flickr.com/iamluthor

jaflanagan

01-26-2008, 05:03 AM

I have a VERY detailed account of the Flanagan family trip to Ireland on my blog. Read from oldest to newest. There's still one and half more days I need to write up.

http://jaflanagan.blogspot.com/

Other than that, honeymoon in Hawaii was awesome. That place was like another planet.

henrik

01-26-2008, 06:19 AM

Best vacation: Two weeks in Dubai. Hands down. Oh the stuff they have over there!
Although the weekend in Florence Italy with my wife was pretty darn romantic :D

Nothing planned for this year though, except for another kid. Little Logan's gettin a sibling :cool:

fred

01-26-2008, 01:12 PM

I'm going to NY in April and probably at least one other time. I usually go 2 or 3 times a year for fun and a few more for business. I'm considering Philly and San Diego as well this year. It might be either of them, but it won't be both of them.

I'd like to go to England or Belize. I'd never be happy in Belize (I know myself too well), but it's soo pretty and I'd like to believe that I could handle the heat.

I couldn't, but I like to believe.

paper

01-26-2008, 02:02 PM

I plan to visit New York a couple times this year as well. Hopefully for the con, and also to visit a friend of mine. Take in some shows.

optimus187prime

01-26-2008, 03:22 PM

My best Vaca was definitly LAS VEGAS, NV ! Oh soooo fun, and soo much to do. I was there for 4 nights 5 days and still felt like I missed alot. I stayed in the Monte Carlo which was actually on fire friday.

I think I will get a mini-vaca this year and head to philly for Wizard. I am in driving distance.

iSteve

03-16-2008, 08:04 PM

If money and time were no object, where in the world would you like to travel and why?

acomicbookgirl

03-16-2008, 08:15 PM

Europe because i've never been there..

esophagus

03-16-2008, 08:29 PM

Portland is a no go, but I'm considering a few days in NY after San Diego is all said and done.

paper

03-16-2008, 08:35 PM

If money and time were no object, where in the world would you like to travel and why?

Great Britain or Japan.

I'm boring.

kahunablair

03-16-2008, 08:38 PM

Ireland, Asia, and Australia

valoharth

03-16-2008, 08:44 PM

I'm trying to plan out going to San Diego and going to Seatle for PAX or Emerald City. I try and make it out to Seattle once a year other then that I really don't have plans to go anywhere else this summer. I might try and make it to New England in the Fall though.

If I had the money, backpacking through Europe. I was wanting to do that this May but I didn't save up the money to do it. Oh and Japan would be the other destination I'd go to.

labor_days

03-16-2008, 08:55 PM

Places I been:

England - Manchester, London, Birmingham
Spain - Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia
France - Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Toulouse, Nice
Italy - Rome, Naples, Florence, Milan, Turin
Austria - Vienna, Graz, Linz

Mexico - Mexico City, Tijuana, Acapulco, Juarez, Baja

Puerto Rico - Everywhere. I been to every part of the island.

United States - Lots of places but Florida, California, Michigan, Texas, Washington, New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma, Indiana, Nevada, Colorado, blah blah.

esophagus

03-16-2008, 09:14 PM

England, Spain, France, Italy, Mexico, and Austria, and you still haven't ventured to Canada?

labor_days

03-16-2008, 09:20 PM

Oh shit, yeah. I been to Toronto, PEI and Niagara Falls.

cenquist

03-16-2008, 09:23 PM

Vegas, Florida, Minnesota and Toronto/Niagra Falls are places I have been.

If money was no object then I think Japan would be on the top of my list.

valoharth

03-16-2008, 09:27 PM

Places I've been: Every state that boarders Canada, Illinois, Ohio, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Organ. Outside of the USA Canada and Germany.

labor_days

03-16-2008, 09:29 PM

Fuck. I went to Germany, Portugal and Switzerland too. We did the whole 3 month European vacation thing.

labor_days

03-16-2008, 09:31 PM

Also, if money was no object I would live in London or Vienna. Those are cities.

I think God vacations in Vienna.

valoharth

03-16-2008, 09:37 PM

Fuck. I went to Germany, Portugal and Switzerland too. We did the whole 3 month European vacation thing.

Thats freaking awesome.

I spent a month in Germany around the Ulm area which is a fantastic area. Most people tend to go to Frankfurt or Berlin, which are good places but you don't really get a good idea of Germany unless you go to the smaller hamilits like Lagunau (sp?) I would go again in the drop of a pen.

paper

03-16-2008, 09:37 PM

*sigh* The only time I ever left the country was my Bermuda cruise.

I've never left the east coast. Furthest south I've been is virginia. Furthest north is New York. Furthest west is western PA.

labor_days

03-16-2008, 09:43 PM

Thats freaking awesome.

I spent a month in Germany around the Ulm area which is a fantastic area. Most people tend to go to Frankfurt or Berlin, which are good places but you don't really get a good idea of Germany unless you go to the smaller hamilits like Lagunau (sp?) I would go again in the drop of a pen.

I loved Germany and am a huge fan of German avant-garde music in Conrad, Schulze, Can, Kluster, Neu!, etc. We spent time in Berlin, Munich and Cologne.

Good times. The food was excellent in Berlin. Though not on par with London and Barcelona, where even street side vendors sold delicacies that would shame 3 star restaurants.

valoharth

03-16-2008, 09:53 PM

I loved Germany and am a huge fan of German avant-garde music in Conrad, Schulze, Can, Kluster, Neu!, etc. We spent time in Berlin, Munich and Cologne.

Good times. The food was excellent in Berlin. Though not on par with London and Barcelona, where even street side vendors sold delicacies that would shame 3 star restaurants.

The best food in my life I ate in Germany, there was this little pizza shop that we would eat at near the school that served these "personal pan" pizzas I can't describe. And all the Turkish kabobs I had... again I can't describe it. I think the problem we have over here is our restaurants try to do too much at once and just come out with mediocre across the board and over their they do one thing and the make sure they are the best at that one thing.

labor_days

03-16-2008, 10:05 PM

valoharth

03-16-2008, 10:32 PM

Le Oleander in Mite was rather good. Though I thought some of the fusion places in Berlin were a bit overrated. I'm thinking specifically of Fischers Fritz. Which while nice was a bit meh for the price. I expected to be wowed when I walked in there. That may have been a tall order considering what the aforementioned cities of Barcelona, London and Lyon had to offer.

But yes, most of the places that served traditional German faire for lunch & breakfast were lovely. The Germans are so polite. I loved them.

This does sound bad but I almost got into a fight with some Turkish guy in Frankfurt when I was over there. He was trying to over charge us for a certain type of Cigar and I called him out on it. He knew fully well that we couldn't get those cigars in the USA and marked them up 3 fold because of our accent. But other then that guy every one in Germany was a delight to talk to.

mari0

03-16-2008, 10:39 PM

I've always wanted to go to Egypt but that won't happen for awhile. My sister gets a list of dangerous places to visit every year from her work and even though Egypt isn't in the top 5 it's on the list.

This August I'm going to Spain for 10 days.

itsbecca

03-17-2008, 12:13 AM

Japan is #1 at the top of my list. It is the most wacked out of the developed countries and I must have some of that craziness. I'd really love to live there for a bit and learn the language. Out of all that I've studied easily consider it the most interesting.

Otherwise, I'd love to visit anywhere (everywhere?) in Europe, but currently topping the list is Germany and Greece.

iSteve

03-17-2008, 02:37 AM

England is at the top of my travel list. My wife and I visited there in 1992. It was awesome. I could easily live there for several weeks or months. I'm an Anglophile (lover of all things English).

mikegraham6

03-17-2008, 02:29 PM

Places i've been:
Daytona/Orlando, USA
Syracuse, USA
Calgary, CANADA
Edmonton, CANADA
Toronto, CANADA
St. John, New Brunswick, CANADA
Halifax, CANADA
P.E.I., CANADA
Acapulco, MEXICO
Cancun, MEXICO
Athens, GREECE
Crete, GREECE
Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS
London, ENGLAND
Edinburgh, SCOTLAND
Sterling, SCOTLAND
Glasgow, SCOTLAND
Inverness, SCOTLAND
Bath, ENGLAND
York, ENGLAND
Paris, FRANCE
Normandy, FRANCE
Nice, FRANCE
Monacco
Antibes, FRANCE
Lisbon, PORTUGAL
Barcelona, SPAIN
Madrid, SPAIN
Valencia, SPAIN
Milan, ITALY
Florence, ITALY
Venice, ITALY
Rome, ITALY
Naples/Pompeii, ITALY
Berlin, GERMANY
Vienna, AUSTRIA
Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC

I'm probably forgetting a ton more. I've backpacked Europe two summers in a row. The first time i went was for more of a cultural/historical experience. the second time was for the World Cup in Germany, and i was basically there to party my ass off.
I love to travel and i really hope that i can make it to every single continent on the planet some day. The more i think about it and learn about the world, the more places i want to visit. Travelling, in my opinion, is one of the best things you can do for yourself. it's an eye opening and humbling experience.
Next up for me? Africa!

labor_days

03-17-2008, 04:43 PM

How was Prague? I really wanted to go there but never got the chance.

mikegraham6

03-17-2008, 04:57 PM

ONe of the highlights of my trip, i recommend it to everyone. It's got all the positives of Western Europe with Eartern European prices. It's a beautiful city with a gorgeous palace in the middle of the city. It has an amazing party district with one the biggest club in Europe (i think i heard this... don't quote me on this). It sells absinthe, which everyone should try at least once (once is usually enough). it has excellent food and not to sound like a pig or anything, but it also has quite possibly the most beautiful women in all of Europe (if you like blonde hair and blue eyes, or dark hair and brown eyes). I swear the ratio of attractive women must be 2:1 in that country.
As for culture, it has some amazing sights as well. the old town square was beautiful and had a beerfestival going on at the time of our visit, complete with free concerts. You can probably spend a whole day at the prague castle and another at the old jewish quarter.
Whenever people ask my advice on places to go in Europe my answer is always Prague (and Nice, but you've already been there). If you have a chance to go back to Europe, Labor, trust me, go there. It's definitely worth your time

(Does it sound like i work for the Prague Travel Bureau???...:rolleyes:)

labor_days

03-17-2008, 05:26 PM

ONe of the highlights of my trip, i recommend it to everyone. It's got all the positives of Western Europe with Eartern European prices. It's a beautiful city with a gorgeous palace in the middle of the city. It has an amazing party district with one the biggest club in Europe (i think i heard this... don't quote me on this). It sells absinthe, which everyone should try at least once (once is usually enough). it has excellent food and not to sound like a pig or anything, but it also has quite possibly the most beautiful women in all of Europe (if you like blonde hair and blue eyes, or dark hair and brown eyes). I swear the ratio of attractive women must be 2:1 in that country.

As for culture, it has some amazing sights as well. the old town square was beautiful and had a beerfestival going on at the time of our visit, complete with free concerts. You can probably spend a whole day at the prague castle and another at the old jewish quarter.

Whenever people ask my advice on places to go in Europe my answer is always Prague (and Nice, but you've already been there). If you have a chance to go back to Europe, Labor, trust me, go there. It's definitely worth your time
Damn. I should have gone. That all sounds great.

I adore classical and orchestral music as well. So Prague and Vienna (can we agree this the city of God?) were pretty high on my list of places to go. But Prague was near the tail end of our trip and it was time to go home already.

Big fan of the Eastern European ladies. I was single at the time I went to Europe. Good times. Though Italian women are a species unto themselves.
Holy shit. Am I right?

I've had Absinthe before. Little menthol-y.

mikegraham6

03-17-2008, 06:09 PM

you speak the truth my friend. Unfortunately i only managed to spend one full day in Vienna so i didn't really get a chance to pay the city the respect it deserves, hopefully one day i will make it back there.

Absinthe's legend definitely didn't live up to the drink itself.
one other thing: Czech women> Spanish women> Italian women
sorry....

kaytwo

03-17-2008, 07:54 PM

3 places I'd love to go are Egypt, The Middle-East [meaning Saudi Arabia and the like - I'll have to go there one day anyway (I'm muslim)] & Japan. if only for the craziness. Actually, also India, I may be Pakistani but I've never been there and definitely want to go there at least once.

esophagus

03-17-2008, 08:44 PM

I've left the country twice, both times to go to LA.

... I've been to most places in Canada, though. Does that count for anything?

Travelling is becoming a top priority come June.

mikegraham6

03-18-2008, 11:35 AM

I've left the country twice, both times to go to LA.

... I've been to most places in Canada, though. Does that count for anything?

Travelling is becoming a top priority come June.
Of course Canada counts, where have you been? Where do you plan to go in June Eso?
I try to get away once a year, it's a great way to keep sane and remind yourself the world is bigger than your own little bubble.
Unfortunately travelling has dropped off my friend's radar, so i'll probably be hitting it up alone. I don't really mind too much, it's intimidating at first but you tend to meet so many people travelling that you don't really need to have the crutch of a companion at all times

esophagus

03-18-2008, 04:09 PM

Where do you plan to go in June Eso?June is just when I graduate, so when I have time to travel. San Diego is a definite for July. New York is a maybe for July/August, and Ireland is a definite for whenever I go after that.

henrik

03-22-2008, 08:31 AM

and not to sound like a pig or anything, but it also has quite possibly the most beautiful women in all of Europe

Ahem. Let me put up Sweden as a candidate for that title :rolleyes:

itsbecca

03-22-2008, 06:39 PM

June is just when I graduate, so when I have time to travel. San Diego is a definite for July. New York is a maybe for July/August, and Ireland is a definite for whenever I go after that.

Whatcha gonna be doin' in New York Cassamundo? Anything in particular or are you going for just the standard site-seeing experience?

esophagus

03-22-2008, 08:03 PM

Whatcha gonna be doin' in New York Cassamundo? Anything in particular or are you going for just the standard site-seeing experience?I'm not much for sight seeing, but I don't have any reason in particular to go. Just to be there. I've always wanted to go.

itsbecca

03-22-2008, 09:19 PM

I'm not much for sight seeing, but I don't have any reason in particular to go. Just to be there. I've always wanted to go.

I support that. I hear they have good cupcakes.

conorkilpatrick

03-22-2008, 09:21 PM

I support that. I hear they have good cupcakes.

GIANT ONES!

esophagus

03-22-2008, 09:22 PM

GIANT ONES!
When I go Conor is going to take another vacation. We're going to drink wine and make huge cupcakes.

itsbecca

03-22-2008, 09:33 PM

Holy damn, I wasn't even thinking of that... but now I am. Nice.

But seriously. I love that approach to vacationing, sitting back and taking in a dives and corners of a city instead of hitting up those Tour Guide Must Sees. I guess that's why I move around so much. To have the sprawled out time to taste a city for what it really is. Thumbs up on New York kid, do it!!

mikegraham6

03-25-2008, 11:51 AM

New York is at the top of my list come January 2009! i don't think i would go for any longer than 5 days, it seems a big overwhelming but it's just one place i would absolutely love to see. im a big fan of huge cities and they don't come any bigger than NYC.
Question: how pricey would it be to visit new york? i was thinking of driving down (it's only about 7hrs away) but then i would be stuck with my car and i don't even want to think about what traffic would be like there.

fred

03-25-2008, 03:02 PM

Question: how pricey would it be to visit new york? i was thinking of driving down (it's only about 7hrs away) but then i would be stuck with my car and i don't even want to think about what traffic would be like there.

NYC is exceptionally expensive. By way of explanation, I was quite excited to find a room for $169/night for my upcoming April trip. At certain times during the year, I've paid $250-300. There are always cheaper places like hostels and the pod hotel but I'm not willing to share a bathroom. Everything else, food etc. is pretty expensive too.

mikegraham6

03-25-2008, 03:14 PM

i've been to London and if it's anywhere near as expensive as that i think i'll probably be broke by the end of the trip. i have no problem staying in hostels as long as they are safe but i'm willing to drop my money on good food and seeing the sites. As good as new york restaurants are, what im looking forward to the most is New York style pizza, i hear good things.

fred

03-25-2008, 03:16 PM

the pizza is the best

lucero

03-28-2008, 07:53 PM

I NEED a vacation in the worst way. I'm looking for a beach destination in late May, preferably on the North American continent. Any suggestions? I'm not looking to party but I don't want a deserted island either.

kahunablair

03-28-2008, 07:55 PM

lucero

03-28-2008, 08:04 PM

You're in Texas, right? No good resort/vacation spots on the Gulf?

Nope. Been there done that. The beaches aren't exactly what I'd call beautiful.

itsbecca

03-30-2008, 07:34 PM

Any New York/Brooklyn kids... is Sunset Park a decent non-raping area?

conorkilpatrick

03-30-2008, 08:52 PM

Any New York/Brooklyn kids... is Sunset Park a decent non-raping area?

Sunset Park, I believe, has a gang problem. I'll try to do some research.

esophagus

03-30-2008, 09:01 PM

Can't say I'm from Brooklyn, but a bit of googling found this (http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0225,garcia,35739,15.html). Which included a few crime statistics:Crime Stats: As of June 2, the 72nd Precinct, which also includes Windsor Terrace, reported three homicides, up from two last year; eight rapes, down from 13; 126 robberies, down from 173; 105 felony assaults, up from 96; and 181 burglaries, down from 214.

This sounds a bit crazy, but the rest of the article sounds good. Also, take into account that is out of more than 120,000 (As of 2000, so probably a lot higher).

conorkilpatrick

03-30-2008, 09:12 PM

Here's some more Sunset Park info (http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/sunset_park/).

paper

03-30-2008, 09:15 PM

I imagined Conor going down a revolving staircase to the Batcave and typing Sunset Park into the crime computer.

Little Mad Hatter and the Ventriloquist heads popping up on the map.

conorkilpatrick

03-30-2008, 09:18 PM

I imagined Conor going down a revolving staircase to the Batcave and typing Sunset Park into the crime computer.

Little Mad Hatter and the Ventriloquist heads popping up on the map.

My computer told me that Sunset Park was the neighborhood south of mine. I had no idea.

itsbecca

03-30-2008, 09:38 PM

Can't say I'm from Brooklyn, but a bit of googling found this (http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0225,garcia,35739,15.html). Which included a few crime statistics:

This sounds a bit crazy, but the rest of the article sounds good. Also, take into account that is out of more than 120,000 (As of 2000, so probably a lot higher).

Hmmm. I don't have any context for those numbers really.

Alright, I looked up Park Slope (nice area as far as I can surmise) for 2007:

1 murder, 7 rapes, 169 robberies, 84 felonious assaults and 200 burglaries.

Compared to Bushwick, (shitty area as far as I can surmise) for 2007:

13 murders, 30 rapes, 433 robberies, 380 felonious assaults and 477 burglaries.

So I'd say Sunset Park's got average crime. It seems like it's not a fancy schmancy area, definitely blue collar, large immigrant population (fingers crossed for polish). But I don't think I'd be shaking in my boots walking around there.

esophagus

03-30-2008, 09:40 PM

From what I've read it's an awesome area for foreign foods.

conorkilpatrick

03-30-2008, 09:43 PM

labor_days

03-30-2008, 09:47 PM

I think Conor just asked Becca out on a date. That's how NY-ers do it, no?

Fred, help me out here.

itsbecca

03-31-2008, 12:55 AM

I know it's difficult in your position, Becca, but you never really know how you feel about a neighborhood until you walk around in it and check it out.

And let me know when you're going to do that so I can come by and mug you.

Ohhh I know this is true. I've done blind moves before (Orland, Seattle, Chicago) so I'm fully resigned to the fact that if I set up a place before I get there I could be stuck in horrible, miserable poo till the lease is up. But I might not be able to swing that anyway. Weeeee'll see.