where have you been

[Brandon]

You bet your sweet ass dude. We can do Stockholm, Prague, and then circle back to Hemet.

On a side note, in the bigger cities do you still get the culture and uniqueness, or is it like any other big city out here? I was always thinking about Johannesburg, but then wonder if it's like every other metro area.

[Stradling]

On June 10, 2016 at 9:19 AM, Steve Sanders said:

Let's expedite my paperwork. What will do it, a copy of Mrs. Doubtfire on VHS and some scones?

Randy Wynn rookie card.

[Brandon]

Yes!

Oh my god dude, remember that dude Nugs? It was hilarious how upset he'd get at the mere mention of Randy Winn. I got hacked or messed with a few times due to it. Good times.

[notherhalo]

Ill write a little blurb about Merida, which is about 4 hours from Cancun, but I suppose tourists go that way, as I saw a ton while I was there (mostly older, many German).

Its in Yucatan, and is deemed the safest city in Mexico.  So all the Mexicans there are little indian types, which are harmless, but the kind that make for great day laborers north of the border, since they dont get tired like their larger and whiter counterparts in the other side of the country.  You will see some pretty ladies that are of the lighter variety, and those are the wives and daughters of the Narco execs.  Since its 'the safest city", there seems to be an unwritten rule whereupon the cartel will send their kids (school is called Mayac) and there is no static between them.

The historic part has churches that are hundreds of years old, and the other route (Avenida Paseo Montejo) is very upscale.  Most of the street is lined with mansions, but since most Mexicans are poor and cant afford to live in a place like that, its mostly inhabited by businesses.  In fact, the nicest starbucks you will ever set foot into, will be on that street.

Social values seem to be quite different there.  If you go to Manhattan, the people there are comparatively good looking compared to much of the world, but many many people are single.  In Merida, almost nobody is good looking (sans cartel daughters) and nobody is single.  Apparently cheating is a common thing down there and its something 90% of the people do.  The food is also different than anything I've seen in Southern California.  You wont find tacos or burritos in the local places and certainly not in the local Mexican restaurants.  They love to eat steamed turkey, seasoned and chopped hard boiled eggs, deer and "poc-chuc", some kind of pork cut.    A lot of people retire there, the beach area I hear is like 60% expat/Canadian.

I wouldnt recommend going there specifically, but it would be a nice night for a couple and not a total tourist whole like much of Cancun / PDC.

[ten ocho recon scout]

On 6/11/2016 at 9:13 AM, Eddie said:

You bet your sweet ass dude. We can do Stockholm, Prague, and then circle back to Hemet.

On a side note, in the bigger cities do you still get the culture and uniqueness, or is it like any other big city out here? I was always thinking about Johannesburg, but then wonder if it's like every other metro area.

Depends. Joburg is pretty beat. Most of the locals will tell you to stay away. Maybe its just hype. I didnt feel particularly unsafe there, but every house just about had a large wall and barb wire around it.

But SA is also pretty westernized. Major asian cities youll get the culture. Actually, even major european cities are going to feel "different", especially heading east 

But hemet definitely has to close out the trip after prague.

[Brandon]

Hemet it is!

Packing up my sleeping bag now.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Yep, same here. Never really cared to travel, and one trip changed me. I work w a guy who travels alone a lot. People always make fun of him, because theyre married and always travel with the wife. But i get it. Ive done it a few times too. It comes down to not giving a sh*t if anyone else wants to come, i want to see fill in the blank. Not gonna miss it just because no one else wants to spend the miney to see it. Gonna meet good people to share a beer with at the bars anyway.

Best part about traveling alone is youre on your own schedule. You can see and do what you want.

 

[ten ocho recon scout]

I used to think the kids that backpacked europe after high school were idiots. I figured witht hat few thousand it cost them,  they could have bought a really cool car (for a high school kid).

Now i totally look back and regret it. And the piece of shit car i had after high school was probably sold for scrap years ago.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Also, i need to stop neglecting here at home. I want to start taking little weekend trips local. Even here in california theres a lot to see, thats different from "the city". Portland, central coast, the sequoia park, places like that to fill a weekend instead of the normal stuff i do on my days off

Anyone here from colorado? Id like to check out the rockies and maybe do some rafting/camping stuff.

[ten ocho recon scout]

How old is the cut off on those? Its usually young people right? Its not a bad idea, they organize them well

[notherhalo]

Im probably biased and many might disagree with me, but a lot of those younger folk who do the beaten path tour seem to miss the best part of going somewhere.  They go to the same churches, same museums, have a beer at the same bars and rarely go in an area thats not mostly tourists just like them.  Im sure its fun getting drunk and getting laid when you're a few years away from being able to buy a legal beer in the US, but seeing just Big Ben, the Louvre, Eiffel tower and running with the bulls gives me the opinion that they can say they went to Europe, but didnt really definitively "see" it.  

Perhaps most dont have the privilege to spend a few months at each place, but I didnt start to see the many different things about somewhere, until I put at least 30 days into it and got away from the trail.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Yeah, but like you said, not everybody can get away that long. Most probably cant even get away.

When i retire my plan is to spend a year travelling. I envy those who can backpack for months. Its not for everybody, but id love to do it 

[arch stanton]

Wherever you're planning to go, life is better if you have one of these in your bag.

[mrwicked]

just got back from weekend in russian river for a wedding.

always a great time up there. fantastic weather, great people, good food, good beer, etc. 

I've had a few friends buy places up there recently to use for weekends. such a pretty area and so close to the city.

stopped in downtown santa rosa on the way back to have lunch and drinks with friends. popped into russian river brewing company to pick up 12 bottles of pliny. yum.

[notherhalo]

31 minutes ago, calscuf said:

I agree with you, but for a fun time where you don't have to worry about details, the Contiki tours can't be beat.  

That said, if you have the time and means, of course you're going to get more out of a place if you can live there for a few weeks or more.

That's a good point, might as well see the tourist stuff if you have limited time.  I didnt think about it that way.

Its funny when you meet locals, many of them havent even been to the tourist areas and cant recommend what else to do around there.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Thats me, here. When i travel people ask if ive been here and there around california....and i feel like a dumbass, because i havent really seen the local stuff

[mrwicked]

i think any kind of traveling is better than no traveling.

personally i love to do what i call "travel on the fly." i book a flight in, and a flight out sometime later. then just figure it out on the fly.

i did that in eastern europe / balkans. flight from SF to amsterdam, and a flight from Rome to SF two months later. only rooms I booked was a place to stay that first night in amsterdam, and a place for two nights about a month in during oktoberfest in munich (gotta book that sh*t early). then you just... go. it's f*cking awesome. 

i did it with my wife recently too. we booked flight into venice, italy and a flight out two weeks later from rome. just made our way from venice to florence to chianti in tuscany to rome as we saw fit.

also once you're across the pond in europe you can pretty much go anywhere around there super cheap. i did belgium to budapest for like $75, booked it the morning of.

one day we are gonna do what we call "travel roulette." you pack a bag, get to the airport, look up at the flights out for the day, and basically spin the wheel. who knows where you will head off to.

anything that gets you out of your bubble and meeting new people and cultures and food and booze and history is worth it IMO.

but structured travel is fun too. cruises aren't my first choice but i have done a bunch of them, they are great with a group. just stay away from the buffets and book reservations ahead of time at the legit restaurants on board. ALWAYS get the unlimited drink package, and the restaurant package.

i was kind of lucky, growing up my parents would take us somewhere pretty much every weekend. not flights necessarily, but camping or road/RV trips and just exploring. they loved stuff like California's Gold so i got to see all that interesting stuff from a very early age and it just made me really have a taste for it.

once you get older i think you just have to get that first trip under your belt, especially international travel. maybe its a friend who travels and you go with them, or studying abroad, or whatever. but once you do it, pretty easy to get hooked.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Wicked, we sound identical. Same here, book the flight out, mayyyyybe a hotel that first night (though ive booked when i landed several times). Take the cheap ryanair flights and play hopscotch, figure out a flight back.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Part of the adventure

I always have a few things i want to see. The how i get there and where i stay ill figure out later.

Looking back, i think some of my favorite places i just came accross alone, with only a rough outline of what i was heading out to see. Ive met a couple of people along the way who dont seem to do anything but travel. Some of the backpacking road trips theyve taken left me totally jealous. (To be fair they dont own houses)

[ten ocho recon scout]

I just want to go on record and say i think its selfish of tank to not leave his family for a few hours on vacation and find a wifi hotspot to check in here and comment in some of these threads

[arch stanton]

He's a teacher. I'm sure he's taking good notes

[nate]

Isn't he in Houston right now?  He probably got murdered by a drug dealer or eaten by a croc.

[mrwicked]

10 hours ago, nate said:

Isn't he in Houston right now?  He probably got murdered by a drug dealer or eaten by a croc.

or died from the heat.

[notherhalo]

Can anyone recommend the best city area to spend a couple weeks in Colombia, between Bogota, Medellin, and Cartagena?  Need to go there for work and would love some tips.  (San Andres on the way home)

[AngelsFaninGA]

On 6/13/2016 at 8:21 AM, ten ocho recon scout said:

Yep, same here. Never really cared to travel, and one trip changed me. I work w a guy who travels alone a lot. People always make fun of him, because theyre married and always travel with the wife. But i get it. Ive done it a few times too. It comes down to not giving a sh*t if anyone else wants to come, i want to see fill in the blank. Not gonna miss it just because no one else wants to spend the miney to see it. Gonna meet good people to share a beer with at the bars anyway.

Best part about traveling alone is youre on your own schedule. You can see and do what you want.

 

I'm in the same boat, I traveled with my family around Western Europe a lot as a kid/teen, made one random trip with a couple friends to Dubai and then a pre-grad school organized trip to Japan/Hong Kong with a group of 20 people (and realized traveling with a group that big is a major pain in the ass). This past spring break I decided I was gonna do my own thing and booked a two-week trip to Thailand/Cambodia. Stayed in hostels the whole time, had an absolute blast, and now quite frankly have no intention of traveling with other people and dealing with their schedules and problems. 

Fast forward two months and I'm now doing a summer internship in Nairobi (and traveling around East Africa in the process). After that, I'll be taking a month-long solo trip across Asia (China, Taiwan, Korea). Meanwhile, I've been to like 8 states, lol.