where have you been

[Tank]

I'm headed on a cruise to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel in June. Looking forward to some snorkeling.

[Sully151]

Spent New Year's Eve in San Francisco for a concert.

Hope to get to Yosemite before the end of winter. Camping in sequoia this summer.

The scary trip will be spending a week in Santa Barbara with my wife's entire family. Her parents, her 5 brothers and sisters, their significant others and all 6 kids.

Everyone except us is staying in one large house with 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. I told my wife that two things needed to happen. One I get to take my bikes and ride every day, and two, we get our own place. There was no way in hell I was going to pay $250 a night to sleep on a couch and share three bathrooms with 20 people. The way I see it, I will be done with my bike rides before everyone in the house takes their morning crap.

She agreed whole heartedly.

[Redondo]

Sully151

 

I agree with you all the way. No way would I share a place with that many people. Always get my own room separate from everybody else.

 

Good move on your part. And great that you get to ride your bike there. Is it near the beach? I really enjoy riding along the beach when I go to San Diego.

[Sully151]

Yeah, there are some great road rides along the coast and in the hills and some really fun mountain biking too. Right now I'm only taking my mountain bike, but that might change.

[Mark68]

Budapest and Prague are definitely on my bucket list.

 

As is the Croatian coast, Tuscany, Lake Como, and Venice. In fact, I think Venice needs to be visited soon, before the rising sea levels cause it to be abandoned.

[NJHalo]

Doing our quarterly visit to Windermere Florida in April.

We were there just there in November, and met my friend's new next door neighbor, Carlos Pena. Good guy

[ten ocho recon scout]

Budapest and Prague are definitely on my bucket list.

As is the Croatian coast, Tuscany, Lake Como, and Venice. In fact, I think Venice needs to be visited soon, before the rising sea levels cause it to be abandoned.

budapest is high on my list, along with vienna. I love prague. Gorgeous city.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Doing our quarterly visit to Windermere Florida in April.

We were there just there in November, and met my friend's new next door neighbor, Carlos Pena. Good guy

see if you can get him to chime in here when billy beane comes up.

Looking into instanbul. Im leary because of everything thats happening in the region though. Had to cross egypt off the list a few months ago. But i hear instanbul is pretty amazing

[Vegas Halo Fan]

My last trip was to Blacksburg, VA, for my stepdaughter's campus visit to Virginia Tech. Very scenic area, everyone we met was friendly. Roanoke is a pit, but it's the nearest place with an airport.

[OCAngelsNotLAA]

Egypt is really desperate for tourism since the region thrived on it in the past so they will provide an armed guard for all your excursions there.  That might not exactly put your fears to rest but my cousin is their now with her husband and 8 y/o son and they said they have had a blast and that they haven't felt like they are in a threatening situation at all.  They also live in Alaska when they aren't traveling around the world so they are more on the adventurous side.  Plus they said the arm guard has turned into their personal vacation photographer so none of them have to be left out of the pictures. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

^thats actually popping the lightbulb over my head. Id love to see the pyramids. Generally speaking most of the world, even in countries with a lot of violence, the tourist places are safe. Same as in LA. Wonder how good the security is though...most of the ME outside of Israel isnt really known for having top notch security forces. Still, it definitely makes the idea more realistic for me

[Homebrewer]

Where have I been?

 

 

I've stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains

I've walked and I've crawled on six crooked highways

I've stepped in the middle of seven sad forests

I've been out in front of a dozen dead oceans

I've been ten thousand miles in the mouth of a graveyard

[Tank]

Egypt is really desperate for tourism since the region thrived on it in the past so they will provide an armed guard for all your excursions there.  That might not exactly put your fears to rest but my cousin is their now with her husband and 8 y/o son and they said they have had a blast and that they haven't felt like they are in a threatening situation at all.  They also live in Alaska when they aren't traveling around the world so they are more on the adventurous side.  Plus they said the arm guard has turned into their personal vacation photographer so none of them have to be left out of the pictures. 

 

good to hear. i think the only way i'd go to place like that now is if i'm with a tour group. seems like it would be quite a bit safer somehow.

[OCAngelsNotLAA]

They are using a guide as well as the armed guard so that probably helps a lot too.

[mrwicked]

Budapest and Prague are definitely on my bucket list.

 

As is the Croatian coast, Tuscany, Lake Como, and Venice. In fact, I think Venice needs to be visited soon, before the rising sea levels cause it to be abandoned.

 

i've been to all of the above: and i HIGHLY recommend each.

budapest is fantastic. do the thermal baths. just insane. we also did caving underneath the city. scary as f*ck but really fun.

prague is... f*cking epic.

the dalmatian coast though man, thats one of the most amazing places in the world. slovenia and croatia and montenegro. i could live in dubrovnik and be content.

tuscany is jaw dropping. hard to leave.

i was just in venice, its amazing.

its like a different world, i mean it's literally a floating city and like nothing you will ever see anywhere else.

for venice you need to either stay a few days then book out, or stay a month or two and actually become a local.

i wouldn't go for like a week. too much other stuff to do in italy and venice can be touristy.

its kind of like monte carlo, not many people actually live there. its mostly tourists these days.

if the cruise ships come while you're there get the f*ck away from san marco square.

definitely a place everyone should see in their life.

[Hollyw00d]

As a SoCal city kid the first thing you are going to notice camping is the world is completely filled with bugs. Crawling, flying, biting bugs.

Have fun.

Take your skirt off, caitlyn

[notherhalo]

I spent a month around there recently, I guess Ill toss in my unsolicited 2 cents

 

Prague felt like disneyland

- a million tourists, taking pictures of everything while being in the way

- lots of castles

- they have their own money you cant use elsewhere

 

the food sucked, but its hard to notice with <$1 beers everywhere

Bratislava was like the mini golf version; smaller, less serious, more fun

Ive never seen hotter girls, and I lived over parts of S America incl Florianopolis, BA, etc

 

Budapest

- wine, not beer

- thermal baths were crazy, especially when its 0F and snowing and everyone is partying

- maybe the most beautiful city in Europe, Tuscany the most beautiful countryside

- better food

 

Canary Islands was the gem of the trip however

Edited February 5, 2016 by notherhalo

[ten ocho recon scout]

This thread is seriously making me check how much vacation time i have.

Busapest has been high on the list for a long time, just havent pulled the trigger. Just found a cheap flight next month, may have to take it.

I loved prague. I think the tourist thing is fair, but it also depends where you go. Europe is a lot cheaper in the fall/winter, and far less crowded. IMO, its worth it to trade cold weather for cheaper prices.

Bratislava was never on the list really, but might be now...thanks notherhalo...

[wopphil]

Egypt is really desperate...my cousin is their now with her husband and 8 y/o son and they...have had a blast.

Therein lies my concern. If I ever had to set foot in the Middle East, the last thing I'd want is a "blast."

[notherhalo]

This thread is seriously making me check how much vacation time i have.

Busapest has been high on the list for a long time, just havent pulled the trigger. Just found a cheap flight next month, may have to take it.

I loved prague. I think the tourist thing is fair, but it also depends where you go. Europe is a lot cheaper in the fall/winter, and far less crowded. IMO, its worth it to trade cold weather for cheaper prices.

Bratislava was never on the list really, but might be now...thanks notherhalo...

Bratislava is a quick stop between those two cities where prices are also extremely affordable. Likely too small for one to find it any kind of trip within itself. Edited February 5, 2016 by notherhalo

[wopphil]

Went to Germany and Scotland just before Christmas. Headed to Hawaii for a conference in April. Going back to Germany and Sweden next month. Costa Rica in June.

Really not traveling much now that we have a baby.

This post? Dude, my 15 month old is sick and my wife is ready to cancel date night tomorrow (to a local restaurant, where we will be a short phone call away). I don't know how yours is so cool with all the foreign travel.

[Adam]

She hates him

[NJHalo]

Looking forward to July, and seeing parts of California I have yet to see.

 

Starting in Reno, then Virginia City, Tahoe, Napa, SF, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur, back to SFO and home.

 

Thanks to everyone who offered advice when I was asking for it.

[OCAngelsNotLAA]

Monterey is awesome.  If you have any diving experience I suggest you rent some equipment and go.  The aquarium there is the best too. 

[Tank]

if you're a golfer, there are many courses in monterey to play, and you can find any price that fits your budget. it's worth looking into. pebble beach will set you back about $500, but it's worth playing at least once.