Where To Next?

[ChrisRedfield1994]

While the work is seemingly in turmoil wherever you look, and this god-forsaken virus lingering everywhere, I wanted to start a bit more of a positive thread, something for us to look forward to.

The virus actually got me thinking about where will I go next? To keep my mental health in check, I started doing some research on places I'd love to visit within the next few years (budget pending of course) and planning where I'd go.

Of course for some it's more difficult to travel (work, commitments, finances, family, health etc) so this question is more if circumstances were absolutely perfect, where to next?

I'll start off with a couple of holidays my brother and I have wanted to do for years:

• Singapore (I'll confess that seeing the city-state feature in Crazy Rich Asians did nudge me to want to go there particularly for the incredible architecture and modern advances, especially since my family's never been to Asia.)
  
  
• New Zealand (Imagine waking up to views from the Shire; would be terrifying if you woke up in Mordor though. We also want to learn more about the Maori culture seeing as the UK's occupation and subsequent colonisation of the country left the Maori people in a very tough spot.)
  
  
• Canada (British Columbia looks absolutely incredible, and I'm considering one day applying to do a second undergrad degree there. Driving from end to end of the country has also been on my mum's bucket list for decades.)
  
  
• Turkmenistan (Now I doubt many will know of this country and the reason it's on my list is simple - I want to be able to visit my girlfriend's home country!)
  
  
• St Petersburg, Russia (I've seen St Petersburg in Tampa Bay, safe to say I won't be going there again. Really interested in seeing the Venice of the North and its associations with the Romanoffs.)
  
  
• My fridge (I'm currently very hungry)

So, where to next for you guys (once the Pandemic is completely done and dusted)?

 

[Angel]

If you go to St. Petersburg, take plenty of batteries for your camera! Also try the goats milk ice cream and the indoor market; obviously you HAVE to check out the Winter Palace. Just don't stay in the Hotel Moskova unless it has been redone in the last 20 years...that place was a horror show of multicoloured polyester and fake room charges.

• I was meant to go to Budapest in April so that's still on the list.

• Want to visit Canada some day and also New York City for my daughter's 21st. It's more her bucket list City than mine but still curious all the same.

• Would also like to visit Singapore because it looks epic - almost futuristic in places.

• Ljubljana in Slovenia is a definite for me too - I could spend all day staring at pictures of that place

• Switzerland for the almost entirely preserved castles and bastions - not to mention the chocolate!

 

[Rain611]

I have always wanted to visit the German countryside as it seems so calming to me. I enjoy big cities but if I took the time to travel that far, I want to be away from all those people.

I've wanted to visit Germany for probably 12 years now but I've never been even remotely able to think about it. Now that I finally have a decent job it has a better chance of happening I suppose. And it would do wonders helping me learn the language; I have roughly a 60% self taught German proficiency last time I checked and I would love to spend time around native speakers.

 

[ChrisRedfield1994]

If you go to St. Petersburg, take plenty of batteries for your camera! Also try the goats milk ice cream and the indoor market; obviously you HAVE to check out the Winter Palace. Just don't stay in the Hotel Moskova unless it has been redone in the last 20 years...that place was a horror show of multicoloured polyester and fake room charges.

• I was meant to go to Budapest in April so that's still on the list.

• Want to visit Canada some day and also New York City for my daughter's 21st. It's more her bucket list City than mine but still curious all the same.

• Would also like to visit Singapore because it looks epic - almost futuristic in places.

• Ljubljana in Slovenia is a definite for me too - I could spend all day staring at pictures of that place

• Switzerland for the almost entirely preserved castles and bastions - not to mention the chocolate!

Yeah the Winter Palace is definitely up there and I think I'll end up taking a bag full of camera batteries, or invest in a battery grip at some point!

Can vouch for a couple of the places on your list - Budapest is absolutely amazing and everything is incredibly cheap (there's a collection of bars within a city block called the Ruins, you can pretty much end up out of your tree for less than a fiver altogether). The baths are worth a look (I wasn't able to go with my friends to them) and Buda Castle is stunning, best damned views of the entire city! Also, don't end up going in the Winter - we made the mistake of doing a university society trip there in January 2017, during a wonderfully timed cold snap across the whole of Europe and ended up with -19C/-2F temperatures during the day! Granted we got unlucky, I imagine it's still incredibly cold during normal winters!

I've only ever been to Zurich and Geneva in Switzerland so sadly can't vouch for castles but the landscapes you'll enjoy in between cities are absolutely sensational! The chocolate is as good as you imagine it to be and hell, even fondue is amazing there (never had it until my girlfriend and I, by sheer accident, found a fondue place just as we were talking about never having had it). The one thing I always enjoy in Switzerland is how easy public transport is. In Geneva you can find trams pretty much anywhere you look and tram stops even closer than that. Zurich was really fun to walk around (and the Christmas market is beyond description).

I have always wanted to visit the German countryside as it seems so calming to me. I enjoy big cities but if I took the time to travel that far, I want to be away from all those people.

I've wanted to visit Germany for probably 12 years now but I've never been even remotely able to think about it. Now that I finally have a decent job it has a better chance of happening I suppose. And it would do wonders helping me learn the language; I have roughly a 60% self taught German proficiency last time I checked and I would love to spend time around native speakers.

From what I remember of a backpack trip I did with my sixth form, the German countryside is gorgeous; towns like Wittenberg really hammer that home. Plus, Germans are such lovely people, they'll appreciate your ability to speak German and are more than happy to lend a hand! (Equally their English is impeccable.)

As the Mosel Valley also shows, pretty castles:

 

[Rain611]

Yea, that's gorgeous and I have had some German penpals who were very generous and willing to help me learn. I think if given the chance I would retire there.

 

[UniqTeas]

My fiancee and I are currently attempting to plan a honeymoon (wedding is 1 year away on the 11th) and we can not decide where to go since all of our countries to visit are so far from one another. We will probably break up the trip in to 2 or 3 trips over the next 5 years until a baby comes along.
Places we want to visit:

• Ireland - My fiancee has a lot of Irish and Scottish ancestry, so she has been very big on a trip there. I am too since I look super Irish (despite being about 100% Italian by ancestry) and I already speak the language. Plus, there is a ton of beauty to behold. We just did our Scotland and England trip in 2019, but I wouldn't mind seeing other parts of England particularly. I've only been to London, Durham, and Liverpool so far!
• France - I have never been to France, but I have so many dreams of hiking the picturesque landscape, eating non-stop cheese and bread, and falling in love all over again. Of course, I want to buy endless wine for the Mrs.
• Spain - I speak moderate Spanish and I would love to be able to take in the history and attempt to converse with the locals. I didn't have a lot of interest in Spain until I read "The Shadow Of The Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon and it took me in.
• Greece - Who wouldn't want to swim the crystal blue waters of Mykonos? Or feast on the ecclectic food in Greece that combines both European and Middle Eastern flavors in such lovely ways. Greece is a little far from everything else I want to see, but I can't wait to go and fall in love again with my lady.
• Japan - I'm a big ****ing weeb. So of course I want to visit Tokyo and see the beauty of Japan especially in the Spring. I took a course on Japanese history and it really opened my eyes to how unique the landscape and architecture is.
• New Zealand - My brother in law is from New Zealand and I'd love to go to his home town with him and visit one of the most geographically unique countries in the entire world. They have every known type of terrain in New Zealand somehow. And I too would love to walk the Lord of the Rings trail!

​

 

[Awebb]

I'd like to take my girlfriend to London soon. I've been there a couple of times. I actually wanted to spend my last birthday there (Halloween), but she and her best friend didn't take the bait and so the girls refused to spend Brexit in London with a possible chance of not being able to leave and being stranded there. Bummer.

 

[UniqTeas]

I am from New York, so I have a lot of lofty European and Asian goals. I mean, I also want to visit Los Angeles, San Diego, and Austin - but those seem less grand. Where are you from Awebb? Just to add to your story. Or everyone else too!

 

[KennedyKiller]

Within 2 years I'd like to make a trip to Japan, but I'm striving to get a couple of smaller travel goals out of the way first. Visiting a friend in California for one (Despite how much I hate that state), and picking a big city at random and flying there alone with zero plans just to see how it plays out.

 

[UniqTeas]

Cool - where is your friend in California? It is a rather LARGE state with multiple climates. I've only been to San Francisco/wine country which was lovely.

 

[KennedyKiller]

Cool - where is your friend in California? It is a rather LARGE state with multiple climates. I've only been to San Francisco/wine country which was lovely.

Northcal. Acaren I think?

 

[bSTAR_182]

There’s quite a few places on my radar but one of the biggest trips would be Italy. From Calabria, where my grandfather was from, on up to Naples and Tuscany. I’d like to experience Italy’s beaches as well as its mountains. Wine in hand.

Ireland, Iceland, and Greece are also places I want to see.

Within the U.S. I’m thinking of going to Washington D.C. for my 30th birthday this September. But I’d also love to see Arizona, Wyoming, and Alaska (an Alaskan cruse would be amazing!).
I’d also like to revisit Massachusetts, Tennessee, South Dakota, and Kentucky.

 

[UniqTeas]

I've been to a handful of countries and a smattering of states, but I can say without a doubt that one of the most beautiful places I have ever been was near Naples, Italy.

Naples, Sorrento, Capri are all breathtaking - especially the island of Capri. It feels like you're in Europe, The Mediterranean, and the Jurassic Period all at once. The water is literally crystal blue and low clouds appear over the island as a mist that falls and plunges around the tops. There are tons of grottos and rock formations jutting out of the ocean. The town on Capri is build vertically with different sections and districts abound. Feels like you're in some kind of RPG setting.

 

[Angel]

My dad travels around the world quite often courtesy of my stepmother's job as a stratospheric pure scientist. His response to most of the places that I would love to travel to has been "meh".

San Francisco? "Too gay"

Tokyo? "Too busy"

New York? "Too dirty"

Yellowstone? "Too dusty"

Panda Sanctuary in China - where you get to hold baby pandas and feed them? "Bit boring"

I don't even know what goes through his head when he travels...it certainly isn't an appreciation for other countries :lol:

Although he adores Iceland, but it is really really expensive.

 

[bSTAR_182]

My dad travels around the world quite often courtesy of my stepmother's job as a stratospheric pure scientist. His response to most of the places that I would love to travel to has been "meh".

San Francisco? "Too gay"

Tokyo? "Too busy"

New York? "Too dirty"

Yellowstone? "Too dusty"

Panda Sanctuary in China - where you get to hold baby pandas and feed them? "Bit boring"

I don't even know what goes through his head when he travels...it certainly isn't an appreciation for other countries :lol:

Although he adores Iceland, but it is really really expensive.

Is it bad that I agree with his thoughts on New York? San Francisco was beautiful but has its problems. They practically pride themselves with the homeless living there. I can’t see myself returning there. Yosemite was gorgeous though and I’d love to visit there again, even the small town right outside of the mountain area looked cute.

 

[Angel]

Considering my dad cannot see, I find it somewhat alarming that he thinks New York to be too dirty...like, what did he step in??

Didn't have the heart to tell him that visiting SF during Pride month was probably a bad shout if he was going to be irritated by it...

 

[bSTAR_182]

It’s really dirty around the touristy areas, like Time Square, I may be bias though as I love Boston more between the two cities. Lol

But it was a cool experience and I’d like to go back to NY as there were things that we didn’t get to do or see because it was rainy when we went. They have the best bagels and cream cheese too... that alone makes me want togo back. :lol:

 

[Jonipoon]

When I was a kid I visited New York and Florida, but since then I’ve always wanted to return to the US and make a road trip by car. And not just your regular ”from one coast to the other”. No, I have mapped out my so-called ”dream route” that would include countless of stops to places that I’ve always wanted to see.

I would basically start in New York and then drive up to Boston, stop by some small cozy towns by the sea before heading back into the country to reach Buffalo. There I would visit the Niagara falls before continuing down south to the state of Ohio in order to visit two of my ”must-visit” theme parks - Cedar Point and Kings Island. Afterwards the trip would continue down south to Kentucky and Louisville (where I actually have some relatives) before heading to cool places like Nashville and Knoxville. Then after stopping by Atlanta, I’d go a bit to the southeast into Florida and hangout in Miami for a couple of days.

Once done in Miami, the trip would continue back up northwest but not before visiting an aligator farm (which is something I never got the chance to do as a kid), and then I’d just follow the coastline until reaching New Orleans. Depending on timing, I’d love to be there just in the time for the huge jazz festival. After sobering up, I’d continue to drive along the coastline until reaching Houston in Texas. For some reason I’ve developed a sincere historical interest in the city of Galveston whies lies just below Houston, so that’s a place I’d checkout before moving onto the longest single route without any specific stop yet.... that is driving all the way from Houston to Las Vegas! Yikes! And of course, before reaching Vegas its obvious that I’d have to visit the Grand Canyon.

After I’m done with Vegas the trip would continue to LA where I’d like to stay for a couple of days as well. Visiting Napa valley and drinking some wine is a must, too. After all of that the trip would continue up north to the final destination - San Francisco. And that’s where I’d return the rental car and say bye-bye.

I do have a somewhat idealized vision of these places in my mind, and I’m a aware of that. But it doesn’t stop me from wanting to visit!

 

[Sien]

The idea of a good travel lives somewhere inside me but I showed willpower and decided to refrain from traveling this year. I want to see how the virus story ends. I have concomitant diseases and I would not want to spoil my karma by running into new troubles on the way.

 

[Angel]

Having just watched Murder Mountain on Netflix and despite the obvious down side of it all, I think Humboldt County in California looks stunning. Forget the marijuana farm wars over legal vs black market, the murders, the outlaws and the trashed cars all over the mountain itself...the countryside proper is beautiful.

Scared of all the guns though...