You can drop everything and travel: where do you go?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Imagine you could drop everything tomorrow and travel. Where would you go and why? And/or, where would you go back to, of places you’ve been?

Cost is more or less not a factor - assume you can get vacation time, plane tickets and a room - but no fair buying a Gulfstream to fly to the private island you just bought. Oh, and you can imagine it’s a different season as well - say, if your dream destination is skiing in Chamonix.

I’ll start: first, Tanzania. Why? Zanzibar, climbing Kilimanjaro, wildlife in Ngorogoro Crater.

Of places I’ve been, I’d go back to Italy’s Cinque Terre, or one of the quiet beaches in southern Thailand.

2

Equatorial Guinea. Even though I don’t know much Spanish and that entire regime is terribly messed up, there is nothing I would like more than traveling to the abandon islands like Bioko. They used to be part of the Spanish empire as trading depots so now there are whole cities deserted with little to no documentation of such. Artifacts strewn about and the like. Plus, the whole place just seems mysteriously magical to me.

3

New England. I’ve never been, but I have always been fascinated by this area of the United States.

I’ve been to California, but I’d love a return trip to San Francisco and Los Angeles. A week out there would refresh me and get me out of the Texas heat.

4

I’d go back to Tahiti and I plan to go when I have the money and time. Don’t know if I’d stay on Bora Bora or Morea, but either would be great.

Eventually I’d like to go on an Africa Safari and trek through one of the national parks that has lots of wildlife.

5

Funny; I am actually going on a trip tomorrow. To San Francisco. It’s supposed to reach a high of 68F this weekend.

But if I could go anywhere I wanted tomorrow?

Wisconsin Dells. I’ve got a serious craving for some all day waterslide fun, and though I’ve never been there, from what I’ve seen and read, it’'s just about the best place in the world for waterslide enthusiasts. I’d be more than happy to spend this weekend there.

6

Ireland. Do the whole touristy literature thing, Joyce and Shaw and Johnathan Swift and everything I could fit in in my allotted time.

Go back to London, I’ve only been once and it was far too brief a visit.

7

California, the Canadian Rockies, England, and Australia would be high on the list.

8

Well, since it’s a cool question and user name combined, here’s where I’d go on the first trip. Note, I have planned and costed this one out, and it would all be on my first lottery win trip :slight_smile:

Note 2, start point is YOW.
YOW DCA - 3 days stay
DCA LGA - 3 days stay
LGA ORD - 3 days stay
ORD LAX - 2 days stay
LAX AUK - 4 days stay
AUK SYD - 5 days stay
SYD HKG - 3 days stay
HKG FRA - 3 days stay
FRA CDG - 3 days stay
CDG LHR - 5 days stay
LHR YOW - home again

Just a little “tase some of the world” trip that would price out to about $16,000 CAD.

Then I’d take more trips back to the same cities to actually experience, rather than “taste” them.

9

One of my life goals is to see the David, so I’d go to Italy. I’d see lots and lots of art. There are a whole lot of other places in Europe I’d love to see as well.

10

Maccu Picchu, The Galapagos Islands, Hudson Bay and Easter Island.

I’d also love to go back to Quito, Ecuador, and to this little cabin on Spencer Pond, North of Greenville, ME. It’s about 20 miles back on a dirt road and one of the most wonderful places I’ve ever been.

11

I’d tour the Archives of the south. Particularly Virginia, Georgia and Tennessee. It’ll be cheap too if any millionaires want to sponser me. I’d probably need at least a year.

12

Hey I did this for six weeks a couple years ago, it was wonderful. Just go, don’t look back. Six weeks, sigh, I remember it still. I went to SE Asia, but that was more because I was familiar with it and wanted to see some friends. I have suffered from wanderlust my entire adult life.

If I had my druthers, right this second, I would go, without a moments hesitation to a place I have longed to go to for many, many years. Sri Lanka.

Yeah, I know, tsunami and everything. But I’m not a timid traveller. Hell, I once went to Nepal while it was under an Indian embargo, against the advice of the travel agent. And I had a fabulous time, the naysayers had it all wrong, there were some challenges, but it was nothing really. So I’d be off to Sri Lanka right smartly. And let me tell you why.

They have several things which I adore in places that I travel. It’s a Buddhist centre so that would be great for me as I love Buddhist culture, it is warm and inviting in the extreme. Beaches, I need beaches, stunning, tropical, Edenlike beaches. Good food, can’t say I’m familiar with a distinctly Sri Lankan cuisine but there must be one, as I love Indian and most Asian food I’m sure it would be a wonderful learning experience. Tea, I am a tea devotee, must have it, visiting places which already have a rich tea culture is always a treat.

I could go on all day, it’s a very curious spot. Jungles, ruins, aging colonial architecture.
You want history? The history of Sri Lanka reads like the Arabian nights, only it’s all true. Intrigue, desire, double crossing, dynasties rising and falling better than any work of fiction, I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

Okay, this is only fueling my wanderlust, I gotta quit now, but thank you for asking.

13

This may sound boring , but I would love to take a trip to spend about a month (at least) with each of my best friends , one in Virginia and one in Maine . Just hanging out , catching up of life , relaxing , laughing till our faces hurt .

Barring that , I would love for the 3 of us to meet in FL for about a month , with the money enough to do what we wanted to . sigh

14

I’d go sailing in the Carib. What the heck, then sail to Ireland and visit my cousins. Then sail back to the Carib. Via Bali.

15

Spain. Southern Spain, to be specific. I’ve been there three times total, two on a rushed family vacation and one to spend a month studying and living with a Spanish family (although, that was in in central Spain). I love the people, the language, the culture, the food, the architecture, everything. Southern Spain also has an amazing Moorish influence.
I love everything about the country, and hopefully will live there some day.

16

I’m not too long back from three weeks in Vietnam. I’ve already done a good bit of Thailand, Cambodia and saw the highlights of Malaysia.

I’d go back tomorrow. Spent some time chilling out in Chang Mi then move around Thailand, head into Cambodia to see Ankor again a quick stop in Vietnam to chill in Nah Thrang and Hoi An and then off to Nepal, Tibet and China. I could spend a year in Asia easily.

Then onto the rest of the world starting with South America.

17

I’d got to Japan. I’ve been studying Japanese on and off for about five years but I rarely get a chance to speak it. I’d probably spend a week or so in Tokyo and then go to Kyoto. I’d definitely stay at ryokan (Japanese inns) and visit onsen (the hot springs). Ummm, I’d definitely need to plan it out more but I think I’d want to stay for at least six weeks.

18

New Zealand. The photos I’ve seen of various places there are spectacular enough that I can imagine being there would be incredible.
I’d also love to hook up with some Maori and we could have a big rockin’ intertribal feast! Also I think the Maori dudes with the full face tattoos are hot. pant pant

19

Oh yea, I’d go to Japan next too. The hot springs would definitely be on the list. Plus I’d bring a stack of cash solely to spend on weird Engrish souvenirs. One would be the Tickle Me Elmo doll I saw a photo of, the box of which proclaimed, “Crap your hands!” :smiley:

20

The moons of Jupiter and Saturn.