More Upbeat Speculation

[ladysprite]

Okay. So way back at the beginning of the year, I promised myself that umbran and I would go on a vacation sometime this year. I never actually expected to be able to follow through on that - we haven't gone on an actual vacation since 2006, I think, and didn't expect that to change - but... I've had it brought home to me that I do need to take better care of myself, and that that doesn't mean fasting, working out until I collapse, or working six-day weeks, and calling it practicality and tough love.

And now that SuperHusband has something resembling a job, we can start to think on this again. The problem is, I have no idea of where to go or what to do.

We never went on vacation when I was a kid. We didn't have any money, and my father didn't like.... well, as far as I can tell, he didn't like anything. I haven't traveled anywhere; when I was a kid my folks couldn't afford to send me for Study Abroad programs, and since then my money went to planning for vet school, going to vet school, and recovering from vet school. Other than one week in London, I have no real travel experience at all.

So I have no idea of how to plan a vacation, or where to go. There's a whole huge world out there, and I don't know where to start. In my fantasy world I'd love to go on a Mediterranean cruise, but while funds are improving, that's still a little bit out of reach.

I want to go *somewhere.* I'll be honest, as nice as Vermont and D.C. are, they still feel a little bit too much like home. I want something I can't drive to in a day. I want to wait until it's cold, and go somewhere warm. I'm slightly enamored of cruises, mostly because they'll let me go to a handful of places without unpacking and repacking and spending time in cars, but I'm not married to that idea. I'd rather avoid Hawaii and Disney, since the two vacations I've had as an adult have been to those places - I want someplace new.

So.... any suggestions? I know there are people reading this from all over the world, and who've been all over the world. Where's your favorite place to go on vacation? Any suggestions on how to choose, or how to plan it, or what to do when I'm there? Travel brochures are nice, but they actually tell you much that's practical....

Comments

do something that helps you relax!

[mamatiger.livejournal.com]

As a former Callahanian, you might consider Key West. (Which, now I look at it, sounds like something I want to do!)

You could do what Clark Howard (the financial guru) does -- he searches the travel websites, and goes to the place(s) that are the cheapest airfare deals at the moment.

There's this: VBRO: http://www.vrbo.com/ Vacation Rentals By Owner, where you rent a house in the (worldwide) location you want to see.

http://www.mobissimo.com/search_airfare.php -- search for cheap deals overseas!

I am going to Bora Bora one day. Even if I have to win the lottery to do it!!

[gmkieran.livejournal.com]

I am not particularly well-traveled, but I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to the U.K., particularly Scotland. Of course, I could spend 2 months in Edinburgh alone and not get bored. ;) Dublin was glorious and Wales is definitely underrated.

[braider.livejournal.com]

You should go with me to Nova Scotia! ;-)

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

I'd suggest possibly Guatemala for a short relaxing trip. Guatemala City is a pretty dangerous place, but La Antigua Guatemala is excellent and there's an amazingly relaxing and beautiful hotel in Santiago Atitlan.

For European destinations, how about Paris?

There was an article in the NY Times yesterday about how prices in Rhodes are dropping because of the euro and the various crises in Greece -- it's probably never been so affordable to visit Greece!

[serakit.livejournal.com]

I was very fond of Paris despite being at an age some would consider too young to enjoy it properly. It's filled with museums and stuff to do (and the top floor of the Eiffel Tower is definitely worth visiting).

If you're willing to consider someplace not warm, Alaska is a place you kind of have to do in the summer, but it is stunningly pretty and has all kinds of quirky offbeat culture-- when my family went there, we flew into Vancouver, spent a few days there, and then took a cruise up the Inside Passage. I recommend doing that; it's a fun way to get vacation luxuries and there is no other way to visit Juneau (it has no roads into or out of it).

Southern California, especially San Francisco and LA, are also nice places.

For actual vacation planning stuff... guidebooks might be much maligned, but they actually do give useful information to get you started! Once you're actually there, look around and talk to locals; they usually have a better idea of what the overlooked interesting things are. And B&Bs are quieter than hotels, often cheaper, and usually provide breakfast. (That's all off the top of my head; I can ask my mother for more-- she's an absolute whiz at planning vacations on a budget.)

[moiramisu.livejournal.com]

Many folks have suggested Canada, which is absolutely awesome, but that is not a warm place - that's a place to go when it's beastly hot in the US (August IMO is the best month to head north). If you want a warm place, then New Orleans is one of the best places to go in the fall/winter. The city is made of awesome, and there is so much more to do there than the stereotyical boozing on Bourbon Street (a fine activity for one night IMO, but not for a whole vacation). The Audubon run zoo in NOLA is one of the best in the country - something I suspect you'll appreciate. Tours of the Garden District are beautiful, there are great museums, etc.

Going in off-season (not Mardi Gras) there is not terribly expensive either - you can generally find very cheap flights if you plan ahead, and hotels even in the French Quarter (stay there - you can walk everywhere, & take tram to other parts of the city) just off Bourbon are not badly priced, and give a better experience.

[evcelt.livejournal.com]

New Orleans. Off-season (Hallowe'en is awesome), and there are some B&Bs just outside of the Quarter. If you decide on this, I can get you more detail.

Take a cruise. We went with Carnival. And, hey, they have cruises that homeport out of NOLA...

Caravan Tours runs a class operation. We've done their Guatemala tour and are doing their Mexico Ancient and Colonial one next month. Very reasonable prices, too. http://www.caravan.com/