Tell me where to go (travel ideas)

Now that I'm single and quitting my job, I gotta get some travel done.  The job was such a time suck that I never had more than about one day free except my summers which I spent in Canada.

I'm already planning some trips this fall.  The list is long, so some will get cut, but I want to see friends in:

Portland/Seattle/Bellingham/Tacoma, Atlanta, Austin,  New Orleans, L.A., Maybe SEMA in Vegas.  I would love to do it all on the motorcycle, but that is a massive amount of butt time.   I also know a former co-worker went home to Sicily and he's been begging me to come to Catania.

Also planning to go back to Costa Rica for part of February.

Suggest some good, fun, inexpensive foreign travel destinations for me to hit.  I like to travel intrepidly;  backpack, hostels, couch surfing, camping, and a camera.  I also like to travel to places with cultures as different as possible from mine, so maybe lean toward Indonesia instead of Ireland, or Morocco instead of Mexico.

Well if you’re traveling between ATL and NOLA please stop by & we have room if you need a place to crash. 

I do like Biloxi, Pete.  If I make the trip, expect my butt on your couch.

I was in Belize almost a year ago.  It was pretty cool, and very cheap.  Hostels have got to be nearly free there.

Did a trip to Italy last fall.  Venice and Rome were cool to see for about 3 minutes until you realize that the crowd will never dissipate.  Also expensive.  However, central Italy, away from that crap, was incredible.  I really want to go back and bike across it.  We stayed in Spoleto.  I guess what I'm saying is I would take your co-worker up on his offer.

I like that.  He's talking about spending 5 days on Sicily and then head over to the mainland for a little touring for a few days.  I've been to northern Italy a few times, but never south of Venice and Milan.

The nice thing about travel (for me) is that my goal is to experience stuff.  If I travel alone, that means I skip around until I find a connection.  If I go to see my co-worker, I don't really care if I see the Colosseum or make it to Florence.  The experience of living with a local, as a local is far more important to my experience than what I actually experience if that makes sense.

That is to say, I can go somewhere and try to understand the customs and traditions on my own, but if I have a local friend who is my "cultural translator," it is far more worthy to me than seeing the traditional sights that everyone does.  For instance, if I were a foreigner coming to the US, I wouldn't want to see the Statue of Liberty, the Grand Canyon, and Mount Rushmore.  I would want to live with a friend in Kansas, then couch surf with a friend-of-a-friend in Oregon.  I want to experience the life of a local, not be on a bus with a bunch of fanny-pack tourists seeing the commercial attractions.

Agreed.  Local flavor/experience > mega tourist stops.

There was plenty of enjoyable stuff to see in central Italy, just in one small town.  I'm sure I could kill years there without going to any huge cities.  Let me know if you end up going/planning on it, and I'll be happy to share some of the stuff I found/did.

I had a friend that went to Belize a few years back and liked it. I'm not much help for foreign travel, but if you want to see the real Georgia (which is not Atlanta), come hang out a few days on our couch. We might even blow up the aerobed for ya.  We're outside Macon, so there's a great local music scene, great food to eat, classic southern agriculture, an air force museum, and some history to be had.  

I know you're not a fan of florida, but the beach is super chill right now. Spring break is about over, weather is warming up, it's a good place to be. Water is too cold on the Atlantic side, but the gulf is solid. Might he alright to just chill.

I'll second central Italy. Rome and Florence were a nightmare, but we spent about a week just outside of a medieval walled town called monteriggioni, and it was amazing. Incredible food and wine, friendly people, and lots to see and do off the beaten path. If you want to do the city thing for a day or two, Siena is close and was much less overwhelming.

Mndsm said:

I know you're not a fan of florida, but the beach is super chill right now. Spring break is about over, weather is warming up, it's a good place to be. Water is too cold on the Atlantic side, but the gulf is solid. Might he alright to just chill.

A facebook friend did invite me to Sarasota.  Another one suggested the Keys.  Might be a nice ride on the Hardly-a-Davidson.

cmcgregor said:

I'll second central Italy. Rome and Florence were a nightmare, but we spent about a week just outside of a medieval walled town called monteriggioni, and it was amazing. Incredible food and wine, friendly people, and lots to see and do off the beaten path. If you want to do the city thing for a day or two, Siena is close and was much less overwhelming.

It has been three years since my co-worker moved back to Sicily, and every time I search for flights I can't find one less than $1300.  I did find one once for $923, but there were three layovers and the total trip time was 28 hours.  I'm not broke, but I am cheap.  My three-week Costa Rica vacation with flight, car rental, food, lodging (a hammock on the beach), a 4-day pass to a music festival, beer, gas, everything was less than $1300.

I should look into maybe flying into mainland and renting a Lancia and driving/ferrying down.

Edit:  as I re-read that I'm thinking, "someone finally found a benefit to having a Lancia.  It can save you money on a flight."

Oof. I think we paid something like $700 round trip. We had a direct flight from Boston to Rome, then rented a car and drove up to Tuscany. We flew out of Florence to Boston via Paris - all of it was easy except for the shuttle from the airport to Rome, since the airport is like an hour from the city center, and dropping off the car in Florence, since we got there before they were open and Italy apparently doesn't believe in either punctuality or key drops.

Central/south America is definitely cheaper but I don't have any experience to offer. Sounds like you'll have a good time wherever you go though.

In reply to Curtis :

Theres grm friendlies all over the place, I will say that. H-d friendly too. 

cmcgregor said:

Oof. I think we paid something like $700 round trip. We had a direct flight from Boston to Rome, then rented a car and drove up to Tuscany. We flew out of Florence to Boston via Paris - all of it was easy except for the shuttle from the airport to Rome, since the airport is like an hour from the city center, and dropping off the car in Florence, since we got there before they were open and Italy apparently doesn't believe in either punctuality or key drops.

Central/south America is definitely cheaper but I don't have any experience to offer. Sounds like you'll have a good time wherever you go though.

 

I think my problem is the Sicily part.  I can fly to Rome for $700, but Catania, Sicily is a 10 hour drive from Rome.

Although... is a leisurely drive through sud italia such a bad thing?

One of the nice things about Central America is that you can find whatever you need if you just re-adjust your thinking to 1975.  I rented a car when I was in Costa Rica, but if I was willing to hitchhike, take a random bus, or buy a Honda Trail from a local kid, I would have been fine. (but on luck's schedule, not my own.)  When I was in Costa Rica I made friends with a motorcycle repair guy.  I think if I told him I would give him $250us to have a bike ready for me, he could do it.  When I was done, I would drive it up to the airport, park it in the red zone, and walk away.

In reply to Curtis : It’s hard to get back in the dating pool if you’ve been out of it for a while. Car/ motorcycle travel tends to be pretty lonesome. 

When you travel as a single travel smart!   Cruises are a target rich environment. Ladies tend to go on cruises. A little foresight will Increase dramatically your chance to be with a lot of single ladies. Look for/Ask  for teachers, Liberians, and nurse conventions/ tour groups.  Singles groups?  There will be plenty of single men competing but nobody will be evasive.  A little too desperate for my tastes. 

Trains also are target rich. Unlike airplanes where you are pretty much stuck with whoever is assigned the seat next to you. On a train wandering around and meeting new people is normal.  The pace is slower and a nice tip to the conductor along with a request to seat you next to single ladies in the dining car  will yield some interesting meetings.  .  

The countless internet dating sites are a pure numbers game.  I’d look/ read 100 profiles for every one I’d respond to. Maybe one out of ten responds back. Of those 7 out of 10 are looking for a BBD  Bigger, better, Deal.  2 are just desperate.  and if you are lucky one will strike up a nice chat with you.. In the end I stopped looking at pictures and started reading the profiles/ descriptions. 

Make sure your profile gets a response. Have a professional portrait taken preferably in a suit or Tux. No selfies, especially nothing showing a bare chest etc.  It doesn’t matter how fit or good looking you think you are. Women will be turned off and scan right past them. 

In your profile make it read like a lost puppy, romantic as heck.  Keep it honest but not critical.  Single reads better than divorced but tells the same thing.  Get a female friend to review it.  Men are from mars——- we just don’t think like them. 

When you list what you are looking for the first thing must be a recognition that every woman knows her flaws. None of them think they are beautiful or sexy or have a great figure.  Even when they do or are.  

If by chance they do think that, run away!!! Man eater alert. 

No one wants to admit they are lonely and maybe a little desperate. But here they are along with you on the internet. 

They all like/want  long romantic walks, a crackling fire,  romance novel stuff.  They blather about sports, fishing, even hunting while secretly  wanting family gatherings and maybe dancing.  

Men just want sex and will put up with some of the rest of it for that.  But you can’t say that.  Men are from mars blah blah blah! 

Dont tell them your profession or education etc.  Paint a picture of things you might think they’d like to do with you.  Don’t say I like to drive cars in empty parking lots as fast as I can with other guys.  

Talk about the beautiful  Kettle Moraine country around Elkhart Lake and how the antiquing is fun along with the quaint old country inns like  Sebikins.  How easy it is to meet the movie stars and celebrities  since they share your interests.  ( notice not a word was a lie but cars were never mentioned ) 

Look you’ve got at best 15-20 words to capture their attention and get a response don’t  blow em. 

My late wife started me on the internet before she passed and afterwards I had my daughter help me  for the first year.  On my own I would have made a mess.  Men are from Mars. 

I am hitting up Guatemala for 10 days to ride dirt bikes and go surfing for 10 days.  Flight was $530 round trip, hostels are dirt cheap.  Unsure of bike rentals because old friend ex-patted down there and owns rental place and hostels.  My fee for bikes and board is using my luggage to bring down gear he cannot get there.  

Without hook up, you could still do it for not much over a K.  I also am with you on the people/ living experience over some old buildings.  

Extra room here in PHX if you want it.  Bike in the garage lean to the sport and dirt variety, but I guess letting a HD in would be OK. 

In your case I’d want to aim for places where there are a lot of available and beautiful single women - I’m thinking Eastern Europe and definitely the Czech Republic.

In reply to Curtis :

You don't really want us to tell you where to go, do you?  

Curtis said:

cmcgregor said:

Oof. I think we paid something like $700 round trip. We had a direct flight from Boston to Rome, then rented a car and drove up to Tuscany. We flew out of Florence to Boston via Paris - all of it was easy except for the shuttle from the airport to Rome, since the airport is like an hour from the city center, and dropping off the car in Florence, since we got there before they were open and Italy apparently doesn't believe in either punctuality or key drops.

Central/south America is definitely cheaper but I don't have any experience to offer. Sounds like you'll have a good time wherever you go though.

 

I think my problem is the Sicily part.  I can fly to Rome for $700, but Catania, Sicily is a 10 hour drive from Rome.

Although... is a leisurely drive through sud italia such a bad thing?

One of the nice things about Central America is that you can find whatever you need if you just re-adjust your thinking to 1975.  I rented a car when I was in Costa Rica, but if I was willing to hitchhike, take a random bus, or buy a Honda Trail from a local kid, I would have been fine. (but on luck's schedule, not my own.)  When I was in Costa Rica I made friends with a motorcycle repair guy.  I think if I told him I would give him $250us to have a bike ready for me, he could do it.  When I was done, I would drive it up to the airport, park it in the red zone, and walk away.

Glad you brought that up- not sure how bad of an idea it is to travel from Rome to Sicily.  Seems like a great idea if you can take time to do it.  

The large question- how much time do you have for this trip?  2 weeks, 2 months?  And in that time, how much time do you want to see stuff.  Is 5 days in Sicily too long or too short?  

IMHO, once you frame the time you can spend, you can then frame the trip a little better.  For anything- a drive around the US (or part of it), wandering around Central America, or someplace in Europe.  

While you are thinking about it- it may be a good time to consider some kind of rewards CC, so that you can cash in on it.  Perhaps you can get tickets to Europe that would normally cost $2000 for a simple $500 ticket (we somehow extended our original Rome flight to Milan- for no extra cost because they were reward tickets)

SVreX said:

In reply to Curtis :

You don't really want us to tell you where to go, do you?  

Yeah there’s been a lot of group therapy mental masturbation threads lately. And way too many “learn me I’m lazy” threads.

South Africa is pretty interesting and cheap. Fly into Johannesburg and drive 2 hours to the Pilansburg National Park. (https://www.pilanesbergnationalpark.org)  The lodges are particularly awesome and the drive to and from are eye-opening.  Sun City is nearby and is cool to just walk around even if you don't stay.  (Watch Blended with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, it was filmed at the resort)  Then grab a commuter flight down to Cape Town.  The wine down there is to die for and cheaper than soda. Great beaches, great surfing and great food.  

A trip to Dubai is another "out of the way" destination.  Very western friendly, the car scene is INSANE, easy to get around and lots of cool stuff to do and see.  Not cheap, but you can walk around and see stuff for free.  Dahab is another awesome location, but the situation in Egypt at the moment might keep me away.  

smokindav said:

In your case I’d want to aim for places where there are a lot of available and beautiful single women - I’m thinking Eastern Europe and definitely the Czech Republic.

I was in Praha  a couple of years ago &  smokindav is onto something.  And in CZ, just in case you can't make it on you wit,good looks & charm, prostitution is legal.

I'll recommend Shanghai.

It's a really cool, modern city, or just outside of city-center it's amazingly rural. I was there for 10 days last year and spent $110 US for food and souvenirs the whole trip. 

It's pretty cheap to get there too, you need a visa, I applied for a 90-day, they gave me a 10-year. My plane ticket was $690 round trip. When I landed in Shanghai, they had cold beer in the vending machines. I flew into Hongqiao airport, just outside of the city, it was cheaper than flying into Pudong, which is in the new-high tech downtown.

In city-center you won't have too much trouble finding English speakers and most signage is in Chinese and English. I stayed at a really affordable hotel for 3 days a few blocks from the Bund called Lakeside Holiday Inn, which was neither near a lake nor an actual Holiday Inn.

Outside of the city, in a tiny canal town, I stayed in hostels for near-free. Nothing is in English and no one speaks English, if you like getting lost and out of comfort zone, it's a good way to do it, if not, stick to Shanghai and/or go to Hangzhou and Suzhou by high-speed rail, for less common, but still findable English speakers.

It was one hell of an affordable adventure, the only negative part was the 14-hour flight.

I still have 9 years on my visa so I plan on going back. 

I totally appreciate the dating stuff, but its waaaay too early for me to start thinking that way.  Maybe in a few months.  I'm an emotional mess right now.

In reply to Curtis :I expect you are, most of us have been there,  some a few times.  

But one thing to avoid is too much time dwelling on things from the past you can’t change.  As soon as you can do the British thing, Stiff upper lip and get back on the Horse.  

More than a slight chance whoever you are with is in the same spot  and doesn’t want anything more than a distraction.  

Take your time in that regard though.