100 Things - #4
May. 7th, 2012 05:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
next_to_normalAnother question from fuelforflight (seriously, people! Ask me things!): If you had the time and resources to take a Grand Tour, what countries and cities would you choose to visit?
Ohhhh man. First, a disclaimer: this would be the longest trip EVER. I have an extensive list, and I'd want to spend at least a month in each country, and probably some cities would get a month all to themselves. That said...
Within the U.S., there are still a ton of places I've never been to - San Francisco tops the list, and while I'm out on the West Coast, I might as well hit Los Angeles, San Diego... actually, I really want to do a driving trip up the coast of California, stopping for a bit in the major cities, visiting lots of wineries, taking in the scenery. Other destinations on the "to do" list are Chicago, New Orleans, Alaska (preferably a cruise), Hawaii, and I would so do return trips to the Florida Keys, Boston, Charleston, New York, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, South Dakota, and hiking in the Appalachians. I also kind of want to visit all 50 states, just to say I've done it, and I am still missing quite a few (mostly the ones in the middle).
Of our neighbor to the north, I'd also like to visit Quebec and Vancouver (possibly when I'm leaving for my Alaska cruise, lol!). Heading south, I'd go back to Bermuda, I've never been to the Caribbean, and I'd love to see parts of Mexico and Central America (mainly the parts with pretty beaches, but also the Aztec and Mayan ruins).
Hopping across the pond, I'd obviously want to hit the British Isles, spend some time in London and the surrounding area, because I love it so, but I'd also try to branch out a bit and get to the places I haven't seen yet. In particular, I have never been to Scotland, and I missed large chunks of Ireland and Wales my first time through. Then over to France, where I'd stop in Paris because, again, I love it so, but then head down to southern France, which I never managed to get to on my previous visits. I've also heard that Vienna and Prague are lovely places to go.
Italy is #1 on my European destinations, though. Partly because I am Italian, partly because I love Italian food, partly because I like old ruins, and partly because I hear it's quite pretty. Let's set aside at least two months for that one, lol. Also a side trip to Sicily, and maybe a cruise of the Greek islands? Ooh, and if this cruise happened to hit Egypt so I could see the pyramids, all the better.
Dear lord, I've only made it halfway around the world, and it's probably already going to take me a year. I have less specific ideas about the rest of the world, since I'm not as familiar but I'd like to get to Scandinavia (I hear Iceland is nice?), Asia (lutamira is making South Korea seem pretty cool, plus probably some of those islands in Southeast Asia), and Australia. I'm sure I've missed a lot, but it's 5pm and I would like to post this and leave work now.
So, I leave you with three things:
1. Tell me the awesome places I left off the list!
2. What's on YOUR grand tour?
3. Who wants to put me up for a few days when I come through your neck of the woods on this epic journey of mine?
fuelforflight (seriously, people! Ask me things!): If you had the time and resources to take a Grand Tour, what countries and cities would you choose to visit?Ohhhh man. First, a disclaimer: this would be the longest trip EVER. I have an extensive list, and I'd want to spend at least a month in each country, and probably some cities would get a month all to themselves. That said...
Within the U.S., there are still a ton of places I've never been to - San Francisco tops the list, and while I'm out on the West Coast, I might as well hit Los Angeles, San Diego... actually, I really want to do a driving trip up the coast of California, stopping for a bit in the major cities, visiting lots of wineries, taking in the scenery. Other destinations on the "to do" list are Chicago, New Orleans, Alaska (preferably a cruise), Hawaii, and I would so do return trips to the Florida Keys, Boston, Charleston, New York, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, South Dakota, and hiking in the Appalachians. I also kind of want to visit all 50 states, just to say I've done it, and I am still missing quite a few (mostly the ones in the middle).
Of our neighbor to the north, I'd also like to visit Quebec and Vancouver (possibly when I'm leaving for my Alaska cruise, lol!). Heading south, I'd go back to Bermuda, I've never been to the Caribbean, and I'd love to see parts of Mexico and Central America (mainly the parts with pretty beaches, but also the Aztec and Mayan ruins).
Hopping across the pond, I'd obviously want to hit the British Isles, spend some time in London and the surrounding area, because I love it so, but I'd also try to branch out a bit and get to the places I haven't seen yet. In particular, I have never been to Scotland, and I missed large chunks of Ireland and Wales my first time through. Then over to France, where I'd stop in Paris because, again, I love it so, but then head down to southern France, which I never managed to get to on my previous visits. I've also heard that Vienna and Prague are lovely places to go.
Italy is #1 on my European destinations, though. Partly because I am Italian, partly because I love Italian food, partly because I like old ruins, and partly because I hear it's quite pretty. Let's set aside at least two months for that one, lol. Also a side trip to Sicily, and maybe a cruise of the Greek islands? Ooh, and if this cruise happened to hit Egypt so I could see the pyramids, all the better.
Dear lord, I've only made it halfway around the world, and it's probably already going to take me a year. I have less specific ideas about the rest of the world, since I'm not as familiar but I'd like to get to Scandinavia (I hear Iceland is nice?), Asia (
lutamira is making South Korea seem pretty cool, plus probably some of those islands in Southeast Asia), and Australia. I'm sure I've missed a lot, but it's 5pm and I would like to post this and leave work now.So, I leave you with three things:
1. Tell me the awesome places I left off the list!
2. What's on YOUR grand tour?
3. Who wants to put me up for a few days when I come through your neck of the woods on this epic journey of mine?
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Date: May. 7th, 2012 09:34 pm (UTC)I'll just copy and paste yours, lol. Though I'd probably balk at France and Italy. Not that I wouldn't like to go, but I have a horrible fear of being someplace where I don't speak the language, and I don't think I could learn enough to get by. I'm horrible at languages, and I'm horrible at negotiaing sitautions where I'm put on the spot. And I don't think I could do a group type tour, where I'm stuck with the same people and doing everything on the roster, even though other things would be taken care of. Though my sister speaks French passably enough, so maybe France is doable.
3. Who wants to put me up for a few days when I come through your neck of the woods on this epic journey of mine?
I will! I've got a motel and everything, lol. Though there's not anything you probably want to see here, honestly.
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Date: May. 9th, 2012 06:37 am (UTC)*grin* South Korea is awesome, but if you are looking for travel recs - Turkey and South Africa top my list as Best Places to Be a Tourist, Ever.
Places currently at the top of my to-visit list? Vietnam; Brazil; someplace tropical (I've never done a real beach vacation, so I don't even know what to put - Hawaii? Bermuda? the Canary Islands? Does it matter if there is warm white sand and swimmable water?)
And a question: In an AU version of your life, what is your career/occupation?
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Date: May. 11th, 2012 03:12 pm (UTC)Interesting! Not places you commonly hear recommended. What did you like about them?
I've never done a real beach vacation, so I don't even know what to put - Hawaii? Bermuda? the Canary Islands? Does it matter if there is warm white sand and swimmable water?
Ha! There is some truth to that.
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Date: May. 9th, 2012 06:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: May. 11th, 2012 03:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: May. 8th, 2012 12:21 am (UTC)New Zealand is on my list, likewise Australia. Wales, Scotland, Ireland. We're seriously thinking about taking a two week European cruise that begins in Amstradam and ends in, I think, Budapest. Goes all over the place.
Yeah, sure, we've got a guest room... oh wait, L. County wasn't on your list, was it? LOL
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Date: May. 11th, 2012 03:16 pm (UTC)Hahaha, I don't need to stay over with you - it's close enough for a day trip!
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Date: May. 8th, 2012 07:16 am (UTC)Mmmm I'd love to go back to Italy. They sure aren't lying about the pretty!
As for Egypt, the old temples are massively more impressive than the pyramids. Your jaw will drop, seriously.
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Date: May. 11th, 2012 03:19 pm (UTC)I'm a fan of anything old, so Egyptian temples it is! :)
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Date: May. 11th, 2012 03:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: May. 11th, 2012 10:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: May. 8th, 2012 07:44 am (UTC)Um, I want to go everywhere you mentioned. Where else to add? Spain, African safari, Japan would be neat. OOh, Galapagos Islands! Also, I have found out it looks much easier to get married in Scotland, so that's a tentative plan. Not sure of how scarily expensive though.
If you come visit me now, you can do some Appalachian hiking! Parts of the Appalachian trail are nearby, but I've heard that you may encounter weird hikers there.
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Date: May. 11th, 2012 03:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: May. 9th, 2012 01:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: May. 11th, 2012 03:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: May. 11th, 2012 02:49 pm (UTC)I'm hoping to spend my Christmas vacation in the British Isles, hopping from London (I want to do Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in London), the Lake District, Edinburgh, Glasgow, then take a ferry to Belfast and Dublin (I'll do New Year's Eve in Dublin), then hit Cardiff and Bristol on my way back to London to fly back to France.
For Spring Break I want to do a week in Paris (I'll have probably gone there for a week in the fall, but my French teacher says Paris is best in spring) and the second week in Amsterdam (TULIPS!).
Then after school gets out, my best friend and/or my sister and/or my mom are doing the Euro Tour, stopping in Milan, Rome, Venice,Prague, Vienna, Munich, Berlin, Brussles, Amsterdam again, London again, then Madrid and Barcelona, with a quick trip to Morocco, and back to the south of France.
If you're along the California coast, you can stay with me! I'm two and a half hours from San Francisco and six from LA. And I'll have an open couch in the South of France for the next year if you want to come!
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Date: May. 11th, 2012 03:25 pm (UTC)Oh man, you are going to have SUCH a good time! I'm jealous. :)