International...TRAVEL!

[TravelingGal]

Wow there is certainly a lot to read and live vicariously through!

Blenheim, I really wanted to go to Kutna Hora, but just didn''t have time. It''s just so freaky looking...

All the place I have gone, I have visited alone. My first international trip was with 4 other girls to London and Paris, and it was enough to make me go on all future trips solo. I mean, how much shopping can a girl do? No thanks...not me.

I don''t spend much on rooms, but I go all out for food. A bed is a bed is a bed to me, but certain foods and flavors you just can''t get anywhere else.

However, now that I travel with my FI, the room DOES matter. We''re in it a bit more.

Australia and Ireland I stayed in B&Bs. But I backpacked everything else. Once you realize you can get a bed for the night for only 8 bucks, it''s hard to pay more...even though there are freaks staying in the room with you. But it''s how I met my FI so I definitely can''t complain. I was 30 when I did a several month backpacking trip, so I was definitely one of the older ones out there.

Traveling solo is one of the best things in the world...total freedom. When else in your adult life do you get to be totally and utterly selfish? You definitely have to have some solid street smarts and gut instinct though. I tended to travel spontaneously, which meant at any given time, NO ONE THE WORLD knew where I was. One time, I was on the Greek Island Paros, and needed lodging. I had gotten into the habit at this point of just figuring out where I was gonna stay when I got to the destination. As soon as I got off the ferry, there were tons of people swarming me offering accommodation. I finally negotiated with a guy named Nick and got into his car to get there.

All turned out better than good...for 25 bucks, I got a room with the view below. But in hindsight, it was something I wouldn''t do at home...just jump into a car with a stranger (a male no less) with no one in the world knowing my wearabouts. Eek.

 

[cellososweet]

I''m not an LIW, but i really love this thread. Hope you all don''t mind

1. How many countries have you traveled to?
united states, mexico, new zealand, spain, france, england, australia, canada, fiji, ummm. . .wow. . i know there is way more than this but i''m doped up on tylenol severe cold
2. Which was your favorite?
Mexico (Puerto Vallarta), but i''m biased because it was an anniversary vacation with FI and we did nothing but sit on our butts, drink free beer and wade in the perfect clear water. Adventure wise though, definitely Spain (Barcelona).
3. What was the best thing you''ve eaten on your travels?
Hmmmm. . . . so many things. steak and beef fajitas in puerto vallarta, filet mignon cooked in wine in spain, eclairs in new york. hmm. . but by far my favorite thing ever is custard squares from new zealand (where my mum grew up)
4. What is your favorite souvenir from your travels?
Tribal stuff from New Zealand (carvings, whakas, tikis, whalebones, etc) Growing up as a Maori in the US, i feel devoid of culture. It feels good to bring this stuff home.

 

[bee*]

Part deux:
Since I live in Ireland, if we are going anywhere in europe its only about a two to three hour flight so we just go to one country at a time. Most times we''ve travelled to America, we travel around a couple of states as seeing as we''ve flown so far we might as well see a couple of places. I have to say that I like my hotels-not 5* ones as Im not that rich

but I like coming back to somewhere nice after travelling all day. We''ve stayed in a couple of hostels in Paris and Germany and I think the one in Paris turned us off them forever-never stay in the young and happy hostel

.

 

[velveteenrabbit]

1. How many countries have you traveled to?
Hmmmm, all over the US, Canada, Venezuela, St. Lucia, St. Maartin, Aruba, England, France, Scotland, Greece, Japan, Korea -- 11 I guess (I excluded the US, as I live here)

2. Which was your favorite?
I love Greece. Santorini and Mykonos are probably my favorite places there.

3. What was the best thing you''ve eaten on your travels?
Sashimi in Japan -- I can''t explain why it''s a billion times better than it is in New York, but it just .... is. Yummy.

4. What is your favorite souvenir from your travels?
My photos and my memories are my favorite souvenirs. For some weird reason, I''m never too much into shopping when I''m travelling -- which is very strange, considering how much I love shopping at home

 

[Blue824]

Ooh I love talking about traveling!

Btw, Charger - so cool that you work at Food Network!!

OK,

How many countries have you traveled to?
Mexico, Canada, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Island (Ok so I guess those last two don''t count cuz they''re the US right?), Austria, Czech Republic, England, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Vatican City

... so that is like 15 with out the US territories... Has anyone ever checked this site? The Travelers'' Century Club Fun checklist of places to go... and I didn''t count the random places I''d been on trains through, even though I have thier passport stamps. They have loose guidelines, I''ve been to a lot more by their standards, but 100 is my goal! More than 100 if possible, but I''ll be content with 100

Oh, and I want to fill my passport up before it expires too.

Which was your favorite?
Italy. Hands down! I love it there. I have special memories from all of my travels though.

What was the best thing you''ve eaten on your travels?
In Florence we were wandering around and got a little lost and ended up in this small trattoria for dinner and omg, the ravioli... I don''t know what they did to it, but thinking about it now, 4 years later, still makes me salivate! Ooh... and I lived next to one of the best frites places ever in Paris, however, those may have only been really good cuz we''d get them at 3am after a night out on the town... oh and the tarte across the street...

What is your favorite souvenir from your travels?
My photographs, do those count? I also usually bring something back with a cow on it too.

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 6/29/2006 2:56:04 PM
Author: TravelingGal
as I got off the ferry, there were tons of people swarming me offering accommodation. I finally negotiated with a guy named Nick and got into his car to get there.All turned out better than good...for 25 bucks, I got a room with the view below. But in hindsight, it was something I wouldn''t do at home...just jump into a car with a stranger (a male no less) with no one in the world knowing my wearabouts. Eek.

HI:

My DH and I did this in Morocco--well sort of--we had accomodation at the El Minza (the Rolling Stones were in our hotel!!!) but took our chances with a guy to give us a tour from the Port...he was wonderful..but the whole 10,000 people in your face is scary (also happened in Bangkok ((with my girlfriend)), but we told them to, well, get lost and managed somehow to get to our hotel after a 12 hour flight....)

What a beautiful view from your room--reminds me of Greece--everywhere!! One of my favorite travel desitnations!!!

cheers--Sharon

 

[hlmr]

TravelingGal, that view in Paros is just spectacular!!!! Amazing and gorgeous. Greece is somewhere I will visit within the next few years. I have always wanted to go there!

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 6/30/2006 1:55:30 PM
Author: hlmr
TravelingGal, that view in Paros is just spectacular!!!! Amazing and gorgeous. Greece is somewhere I will visit within the next few years. I have always wanted to go there!

I know...I couldn''t believe I got that place for about 25 bucks a night. However it wasn''t peak tourist season yet. The water came right up to the place...so when I sat on the balcony, I felt like I was on a boat because all I couldn''t see where the water began on one side. The room itself was very humble though. I''ll post another pic! By the way, the town is Naoussa on the island of Paros. Not as happening as, say, Santorini, but I liked it way better. Santorini, while very pretty, was just way too crowded and touristy for me. It was the only place where I felt I could completely get away with speaking only English and not making an effort whatsoever, which I didn''t like.

While Santorini and Naoussa were cool, I don''t think it was as amazing as people my think. The architecture is pretty ick actually. Newer concrete blocks just put up, and painted in that white and blue everyone loves. They put up so many quick places of lodging because people stay on the island during the season to make money, then go home to Athens and don''t have to work. Late April/early May is when I went, and it was really lovely.

Here''s a pic off the balcony toward the sea...

 

[TravelingGal]

And the other direction looking at the town of Naoussa...

 

[TravelingGal]

Thought I would add this last pic...it''s of the lodging I was in. Mine is the top right one with the wood railing. You can see what I mean about the white concrete blocks....kind of blah IMO. But the islands are pretty enough that somehow, all those white blocks just work.