Places to Go

So, finally going to leave the country for the first time ever this year. I have multiple options so I ask, what would be the best?

Also, do you travel a lot and have you been to any of these places, or beyond?

Here are my chocies:

Paris, France - My friend at Illumination Studios has invited me down here. May end up being more of a business trip than a vacation, but hey it's Paris!

Berlin, Germany - Someone said I should go here. My bf's aunt is moving here because of her husband's military base, so we've been invited.

Atlantis in Jamaica - We have a time share here, so mind as well use it. :kakapo:

And if all else fails, will be going to Cali after April.

I practically lived in Paris from the age of 7-11. I haven't been back since, but I remember every single moment of it. Trust me, Paris is everything they say it is, and then some.

Berlin is boring. Been there on "fun trips", and even though the sex life is amazing there, the town itself is pretty European standard.

England, France, and Greece are the big ones I'd love travel to and see.

Florence and Venice are the best cities ever imo.

I've been to most of the eastcoast US, Montreal, The Netherlands, Germany, Hungry, Switzerland, Italy, France, New Zealand, Australia and Antigua.

Don't go to Venice in August, it is super stinky and crowded beyond belief, or so says my brother. Then again he also said Bangkok was extremely stinky, so maybe that is a pet peeve of his.

Come to that, much of France smells like urine, because guys really, really don't want to bother going to a pay toilet to the extent that they have made public "pissoires" which are also very stinky, but at least only in one place, and guys still don't use them...

That being said, I recommend Toulouse if you get to go to France. The south of France has that bit of Spanish influence and is just absurdly beautiful. I haven't been to Paris yet, but I had the super awesome good luck to have many roommates from many countries, so I visited 2 friends in France and one in Germany on one trip. Berlin is darn cool, and I liked it after France a lot because people came up to me all the time in France to tell me how tall I am. Wow, thanks, I did not know. And they don't sell any clothes that would fit me in France. At all. Germany felt comfier, but less exotic to me than France, less oohing and ahhing. I have not been to Paris yet though... This first solo trip made me really, really like traveling, although it gets super tiring and you never have as much time as you think you will.

I haven't been anywhere Caribbean, but I found even though I thought I liked my weather cold, L.A. is surprisingly lovely and I want to go back to Hawaii hardcore. We only stayed in the Waikiki and Honolulu area, but it was again surprisingly awesome even with the touristiness. And I did not see the giant spiders I fear in warmer climates, maybe cause I went in January?

I was told of the spiders in Australia and New Zealand, so if anyone has travel tips for the spider (and mosquito - allergic) fearing, please share.

Also, I got to go to a friend's wedding in Kobe, Japan, and it was pretty freakin cool there. Got a sweet train pass for the week and went to Osaka, Tokyo, Kyoto, and my friend's hometown, Toyama. In Tokyo, the people shoving you one trains is insane. I will be going back someday despite having to go through the insanely, insanely long flight and train travel from the NE U.S.

In north america, Montreal. Seriously, just go there. My only warning is that the francophones can sometimes be rude if you say you're american and don't make any effort to speak at least a few words in French (way more rude than France, though the store clerk in a department store in Lyon totally lectured me before letting me buy earrings because I used a non-formal word instead of the formal one). It still remains my fave city. Simply awesome and not a world away.

Otherwise, I went to England and Scotland when I was a kid (like 11) because my mom had friends there from college, but I bet it is even more fun as an adult. I wanna go to Ireland badly too. And Bulgaria, but that is another story.

Yeah, I wanna go everywhere. I wrote a tome. I guess I just can't wait to get my health to a place where I can travel again, hopefully before it becomes impossible again financially...

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Originally Posted by Gu-fu-fu

I was told of the spiders in Australia and New Zealand, so if anyone has travel tips for the spider (and mosquito - allergic) fearing, please share.

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Harden up ;)

I went to a pretty wide variety of states when I travelled to USA last year, that was my first time out of the country though. Next on my list is Italy and England, and while there I'd love to do a couple of Eastern European countries.

If you had to choose between those options, I would choose Paris.

The metro stations really do smell so badly of urine. But other than that, Paris is lovely.

Kinda hard to harden up to the point of not having an allergic reaction...

I've always wanted to go to Paris. I will go there someday, and hopefully live there.

My first big journey was in December to Sweden and around London with Paulrus. When I go back to the UK later this year, I hope to do more exploring in Scotland, England and Ireland. I'd like to visit Italy someday to see where my ancestors came from. I think I'd be happy to travel anywhere in Europe or the east and I'd like to fill up my passport someday.

I've traveled all over the west since I can remember. My grandparents had a chronic case of wanderlust that I guess got passed down to me through my mom. We'd pack up the car on a Friday evening after my dad got home from work and take a six hour drive to Vegas or a little bit of a stretch to California and come home on Sunday night. Over and over and over, to all the states in the west. Those are probably the best memories I have of my childhood - roadtrips. As an adult, I have continued to travel all over the west. I love road trips and I will never stop taking them.

Later this year, my sister and I are going to make a cross-country road trip from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho to New York City. I am so smurfing excited. In addition to always having wanted to see NYC, I've always wanted to drive across the country and I'm actually going to do it this year.

Someday I'll go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans and explore the French Quarter and the beautiful graveyards and plantations and estates down there. I don't think I'd care much to live there but I'd sure like to visit.

Well, I was living in Paris until I moved to China, and can recommend it. It really is a great place. Pain in the arse to live in, though. xD

If you do decide to go there, I've got a list of the best places, hehe! (Touristy and non-touristy!)

Go to Dublin or Belfast. :colbert:

Come to Cali when Clo comes and we can all get drunk and stuff. :p

Out of those I'd choose Germany.

I would've never guessed that France would have a pissier metro system than NYC. One time I saw a pile of human feces on the stairs of the 1 train in NY so suppose it could always be worse.

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Originally Posted by Shorty

Later this year, my sister and I are going to make a cross-country road trip from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho to New York City.

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:aimkiss:

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Originally Posted by I'm my own MILF

Go to Dublin or Belfast. :colbert:

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Why?

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Originally Posted by NorthernChaosGod

Come to Cali when Clo comes and we can all get drunk and stuff. :p

Out of those I'd choose Germany.

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Why. Also when is she going?

Why?

:( Because?

I think June. :(

i really enjoyed berlin, the ambience was cool and the architecture was pretty good, especially along the river. museum island stole most of my time there and i went through as many as i could. gorgeous roman/greek sections.

berlin ist gros

ich habe nicht in paris und atlantis bleiben

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Originally Posted by Shorty

When I go back to the UK later this year, I hope to do more exploring in Scotland, England and Ireland.

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Aren't you missing something? :colbert:


From the choices, I'd probably pick Paris just because I've never been and always loved France. I was born in Germany but I left when I was little so I don't remember it.

Extremely jealous of OP tbh

Go to Memphis. We have barbecue and stray pit bulls.

Germany is awesome, by the way. Just... all of it.

I don't travel enough but I want to see more of Europe.

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Originally Posted by Parker

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Originally Posted by Shorty

When I go back to the UK later this year, I hope to do more exploring in Scotland, England and Ireland.

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Aren't you missing something? :colbert:

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W...Wales? Is it Wales? Am I right?

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Originally Posted by Parker

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Originally Posted by Shorty

When I go back to the UK later this year, I hope to do more exploring in Scotland, England and Ireland.

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Aren't you missing something? :colbert:

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No. No, she isn't.

Manus said it so it must be true!

The Belgian Congo.

Also, nope, Paris is utterly foul.

I've never been out of the country, and I've seen less than ten states. It's the sad life of the shut-in for me.

You and me both, Will. You and me both. I'll probably never leave the south east again, tbh. Because money.

I thought Berlin was awesome when I went but everyone will have a different experience I suppose. I went to Venice in February and it was absolutely stunning.

I've never been to Paris but it's on my list. I'm off to Dubai in 5 weeks so that should be interesting.

I was in Venice probably in July and it was still awesome. Florance was like a giant party with sword swallowers in the streets and such. Rome was cool but it was the hottest it'd been in 60 years when I was there so I wasn't out and about much.

In all seriousness, I would just love to go to Paris or Berlin. I have a lot of family in the latter and I want to test my truly terrible French in the former. :p

Ah wow right Italy. I would love to go Rome, Florence, and Venice. Venice is probably not going to be around forever, so I should take the opportunity to venture there before it gets destroyed by mother nature.

I really liked Jamaica, but because I stayed at Rock House. I don't think it's worth the effort and shady airports to go to Atlantis.

My friend just got a really good deal on a trip through Italy through Groupon.

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Originally Posted by Bubba

I've never been to Paris but it's on my list. I'm off to Dubai in 5 weeks so that should be interesting.

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You've never been to Paris? It costs, like, £50 with AirFrance from Manchester! Go for the weekend! xD

Groupon is the trout!

I'm off to Australia this year.

I'd love to travel the US though, and then do a big tour of Asia, starting in Thailand. I reaaaalllly want to go to Thailand! Also, my friend had her Honeymoon in Malaysia as her Husband is from there and omg... seriously it looks beautiful! And my best friend spent a whole summer there and I just really, really want to go there!

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Originally Posted by Quinter Wonderland

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Originally Posted by Bubba

I've never been to Paris but it's on my list. I'm off to Dubai in 5 weeks so that should be interesting.

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You've never been to Paris? It costs, like, £50 with AirFrance from Manchester! Go for the weekend! xD

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I probably should now as my girlfriend is half-French and can speak the language. Plus, she has family in Paris. I've always had a slight level of xenophobia towards the French due to a few bad experiences in the past. I realise now that this is completely irrational and my girlfriend's family are some of the nicest people you can meet.

Quin, I will take your advice and take my first steps onto French soil. Paris as a city is a place I've always wanted to see and I'm sure I'll love it.

Good lad. Be sure to check out Rue Mouffetard. It has some great bars (one called... The Roadhouse, I think, that sells La Chouffe and Delirium. Try both!), and there is also a burrito place that does amazing burritos. Like, don't leave Paris without trying a few combinations. Write this trout down, man, seriously. :D

Whilst in China, I intend to visit some other provinces, as well as some neighbouring countries. I want to check out some more of Guizhou before having a peek in Yunnan, Sechuan and Chengdu. I also want to visit Keith in Shenzhen. For my holidays, I'm hoping to pop into Thailand and Vietnam, and maybe Laos if possible.