OT: The Travel Thread

[Runner77]

Going to Spain in 10 days. Staying 2 weeks in Andalusia + 1 week in Barcelona. Two football matches (in Sevilla and Barcelona) are on the menu on top of visiting towns, villages and fortresses, day hikes in the mountains, eating and drinking.

I want to know how you do it.

 

[LaP]

Anyone who spends more than half his time outside his original country should be stripped of his right to vote from lack of local skin in the game.

It pisses me off when someone is spending all his life around the world then gets equal voting weight than me who will stay there for the rest of my life, catastrophe or not. If things blow up, the globe-trotters will just leave, while I'll be there suffering the consequences. It's the equivalent of gambling someone else's money.

I know how random this post is, but had an impulse to say it.

Considering our choice is between a poster boy and a religious zealot i don't think it matters much honestly.

 

[lo striver]

I want to know how you do it.

It was well planned by my wife. Managed to do everything and than some. Barcelona was nice, but Andalusia was just great. We stayed 5 nights in Seville, 5 nights in Granada and few more nights in Malaga, Cordoba and Ronda. + points in between. Visited all major sites/palaces/cathedrals. Did 3 20+K hikes in Ronda and Dehesa Generalife in Granada + went up Montserrat in Barcelona. Got lucky and witnessed 5:1 Messi show in Barcelona vs Valladolid. Game in Seville was just OK. Atmoshpere in Spanish stadiums is way bellow what you get to expirience in England.

Food, tapas and wine were amazing. Will go back any time.

 

[MasterDecoy]

Anyone who spends more than half his time outside his original country should be stripped of his right to vote from lack of local skin in the game.

It pisses me off when someone is spending all his life around the world then gets equal voting weight than me who will stay there for the rest of my life, catastrophe or not. If things blow up, the globe-trotters will just leave, while I'll be there suffering the consequences. It's the equivalent of gambling someone else's money.

I know how random this post is, but had an impulse to say it.

They didn’t revoke my citizenship when I moved to China 20 years ago.

As long as I am Canadian I’ll keep voting communist for the lulz

Come at me bro

OT: Bali x2, Philippines, Thailand x2, Japan, Korea. Philippines was my favorite in Asia

Wife is from Prague. That place is f***ing narnia. Love it

 

[BenchBrawl]

They didn’t revoke my citizenship when I moved to China 20 years ago.

As long as I am Canadian I’ll keep voting communist for the lulz

Come at me bro

OT: Bali x2, Philippines, Thailand x2, Japan, Korea. Philippines was my favorite in Asia

Wife is from Prague. That place is ****ing narnia. Love it

Traitor

Judas

 

[angusyoung]

Anyone else getting these pop up ads? implying something or what? lol.

 

[PavelBrendl]

They didn’t revoke my citizenship when I moved to China 20 years ago.

As long as I am Canadian I’ll keep voting communist for the lulz

Come at me bro

OT: Bali x2, Philippines, Thailand x2, Japan, Korea. Philippines was my favorite in Asia

Wife is from Prague. That place is ****ing narnia. Love it

I lived in China in 2016/2017. I wish I'd gotten to travel Asia more while I was there but it didn't work out that way (had big plans to summit a few peaks in the Sichuan mountains as well but had to scratch that after separating my shoulder in a bike accident). I did take my vacation in Vietnam though, and would highly recommend it. Friendly people, amazing food, beautiful landscapes and cheap cheap cheap. Flew into Hanoi, rented a motorcycle and solo toured the north for a week. Possibly my favourite part of the world after Guatemala, where I may move to in the future.

 

[Mrb1p]

I lived in China in 2016/2017. I wish I'd gotten to travel Asia more while I was there but it didn't work out that way (had big plans to summit a few peaks in the Sichuan mountains as well but had to scratch that after separating my shoulder in a bike accident). I did take my vacation in Vietnam though, and would highly recommend it. Friendly people, amazing food, beautiful landscapes and cheap cheap cheap. Flew into Hanoi, rented a motorcycle and solo toured the north for a week. Possibly my favourite part of the world after Guatemala, where I may move to in the future.

My GF went to Guatemala for three weeks and she was riding peacefully on a bus one day until some crazy bastards climbed in there with machetes and stole everything they had, good thing my GF didn't have anything but a few dollars on her.

 

[PavelBrendl]

My GF went to Guatemala for three weeks and she was riding peacefully on a bus one day until some crazy bastards climbed in there with machetes and stole everything they had, good thing my GF didn't have anything but a few dollars on her.

Yeah, shit can get real pretty quick down there. Carjackings are so common that nobody drives with their windows down. Also doesn't help that cops aren't really on your side either. I still have a lot of connections to the country though, and it's a special place to me.

 

[Mrb1p]

Yeah, **** can get real pretty quick down there. Carjackings are so common that nobody drives with their windows down. Also doesn't help that cops aren't really on your side either. I still have a lot of connections to the country though, and it's a special place to me.

Why Guatemala vs other places down south ? Wouldnt Costa Rica be the ultimate southerm american country ? Maybe Nicaragua ?

Also, how would Vietnam be on the "get real pretty quick" scale ? Ever feared for your safety ? Obviously it can get dangerous anywhere in the world, and I understand that, but theres places where its more intense than others. (Gotta think of Haiti, the middle east, Guatemala, Montreal-Nord )

 

[PavelBrendl]

Why Guatemala vs other places down south ? Wouldnt Costa Rica be the ultimate southerm american country ? Maybe Nicaragua ?

Also, how would Vietnam be on the "get real pretty quick" scale ? Ever feared for your safety ? Obviously it can get dangerous anywhere in the world, and I understand that, but theres places where its more intense than others. (Gotta think of Haiti, the middle east, Guatemala, Montreal-Nord )

To be fair, the only other Central American country I've been to is Costa Rica and it wasn't as culturally rich or geographically diverse. Guatemala, once you look past the crime is an incredibly inspiring place. It does also help that one of my best friends here in Montreal is from there and I've made a number of friends in Guatemala city. My entire goal with moving to Latin America one day is to buy land down there and run a small coffee plantation. My personal opinion just happens to be that Guatemalan coffees are the best coffees in the western hemisphere produced north of Colombia.

Vietnam, comparatively, is very safe. I don't think it's a place where you need to fear for your personal safety whatsoever, just watch your wallet and don't be careless with personal belongings. People there were nothing but friendly with me, but I'd still say watch for scams just because it's a tourist destination.

Edit: however if you do plan on renting a motorcycle to get around Vietnam, the driving habits there take some getting used to. People there have got their head on a swivel and are definitely aware but it's still chaotic and nothing like most other parts of the world. Also beware of random obstacles on the road. I almost got clotheslined at 70 km/h by a bull crossing the road. It was tethered by a rope to a pole on the other side of the road and the slack ran out just as I approached. Definitely had a pucker moment there. That said, I'd have to say Chinese roads are way more dangerous.

 

[Mrb1p]

To be fair, the only other Central American country I've been to is Costa Rica and it wasn't as culturally rich or geographically diverse. Guatemala, once you look past the crime is an incredibly inspiring place. It does also help that one of my best friends here in Montreal is from there and I've made a number of friends in Guatemala city. My entire goal with moving to Latin America one day is to buy land down there and run a small coffee plantation. My personal opinion just happens to be that Guatemalan coffees are the best coffees in the western hemisphere produced north of Colombia.

Vietnam, comparatively, is very safe. I don't think it's a place where you need to fear for your personal safety whatsoever, just watch your wallet and don't be careless with personal belongings. People there were nothing but friendly with me, but I'd still say watch for scams just because it's a tourist destination.

Interesting as Costa Rica is known worldwide for its unmatched biodiversity and incredible landscapes.

I should be going there in march if everything works out, pretty excited.

 

[Yannman]

I lived in China in 2016/2017. I wish I'd gotten to travel Asia more while I was there but it didn't work out that way (had big plans to summit a few peaks in the Sichuan mountains as well but had to scratch that after separating my shoulder in a bike accident). I did take my vacation in Vietnam though, and would highly recommend it. Friendly people, amazing food, beautiful landscapes and cheap cheap cheap. Flew into Hanoi, rented a motorcycle and solo toured the north for a week. Possibly my favourite part of the world after Guatemala, where I may move to in the future.

Spent 5 years in guate!

 

[PavelBrendl]

Interesting as Costa Rica is known worldwide for its unmatched biodiversity and incredible landscapes.

I should be going there in march if everything works out, pretty excited.

It's definitely got biodiversity but not the same number of microclimates as Guatemala, as Guate has everything from Jungles to active volcanoes to arid highlands and mountains to swamps and black sand beaches.

Costa Rica has beautiful wildlife and is overall more forested. Definitely still a beautiful place but also mor conscious of its status as a tourist destination. I was there at the end of March as well and the Pacific coast was very dry. Not sure if it's always like that at that time of year but looking over the continental divide at Monteverde was pretty wild as the Atlantic side was green and lush and the Pacific side was fully yellow.

 

[PavelBrendl]

Spent 5 years in guate!

Awesome, what brought you there for that long?

 

[Mrb1p]

It's definitely got biodiversity but not the same number of microclimates as Guatemala, as Guate has everything from Jungles to active volcanoes to arid highlands and mountains to swamps and black sand beaches.

Costa Rica has beautiful wildlife and is overall more forested. Definitely still a beautiful place but also mor conscious of its status as a tourist destination. I was there at the end of March as well and the Pacific coast was very dry. Not sure if it's always like that at that time of year but looking over the continental divide at Monteverde was pretty wild as the Atlantic side was green and lush and the Pacific side was fully yellow.

Theres black sand beaches in Costa too :p

I agree that its probably more of a tourist trap and that can rub some people the wrong way. Cant wait to go anyway.

I just hope I dont have any encounter with anything bigger than 6 inches as Ill f***ing die if I see a crawler bigger than that.

 

[Per Sjoblom]

I lived in China in 2016/2017. I wish I'd gotten to travel Asia more while I was there but it didn't work out that way (had big plans to summit a few peaks in the Sichuan mountains as well but had to scratch that after separating my shoulder in a bike accident). I did take my vacation in Vietnam though, and would highly recommend it. Friendly people, amazing food, beautiful landscapes and cheap cheap cheap. Flew into Hanoi, rented a motorcycle and solo toured the north for a week. Possibly my favourite part of the world after Guatemala, where I may move to in the future.

Do they still spit a lot in China? My girlfriend, later wife and now ex-wife worked for the US Embassy and I visited 24-25 years ago and I swear I could have slid on my shoes from back to the exit in a bus that was so full of spit on the floor you could have played hockey and the puck would be almost like on ice. She told me she was on a bike ride (this was before mass car traffic) and another cyclist passed her and then he spat and she caught it on her forehead. Btw since you mentioned Vietnam, my ex wife was born in what was then called Saigon and they fled when the North Vietnamese were entering the outskirts. She is born in 1964 so she was fairly young when they fled. He father was a fairly famous musician. She has been back there many times and she loves going there.

 

[Per Sjoblom]

Theres black sand beaches in Costa too :p

I agree that its probably more of a tourist trap and that can rub some people the wrong way. Cant wait to go anyway.

I just hope I dont have any encounter with anything bigger than 6 inches as Ill ****ing die if I see a crawler bigger than that.

6 inches crawlers, maybe one of those nasty centipedes, this one lives in Peru, hopefully it is in the jungle and not on the Pacific side.

.


It's a much safer country than the rest of the Central American countries, that is one reason there are more tourists. I have been thinking of retiring in either Uruguay or Peru. Even the US Social Security payments go a long way there and I also will receive 2 Swedish pensions. Peru is obviously much more interesting when it comes to nature (they have several climates). Pacific Ocean, high mountains and rain forests.

 

[peate]

Ecuador always fascinated me, as does Peru. So much history. Then there's places like Belize. Meanwhile here we are at minus 18 C.

 

[Yannman]

Awesome, what brought you there for that long?

I had a beachfront business in monterrico on the pacific. Great times, my business partner is still there. I think about it everyday.... even moreso on the -20 ones

 

[Tyson]

I don't travel as much these days with the occasional trip to Korea, Hawaii and Alaska.

I have been blessed with seeing about 40 countries. Alot of good memories, alot of close calls.

 

[Mrb1p]

6 inches crawlers, maybe one of those nasty centipedes, this one lives in Peru, hopefully it is in the jungle and not on the Pacific side.

.


It's a much safer country than the rest of the Central American countries, that is one reason there are more tourists. I have been thinking of retiring in either Uruguay or Peru. Even the US Social Security payments go a long way there and I also will receive 2 Swedish pensions. Peru is obviously much more interesting when it comes to nature (they have several climates). Pacific Ocean, high mountains and rain forests.

Ah. I was in Hawaii earlier this year and they have these.... I saw one fall into the pool of my airbnb and try to swim my way.

Im petrified just at the sight of that picture. My GF had to check all our things for it, I could not move. I have very little fear in life, but those things I cannot.

It was exactly like this one.

 

[Per Sjoblom]

Ah. I was in Hawaii earlier this year and they have these.... I saw one fall into the pool of my airbnb and try to swim my way.

Im petrified just at the sight of that picture. My GF had to check all our things for it, I could not move. I have very little fear in life, but those things I cannot.

It was exactly like this one.

Yes they are probably the scariest of all insects and their bite really hurts. I had a friend who was really scared of bugs, once when an earwig fell down his shirt (after a little push by me) he just froze, he couldn't move and then he turned pale white so I had to remove the little bugger. In Pamplona Spain I slept with a tarantula. We arrived very late so we walked to a little forested area and slept on the ground in our sleeping bags. When I awoke I felt something stirring on the inside of my thigh. I took out a large paperback with all the rail timetables of western Europe and smacked myself really hard where the I felt something moved (I figured if I do it fast enough whatever it was would not be able to sting me). So I moved quickly out of the sleeping bag and looked at my thigh and saw a half crushed large hairy spider with its legs still moving. My thigh was black and blue for a couple of weeks.

 

[Mrb1p]

Yes they are probably the scariest of all insects and their bite really hurts. I had a friend who was really scared of bugs, once when an earwig fell down his shirt (after a little push by me) he just froze, he couldn't move and then he turned pale white so I had to remove the little bugger. In Pamplona Spain I slept with a tarantula. We arrived very late so we walked to a little forested area and slept on the ground in our sleeping bags. When I awoke I felt something stirring on the inside of my thigh. I took out a large paperback with all the rail timetables of western Europe and smacked myself really hard where the I felt something moved (I figured if I do it fast enough whatever it was would not be able to sting me). So I moved quickly out of the sleeping bag and looked at my thigh and saw a half crushed large hairy spider with its legs still moving. My thigh was black and blue for a couple of weeks.

In Hawaii theres what they call cane spiders. Footlong beast of grey hairy legs.

Nope the nope. Im so happy I haven't seen one in over two months on the islands.

 

[covfefe]

My better half was tipped a stay at a house in Cabo San Lucas, so we are heading down there on Monday for 10 days. Looking forward to drinking some beer and eating tacos in the sun. Not expecting too much in the way of cultural experiences, but I'm ok with that as we have another trip planned to that end. Definitely will not miss the -20 cold snap we have been enduring...

Anyway, if anyone has any food/bar suggestions, I'm all ears.