Summer is here, and I've been noticing some people on the 'Rack talking about where they're going on vacation. I thought it would be nice to have a central thread to keep track of where everyone's going, and maybe some stories and/or pictures when they return.
So, where are you going? When? Why? Generalities are nice, but the more specific the better... make the rest of us good and jealous.
I'll put my own in if this thread takes off.
Posted by Ben (Member # 6117) on :
I am going up to a cabin in the CO Rockies June 11-17 for my honeymoon. Aside from that I have no travel plans for the rest of the summer. I guess a weekend trip here or there.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
This weekend I'm going to Utah and Wyoming to attend the MHA conference and make some more wedding plans.
In late June/early July, I'll be in Dallas visiting for a weekend.
In late July/first two weeks of August, I'll be in Utah for the wedding and then New York City (it's where we met) for the honeymoon.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
I thought you met on the internet. But I guess you mean in person. It's a little easier to book reservations, I imagine.
P.S. I don't have any firm plans to go anywhere. Well, I guess I have a family reunion in Florida, but I'm not sure how much flexibility I have to get together with folks. That's at the end of June. And then there will be an outing to the Maryland Rennaissance Festival sometime in the fall that will probably fall around various other people's travel plans. It's a festival where you can just go to watch, you don't have to dress up. That is to say, I live in Maryland now so if anyone is travelling to the Mid-atlantic give me a holler.
[ May 25, 2006, 10:31 AM: Message edited by: pooka ]
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
We recently decided to have "one last big camping trip" before my kids all get jobs and get a life, now that they graduated.
So we're going to do it like -- soon. Like first week of June. But we have no idea where to go yet. Preferably somewhere with rocks/hills to climb, and with good fishing. But not too far due to gasoline prices.
So maybe lower Oklahoma -- southeast or southwestern parts. Some pretty geographical formations down there.
Farmgirl
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
I'm going to Berklee in Boston in late August for a music seminar, then afterwards I'm taking the train up to NYC.
I'm going to Mexico for a week in early August on a mission trip with my parents' church.
I'm going to the beach (Perdido/Gulf Shores area) for a long weekend at some point this summer.
I'm going to Corpus Christi for a weekend in June for a wedding.
I actually have a few more maybes, but for now those are the definite ones. I'd like to go up to Tennessee and go camping, but I don't know if I can get a group to go.
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
Cool, JT! I would like to hear more about the mission trip (what part of Mexico - what group - work mission?) I'm trying to get my son to consider such a thing. We have a cousin who lives in Mexico (teaches English) and has invited him to come down and spend some time there. I think it sounds like it would be neat (my kids aren't as adventurous as I am, however)
FG
Posted by lem (Member # 6914) on :
We are going to go to Japan for a 3 1/2 weeks. Last time I went we had a blast. I am going to document it on travbuddy. If I don't like the format, then I may just post occasional pics on my personal blog.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
My boyfriend and I are planning on going to Iceland and Norway. Leaving two days for travel, we'll probably spend 2 days in Iceland and 3 in Oslo. Why? Because we both love to travel. I said I wanted to go on a trip, and he asked if I wanted to leave the country and wanted to know where my favorite place in the world is. So Oslo. And Iceland because we're probably flying Icelandic Air, and neither of us have ever been there, and they have those thermal pools.
-pH
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
I'm going to San Jose in late July, and Vegas in early September (still summer, IMO).
I'll probably throw in a couple other random short-term get aways in there somewhere.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
erosomniac, I've got the hookup in Vegas. Let me know before you go. Maybe I can get you some good deals.
-pH
Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
We're going camping this summer, up to a small lake in the north Georgia mountains. We'll also probably spend some time visiting family various places, and maybe a week or two in NO. I don't have definite dates for any of it yet.
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
quote:erosomniac, I've got the hookup in Vegas. Let me know before you go. [Smile] Maybe I can get you some good deals.
-pH
Oooooh, like what? If it's hotel accomodations, we're covered - one of my friends gets unlimited access to a suite at the Hilton, so we're staying there ^_^.
If it's, you know, FREE GAMBLING MONEY...
Posted by sweetbaboo (Member # 8845) on :
I am going sailing in the British Virgin Islands in August. I've never sailed and I've never been to BVI so it should be plenty adventurous. Any suggestions for me? I already have tentative plans to chuck over the side for at least a half a day.
My parents want me to bring the kids to visit them in Southern Alberta sometime but I don't know that it's going to happen this year.
Other than that, I think we're planning on hitting the beach a lot and exploring the greater Boston area.
Posted by Baron Samedi (Member # 9175) on :
We're going to 2 countries over the course of about 2.5 weeks.
First we're hitting Germany. We're flying into Frankfurt and heading down to see my sister-in-law in a small town in the countryside. We'll probably check out the city of Kassel while we're in the neighbourhood, and then we're going to spend a couple days visiting Berlin before we hit the road.
After Germany, we're flying into Manchester where we'll be spending a couple days, including a day trip to Liverpool to see their cathedrals (1)(2) and a ferry across the River Mersey to see the Cavern Club where the Beatles used to play.
Then we're taking a train to Lincoln, which is the only place on this trip we've ever been before and one of the coolest places in the world. We get to go see one of the four remaining originals of the Magna Carta in Lincoln Castle, and stay in a bed and breakfast on the grounds of Lincoln Cathedral.
Then we're heading across the field to Leeds where we're going to the Wireless Festival. It's being held on the grounds of Harewood House, which is supposed to be so cool that we're going a day early just so we can see it without all the crowds. Then we're going to get down with The Who, Massive Attack, Flaming Lips, DJ Shadow, Bob Mould, Gnarls Barkley and loads of others before we head back to Manchester and go home.
So that's our trip. It's only the second time I've ever left America, so I'm quite excited. Anyone have any inside info on what we can do in any of those locations that we haven't thought of yet?
[ May 28, 2006, 11:46 PM: Message edited by: Baron Samedi ]
Posted by peterh (Member # 5208) on :
pH, What kind of hookups, I'm in vegas for work 7 out of 10 weeks starting the first week in June.
I'm also going to San Jose, CA over the 4th of July ish to spend time with my family of origin. Taking the wife and kids. While there we will spend 2 nights camping at Seacliff State Beach. You camp on the redwood/pine/eucalyptus bluff, within earshot of the beach/waves below...
Posted by lem (Member # 6914) on :
What are your plans Baron?
Posted by Baron Samedi (Member # 9175) on :
See two posts up.
By the way, Japan's a big place. Where are you going?
[ May 25, 2006, 01:15 PM: Message edited by: Baron Samedi ]
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
Wow. My Oklahoma trip is now looking very puny next to everyone else! (Oslo, Germany, Japan, British Isles). Are you sure I know you people? Posted by Celaeno (Member # 8562) on :
I'm going to Hawaii for late June through early July and London & Prague in mid-August.
I'm sure there'll be other trips in there somewhere; I just haven't decided when yet.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
We'll be in Washington DC from July 1 through July 6. The rest of the summer we'll be here, at home - while I finish treatment and work on my American Lit course I'm taking online through the local junior college.
Posted by jeniwren (Member # 2002) on :
I think we're going to go to Oregon for a family reunion on June and then Idaho in mid-August to go to Silverwood with some friends. We're planning our vacation time for November instead, since we have another family reunion in North Carolina then.
If we can figure out how to fit it into our schedule, we'll go on a cruise sometime to somewhere. Anything to relax on a deck for a week and not have to think about food or logistics or anything but reading a lot, dancing a little, and playing with the kids.
Posted by Kristen (Member # 9200) on :
I will be spending July in Toronto, but not vacationing, but rather obtaining a certification.
June, I am going home to Connecticut and probably visiting friends in the NE and then DRIVING back to Chicago in MY CAR.
August, I have absolutely no plans! I'll probably drive to the West Coast, where the other half of my friends are (LA, then up California coast to the NW). It depends.
Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :
I'll be in Atlanta for seven weeks (June to late July) doing research - it's not exactly a vacation, but I'll have weekends off to do stuff or meet any hatrackers in the area.
August I'll be in the Bay Area, Sacramento, and maybe Portland, visiting family.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
All of my vacations are possibilities. Maybes.
I might be in Myrtle Beach at the end of July.
I might head out to Utah at the beginning of August.
What I really really want to do is spend a week in Disneyland with my sister. No joke.
It's all about the cash flow unfortunately.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
We're doing Katie's wedding in August.
And heck, I would love a week in Disneyland, too! In fact, I would love a day in Disneyland (sans kids, or at least sans two-year-old.) Maybe if my husband gets a raise or something. Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
If anyone living near a six flags hasn't heard about their free season pass upgrade this year, that ends Monday. They are apparently good around the country.
Belle, I think it would be fun to meetup. I go through DC all the time to visit my family in Northern Virginia.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Hopefully I'm making a trip to Cedar Point with some friends, but at the very least I'm going camping on Silver Lake in Michigan.
Posted by Artemisia Tridentata (Member # 8746) on :
We're spending the first week of July in Denver playing with the cutest grand-daughter in the world.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Re: Vegas.
One of my friends lives out there. He's always been very involved in the music scene, and he said he can probably get good deals on accomodations and stuff...maybe music things. He keeps trying to get me to come out there, but I can't find the time/money!
-pH
Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
I'll visit family up in NJ in July. Otherwise I'm a homebody this summer, and I'll save my traveling for the fall.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
Farmgirl, I think my two seperate weekends in KY seem more puny than your OK. I'm going down to Lexington for two different horse shows this summer. Probably a few other weekend trips to northern IN and that's it.
Posted by hansenj (Member # 4034) on :
I'm going to Thailand for my honeymoon! We're going to be staying on an island off the coast of Phuket called Coral Island. I've never been outside the continental US, so this is quite exciting for me.
I'm also going home to Colorado this weekend and then to California for my wedding in July.
Incidently, I have stayed away from threads like this in the past because I'm never going anywhere and everyone makes me jealous. I guess that's the point, after all, isn't it? It's so great to be able to participate, though!
Posted by Mama Squirrel (Member # 4155) on :
We are going to Lake Tahoe July 1st-8th. Pop and Mooselet are going to some wedding in Utah the first weekend of August. I think those are our only plans at the moment.
Posted by Baron Samedi (Member # 9175) on :
I'm jealous of you Oregon people. Where are you going? I miss Oregon like crazy. I'd give a moderately useful body part to be able to spend some time up the gorge or in Bend sometime soon.
Posted by Zalmoxis (Member # 2327) on :
Wait. You're going to MHA, Kat? Didn't you also attend the AML Conference?
Now I'm jealous.
I will either be visiting or moving to Wisconsin.
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
I'm visiting Wisconsin for the next 8 weeks.
Then I return to Tucson for about a week.
Then it's off to San Diego for the Con!
Then I maybe maybe will be going to Greece for a couple weeks. And yes, if this happens, there will be pictures. Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Oregon really is the best place ever. I love it, especially at this time of year. Posted by Risuena (Member # 2924) on :
pH - Iceland is awesome. A friend and I took a short holiday there a couple years ago and it is beautiful. And the blue lagoon (the big thermal pool near the airport) is fantastic, although since you'll be there during the summer, I doubt you'll get to be in the nice hot water with the snow falling around you. And you should definitely go to the penis museum, just so you can say you've been.
As for me, I'll be taking a 1-2 week trip to Zacatecas, Mexico in the next month to do research for my thesis. Then, at the end of July, I'm moving back to the Maryland/DC area.
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
Most likely I won't be going anywhere this summer, but there's a good chance my aunt and her 3-year-old daughter will come to visit me, which will be almost as good. Even though I've lived on Long Island for 2 years, there's still a lot I haven't done or seen yet, so it'll be a lot of fun to have them here. I'm working on luring other friends/family out here too, but it's not too likely for the summer.
If my finances should happen to perk up, I'm hoping to visit my parents in IL for a weekend, and also go to Wisconsin Dells while I'm in the area and visit friends who'll be working there.
I am heartily jealous of everyone who's going places I've never been, especially Iceland, Thailand, Mexico, and Oregon. And the UK, even though I've been there. *lives vicariously* Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Virginia Beach after the bar exam. Nothing exotic, but I grew up there so it will be nice to go back as tourist. Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
quote:Originally posted by Risuena: pH - Iceland is awesome. A friend and I took a short holiday there a couple years ago and it is beautiful. And the blue lagoon (the big thermal pool near the airport) is fantastic, although since you'll be there during the summer, I doubt you'll get to be in the nice hot water with the snow falling around you. And you should definitely go to the penis museum, just so you can say you've been.
Penis museum? I am so there.
Any accomodation recommendations?
-pH
Posted by Baron Samedi (Member # 9175) on :
quote:Originally posted by pH: My boyfriend and I are planning on going to Iceland and Norway. Leaving two days for travel, we'll probably spend 2 days in Iceland and 3 in Oslo. Why? Because we both love to travel. I said I wanted to go on a trip, and he asked if I wanted to leave the country and wanted to know where my favorite place in the world is. So Oslo. And Iceland because we're probably flying Icelandic Air, and neither of us have ever been there, and they have those thermal pools.
-pH
That's weird, I was just screwing around online yesterday and I happened to look up a bunch of info about Iceland. I was just thinking about how much fun it would be to go on vacation there. Actually, I was also thinking it would be cool to go to Svalbard, but that would be more of a vacation you'd take just to say you'd done it. Iceland sounds awesome, though.
You'll have to take loads of pictures and tell us all about it. Next year we're locked in to the Mediterranean (Sicily and Saranda), but maybe after that, if it turns out as cool as it sounds for you, we can figure out a nice Nordic vacation of our own. Until then, we'll just have to drool.
Posted by Risuena (Member # 2924) on :
quote:Originally posted by pH:
quote:Originally posted by Risuena: pH - Iceland is awesome. A friend and I took a short holiday there a couple years ago and it is beautiful. And the blue lagoon (the big thermal pool near the airport) is fantastic, although since you'll be there during the summer, I doubt you'll get to be in the nice hot water with the snow falling around you. And you should definitely go to the penis museum, just so you can say you've been.
Penis museum? I am so there.
Any accomodation recommendations?
-pH
We went on one of the Iceland Air Mid-winter madness specials that had us staying at specific hotels, I think ours was the Loftleider by the old airport in Reykjavik (not the one that you'll fly in to). It wasn't anything special. There are other hotels closer to downtown that are probably better for exploring Reykjavik, which although not that big, is still a nice town. It's expensive but there are lots of good restaurants and bars and good music (although a lot of the bands we saw were obsessed with Kiss...), some nice museums and shops, etc. And the surrounding countryside is gorgeous with lots of volcanic fields, geysirs, waterfalls, etc.
And the penis museum is kind of awesome - it's only two or three rooms but they have preserved specimens from supposedly every type of mammal that resides on Iceland except man. The guy who runs the place is waiting for an Icelandic man to make a donation. I can tell you, however, that the sperm whale is very impressive.
If you want, you can see some of the pictures from my trip here. Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
quote:I can tell you, however, that the sperm whale is very impressive.
Teeheehee. Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :
I'm going to San Francisco in June.
--Enigmatic
Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
I want to take Nathan around the Rockies -- Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park, etc. He likes that idea, but also want to go to the Grand Canyon and Devil's Tower and Crazy Horse Monument, etc. In which case, I'd also like to take him to the Redwoods, and along 101 on the coast.
So, I'll be putting a canopy on the pick-up and we'll spend two weeks on the road seeing how much we can see before we have to come home!
Oh! Dates: July 10 - 22.
*smile*
Posted by Dante (Member # 1106) on :
I didn't have the time or money for a Europe trip this year. That breaks my string of every-other-year trips, dang it. To compensate, I'm planning one for next summer, though--in Italy, mostly, though I think I'm going to hop over to Istanbul for a few days.
This summer my travel plans include the grocery store, the gas station, and school.
Posted by Coccinelle (Member # 5832) on :
I'm going to Arkansas to check out a school with my sister in two weeks.
I'm going to Utah in August for Katie's wedding.
Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :
We're going to Lebanon.
Posted by Baron Samedi (Member # 9175) on :
Lebanon as in Beirut or Pennsylvania? If the former... Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
Just by way of letting you guys know, Ill be off Hatrack for the summer. Kids are out of school, so it's happy fun time! Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
OH! One more thing!
My boyfriend and I are going to try to get down to Florida sometime this summer for rock climbing (in a gym), amusement parks, museums, and the like. This will probably include Orlando.
....not that I'm hinting anything.
-pH
Posted by jeniwren (Member # 2002) on :
And one thing more for me too....I'm either going to that certain wedding in early August or to my 20 year high school reunion which happens to be the same weekend. I'm trying to decide if the deciding factor is if I happen to lose the 25lbs I need to lose for the reunion. Utah is much nicer than Anchorage. I suspect I'm going to the wedding and I'm very tempted to drive.
Posted by Lynx (Member # 8760) on :
I might be making a road trip sometime this summer down to Albuquerque to see one of my best friends but I have no firm plans yet. Posted by Baron Samedi (Member # 9175) on :
I've got a question for more seasoned travellers than I.
When you're travelling to highly westernized first-world countries like Germany and England, is there any benefit to traveller's checques over an ATM card? Last time I went to England I got traveller's checques, and they were such a pain to cash I wondered why I'd bothered.
Posted by Stan the man (Member # 6249) on :
I always use my Visa ShareCheck Card. I hate carrying around traveller's checques.
I plan on buying a house and going to see my parents for a week. Then I am flying my youngest sister to Connecticut to stay at my place for a couple weeks so she can keep my fiance company while I am at work (I own the only vehicle and have license).
Almost forgot, going to the race on Father's Day. Taking dad with me.
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
The general sentiments on a travel forum I frequent are that travelers' checks are outdated, huge pains in the neck, and to be avoided whenever possible, plus they're usually not worth the hassle because of the fees it costs to cash them.
I've never used travelers' checks in a foreign country (but my mom made me bring them on a high school trip to Virginia Beach). I mainly relied on my debit card and also had a credit card in case something happened to my debit card. For Europe, as long as your debit card has the VISA/Mastercard symbol on it and a 4-digit PIN (if yours isn't, make sure you get that changed before you leave), you shouldn't have any problem using it at ATMs.
Check with your bank and credit card companies to see what their policies and fees are on foreign currency conversions for purchases - a few years ago it was cheaper to just use the cards in stores for direct purchases, but I think now you might get better currency rates if you take out cash at an ATM just once a day or so. I think what's happened is the banks/CC companies have started charging higher per transaction fees for currency conversion, so if you take out cash in larger amounts (i.e. in fewer transactions), you'll end up paying fewer fees. Mind, I haven't done the number-crunching on this idea myself; this is just what I've heard from other travelers.
Posted by Luet13 (Member # 9274) on :
I'm driving to Nashville on the weekend preceeding July 4. A bunch of my friends and I are going to party in the Country Music Capitol! Hahahaha, and none of us are particularly fond of 'country.' However, I imagine there's some sort of Bluegrass going on, and that will be awesome. Posted by Baron Samedi (Member # 9175) on :
Lebanon, eh? Yikes! I was scared just going to Turkey. You are my new hero. Be sure to take in a Rabih Abou-Khalil concert while you're there. And take a picture of the cedars for us.
I'm now about 18 hours from Frankfurt, assuming all goes well. Our first plane is delayed, leaving us about half an hour to catch our connecting flight to Manchester. Fortunately, I brought my laptop. According to American Airlines' website, in that half hour we have to go clear from gate H13 to gate H12. Good thing I'm in shape.
Anyway, just thought I'd give a holla, since I have my laptop out and am in an airport with free wi-fi. Catch you suckas later.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I'm going to the Twin Cities for the (long) weekend of the Fourth, and to D.C. for August 20-21. Posted by amira tharani (Member # 182) on :
My summer is looking incredibly busy, though there isn't much travel involved.
For the first three weeks, I'm going to be on a residential course organised by the Ismaili Community to train lay preachers. There are 70-odd people coming to London for the course, from a whole stack of different countries, so it should be cool. Not much travel for me, though - hotel is in West London about 25 minutes' drive from home!
Then I have a week off to spend with my mum, plan my wedding and organise moving myself from North London to South London. After that I'm going to Eskdale in the Lake District with Rob and his family for a week, then I'm home for another week before school starts again!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Maybe I can get you some good deals.![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
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We're going to be staying on an island off the coast of Phuket called Coral Island. I've never been outside the continental US, so this is quite exciting for me.![[Grumble]](graemlins/grumble.gif)
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