Best vacation you ever had

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Ok whats the best vacation you ever went on? For me it was two weeks in California with my Father , mother, two of my brothers, my wife and my 6 year old son. We flew into Frisco and spent a few days there. We had rented a van when we first arrived and proceeded to drive down US-1 taking all the sites on the way all the way to San Diego. Disneyland,Great Adventure, Knottsburry Farm, Hollywood, the vineyards and Sea World to name a few.

[Tristuskhan]

Three months alone in Mongolia, five years ago: silence, slowliness and salted butter tea. And a marvellous young woman from New Zealand to accompany me the last weeks. Full moon rising over the Sayan mountains.

[TinCow]

Impossible to pick one, since there have been too many. However, for the moment I'm rather fond of the one I got back from last week: a week in a beautiful villa on St. Barth's with my wife. Sun, sand, (ahem), fabulous food, and even better wine.

[Togakure]

I always have trouble picking a single favorite, so I'll list my contenders:

- A week on Kauai, before Iniki devastated her. It was fun to literally roll out of bed and keep rolling, out the sliding glass door which we left open to let in the breeze (and translucent gekkos), and roll right into the swimming pool to wake up in the morning. Silly I know, but fun. I did that every morning I was there, and Kelly got a kick out of it (she's the sweetie I went there with).

- Numerous extended weekends (what I call a working man's vacation, heh), on the California coast north of SF on Highway One. Sea Ranch and St. Orres' Inn (the Treehouse) in Gualala are my two favorite places to stay. I like to go up to Mendocino when I'm up there, and to the Russian River. Many trips with many different people, but the only time I went up with more than one other person at a time was with my two God-daughters and their parents.

Two weeks straight, backpacking in Desolation Wilderness, just west of Lake Tahoe. I lost 15 pounds, got the workout of my life, drank up incredible beauty at every turn, remembering for a time what it means to really be ALIVE. There is nothing quite like having a highland tarn all to yourself, to jump in naked and feel that COLD, to swim around for a bit, and then get out and bask dry on the sunlit granite. I've never felt cleaner, in body, mind or spirit, than after doing that. God's Country, indeed.

Really though, it wasn't so much the places; it was the people I went with. We grew so much closer on these excursions.

[LeftEyeNine]

Planning to have it in the afterlife. :/

[Samurai Waki]

One week in NSW, One in the outback, one near Darwin. Tough land the lot of these and breeds much tougher people than myself. I was doing womens work in the Banana Fields because I wasn't nearly fit enough to actually do the harvesting.

[English assassin]

Six weeks in Iceland, everything I needed in my backpack, and a LOT of walking to do. Life can be very simple sometimes

[Orb]

Italy. Naples + Sicily.

Great, great place. Cheap, excellent cuisine. Being taller than any other white person in a Neapolitan market of several thousand people (and I'm only 6'1") is such a boost to the ego :)

[doc_bean]

Hmm hard to call, my last few trips have been excellent:

- Hungary, I know, not the most spectacular place, but we went biking from Vienna to Budapest over Bratislava, it was the first trip me and the girlfriend took together, beautiful cities, lovely scenery, friendly people, and hotels way over our budget !

-Norway

-A trip to Cuba earlier this year, fantastic atmosphere !

[Odin]

Summer 98 World cup in France.

An american (myself), a bloke from Surrey, and a german from bavaria (I cant remember the town).

Being someone who dosent care much for football (european football) I had a blast, and the french were nicer to me then the other two which was a constant source of angst.

I've had other great trips in europe, but that one, given the circumstances (france won the cup) made it a lot funnier for me being the ass i am drinking with my two buddies.

[Alexanderofmacedon]

Probably last years trip to Rome and all over Germany. I moved from visiting all sites of Roman history to a whole other time period of WWII in Germany!

[Conradus]

I actually read the thread title as best vaccination you ever had the first time

Anyway, my best vacation would be the last one. I haven't travelled that much yet, but my last trip to Italy (it was organised by the school) was really worth remembering. Beautiful weather, a beautiful country, and many close friends. Everyone lying in the grass in Tivoli the last day, or those first unsure steps into the Mediterranean...

[Azi Tohak]

Fiji was great, especially the company of a woman six years older than I at the time.

New Zealand was fun... except for all the idiot Americans I went with.

Just went to Yellowstone, with a good friend of mine from school. She lives in Idaho very close to the park. THAT was fun. So pretty, even though only a small portion of the park was open. But it was nearly empty. And I saw bears!

Tough to pick. But I'm hoping my vacation in August to Europe will be fun. Just gotta get read

Azi

[seireikhaan]

Well, last summer I went on a school trip to Europe. Landed in Frankfurt, stayed a few days in Germany, then went to Salzburd for a couple of days. After that, we went to Switzerland for two days, staying in Luzerne. Then we journeyed to Nice in France(that was one doozy of a bus ride). We stayed there for a couple of days, enoying the roasting 100 plus degree temps. We finished it up with four days in Paris. During the entirety of this vacation, I recieved a crash course in Football(Soccer) culture, on account of the fact that the entire time we were there, the world cup was being played out. Never before in my life have I seen such fanaticism displayed towars a sporting event. During our stay in Luzern, the Swiss were victorius in their game against, IIRC, Togo. I thought the city was going to tear itself apart at the seams from all the excitement(and mini-riots) resulting from the victory.

[naut]

A week in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. Saw lions everyday! Was really amazing.

[Shahed]

Greece was probably the best in many ways.

Travelled around the islands, met and got to know a few women. My "favorite" star being a young American college girl also travelling alone, like me. She was brave, tough, so beautifully feminine, adventurous, fun, romantic, ethical, intellectual, fresh & horny!. In the evenings when we'd find some place to eat far from everything else, and spend time on the beach in the dark with light reflected off the waves. It was tremendous. We spent about a week travelling together before she had to return to America. She'd been there slightly ahead of me. Beautiful beaches, hills, adventure, sunsets, romance, amazing food, fine drink, it was great. I could actually write a book about it.

[Beirut]

Costa Rica was great. Love the people down there. Wasn't crazy about the scorpion and tarantula in the house, though. Pretty good food.

The Yukon was the best. Huge gorgeous terrain and almost devoid of life. Took a great Cessna flight over the territory and enjoyed the company of some very friendly locals. Nothing like staying in a hotel and being woken up in the middle of the night because the guy's dog in the next room starts barking.

My kind of place.

[Hepcat]

Most definitely the trip to Europe (well France and Spain) I went on with my school in August/October. After working for 2 years to help my parents pay for it and doing heaps of fundraising stuff with the school I went for the 3 week trip and, although I expected to enjoy it, it was heaps better than I could ever have imagined.

It ended up making me decide that I want to live abroad. And also made me regret wasting time in French last year cause I didn't have a teacher. So I've taken French again this year and it's suddenly a lot more enjoyable. Even if there is nobody else taking it.

Paris was nice but I especially loved Lyon and Aix-en-Province. So now ever since I've gotten back from there I'm already saving all the money from my job to return.

[Csargo]

Probably Oregon.

[The Spartan (Returns)]

My vacation to the Philippines on Nov. 2006. sorry i forget to tell the tale when I returned. this is obviously the best time and place.

I first stayed in Manila for 3 days staying with my uncle and cousins. it was great and beautiful. I was gonna go to the Mall of Asia (biggest mall in Asia I believe) but i took a nap when I was supposed to go, in a room only lit by the sun.

Then I went to Cebu City stayed there with more relatives for 2 weeks. I met some cousins, my grandma, uncle, and cousins. I mostly went to malls, restaurants, and visited cousins during my stay here. the city was very hot and sunny. it would be like California.

then I went to the province of Leyte. I stayed in Southern Leyte, San Juan (also known as Cabalian) for a month. I met ALOT of my cousins, uncles, etc. relatives. I stayed in a very nice villa. wish I had a pool this is what it looks like:
During the Christmas season, there was alot of caroling at my house, due to me giving more money then most others would. my relatives would be kinda angry at me for doing this; but even a band caroled at my house, and said this was for us (they said our family name). we had to give more money for their great service. I would visit other towns, and I would see beautiful palm trees, the gleaming sea, rice farms, animals and scary mountains. the road was right next to these mountains. (there was a landslide that killed thousands which made the ride even more daunting) I also swam in the sea, bought market supplies with my relatives, saw a torch festival and went to my uncles/cousin's houses. during Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, lots people partied at my house. friends of relatives and friends of friends. the men would do kareoke all day, while drinking beer, (litteraly all day I woke up in the morning they were still singing) cooking in the back, talking and watching tv upstairs and down the villa became really lively with so much people in it. they would still be there the next day.

After a month I returned to Cebu and went to the mall, visited relatives, etc. again. I also returned during the Sinulog festival, and I had mass at a cathedrel, in the rain, and then visited an old cathedrel bult by Ferdinand Maggellan. inside were lots of gold Sto. Ninos and statues of saints, Christ and Mary. there was also a monastery there, with old 16th century architecture.

I may return next year and can't wait if i do!!!

[Strike For The South]

When I go to Europe this next summer. The old country is gonna get a kick outta me and da boys