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The Bucket List: A Serious Topic and Consideration


Joe H

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My wife turned 67 yesterday and I'll be 67 in a couple of weeks. We have been fortunate to experience a lot and see much of the earth. But there is more. And we may only have a few trips left in us to do this. For ourselves there are experiences, moments, if you will that we have wanted to be part of. We each have a few more that we want to do-if we are able. My question to this board is which handfull of lifetime experiences would you consider to be among your most impressionable? I am fortunate with 30+ years of heavy travel to have more than enough miles on United than I need. Coincidentally, I have to use them or they will expire. I believe, hope, that our health will allow us to use them for two or three more trips. Our bucket list includes the following. I am just really curious which several places those reading this will insist should be included. 1. I want to see the All Blacks play...at home. 2. Walk the Sydney Harbor bridge. 3. Visit Stellenbosch. 4. See an opera in the arena in Verona. Your thoughts?

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My wife turned 67 yesterday and I'll be 67 in a couple of weeks. We have been fortunate to experience a lot and see much of the earth. But there is more. And we may only have a few trips left in us to do this. For ourselves there are experiences, moments, if you will that we have wanted to be part of. We each have a few more that we want to do-if we are able. My question to this board is which handfull of lifetime experiences would you consider to be among your most impressionable? I am fortunate with 30+ years of heavy travel to have more than enough miles on United than I need. Coincidentally, I have to use them or they will expire. I believe, hope, that our health will allow us to use them for two or three more trips. Our bucket list includes the following. I am just really curious which several places those reading this will insist should be included. 1. I want to see the All Blacks play...at home. 2. Walk the Sydney Harbor bridge. 3. Visit Stellenbosch. 4. See an opera in the arena in Verona. Your thoughts?

Walk between two of the villages in Cinque Terre if you're able.

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As fellow 60-somethings, I get the question.  However, I don't have much to say that you probably haven't already thought of.  The one that does come to mind is watching the sun rise from over the cloud line at the Puu Ulaula Overlook over 9000 feet up in Haleakala National Park on Maui.  A bit chilly, but worth the trek at 4am.  Otherwise, for us it's not so much a particular event but getting to spend more time in each place.  A month living in Hawaii last year, a month in Florence this past year, a month in Provence this coming spring"¦ we like being able to sink in and just have the time to take everything in slowly.  Time is passing pretty quickly these days & we try to take every chance to slow it down a bit.  Or you could come to NYC & I'm sure we can make sure that every minute is an adventure.  :rolleyes:   Have fun.

eta: I wouldn't mind a walk on the Great Wall in China, seeing some of temples in Thailand, maybe the Northern Lights.  Don's idea aint half bad either.

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As fellow 60-somethings, I get the question.  However, I don't have much to say that you probably haven't already thought of.  The one that does come to mind is watching the sun rise from over the cloud line at the Puu Ulaula Overlook over 9000 feet up in Haleakala National Park on Maui.  A bit chilly, but worth the trek at 4am.  

I've done it, and you can ride bikes down!

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We've done the whole coast starting 30 or 40 km south of Genoa with Portofino and working our way back by Genoa and then around the coast stopping at San Ramon near the border.  Dinner was the the Michelin starred Il Fornace bi Barbiblu which is literally the foundry which supplied much of the stone for the Roman Coliseum.  Today it is an incredibly atmospheric restaurant-literally dinner in a foundry with almost all of the lighting from candles.

Our focus in Italy in May is Cortina, Verona (the opera and the Lakes (I sold equipment to Gardaland and know the area), a return to Dal Forno, exploration of Bolzano and Trentino and then over to Venice.  At this point I have become very opinionated with having visited regularly for almost thirty years and seem to be more focused on returning for one last time rather than discovered.  Still, we've been in the Verona amphitheatre but we have not seen a performance there.  I am also seriously appreciative of mountains and have seen all in Switzerland along with Garmisch/Partenkirchen in Bavaria and much in Austria along with parts of France and Slovenia.  I have been told Cortina is the most charming of all.

We will have to see.

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As fellow 60-somethings, I get the question.  However, I don't have much to say that you probably haven't already thought of.  The one that does come to mind is watching the sun rise from over the cloud line at the Puu Ulaula Overlook over 9000 feet up in Haleakala National Park on Maui.  A bit chilly, but worth the trek at 4am.  Otherwise, for us it's not so much a particular event but getting to spend more time in each place. 

We made the trek at 4am to Haleakala National Park on Maui at the end of August this year. It was definitely cold but as Steve R. said, but worth the trip to see the sun rise peak up thru the clouds. I had made the trip eight years before, but seeing it with my wife and sharing it together was special.

I think it's hard for others to give suggestions for a bucket list since the items can only having meaning if it has already resonated with you. With that in mind, my vote would be to see the Northern Lights.

FYI, you can't ride bikes down the whole way anymore since apparently a few people died riding off the mountain.  Bike riding starts outside the National Park entrance and continues down from there.

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I am fortunate with 30+ years of heavy travel to have more than enough miles on United than I need.

Well, there's a HUGE devaluation of United miles for bookings made after January 31st, especially on other Star Alliance airlines. So if flying in First Class on any of the interesting Star Alliance partner airlines is still not checked off (particularly ANA, Thai, Asiana, Lufthansa), you might want to get a move on. F space on those airlines often only opens about a week out.

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Go to Sydney.  Walk the bridge, but also go to the botanical garden where you can see flocks of cockatoos grazing on the lawn and trees writhing with scores of flying foxes.  Take a car out to see the aboriginal rock carvings, and marvel at the Banksia trees and the unique flora that includes plants with dichotomous branching.  Don't miss the zoo - who knew wombats were so big? - and check out the gorgeous beaches.

Those who are thinking of walking a section of the Great Wall, do it while you are still fit.  Much of it was not meant to be patrolled, so the slopes are quite challenging, at least at the Badaling section.

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Let's give our hemisphere some love. Tour Brazil (Rio, the Amazon, Bahia, Ilha Grande). Spend a weekend in the middle of the Rupununi in Guyana with Diane McTurk at Karanambu and see giant anteaters, giant river otters and the arapaima, the largest freshwater fish in the world. Go to Patagonia (eat at Mallmann's restaurant) and Antarctica. Visit Macchu Pichu. Spend a weekend in Mexico City and eat at some of the best restaurants in the Hemispherr. All of these are among my favorite life experiences (I've done them all multiple times, except Antarctica and Patagonia which is on my list).

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We hiked down the Grand Canyon two years ago, slept at the bottom and hike up the next day.  Amazing.

We did a backcountry trek in Yellowstone this year, climbed a fairly serious peak and went off the grid for 4 days.

Both with Wildland Trekking a Great guide firm.

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We hiked down the Grand Canyon two years ago, slept at the bottom and hike up the next day.  Amazing.

We did a backcountry trek in Yellowstone this year, climbed a fairly serious peak and went off the grid for 4 days.

Both with Wildland Trekking a Great guide firm.

Speaking of the Grand Canyon, you can also do the trip down and up by mule, which is less taxing and no less awe-inspiring.  Also, our professors emerti are still leading rafting trips down the Colorado River through the Canyon, so I imagine it is something, depending on the season and outfitter, that outdoors-inclined folks could do at almost any age.

Agreed w/ Lperry about the Great Wall. It's worth seeing and many portions have ways to ride up and down to/from the wall itself, but trekking along can be treacherous and difficult, even along the restored sections.

Also agreed w/ BLB on the X-country drive.  We're partial to the National Parks System - there's so much to see!!

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Joe, have you thought about Japan? I don't mean the big cities and their flashy restaurants, but the spas in the country, with their kaiseki cuisine. A colleague of mine told me of a wedding party he attended that took place on a barge in a river with a ramp sloping down into the water. For the wedding feast they caught fish that jumped onto the ramp and promptly transformed them into sushi. I know that's in my bucket.

Opera at the Arena di Verona is per force miked and generally mediocre, unless you simply want the spectacle of the arena. There are so many other beautiful towns in Italy that are not quite as overrun and offer better performances. But you probably know them already in some form. Bologna has a beautiful baroque opera house and attracts a fine coterie of performers for a generally discriminating audience. It is an intimate venue for aficionados and thus the very antithesis of Verona. And of course the cuisine is legendary. One could say the same about Parma, home of a famous conservatory. Then, less related to music, there's Gubbio, Urbino, other villages perchés. But I really wouldn't waste bucket space on Verona., esp. as you've been there already.

Whatever you choose I wish you all the best for what will no doubt be a fabulous trip, and best wishes for Christmas and the New Year!

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We hiked down the Grand Canyon two years ago, slept at the bottom and hike up the next day.  Amazing.

We hiked partway down--to the first campground--on a summer day trip many years ago (mid-80s).  I forget how many miles it was, but down and back took most of the day.  We were equipped with hats, water, etc., but it was fascinating to see the way other people approached it, including the young shirtless men running down the narrow path, carrying small bottles of water, completely (they thought) invincible.  The one sight I will not forget is the woman attempting to hike down in a tight sari and very high heels, with no water.  At some point, she and her companion stopped and someone gave them their small Coke bottle of water, while they waited for the mule to come rescue them..

I'm glad I did this when I was as young and foolish as I was then, since I'm terrified of heights and have terrible balance.  I still have no idea how I managed this.

All kinds of people do the hike, though, so try it while you can, Joe.

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The single most impressive/awe inspiring/pick-your-superlative man-made structure I've ever seen is the Taj Mahal. I went in expecting to be disappointed given how hyped it is, how ubiquitous the image is, and instead I was blown away. One of the best experiences of my life and I'd recommend it to anyone.

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Joe, have you thought about Japan? I don't mean the big cities and their flashy restaurants, but the spas in the country, with their kaiseki cuisine. A colleague of mine told me of a wedding party he attended that took place on a barge in a river with a ramp sloping down into the water. For the wedding feast they caught fish that jumped onto the ramp and promptly transformed them into sushi. I know that's in my bucket.

Opera at the Arena di Verona is per force miked and generally mediocre, unless you simply want the spectacle of the arena. There are so many other beautiful towns in Italy that are not quite as overrun and offer better performances. But you probably know them already in some form. Bologna has a beautiful baroque opera house and attracts a fine coterie of performers for a generally discriminating audience. It is an intimate venue for aficionados and thus the very antithesis of Verona. And of course the cuisine is legendary. One could say the same about Parma, home of a famous conservatory. Then, less related to music, there's Gubbio, Urbino, other villages perchés. But I really wouldn't waste bucket space on Verona., esp. as you've been there already.

Whatever you choose I wish you all the best for what will no doubt be a fabulous trip, and best wishes for Christmas and the New Year!

Banco, I love Bologna.  I stayed there every year for a number of years in the late '90's through the mid 2000's.  I even once wrote this on Chowhound about an experience I had in a Bologna cheese shop, http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/289941#1571500  Your comment about the Verona amphitheatre being "miked" is interesting.  We've walked all over it but our visits were in the winter, December and January.  I didn't realize that the singers were miked.  Thank you.  Your thoughts about Japan are also interesting.

jparrott:  United has changed everything.  At one time it was eleven months in advance to the day, now a lot of seats only open a few weeks or a month in advance, if at all.  Business class mileage awards were available then but rarely, if ever, are they now available for a "saver" award.  I am a Million Mile Flyer on United (United, before the merger).  If I had to do it all over again, I would fly on whoever is cheapest.  And, after using our miles, it will be who is the cheapest.  Still, today we fly economy which allows two trips to, say, Europe for the price of one "standard' award in business class.  Regardless, most of my miles will be used by the end of next year.

Rieux, thank you for your thoughts.  I know Mexico City-I have been there several times on business with two incredible dinners.  I have also driven almost everywhere except Mexico City and frankly, am glad that I did not.  But I loved it.  i think most Americans have no idea how beautiful much of it is.  And, a bargain.  No interest in Anarctica or Patagonia although Macchu Picchu would be incredible.  One brief comment:  for whatever reason I have no interest in visiting China.  I've had opportunities on business but passed because of the time I would have spent on an airplane to get there.  I shouldn't be so dismissive but with only a couple of more trips left it's just not a destination that I would appreciate. An apology to those who love the Far East.  It's my loss and I realize that.

About the U. S.:  I have been fortunate.  For thirty years I have driven around North America in a car with trips that might start here and end in Denver, three weeks later.  I've done the same on the West Coast, starting in El Paso and ending in Seattle (actually usually Vancouver since I was with a B. C. company for much of this time).  I have seen a lot.  And, spent a lot of nights away from home.  (But that is another story.)  I love the U. S.  At the risk of being a chauvinist, I also believe that the D. C. area is one of the most beautiful on Earth with VA wine country to the West and St. Michael's to the East.  Frankly, Charlottesville, Delaplane/Paris and St. Michael's are all trips we hope to do over and over again.  Williamsburg to the south and Gettysburg to the north aren't bad diversions, either.

lperry, thank you for your thoughts about Sydney including the zoo and botanical gardens.  I really want to visit there; both of these would be priorities for my wife. Haleakala National Park is also really interesting.  FWIW I've had Kettle Kook'd Maui potato chips before. (A friend brought me them instead of a T shirt...)  I would love to have them at the source especially watching the sun rise.

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts.  Much appreciated.

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I've been close to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, but did not walk across. I spent the final night of that trip in an Auckland hotel room watching the All Blacks play at home vs Australia, but, alas, I was not in the stadium.

As for myself, I would love to visit all 50 states. I am currently at 39 at 29 years of age, so that should be doable.

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@Joe H:   Great topic and it generated terrific posts and ideas.   Since you so appreciate the beauty of this area so much I would add that New England in the Autumn is particularly beautiful and similar to this region in that it is more beautiful than breathtaking in a Grand Canyon sort of way.  Its worth ten days or two weeks of meandering along country roads with prior planning for staying at inns, finding the best places to dine, and giving yourself some extra time to account for days of bad weather.  I've done it several times fortunately and the prettiness level is very similar in my mind, at least, to the prettiest places in this region as you had referenced.  

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@Joe H:   Great topic and it generated terrific posts and ideas.   Since you so appreciate the beauty of this area so much I would add that New England in the Autumn is particularly beautiful and similar to this region in that it is more beautiful than breathtaking in a Grand Canyon sort of way.  Its worth ten days or two weeks of meandering along country roads with prior planning for staying at inns, finding the best places to dine, and giving yourself some extra time to account for days of bad weather.  I've done it several times fortunately and the prettiness level is very similar in my mind, at least, to the prettiest places in this region as you had referenced.  

I agree.  I would do a route from Portland to North Conway then on to Jefferson and, after a night's stay to Montreal.  There is a road that runs from just south of North Conway to I 93 that is called the Kancamagus Highway that is breathtaking.  One of the most spectacular roads on earth.  http://www.kancamagushighway.com/  I would also suggest that the single best place in all of the world for breakfast is Polly's Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill, NH.

One of the most interesting drives is going north from Portland and driving to Quebec.  At some point you no longer see houses or people.  It becomes truly barren.  Then, after miles and miles of this you cross the Canadian border and everything is in French.  For all the world you could be on the far side of the Atlantic.

Quebec City is spectacular, too.

I'm sitting here with a glass of wine, typing this, and feeling incredibly fortunate to have seen what I have.  There is a lot to go back to.  And, if I'm not able at some point, I have wonderful memories to share.

One last comment:  over the years I made many friends in my business who I thought were incredibly fortunate to live where they did.  For New England I sold equipment in Salem, Saco, Glen, Jefferson, Agawam and elsewhere.  North of Quebec City and Montreal, too.  But everywhere I went, when people heard where I was from, they thought that Washington, D. C. was special.

Over the years I hosted a lot of them when they visited here.  There are a number of places in D. C. and nearby that are worthy of anyone's bucket list.  (i.e. entrance hall of the Library of Congress, National Cathedral, Fort Washington (yes, Fort Washington-a spectacular setting), Iwo Jima Memorial and looking back over the Lincoln Memorial/Monument and Capitol and the most spectacular of all, where Martin Luther King gave his speech on the steps of the Memorial.

post-2-0-04087800-1387733317_thumb.jpg

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We've done the whole coast starting 30 or 40 km south of Genoa with Portofino and working our way back by Genoa and then around the coast stopping at San Ramon near the border.  Dinner was the the Michelin starred Il Fornace bi Barbiblu which is literally the foundry which supplied much of the stone for the Roman Coliseum.  Today it is an incredibly atmospheric restaurant-literally dinner in a foundry with almost all of the lighting from candles.

Joe, I'm not sure about that part of the coast, but the border between Monaco and nearby Italy is really ugly and industrial - I assume this is more "typical," but doesn't include the five fishing villages of Cinque Terre. That may not appeal to you - you have to pretty much park at La Spezia and take a train over to  Monterosso al Maro (the northernmost town). Walk on the olive tree-laden goat paths between villages along the goat paths connecting the villages - other than the train line, it's the only way to get there. Still, this may be too close in nature to what you've already done to be truly special, but maybe not (Carlsbad Caverns vs. Grand Canyon, etc.)

Rick Steves is somewhat annoying but he really is an expert. Here's what he says about Cinque Terre. These are unique little towns, and the walk between them ranks with the Grand Canyon, Red Square, and the Gorges du Verdon as the most spectacular things I've seen in my short lifetime. A bowl of gnocchi al pesto and a carafe of Cinque Terre house white for lunch at an outdoor cafe, after such a hike, ranks as one of the loveliest meals of my life (it's all in context, of course). A high-school buddy and I spent 3 weeks backpacking across Europe - this is the only day we split up (he went onto Nice (oh, the irony!)), and this is the single greatest day of travel of my life.

You seem like if you were to get hit by lightning today, you've both been quite fortunate: not only have you had a lifetime partner, but you're both incredibly well-traveled - the rest is just gravy (and, well, why not?) But ask yourself: Would you be happy now if your number came up? If the answer is "no," then maybe look within for that contentment. It's already there. Okay enough preaching and back to practicalities. I'm well-traveled in the U.S. (49 States!) and much of Europe, but other than that, I've got my own bucket list to fill, so keep "˜em coming everyone!

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Joe, have you thought about Japan? I don't mean the big cities and their flashy restaurants, but the spas in the country, with their kaiseki cuisine. A colleague of mine told me of a wedding party he attended that took place on a barge in a river with a ramp sloping down into the water. For the wedding feast they caught fish that jumped onto the ramp and promptly transformed them into sushi. I know that's in my bucket.

Perhaps to no-one's surprise, I was also going to mention rural Japan, particularly northern Japan. Go at New Year's. Find a temple that performs joya no kane, the ringing of the temple bell 108 times, on New Year's Eve. Trek to the local shrine at sunrise on New Year's Day (if you're lucky, through a beautiful deep snow), make your offering, drink some shochu or beer and have clementines with the locals. Pass some time in an outdoor hot spring bath in the snow.

Or, if you and your wife are up for a hike, go to Aomori Prefecture and take one of the guided hikes through the Shirakami Sanchi National Forest. The hike passes through a virgin beech forest, and you have the opportunity to see orchids and birds that you won't find anywhere else in the world. And one of the most beautiful blue lakes you'll ever see. There's a completely ridiculous resort nearby from which you can access a promontory with a small shrine at the top and watch an incredible sunset over the Sea of Japan.

Closer to home, I can think of few better things to do than rent a convertible and drive the Turquoise Trail between Albuquerque and Santa Fe on a spring or fall day. Go in the fall and you can smell roasting green chile in the air.

Whatever you do, I hope you have a wonderful adventure!

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The single most impressive/awe inspiring/pick-your-superlative man-made structure I've ever seen is the Taj Mahal. I went in expecting to be disappointed given how hyped it is, how ubiquitous the image is, and instead I was blown away. One of the best experiences of my life and I'd recommend it to anyone

I first went to the Taj Mahal when I was 8. I thought it was amazing. I returned when I was 30 and believe it or not, it was bigger than I remembered. No other site I've visited multiple times has had that level of impact on me.

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I first went to the Taj Mahal when I was 8. I thought it was amazing. I returned when I was 30 and believe it or not, it was bigger than I remembered. No other site I've visited multiple times has had that level of impact on me.

If you are going to the Taj Mahal, also plan a trip to the red http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agra_Fort.

Seeing the Taj Mahal, a few miles away from the terrace of the fort is an impressive and contemplative sight. I wondered, like countless others, what Shah Jahan was thinking as he looked at the Taj Mahal from the fort over the 21 year construction period. Truly a monument build out of the love for his wife.

Also, Taj Group hotels has several exquisite palaces leased as hotels now which definitely qualify as once in a lifetime visits.

http://www.tajhotels.com/Luxury/Grand-Palaces-And-Iconic-Hotels/Taj-Falaknuma-Palace-Hyderabad/Overview.html

http://www.tajhotels.com/Luxury/Grand-Palaces-And-Iconic-Hotels/Rambagh-Palace-Jaipur/Overview.html

http://www.tajhotels.com/Luxury/Grand-Palaces-And-Iconic-Hotels/Umaid-Bhawan-Palace-Jodhpur/Overview.html

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Perhaps to no-one's surprise, I was also going to mention rural Japan, particularly northern Japan. Go at New Year's. Find a temple that performs joya no kane, the ringing of the temple bell 108 times, on New Year's Eve. Trek to the local shrine at sunrise on New Year's Day (if you're lucky, through a beautiful deep snow), make your offering, drink some shochu or beer and have clementines with the locals. Pass some time in an outdoor hot spring bath in the snow.

Or, if you and your wife are up for a hike, go to Aomori Prefecture and take one of the guided hikes through the Shirakami Sanchi National Forest. The hike passes through a virgin beech forest, and you have the opportunity to see orchids and birds that you won't find anywhere else in the world. And one of the most beautiful blue lakes you'll ever see. There's a completely ridiculous resort nearby from which you can access a promontory with a small shrine at the top and watch an incredible sunset over the Sea of Japan.

I also agree with Xochitl10's recommendation to go outside of Tokyo.

Check out the links for onsens, ryokans, restaurants, and places of interest. Paul's food travel blog is quite good as well for displaying the variety of experiences possible.

http://www.onsenexpress.com/site/index_flash.php

http://www.lampnoyado.co.jp/en/price_en.html

http://www.takaragawa.com/english.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daio_Wasabi_farm

http://paulstravelpics.blogspot.com/2007/08/tokyo-food-trip-quick-navigation-guide.html

http://kozyndan.livejournal.com/20841.html#cutid1

Sorry for the long list of suggestions, haven't gotten to Japan in a few years and really miss visiting.

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The greatest trip I've ever taken (partially due to the company, and circumstances (*)) was Scandanavia (Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway). The two absolute musts from that trip that I'd recommend to you are:

1) An overnight cruise on the Silja Line from Stockholm to Helsinki. You spend the day roaming around Helsinki, and then cruise back the next night - the cruise ship is really, really nice, and doesn't cost any more than a hotel - two nights are taken care of. Note: they also go to Talin, Estonia, and there's a competing cruise line that does pretty much the exact same thing.

2) Even better, the "Norway In A Nutshell" trip. There are several companies that offer this trip (it's a commonly used name in the tourism industry) which involves boat trips down Norway's fjörds, all of which take a brief detour up the amazing Ní¦rí¸yfjord (Narrow Fjörd), a Unesco World Heritage Site which was ranked by National Geographic in 2005 as the #1 Natural Heritage Site in the World. I'm not much into lists or rankings, but this is just as about as cool and important as seeing the Grand Canyon.

(*) This is the only trip Karen and I ever took before either of us knew she was sick. I planned the whole trip and surprised her, not telling her where we were going, only the types of things to pack. She had no idea until we got to the check-in counter what airline we were even flying, or what our destination was. At the end of each day, I would surprise her by telling her what we were going to be doing the following day (she knew how long we'd be gone, but that was all). She was an adventurer, and this was thrilling for her - something I'll always remember and cherish. The very first night, we met two old friends of hers in Copenhagen and spent my birthday at Tivoli Gardens (not a must for you, but a great way to begin a great trip). This is how my life was supposed to be, but, alas, it was not to be.

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If seeing the All Blacks is on your list then I would add that probably the single most beautiful place I've ever seen in my travels is pretty much anywhere on the South Island.  We spent a week or so travelling around (including the Milford Trek) and didn't see everything but loved it all.

On the same note, if you are going to Sydney, I'd suggest the Great Ocean Road (at least :) ).

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New Zealand is fairly affordable once you get there, at least compared to Europe.  So if one makes the 20ish hours (each way) flight there, it pays to stay a while.  The restaurant scene there is very good and there are some marvelous places in tiny hamlets, such as Fleur's Place next to the Moeraki Boulder beach.  I would recommend renting an RV in November (their May, plenty of snow in the peaks, where the permanent snowline starts at little over 1,000 meters) or April (their October), then linger at places that catches your fancy.  Avoid the peak summer months when things get crowded and weather can get hot.

The North Island has its charms as well.  The Tongariro Alpine Crossing, on a good day, goes through one of the most dramatic and varied landscapes I've ever seen.  The 7-hour Lost World caving tour in Waitomo is still the single most fun daytrip ever for me.  Rotoroa's geothermal area is small compared to Yellowstone, but very colorful and uniquely situated.

Several of their most famous "Great Walks" have somewhat luxurious guided service options (Routeburn and Milford tracks) or nice bed-n-breakfast accommodations (Queen Charlotte Track, Abel Tasman Track, and some privately owned walks).  One possible option is to link a guided tour of Routeburn or Milford with an overnight cruise in Milford Sound.  Milford Sound is about 4 hours each way from Queenstown by road, so it's nice to dual-purpose the long drive in and out.  Between Milford and Routeburn, we picked Routeburn and think it's a much better option because 1) no blackflies 2) less total climb 3) yet above 700 meters for most of the hike and 4) shorter.

And if you're going anyways, maybe spring for a layover in Cook Islands as well.  New Zealand has gorgeous beaches but the water is very cold.  Air New Zealand (I think that's a United mileage partner) does layovers there and can provide some warm beach time as well.

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Joe, I'm not sure about that part of the coast, but the border between Monaco and nearby Italy is really ugly and industrial - I assume this is more "typical," but doesn't include the five fishing villages of Cinque Terre. That may not appeal to you - you have to pretty much park at La Spezia and take a train over to  Monterosso al Maro (the northernmost town). Walk on the olive tree-laden goat paths between villages along the goat paths connecting the villages - other than the train line, it's the only way to get there. Still, this may be too close in nature to what you've already done to be truly special, but maybe not (Carlsbad Caverns vs. Grand Canyon, etc.)

Rick Steves is somewhat annoying but he really is an expert. Here's what he says about Cinque Terre. These are unique little towns, and the walk between them ranks with the Grand Canyon, Red Square, and the Gorges du Verdon as the most spectacular things I've seen in my short lifetime. A bowl of gnocchi al pesto and a carafe of Cinque Terre house white for lunch at an outdoor cafe, after such a hike, ranks as one of the loveliest meals of my life (it's all in context, of course). A high-school buddy and I spent 3 weeks backpacking across Europe - this is the only day we split up (he went onto Nice (oh, the irony!)), and this is the single greatest day of travel of my life.

You seem like if you were to get hit by lightning today, you've both been quite fortunate: not only have you had a lifetime partner, but you're both incredibly well-traveled - the rest is just gravy (and, well, why not?) But ask yourself: Would you be happy now if your number came up? If the answer is "no," then maybe look within for that contentment. It's already there. Okay enough preaching and back to practicalities. I'm well-traveled in the U.S. (49 States!) and much of Europe, but other than that, I've got my own bucket list to fill, so keep "˜em coming everyone!

Finally, I opened my road atlas of Europe and looked up Cinque Terre.  (I much prefer an actual map to looking at an internet map-for me there is just more perspective.  Anyway, Cinque Terre looks like it is 40-50 km south of Portofino which is the furthest south we drove from Genoa (we also drove inland to Florence on another trip). Portofino was fantastic!  We have to return to this area including Cinque Terre.  I do remember that Portofino was one of the most "frightening" places I've driven with narrow dead end streets.

The trip to Monaco was also from Genoa and most of the way we were on an autostrada.  I remember stopping in a few towns and looking at the Mediterranean at several points coming around the "bend" north of Genoa.  But other than the restaurant La Fornace di Barbiblu (which we went to on the same trip but based ourselves in Genoa) we didn't stop until San Remo and that was only for lunch.

I've been in Stavenger and loved it. I even had a bit of time there, too. The old town area off the harbor had a great deal of character.  I had a cellphone and talked to my wife on it for over an hour walking around, trying as best I could to share it with her.  (I was on business.)  I also remember that it was frighteningly expensive:  maybe the single most expensive place I've been.  At the Raddison it was something like $16 or 17 for a glass of cheap Chilean wine.

I've also been in Sweden (Gothenburg-Liseberg is in the middle of the city) and Denmark (Copenhagen for Tivoli Gardens) but both times were for business (as Stavenger) and I was limited to driving around a bit and dinner.  Several trips to each.  My problem is that I've seen enough to have an opinion but not enough to feel that I really was able to appreciate a city or area as it could have been.  I've spent a lot of time elsewhere but at least I saw a bit of these countries and cities.  I loved Scandanavia and agree-we have to return.

New Zealand is still my ultimate fantasy but my wife has drawn the line at how long she will stay on an airplane.

I must add that I haven't been to Istanbul but this is another place that I want to visit.

Again, for all who have posted in this thread-thank you.  It's great to read, research and fantasize about.  Much appreciate everyone sharing.

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It's possible to construct a DC - LA - Hawaii - Tahiti/Fiji - New Zealand - Australia - Indonesia/Malaysia - Thailand - China - India - Dubai - Vienna - London/Paris - Reykjavik - DC itinerary.  I think that would keep each leg to less than 8 hours.  :lol:

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Joe- same age, similar history of travel and same conversation at home this past weekend.. If you have not been to Istanbul - highly recommend as a great city and add the Istanbul Eats walking tour for a great intro to the markets and off the beaten track restaurants- tack on Cappodocia as well.

As far as Cinque Terra goes- pretty heavily touristed from June til august. We stayed in Monterossa and Manarola for a week in total and walked the paths between the towns and ate pesto and sardines and drank limoncello -not life altering but very pleasant.( not complaining)

While you can still hike, we return to Wengen often in the summer-in the Bernese Oberland perched above the Lauterbrunnen Valley- the archetypal village with the most spectacular scenery and walks- connected by rail and lifts, it is possible to cobble together countless walks/hikes to fill a summer. We once spent a summer driving around Switzerland to find a more beautiful place and failed. Of course, it is a food desert tho. Spent 3 weeks summer before las and we're not ready to leave.

The temples at Angkor are worth a journey in my opinion.

I look forward to reading the continuation of this post.

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Forgot to answer your question... stellenbosch, the wineries and the geography are stunning- could compare tpmCalifornia but more beautiful and less crowded- paired a with a stay in Capetown and easy driving to the wine country and then a flight to a Sabi Sands game lodge would make an unforgettable journey and can be done with Star Alliance partners.

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Thanks, Naxos.

Wengen.  We have not been.  I started in my industry with a Swiss company based in Monthey outside of Montreaux over thirty years ago and fell in love with Switzerland.  Of course in '83 and '84 the Swiss Franc was 2.85 to the dollar (DM was 3.50+ and FF 12 to 1) and I remember going there and thinking that it wasn't that expensive...

Now, as I type this, it is .91.  The U. S. dollar will buy slightly less than one third of a Swiss Franc today.  For perspective a hotel room that cost US $200 is now US $600. A glass of wine in that hotel that was 4.00 is now 12.00.  And so forth.  Breathtaking.

I've been fortunate to drive over much of Switzerland but unfortunate because much of this was going from, say Zurich to Monthey (straight off of a plane when I didn't sleep and into an office) or Geneva (straight off of a plane when I didn't sleep and into an office).  Or from Basil or from Milan.  Milan to Montreaux on the train is spectacular (you pass Lake Maggiore, looking down on it from tracks that run along a mountainside).

Twice my wife went with me and we added weekends in Montreaux and swore that one day we would return without my going anywhere for business.  Last time we were there the Swiss Franc was about $1.40 or so and I felt that Switzerland was expensive.  But we rode a tramway from Montreaux up to the top of the mountain outside of it and the view was 75 miles?  More?  You could see the top of the distant mountain on the far side of Lake Geneva. I remember standing with my wife and promising that one day we would come back with a rental car and just get lost.

We will.  And thank you, Naxos, for mentioning Wengen.  We will go.  I can imagine how beautiful it must be.

My only qualifier is that we'll wait until the Swiss Franc weakens a bit or more.  If it doesn't (and with American debt it may not) we will still go.  We just might drink cheaper wine and stay in a lesser hotel but we will still go.

I must add that I once walked from the center of Montreaux to Vevey which is about ten km roundtrip.  At the time it was the furthest that I had ever walked.  I hadn't planned on walking that far but it was so beauitful I just kept going.

Switzerland.

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Full disclosure:  I'm not suggesting anyone else should absolutely put this on his bucket list, because getting to its remote location is no mean task, and once there you can't easily grasp the enormity of the thing anyway.  That said, at or near the top of my own list is Lake Baikal in Siberia.

Lake Baikal is perhaps the most fascinating body of water on the planet.  By itself it contains over 20% of the fresh water on earth (unfrozen), and as one might imagine is thus by far the world's largest lake by volume, though only 7th by surface area.  It is a rift lake, meaning it is in a depression formed by a fault, so it is deep.  In fact, at over a mile, it is the deepest lake on earth.  It is also likely the oldest and purest sizable lake (although once threatened by a paper mill, that is now, happily, closed for good).  It is possible to see much further in the clear water than just about anyplace else, and it is of course pure to drink.  There are many unique species.

It's most easily reached by flying (or taking the trans-Siberian) to Irkutsk, known as the "capital" of Siberia.  Maybe I'll combine a visit there with my journey to Angkor Wat.

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Full disclosure:  I'm not suggesting anyone else should absolutely put this on his bucket list, because getting there is no mean task, and once there you can't easily grasp the enormity of the thing anyway.  That said, at or near the top of my own list is Lake Baikal in Siberia.

Lake Baikal is perhaps the most fascinating body of water on the planet.  By itself is contains over 20% of the (unfrozen) fresh water on earth, and as one might imagine is thus by far the world's largest lake by volume, though only 7th by surface area.  It is a rift lake, meaning it is in a depression formed by a fault, meaning in turn that it is deep.  In fact, at over a mile, it is the deepest lake on earth.  It is also likely the oldest and purest sizable lake (having been threatened by a paper mill that is now, happily, closed for good).  It is possible to see much further in the clear water than just about anyplace else, and it is of course pure to drink.  There are many unique species.

It's most easily reached by flying (or taking the trans-Siberian) to Irkutsk, known as the "capital" of Siberia.  Maybe I'll combine a visit there with my journey to Angkor Wat.

Fascinating, exquisitely photographed video I found on youtube about Lake Baikal:  

 

 has a different perspective.  http://www.wunderground.com/q/zmw:00000.1.30823 is the current weather in ulan-ude which is itself an interesting city. Wikitravel on ulan-ude:  http://wikitravel.org/en/Ulan_Ude
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Joe-Our first trip Wengen was on our honeymoon in 1970- At that time we stayed for $5 a nite in a room in a chalet. Over the years we have returned with and without our kids and have stayed in a variety of accoms- from chalets of varying sizes depending on our group size to hotel rooms. While the value of the dollar has fluctuated over time, the one thing that remains constant is the quality and variety of restaurant food- never very good and always more expensive than it was worth . However, for us, the incredible beauty of the mountains and accessibility of the hikes kept us returning-We rent a small chalet and cook for ourselves- not for everyone on vacation but works for us.

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Joe-Our first trip Wengen was on our honeymoon in 1970- At that time we stayed for $5 a nite in a room in a chalet. Over the years we have returned with and without our kids and have stayed in a variety of accoms- from chalets of varying sizes depending on our group size to hotel rooms. While the value of the dollar has fluctuated over time, the one thing that remains constant is the quality and variety of restaurant food- never very good and always more expensive than it was worth . However, for us, the incredible beauty of the mountains and accessibility of the hikes kept us returning-We rent a small chalet and cook for ourselves- not for everyone on vacation but works for us.

I applaud your choice for a honeymoon!  It reflects a real spirit of adventure and romance and I have a great deal of respect for this.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/1_wengen_2012.jpg is an absolutely intriguing photograph of a hillside in Wengen showing the train station, several hotels (including the Palace and Regina) and seems to capture a feeling for what it must be like.  Any thoughts on hotels including these two?

This is really an interesting topic for me since I absolutely love mountain towns and villages like this.  I've been fortunate to see a lot including most of Bavaria (love Partenkirchen) and the Dolomites although we are committed to Cortina and this will be our first visit.

I must mention a place that we especially love which is not only "story book" beautiful but also one of the great villages on earth for eating:  Baiersbronn in Germany's Black Forest. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/07/magazine/one-tiny-german-town-seven-big-michelin-stars.html?_r=0

The negative is not just that it is expensive.  Schwarzwaldstube (which I would favorably compare to any restaurant I have experienced in France and I am including Robuchon in the '90's in saying this) has a one year wait.  There are seven or eight tables, each for a maximum of four people but on two trips six or seven of the eight had two.  It is a loss leader for the hotel but an extraordinary experience in one of the most magical rooms on earth.  We have been twice, both times planning long in advance.

Bareiss' dining room is similarly outstanding. http://www.bareiss.com/en/hotel.html

Remarkably, for one person, Bareiss is a relative bargain;  I could stay there for E 160-175 a night which is less than, say, the Marriott in Heidelberg.  But, for two people, they double the rate.  Still, I stayed a half dozen times using it as a base for my business which involved three or four meetings almost an hour equidistant from each.

I passionately love Germany.  In fact speaking of story book towns have you ever been to Meissen?  Or Regensburg?

Still, I know Germany well having driven, seemingly every km of every German autobahn over the years.  But Switzerland, now, and Wengen...is a place that must happen.  And will happen.  Thank you, naxos.

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WENGEN, SWITZERLAND IS ON TELEVISION RIGHT NOW!! ON ON vERIZON 596 WHICH IS THE UNIVERSAL SPORTS NETWORK BROADCASTING THE WOMAN'S DOWNHILL FROM WENGEN.  This is then followed by Women' Downhill World Cup skiing from Cortina on Saturday morning a 11:00AM`  Both are in HD,

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I always try to get a glimpse of Wengen during the Lauberhorn races!

Honestly, we have not explored Germany at all. We visited friends while they were living in Adelsried( outside of Augsburg) but always on our way to someplace else.

The restaurant sounds worth a journey as do Meissen and Regensburg.

The uniqueness of Wengen is that it is perched about 4000 ft above the Lauterbrunnen Valley( sea level) and below the 14000 ft Jungrau so the vistas of mountain and valley are unparalleled - And a big plus is that it is car free as is Murren on the other side of the valley.

We stayed at the Regina for my 50th birthday- a long weekend in May during which Delta ran a sale that couldn't be passed up- An old hotel that actually had a good chef at the time for those taking compulsory half board.

There are more modern places and other options that are all "Swiss" clean and neat and flower bedecked. The town is the draw- anyplace will do-

If you are interested in photos will be happy to send.Here is one pic on a day hike

post-4595-0-26441200-1390405248_thumb.jp

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I always try to get a glimpse of Wengen during the Lauberhorn races!

Honestly, we have not explored Germany at all. We visited friends while that we're living in Adelsried( outside of Augsburg) but always on our way to someplace else.

The restaurant sounds worth a journey as do Meissen and Regensburg.

The uniqueness of Wengen is that it is perched about 4000 ft above the Lauterbrunnen Valley( sea level) and below the 14000 ft Jungrau so the vistas of mountain and valley are unparalleled - And a big plus is that it is car free as is Murren on the other side of the valley.

We stayed at the Regina for my 50th birthday- a long weekend in May during which Delta ran a sale that couldn't be passed up- An old hotel that actually had a good chef at the time for those taking compulsory half board.

There are more modern places and other options that are all "Swiss" clean and neat and flower bedecked. The town is the draw- anyplace will do-

If you are interested in photos will be happy to send.Here is one pic on a day hike

I'm smiling.  Wow!  Spectacular.

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I have had the forunate life of getting to go to many places, but not necessarily for long periods of time.

I loved Australia, but after about two days is Sydney I was done.  The bridge is lovely, the opera house is surprisingly un-grand on the inside.  I had a much more enjoyable time in Melbourne and the surrounding areas and then North on the barrier reef at Hayman Island.  I just thought Sydney kind of reminded me of the inner harbor of Baltimore, mixed with Old Town and kind of generic city.  The people were all very friendly and nice, it just wasn't special.  Melbourne was special, the countryside around Melbourne was special.  The great barrier reef was beyond special. So if you do travel all that way, make sure to get outside of Sydney.

I have been to many regions in Europe.  I found the most enjoyable place for me to actually have been Croatia, particularly Hvar and Split and Plitvice National Park.  I would like to have seen the bridge in Mostar, as well, but we didn't have time.  The food wasn't what you will find in Italy or France, but it was a lovely trip.  I also really enjoyed seeing the Alhambra in Spain.  I also would not have ever believed how important it was to me in my life to see Normandy, it was maybe one of the most memorable things ever done in my life.

My bucket list includes Instanbul, Hong Kong, Tokyo, the Taj Mahal, Indoneisia, Vietnam, Korea and Singapore and as many returns to France with my Mom as I can possibly swing.  I also really want to see Peru and Chile.

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ktmoomau, I've heard from several others that they preferred Melbourne over Sydney.  Perhaps much preferred might be a better way of expressing it.

We were actually going to go to Split and Dubrovnik a while back and changed our itinerary when I realized that it was one helluva drive from Venice going up and around, then down the coast ending in Dubrovnik.  But that is a story for another time.  I've heard that Croatia is an incredibly beautiful country.

For this trip we've ended up with flying into Venice where we have a lot of personal history.  It was the first major trip that my wife and I made several months after we met in '93.  I had business in Vicenza and used Venice as a bribe to get her to go with me.  (Note:  three years later she married me and I had a business meeting the next day...) I also have a brief Venetian story:  http://www.ilridotto.com/02_homepage_ENG.htm is the link to a restaurant called Il Ridotto which I wrote about as part of a longer post on Chowhound in 2009.  Someone told me that post had several hundred thousand hits but I have no idea if this was true.  Still, one day I was curious and looked up Il Ridotto to see how it was doing.  I found their website and clicked on the page titled "about us."  Right there, next to Gambero Rosso, Michelin, et al was the link to "Chowhound."  And, my complete post which had included a rave about them.

Anyway, now that they are quoting my post on their website I really want to go back to the restaurant and say hello.  It will be our last meal in Italy (and probably our last trip) so it should be special.

We're going to Cortina for two nights and then base ourselves in Verona to include Lake Garda and north to Bolzano before ending back up in Venice. The discussion about Wengen was especially interesting since we'd been seriously considering the Dolomites which I have long wanted to return to.  I've driven on the autostrada from Munich to Verona and back a number of times but never taken the time to explore them.  The drive is breathtaking.  We also know a winery owner near Illasi whom we've visited a number of times over the years.  We have to see him and his family one last time.

Sincere thanks to everyone for sharing in this thread.

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So my wife is turning 40 next year and we were discussing taking a trip together without the kids. I asked her to put together a list of places she'd like to visit so we could start checking things out. We are limited somewhat by tavel time in order to maximize our time in country, so we mainly looked towards Europe. The list was Barcelona, Budapest, Prague, Istanbul, and Cinque Terra.

I'd never heard of Cinque Terra, and asked a friend who is from Naples.He said it was breathtaking and raved about it. This is no bullshit, but I thought "I wonder if Joe H has ever been there" and logged on to DR.com in order to send him a PM. But before I could, I saw his name, on this thread, and started reading. Too funny!

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So my wife is turning 40 next year and we were discussing taking a trip together without the kids. I asked her to put together a list of places she'd like to visit so we could start checking things out. We are limited somewhat by tavel time in order to maximize our time in country, so we mainly looked towards Europe. The list was Barcelona, Budapest, Prague, Istanbul, and Cinque Terra.

I'd never heard of Cinque Terra, and asked a friend who is from Naples.He said it was breathtaking and raved about it. This is no bullshit, but I thought "I wonder if Joe H has ever been there" and logged on to DR.com in order to send him a PM. But before I could, I saw his name, on this thread, and started reading. Too funny!

I should add that I went in April, and I went in 1989. When I hiked between villages, the only person I saw on the goat path was one man, a native. This trip was the first time I'd ever been outside of North America, my travel buddy and I split up for one day (he went on up to Nice), and I was totally alone. All these things combined to make it one of the most magical days of my life. That night, I stayed in La Spezia, had dinner outdoors, and had a gnocchi al pesto and a carafe of Cinque Terre white that I swear to this day is the greatest wine I've ever had (the situation may have had something to do with it). :)

Additional context is that I'm not the most widely traveled person. I've been in 49 states, and have been to Europe perhaps 15-20 times, but other than that, I've never left North America. (I plan to remedy this situation in the upcoming years.)

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Additional context is that I'm not the most widely traveled person. I've been in 49 states, and have been to Europe perhaps 15-20 times, but other than that, I've never left North America. (I plan to remedy this situation in the upcoming years.)

I just want to give this some perspective: outside of the rich DC bubble/NE corridor, this is pretty widely traveled. Most of America doesn't even have a valid passport.

http://www.theexpeditioner.com/2010/02/17/how-many-americans-have-a-passport-2/

I'm going to Brazil in June for the World Cup, based out of Natal. I've made it a promise to go on insane bucket trips like this every year or two (last year was a music festival in Belgium, will probably take 2015 off) and I'm eternally grateful for the new experiences that these trips have provided. I've never been to Italy, and this thread alone has catapulted Cinque Terra up my list.

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ktmoomau, I've heard from several others that they preferred Melbourne over Sydney.  Perhaps much preferred might be a better way of expressing it.

We were actually going to go to Split and Dubrovnik a while back and changed our itinerary when I realized that it was one helluva drive from Venice going up and around, then down the coast ending in Dubrovnik.  But that is a story for another time.  I've heard that Croatia is an incredibly beautiful country.

For this trip we've ended up with flying into Venice where we have a lot of personal history.  It was the first major trip that my wife and I made several months after we met in '93.  I had business in Vicenza and used Venice as a bribe to get her to go with me.  (Note:  three years later she married me and I had a business meeting the next day...) I also have a brief Venetian story:  http://www.ilridotto.com/02_homepage_ENG.htm is the link to a restaurant called Il Ridotto which I wrote about as part of a longer post on Chowhound in 2009.  Someone told me that post had several hundred thousand hits but I have no idea if this was true.  Still, one day I was curious and looked up Il Ridotto to see how it was doing.  I found their website and clicked on the page titled "about us."  Right there, next to Gambero Rosso, Michelin, et al was the link to "Chowhound."  And, my complete post which had included a rave about them.

Anyway, now that they are quoting my post on their website I really want to go back to the restaurant and say hello.  It will be our last meal in Italy (and probably our last trip) so it should be special.

We're going to Cortina for two nights and then base ourselves in Verona to include Lake Garda and north to Bolzano before ending back up in Venice. The discussion about Wengen was especially interesting since we'd been seriously considering the Dolomites which I have long wanted to return to.  I've driven on the autostrada from Munich to Verona and back a number of times but never taken the time to explore them.  The drive is breathtaking.  We also know a winery owner near Illasi whom we've visited a number of times over the years.  We have to see him and his family one last time.

Sincere thanks to everyone for sharing in this thread.

Joe,

If you ever go to Croatia, start with Dubrovnik, it is neat to see, but has become a tour group city, I much preferred doing something outside the city until about 3 pm when the tour groups left.  It is amazing how much it has recovered from a really devastating war.  I think I posted all about my trip in the travel forum.  Split and the islands are really amazing, the islands were my favorite part and just driving the coast.  You can drive the interstate or you can take a road right on the water, which is they way to go.  I want to go back and see more of Istria.

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