Forum > Non-Gaming Discussion > Summer holidays are coming.  What are your plans?  Help me make some...
Summer holidays are coming.  What are your plans?  Help me make some...
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Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:39:22
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i've never before left it this late before deciding what I was doing for my summer holiday.  Never before, except last year that is when I ended up not going anywhere and just wallowed and wasted my time.  It mustn't happen again.  But I'm having a hard time deciding where to go or what to do.

In all likelihood i'm going alone.  which can at times get boring, but also gives me the freedom to do whatever i please (within boundaries Happy ).  Also, if the freaking icelandic volcanoes are kind enough to ease on the dust emissions, then i'm definitely flying abroad somewhere.  Help me decide.

My options:

1.  Berlin.  It's my single favourite place in the world.  It will also give me ample opportunity to go to good techno clubs which is something i love and don't ever get a chance to do over here.  Downside:  As a european capital the cost of living is somewhat high, though not outrageous.

2.  London.  This is easy as i have a place to stay for free (with relatives).  i also know the place like the back of my hand as i lived there for eight years.  those are also the downsides knowing it so well also makes it a bit boring and staying with relatives as that makes me a lot more restricted.  there is a decent enough techno and dub scene in london, maybe not as great as berlin, but most places are in brixton or the east end and being out connecting night-buses around those parts in the small hours of the morning is scary and dangerous.

3. Road trip U.S.A.  Such a vast and diverse country.  Have visited two times so far.  4 years ago i visited NYC and some New England and the north eastern states and connected a flight to san diego and went with friends on a road trip across much of California.  2 years ago i drove across as many states i could in the old south and south east.  I saw Georgia, North and South Carolina, Virginia, DC, West Virginia,  Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana.  i think that's it.  I want to go again, to see more.  More states, more landmarks more places.  If i visit my friends in san diego they promised to go on a road trip to baja california which i would love (if it didn't get me killed).  The downsides:  it would cost me a lot of money.  And, no clubbing.  I guess if i go to NYC or any of the big cities there could be but i wouldn't be going for the big cities if i went.

4.  Road trip Ireland.  This is an alternative to the US road trip idea.  I have visited only once and that was just Dublin for 3-4 days but the place made a lasting impression on me and i promised myself to go back for more.  It is cheaper to get to than the US and perhaps cheaper to get around due to the not so vast road distances but eating and lodging are more expensive.

Have you guys got any plans at all?  have you any suggestions or ideas to help make my decision easier?  It doesn't have to be one of the four i'm considering, i'm open to any reasonable suggestions and ideas.  except group/packaged holidays, would just hate it.

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Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:51:41
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Go to Holland, spend half the time smoking weed, the other half shagging prostitutes.

Like Steel does in his everyday life.

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Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:22:24
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i tried it some years ago.  the dutch have a superiority complex the size of a planet ... like iga Nyaa

also got mugged in amsterdam in broad daylight.  not a happy time.  never going back.  van gough museum was great though

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Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:25:40
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You got a lot of good places on your list and frankly I'm jealous as hell. I don't know how I'd even come close to making up my mind.  

If you did choose the US I'd be happy to throw an endless number of suggestions your way, though there would be 2 issues.

1.  Most of the area of the country I'm familiar with is parts where you've already been like the South East and South West. Truthfully that's not really a problem though as there's no way you could have seen all the cool stuff in each of the states you've already been to.  Hell you could do a road-trip just through Florida and that would take well over a week if you did it right.

2. The bigger issue is the weather. Unless you stick to New England or the Pacific Northwest, summer tends to be pretty miserable here.  So if you're not a fan of the heat, I'd say away.

Really I'd say look at your money.  If you can afford to go big, do whatever you want. If things are a little tight, don't try to stretch your money. Just do a cheaper trip and enjoy yourself.

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Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:33:14
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US but not Canada?  I see how it is...

I don't go anywhere, or do anything, so not really anything to add here.

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Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:34:04
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the heat is not really a problem nor the humidity as it's a lot worse where i live.  i was in atlanta and savannah during july and people were complaining but i didn't think it was particularly bad.

florida sounds very nice.  i think the part i'd like to see the most is tallahassee and the pan-handle region

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Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:42:13
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Yodariquo said:
US but not Canada?  I see how it is...

I don't go anywhere, or do anything, so not really anything to add here.

 canada is interesting.  i have lots of family in toronto (big greek community) and personally i think i would find Montreal and Vancouver extremely beautiful and enjoyable to be in.  Both cities also have very vibrant electronic music scenes with lots of happenings and talent.  the thing that's convenient about visiting the US is that I have a tourist VISA which is good for another 6 years (they gave me an open 10 year visa at the time and soon after started doing just single visit VISAs for tourists from here) whereas i'd probably be needing to be applying for one if i were to enter Canada which is made more complicated as the consulates are not here in my town and i would need to take possibly a couple of days off work which is not easy at this time.  but it may be worth it.

and you should definitely start going places and doing stuff!

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Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:42:39
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bugsonglass said:

the heat is not really a problem nor the humidity as it's a lot worse where i live.  i was in atlanta and savannah during july and people were complaining but i didn't think it was particularly bad.

florida sounds very nice.  i think the part i'd like to see the most is tallahassee and the pan-handle region

If you can hang in Atlanta in July you've got nothing to worry about.  The nights were cool, but the days were pretty unpleasant, and there aren't many spots too much worse than that.

BTW what on earth would you want to see in Tallahassee and the panhandle??  There's nothing up there. Just forrests, a few secluded beaches, and. . . Destin and Panama City... two of most obnoxious white trash beaches in the country.  

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Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:48:57
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LOL i tend to gravitate towards the slightly less touristy or commercial places when i have a choice, maybe that is why tallahassee seemed appealing.  white trash beaches are definitely not good though

some of my fondest memories from two years ago are from rural mississippi which, if i'm not mistaken it was yoda who called it (using statistics to back it up) the fattest, and the dumbest of all 50 states!

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Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:00:50

bugsonglass said:

LOL i tend to gravitate towards the slightly less touristy or commercial places when i have a choice, maybe that is why tallahassee seemed appealing.  white trash beaches are definitely not good though

some of my fondest memories from two years ago are from rural mississippi which, if i'm not mistaken it was yoda who called it (using statistics to back it up) the fattest, and the dumbest of all 50 states!

Tallahassee is the least touristy spot in the state, but honestly there's nothing there aside from the university.  There are a lot of quaint little beaches and seaside towns on the panhandle though, so there could be something for you there.  Another idea if you did hit Florida is if you time your visit right you could see the space shuttle launch from Cape Canavral .  There's only 3 left and then the US is taking an extended break from them.  And I got to say, seeing it live, even from 40 miles away, is breath taking.  It's truly a testament to what man can accomplish.

ANother thought if you chose the US is going to Texas and driving through Hill Country. Hill Country is a region sort of around San Antonio (one of my 3 favorite cities in the country) and Austin. It's not quite mountain and its not quite desert. It's very unique land and it's dotted little towns here and there.  Really remarkable area.

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Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:10:49

thanks.  those ideas are both great.  

seeing a shuttle launch, wow i can't even imagine how powerful that would feel (i was depressed for days when they announced the decision to cut all funding from the space program).  if it's in july and i am in the country i will definitely be somewhere not too far.

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Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:22:49

bugsonglass said:

also got mugged in amsterdam in broad daylight.  not a happy time.

That was Iga.

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Wed, 21 Apr 2010 22:29:18

Yodariquo said:
...

I don't go anywhere, or do anything, so not really anything to add here.

 Me too. My idea of a perfect vacation is wherever there are no people. Or Spring Training in Phoenix, Arizona.

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Thu, 22 Apr 2010 04:38:08

gamingeek said:

bugsonglass said:

also got mugged in amsterdam in broad daylight.  not a happy time.

That was Iga.

 Divine justice

Serves him right for visiting that wretched city.

You should visit the harbour in Rotterdam. Cranes, cranes and cranes. It's like your version of the red light district.

Or how about visiting Africa?

Egypt, Morocco, Tunis are pretty cheap. Or go to South Africa to watch football. 

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Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:34:04

Iga_Bobovic said:

gamingeek said:

bugsonglass said:

also got mugged in amsterdam in broad daylight.  not a happy time.

That was Iga.

 Divine justice

Serves him right for visiting that wretched city.

You should visit the harbour in Rotterdam. Cranes, cranes and cranes. It's like your version of the red light district.

Or how about visiting Africa?

Egypt, Morocco, Tunis are pretty cheap. Or go to South Africa to watch football. 

 would totally love africa but i'm scared to go on my own, and i don't want to do a group gig

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