Best vacation you ever took -- and why

[notoriousmkg]

There have been so many, but this was the best - 2019 in Europe:  In no particular order:

First of all, we managed to get this in before COVID hit.  Second, our kids were old enough to appreciate it.  Third, the heatwave in Europe ended just before we got there.  Fourth, amazing sites - St Peter's, Vatican museum, Florence/David statue, 80 liters of Italian gelato, champagne at the top of the Eiffel Tower, the Louevre, Stonehenge, Bath, London, British fish & chips, Samuel Smith's half-liter organic chocolate stout.  The list just goes on and on....

[lindsaywhit]

The first time I saw the Statue of David, we (took my kids & niece) came around the corner in the museum and stopped dead. My niece and I grabbed hands and we both got tears in our eyes. I think of all the art I've been privileged to see, it was and is the most splendid, breath-taking that I've ever seen.

We've had some great vacations, but I think going on safari in South Africa must top the list. (Not a hunting safari, fyi) We flew into a small adjacent airstrip. Even that was amazing, because the view of the bush and herds of animals from above was stunning. We felt like we were living in a David Attenborough natural history documentary.

We stayed in luxury accommodations and almost every room had floor to ceiling glass doors that could be opened completely.

We saw lions, rhinos, hippos, zebra, giraffes, and even a few leopards that at one point took a disturbing interest in my daughter, who was 6 at the time. Our guide softly instructed me to slowly put my hand over her eyes, which I did. He told us later that children that age were unusual on safari, and the leopard may have been calculating how much trouble it would be to grab a snack. Apparently, it was the size and her eyes that must have created the interest, because the Land Rover's exhaust covered the "prey" smells. Anyway, even that is a great story to tell almost twenty years later.

[ravenna]

Probably Crete about 15 years ago.  It was just such a nice balance of cultural activities (I love ancieny history and ruins) and relaxing on beautiful beaches. One beach in particular was dreamy.  It was hell to get to, but that meant we only had to share it with, like, 3 other people, so it was worth it. There was a shallow lagoon with warm, turquoise water and white sands and the hills smelled of oregano and thyme.  I have read that they ferry tourists there now so there are crowds that would spoil it for me and I am glad I got to experience it when I did.

Balos:

[lindsaywhit]

Oh, Ravenna, that's sounds amazing. I've read that the light is different in Greece - did it seem different to you? Greece is on my best bucket list. How long were you there?

[ravenna]

I don't remember anything unusual about the light, but it has been a long time.  We stayed two full weeks which was perfect for this sort of trip.

I would love to go back to Greece one day and hit the mainland, partly for the acropolis obviously, but also, Meteora looks so cool:

[funky]

I know I'm very privileged to be able to travel as much as I did. My top vacations were:

- South Africa, as lindsaywhit already wrote. I traveled with a friend from Captetown to Kruger, parts with a rental and parts with a small airplane. Beautiful country, safari is something you can't really describe. Went back with my husband for honeymoon. We both love animals and nature and we had the best time. We were at a beautiful lodge where elephants just passed by our patio every day on their way to the water hole. One even thought about trying our small plunge pool, but didn't like me being there.

- Madagascar. Also part of our honeymoon. What an interesting country. Met lovely people, saw the most breathtaking wild nature and went to the moste remote beautiful beaches I ever saw. We dived for the first time and the untouched nature both on land and in the sea was incredible.

- Costa Rica. First time I was able to travel for 4 weeks. With a friend, rental car, wonderful memories.

- Mexico. Traveled to Mexico a couple of times and is one of my favourite destinations. Met lovely people that are now dear friends that even traveled all the way to France for our wedding. Last time I visited was the first time I traveled alone, was a great experience. Also we got engaged in Holbox, so Mexico will always have a special place in my heart.

[loftybike]

- LA/Phoenix in 1993 with my best friend. I was just driving us around in a rented car, we listening to Janet Jacksons "Janet" while we marveled about how fucking big and blue the sky was. Phoenix was so beautiful that we stayed there for a week, looking at the Camelback Mountain, enjoying the perfect heat.

- New York. Two weeks before the final breakdown due to my (then still masked) severe depression, I was busy to simply exist, had tried to get out of that trip, but couldn't. Not that I was in any state to really enjoy travelling, but still. From the moment when the sweet black gentleman dressed as a rapper gave up his place in a cue to show me how the ticket machine worked and then everyone made room for him to get back into that cue (which in germany would NEVER happen) until we left 5 days later, NYC won me over as my favorite city in the world.

- Bremontier, which is just a camping site in the absolute nowhere at the atlantic coast in France, 45 km from Bordeaux. 9 km to the next village it's off the grid and quite basic, even for camping standards. But the beach, the ocean and the sun, it's all perfect. That beach is actually 300 km long. We went to other, far more glamorous places there, stayed in 5 stars vacation resorts, but in the end, we'll always come back to that small place. I firmly believe that it's the most beautiful spot in europe when it comes to the ocean.

- I'd add London, but with the rise of xenophobia and the subsequent utterly stupid decision to leave the EU, the city can kiss my wrinkly ass.

[inigomontoya]

Bonaire. I am not a diver, but my husband is. We have made so many friends there...it is now our annual vacation. We talk of going to other places...and then say to each other, “We can do that next year. Let’s go back to the rock.” Love that island.

[lindsaywhit]

This is amazing - it looks like an alternate universe.

Many of these places I've never even heard of - and they all look fantastic! Please keep sharing, everyone... great thread idea, Mo.

[beeyotch]

I loved Maui.

First time I went, I was my best friend's plus one to a wedding when her husband couldn't go. We stayed at a Comfort Inn but it was oceanfront, the best deal on any Comfort Inn I've ever stayed in. I never could get that deal again. Anyways, it was beautiful, we did whale watching boating tours,my first time snorkeling was at Molokini a shallow volcano crater. Even boring days on the beach and walking up and down the strip, driving to get groceries...it all seemed so peaceful because the pace was slowed down. Even when I twisted my ankle and needed urgent care, crutches. It was so peaceful, such an easy-going vibe.

I went again a few years later with my husband, when we started trying for a baby. Found a nice airbnb, someone's super nice guesthouse on the beach with beautiful sunsets. We spent one of our first nights on their grassy lawn, looking out at the ocean, up at the stars. I forget how he got the weed, but heplayed God Only Knows and other Beach Boys on his phone. We hiked to some waterfalls. Drove the road to Hana in a shitty Honda Fit, totally not fit for the rocky drive, but still. We took in a lot of scenery, got beautiful pics, had fun getting lost. It was nice.

I totally recommend it.

[MsDark]

San Francisco
Mexico
Denver
Chicago
Hot Springs, AR

[LBJ]

It was 1990 and I was with my 2nd wife. It was our first year together and all we did was.....(let's not go there) lol. Anyway we were madly in love and we left for 10 days to go to Montana. Somehow we got lost and temporarily ended up in Idaho.

In Idaho they drive around in 40 year old pick up trucks, and watch corn grow while peeling potatoes. But we eventually got to Montana. Everyone there was so polite and the mountains were so beautiful. We went to the Custer Battlefield Park (since renamed) and the museum there. 
We also went to the largest pow wow in the world with over 400 teepees and hundreds of native dancers. We watched that over 2 days. The Crow Indians were so friendly that it blew our minds.

I've been all over Europe, in fact I lived in France for 10 years. Give me Montana any day because of the people there, they are awesome.

[constancespry]

Favorite beach vacation was St. John a few years ago. First time in the Caribbean for me, and all the beaches looked like something out of a Calendar. Just absolutely gorgeous. Also lots of beautiful wildlife, and historical sites like sugar mills and Danish plantation ruins. We rented a jeep and explored the whole island, it was just perfect. 

Favorite european vacation was back in the 90's, when hub and I went to Barcelona and, from there, ended up in Sitges, a beautiful coastal town. Nice beaches and pretty scenery. We checked into a B&B and went out for dinner. We decided to eat at a little hole in the wall restaurant which was run by an American gay couple and a Dutch cook. After we walked in, the couple started bickering (quietly, but viciously) and the one who took our order made eyes at hubby and was very flirty, probably to make his partner jealous. This didn't go over too well and when he returned to the counter they argued even more intensely.

When he brought our food, he randomly started singing "It's now or never" to hubby (who was horrified and froze). While he was singing, his partner stormed out with lots of door slamming. And the cook came over, sat next to me, told me where he was from, started chatting me up and offered to give me a tour of Sitges. It was just surreal, and hilarious. 

[chalet]

Carnivale, Venice, Italy. Because it was the dreamiest, most romantic event I ever experienced. Everyone was dressed in costumes whether it'was full on or just a mask. The Venetians walked the streets doing their daily tasks wearing a mask while they buy their vegetables.  Music is playing everywhere you go. I remember always hearing the violin.  You'd be walking along an obscure bridge with no one around and suddenly out of corridor would come a bunch of people like in the photo.

We were lucky to be able to stay at a friend's apartment next to La Fenice Opera house. They went to Rome so we had the place to ourselves. It was 60 degrees and we sat on the terrace for breakfast listening to the music playing outside.  I don't remember it being too crowded.  It was lush.

[notoriousmkg]

Feb 4, 2022 4:45:01 GMT beeyotch said:

I loved Maui.

First time I went, I was my best friend's plus one to a wedding when her husband couldn't go. We stayed at a Comfort Inn but it was oceanfront, the best deal on any Comfort Inn I've ever stayed in. I never could get that deal again. Anyways, it was beautiful, we did whale watching boating tours,my first time snorkeling was at Molokini a shallow volcano crater. Even boring days on the beach and walking up and down the strip, driving to get groceries...it all seemed so peaceful because the pace was slowed down. Even when I twisted my ankle and needed urgent care, crutches. It was so peaceful, such an easy-going vibe.

I went again a few years later with my husband, when we started trying for a baby. Found a nice airbnb, someone's super nice guesthouse on the beach with beautiful sunsets. We spent one of our first nights on their grassy lawn, looking out at the ocean, up at the stars. I forget how he got the weed, but heplayed God Only Knows and other Beach Boys on his phone. We hiked to some waterfalls. Drove the road to Hana in a shitty Honda Fit, totally not fit for the rocky drive, but still. We took in a lot of scenery, got beautiful pics, had fun getting lost. It was nice.

I totally recommend it.

We loved Maui, too.  Mrs Mo had a work thing on the big island for about 7 days and I tagged along, staying with her at her $600 a night room with a Pacific view.  It's one of the few places I've ever stayed at where they turned down your bed in the afternoon and put a chocolate candy on your pillow, plus fresh robes and slippers every day, LOL.  But Mrs Mo's work team had technical issues the whole time and I had to help out, too.  Plus, the food was so expensive at the hotel (Hapuna Beach Prince) that I wouldn't buy breakfast or lunch and Mrs Mo had to sneak some of her free food back for me.

But then, we hopped over to Maui for a couple of days.  We were on the nude beach at Makena both days, and it was amazing.  Maui has a really hippie, low-key type of feel to it compared to Oahu and the big island.  I'd love to go back to finally enjoy the clothed areas of the island.