Travel Destination Question

[Guest fountainhall]

You win a small travel lottery which provides you with a business class return ticket to anywhere in the world plus one for your partner (they must be used together), seven nights in a 4-star hotel and US$1,500 spending money.

 

Where would you go? Only two conditions. It must be a destination that is new to you, and Thailand is excluded!

[kokopelli]

First destination that comes to my mind is Paris. If I gave it more thought I would likely come up with something more exotic. Egypt was another thought but given the situation there not an option.

[TotallyOz]

For me, it would be Fiji Island. I have wanted to go there for a long time and not been there yet.

[Bob]

At the moment, Bhutan.

[Rogie]

Bob beat me to it, I was thinking Bhutan too.

 

But, actually it might not fulfil all the criteria set by FH's travel lottery. Why?

 

Well, I could be wrong, but I would bet there aren't any 4 Star hotels in Bhutan. Ok, even if there are, I suspect you'd have a jolly difficult job spending $1,500 in seven days.

 

Even if there are 4 Star hotels and you blow the 1,500 nicker, it would be a real shame to go to Bhutan and be stuck in the same hotel for seven days. I'd want to see the whole country, or at least as much as is realistic in a week.

 

I would opt for either the hotel near the Taj Mahal that Michael stayed in a while back (although that's cheating as I have been to india but not the Taj!), so if I couldn't cheat it'd have to be a new country, so I think I'd plump for Brazil and stay in Rio.

[Guest thaiworthy]

Egypt. I don't care about the situation there and I'll take my chances.

[Guest fountainhall]

I was thinking Bhutan too . . . but I would bet there aren't any 4 Star hotels in Bhutan. Ok, even if there are, I suspect you'd have a jolly difficult job spending $1,500 in seven days.

 

Very good choice, and you may be right about 4-star hotels. However, I have good news for you. Aman Resorts has a chain of luxury lodges across the country - I think there are six. However, these are definitely in the 5-star deluxe category and I believe set you back around US$1,000/night or more!! So likely it will be out of the prize range.

 

http://www.amanresor...nkora/home.aspx

 

 

 

 

Having had the luxury of so much travel throughout my career, I'd probably opt for a week atop Santorini - or on Bora Bora.

[TotallyOz]

Egypt. I don't care about the situation there and I'll take my chances.

 

I admit, going there is one of my dreams!

[Guest]

Well, if the ticket was business class, I'd have to look at the short list of places I want to visit that are FURTHER away.

Bali seems obvious.

[Guest thaiworthy]

I admit, going there is one of my dreams!

 

Thailand is one of many people's dreams and for some the "situation" here keeps them away. Yet despite this, we are here and living happily without too many issues.

[pong]

interesting challenge-who is gonna check anyway I have not yet been there? It omits all of Europe and all of SEA for me then.

And on this topic: new country? Or new city in country that has been visited before?

Once I tried to get pretty fast to gain entry to at least 100 countries-I am now at 88 on my personal list, and have more or less stopped. There simply does not seem any really promising new destinations left.

Well, oh-no, now that I think again there thus has to be 1 left; Brasil, Rio de J. But I hesitate: would a personal bodyguard also be provided for? Leaves me a bit too scared about all the criminality reported from there.

[Guest fountainhall]

Interesting that Egypt has cropped up twice. For some reason, Africa has never held any interest to me, except for a couple of weeks in Morocco soon after I graduated and I had a ball - at least I seem to remember I had a ball! My friends all tell me to go to Cape Town or on a safari, but again - no interest.

 

In Asia, Lhasa is on my list. I'd also adore to spend a week in the Karakorum section of the Himalayas, but that means north Pakistan and so a no-no for a long time, I guess.

[kokopelli]

FH, actually Koko also mentioned Egypt. It would be my top choice except for the unstable situation there. Kuhn Worthy did mention that Thailand has a troubled situation but, so far, a bus, with tourists, has not been hijacked and the tourists killed as in Egypt. My fascination is with the pyramids, Tut, temples, hieroglyphs, demotic script, mummies and other antiquities. Of course there are a number of animate mummies on view in parts of Thailand!

[Rogie]

but, so far, a bus, with tourists, has not been hijacked and the tourists killed as in Egypt.

 

I well remember the cold-blooded murder of more than 60 tourists in 1997 as that was only a few years after I had visited Egypt. It was a pre-planned ambush by Islamic militants as the tourists disembarked from their buses in the Valley of the Kings.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/18/world/70-die-in-attack-at-egypt-temple.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

[Guest thaiworthy]

Of course there are a number of animate mummies on view in parts of Thailand!

 

I thought the Corner Bar was closed?!

[Rogie]

Having had the luxury of so much travel throughout my career, I'd probably opt for a week atop Santorini - or on Bora Bora.

 

Definitely a swell destination!

 

How about the Four Seasons FH? Would that suit you?

 

"In the South Pacific, Bora Bora – the most famous of French Polynesia’s Leeward Islands, and recently awarded the title of “the best island in the world” by U.S. News – invites you to immerse yourself in a tropical paradise."

 

The photos on the website are absolutely stunning.

 

http://www.fourseasons.com/borabora/

[TMax]

I'd say Paris, not that I'm into frogs but I have wanted to visit France and the WW1 battle fields for quite a time now.

[firecat69]

Been around the World twice and although not to all the destinations mentioned here, many of them.

 

Not a close call for me. Cape Town is one of the most beautiful places on earth and the scenery in the Western Cape rivals anything anywhere. Even if the Safari does not interest you , there is so much to do in the area and the Hotels are fabulous and the restaurants some of the best I have ever eaten in at 1/3 the price of many of the locations mentioned here. If you like wine there are fabulous Vineyards and wine is a fraction of what it costs in most places.

 

Fabulous golf courses, wonderful Whale excursions or about anything else you can think of. I have never spoken to anyone who has visited CapeTown who did not love it and could not wait to return.

[kokopelli]

I have a sense that Fountainhall is making this post as a teaser for the first prize of his next big contest. In which case Koko does like the choice of Bora-Bora if a winner.

[KhorTose]

Come on you guys, you are all heading for more heat or very cold like Bhutan. This time of year it is spring in South America and i have always wanted to see Machu Picchu and use the hotel stays in Lima and Cusco. Get away from the valleys, beach and heat and spend six days in the Andes.

[Guest fountainhall]

I have a sense that Fountainhall is making this post as a teaser for the first prize of his next big contest.

 

Suggest that, and I suspect I may be headed for the gibbet! This has been a bad year and so the prize will definitely be nothing more than last year! Maybe even less!

 

How about the Four Seasons FH? Would that suit you?

 

You bet it would! Alas, though, that looks like 5-star deluxe. Maybe I could fly economy and use the balance to upgrade the hotel, though

 

I'm also with Khun KT. I'd have to give Lima and Machu Picchu a miss since I've been there, but I'd love to spend more time to exploring many the other valleys around Cusco.

[ChristianPFC]

Two towns come to my mind: Barcelona and Bruxelles. (There are many more interesting places I haven't been to, but a quick answer gives this result.)

[Guest]

Well, here's my assessment of a few European capitals:

 

Paris: Over rated. Easy to miss the sights, as your eyes are constantly monitoring the pavement in an effort to avoid all the dog excrement.

 

Berlin: Loads of atmosphere. Nice friendly people (more so than cities earlier in this list).

 

Brussels: Don't bother. Stay on the train until it gets to Cologne (Köln).

 

Barcelona: Must be visited. Watch out for the pickpockets.

 

Rome: Worth seeing for the very impressive Roman buildings. Also an opportunity to visit the HQ of the most profitable religion business in history.

 

Greece: Worth a go for the Acropolis. Will be cheaper if you wait for the return of the Drachma. They might have stopped striking by then.

 

Istanbul: Only partly in Europe, but the European part is one of the finest cities in Europe.

 

Prague: Must be visited. Compact capital. Even has a couple of rent boy bars (allegedly ).

[pong]

then add Madrid and Barca: both have sauna's with masaje-men-by rent for the half or whole hour (30/45eur), and all assuming that Thai-style more is being wanted. Barca has the sea and its independent-seeking Catalan atmosfere, but Madrid is also splendid and can easily beat Paris for its culture and musea.

Agree with your ideas about Brussel-about dead in weekends anyway. Go for Antwerpen instead.

[Guest anonone]

After our less-then-stellar quick trip to Hong Kong, I am not sure I could get my BF to any of the places so far mentioned. Since Thailand is excluded...maybe Laos? Might be able to convince BF for that one.