Oh such a problem to have...

[Cehrabehra]

I know, I know, but I'm needing some help lol

I need to find somewhere to go in a couple weeks for a week or two. I need ideas.

Where NOT to suggest:

* Anywhere in the USA
* Anywhere in China
* Anywhere that needs a special visa for US citizens
* Anywhere in South America - it's just *too* far to go.
* Tropical Islands - went to bali a few months ago and loved it but husband doesn't want to do something similar.

We were originally going to go to Japan for spring break but my husband is uncomfortable going now.
We were originally going to go to India instead of Bali but they have a long visa process.
We were thinking of going to Egypt but it seems a little unstable right now.
Husband doesn't want to go to Australia.
We are planning a trip to cambodia, vietnam, and thailand but this is a different trip.

We are running out of time.

Please indulge me!!!

 

[Amys Bling]

Italy pasta, fresh seafood, wine, did I say wine???

Cinqueterre, Sorrento, Capri, chianti, Rome, Florence

 

[April20]

How about Turkey? We went in April and LOVED it. $20 USD at customs gets you a 90 day visa.

 

[Deia]

Prague is beautiful
so is Budapest

How about Croatia?

Northen Lights? (so either Iceland, Sweden or Norway? Not sure you have the potential of seeing them elsewhere?)
This is a good time to spot the northern lights too!!

I'll do some more thinking

 

[princesss]

Thailand and Cambodia!

 

[Blackpaw]

hmmm, i think Turkey or Greece would be good bets, mix of everything in both destinations and nice weather...but to be honest id say you should reconsider egypt, i dont think you'd have an issue, they're still very red hot on looking after tourists. But if you are worried id say Turkey or Greece!

 

[mrscushion]

I once went to a private island in Indonesia - you could rent out the whole island with a group of friends. http://www.pangkil.com/

I'm sorry you don't want to go to Japan. We went to the hot springs of Hokkaido and absolutely loved it.

What about taking the Transsiberian Railway? Starts in China, but then you move out of it pretty quickly? Whether might still be okay in a couple of weeks' time.

ETA: Sorry about suggesting Pangkil. Just remembered your "no tropical islands" rule.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

I'm going to say Germany, but that's because I've been wanting to go for months now. With a week or two, I'd fly into Hamburg or Berlin, drive toward the western Germany and fly out of Munich.

My husband just got back from Norway a few days ago and said it was beautiful.

Have you been to Spain? I haven't, but that would be on the "to see" list. And anywhere in France or Italy is always a "yes" for me.

 

[JuneRose]

What sort of holiday do you want? Relaxing? Cultural? Adventure? I would go to the Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean which is where my father is from. It's still a french colony/department so everyone speaks french and you have the infrastructure of a western country but it's a small-ish island with about 5 main towns and you kind of have everything you need! Beaches, culture, 3 volcanoes (!)... You can take the MOST AMAZING trips down into the extinct volcanoes... The scenery is really beautiful and lush up in the mountains and classic beach holiday around the edges! Oh and the food is delicious too
Here are a few photos from the last time I was there:

 

[JuneRose]

Oh no I'm so silly! I just re-read your post and saw you said no tropical islands! In that case I second everyone who said Italy... food, weather, culture -everything!

 

[kelpie]

Wow, Reunion looks amazing! I was thinking Safari or Switzerland....something very different from your current clime. Or perhaps Octoberfest in Munich?

 

[Amber St. Clare]

Scotland?

 

[Autumnovember]

Austria, Italy, Barcelona, Greece. Moscow....long visa wait?

I've heard Iceland is absolutely bananas amazing.

 

[Trekkie]

How about South Africa?

Specifically, Cape Town? Then you could drive down to the Eastern Cape via the Garden Route and see the big five.

Southern Africa is gorgeous: sea, mountains, desert - a little bit of everything AND you wouldn't need a visa or shots!

 

[natascha]

Spain would be great at this time of the year and it is a wonderful country with so much too do, yummy food and wine, etc. You could spend the whole time in Andalucia ( in the south of Spain) visiting beaches cathedrals, white mountain villages, etc. Or use Madrid (capital) or Barcelona and explore those two quite different regions.

Sweden is absolutely beautiful and very different from China (you are living in China right now, right?). Very green with lots of water, Stockholm archipelago is something you have to experience. Scandinavia is quite different from the usual type of country's that one visits on vacation. I think the direct flight to Sweden (Beijing- Stockholm) was something like 8 hours, so it's not to bad.

Forgot to say that Sweden, even our capital, has very low levels of pollution. TMI warning, it's one of the few capitals where you do not end up with black snot

 

[missy]

I loved our visit to British Columbia. We went to Vancouver and Victoria. So beautiful and lots to do.

 

[princesss]

How about South Africa?

Specifically, Cape Town? Then you could drive down to the Eastern Cape via the Garden Route and see the big five.

Southern Africa is gorgeous: sea, mountains, desert - a little bit of everything AND you wouldn't need a visa or shots!

You're killing me, Trekkie. Do you know how badly I want to move to Cape Town? This isn't helping!

 

[Amys Bling]

Prague is beautiful
so is Budapest

How about Croatia?

Northen Lights? (so either Iceland, Sweden or Norway? Not sure you have the potential of seeing them elsewhere?)
This is a good time to spot the northern lights too!!

I'll do some more thinking

OOOOO! LOVE LOVE LOVE Prague! and I am dying to go to Budapest!

 

[Colltee]

Why doesn't your hubby want to go to Australia? Tell him he's mad - this country is so diverse. Didn't he watch Oprah?!
http://www.australia.com/things_to_do/Things_To_Do.aspx

If Aus is out - how about New Zealand? I've never been myself yet but heading over later this year. I haven't met a single person (from Europe, Aus, US etc.) who has a bad word to say about the place. The Kiwis are super friendly too.
http://www.tourismnewzealand.com/

 

[MissGotRocks]

Greece!

 

[JewelFreak]

Scandinavia is wonderful & would be beautiful right now. Anywhere, the people are so nice, the scenery & culture neverending. I confess Denmark is my favorite Scandinavian country -- I just love the Danes, so humorous & generous, and the food in Denmark is marvelous, Copenhagen beautiful. But...then there's Stockholm, lovely too, and Oslo is like a jewel that should be put away in a drawer at night. Finland is fascinating, with both Swedish & Russian architectural & historical influences. Countryside anywhere is perfect.

 

[centralsquare]

Italy pasta, fresh seafood, wine, did I say wine???

Cinqueterre, Sorrento, Capri, chianti, Rome, Florence

+1

 

[Cehrabehra]

Italy pasta, fresh seafood, wine, did I say wine???

Cinqueterre, Sorrento, Capri, chianti, Rome, Florence

I would LOVE to go back to Italy! I even suggested it but dh wants to go somewhere we haven't been. We have been to Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and Holland. I bet I could convince him to go to Spain but spain is really far away... hmmm....

 

[MAC-W]

How about Myanmar (Burma)?

 

[dragonfly411]

Italy pasta, fresh seafood, wine, did I say wine???

Cinqueterre, Sorrento, Capri, chianti, Rome, Florence

I would LOVE to go back to Italy! I even suggested it but dh wants to go somewhere we haven't been. We have been to Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and Holland. I bet I could convince him to go to Spain but spain is really far away... hmmm....

Your hubs is picky lol! What about - Korea, New Zealand, Hawaii, Alaska, Poland, oooo Brazil? To the Amazon?

 

[bee*]

He is mad not wanting to go to Australia-it's so great there. I cannot wait to visit again. What about New Zealand?

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

New Zealand or Africa!

 

[Trekkie]

How about South Africa?

Specifically, Cape Town? Then you could drive down to the Eastern Cape via the Garden Route and see the big five.

Southern Africa is gorgeous: sea, mountains, desert - a little bit of everything AND you wouldn't need a visa or shots!

You're killing me, Trekkie. Do you know how badly I want to move to Cape Town? This isn't helping!

Oh hiiiiiii, Princesss! I know you love Cape Town, Cape Town is awesome, you should totally go there if you could!

Here's a picture of Table Mountain to help you make up your mind.



And here's a picture of the Twelve apostles, taken from the top of Table Mountain.



Oh, do you like wine? This picture of the Hottentots Holland Mountains was taken on a wine farm.



Yes, we have palm trees on our wine farms. That's how we roll.

So when can I pick you up from the airport?

 

[Cehrabehra]

New Zealand or Africa!

This is kind of what I'm thinking...

So we decided where we're going to go.... CHICO CALIFORNIA haha - I managed to convince my husband to put off the "exotic" trip to the christmas holiday and I'm thinking Africa somewhere (I'd really like to go to botswana!)... but there are SEVERAL suggestions above that are now on my list - spain and turkey and greece and egypt and maybe even india since we've bought ourselves some time if we need to do the visa thing (and maybe we can even get the visa while we're in san francisco). Gotta think about that some more.

Decision made because a) we are really short on time and b) we're getting a new nephew the last week of september and decided a trip "home" is good for this vacation. We have two full weeks in Dec/Jan vs this one week so... win win!

Seriously though - keep the ideas coming because our other vacation is now only 3 months away and I really need to actually use this time to plan wisely!!

 

[Cehrabehra]

Italy pasta, fresh seafood, wine, did I say wine???

Cinqueterre, Sorrento, Capri, chianti, Rome, Florence

I would LOVE to go back to Italy! I even suggested it but dh wants to go somewhere we haven't been. We have been to Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and Holland. I bet I could convince him to go to Spain but spain is really far away... hmmm....

Your hubs is picky lol! What about - Korea, New Zealand, Hawaii, Alaska, Poland, oooo Brazil? To the Amazon?

I would LOVE to go to s.america but from china it is wicked far!!! I think it would take 40 hours of travel one way! Just going to San Diego or Portland takes about 28 hours. Funny that you mention Korea - I've been in the Korean airport 9 times and I've never left it. It's only an hour flight away and a friend and I just discovered there's a COSTCO there and we may make a weekend trip out of it lol

Hawaii and Alaska are out because for the "exotic" trip we cannot go to a US state or territory. Hey - it's not my money I'm spending so I have rules! lol