2016 Travel Thread

[SoulMonster]

Just now, downzy said:

The port stops are Rostock, Germany (Berlin); Tallin, Estonia; St. Petersburg, Russia; Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; then returning to Copenhagen, Denmark.  

It's a shame we can't spend more time in each location, but we're opting for quantity of places versus quality of time.  We'll likely go back eventually to the places we liked the most.  

Then you won't get to Norway at all. But many nice places in that list - I am sure it will be a great holiday.

[downzy]

1 minute ago, SoulMonster said:

Then you won't get to Norway at all. But many nice places in that list - I am sure it will be a great holiday.

Yeah, I'm disappointed we couldn't hit all the Scandinavian countries this time around but the price difference between the cruise that included Olso and the one we're taking (which does not visit Norway) was $1800.  After the cruise we're spending four days in Iceland.  As a photographer, I can see myself coming back to Iceland at some point and making the trip to Norway.  Definitely want to check off every Scandinavian country on my bucket list at some point.  

[username]

Right. For the fourth time this year our vacation plans are totally open. First we wanted to go to California, but the trip we want to do is a little too expensive now so we figured we'd do it next year or the year after that. Then we contemplated Switzerland. But seeing how stupidly expensive it is, we won't do that either. Then we decided to not go at all and buy a new house instead. But we decided not to go through with that either, so now it's all open again. 

We're going in early September and we're basically considering 2 options. 

1. Fly to a beautiful island and chill, option would include Kefalonia (Greece), Corsica (France) or Minorca (Spain) 

2. Go on a roadtrip to either somewhere in the Alps or possibly Tuscany or Liguria in Italy. 

As of yet we're undecided. 

[SoulMonster]

16 minutes ago, downzy said:

Yeah, I'm disappointed we couldn't hit all the Scandinavian countries this time around but the price difference between the cruise that included Olso and the one we're taking (which does not visit Norway) was $1800.  After the cruise we're spending four days in Iceland.  As a photographer, I can see myself coming back to Iceland at some point and making the trip to Norway.  Definitely want to check off every Scandinavian country on my bucket list at some point.  

That's a lot for visiting a boring city like Oslo!

Nah, stay away from our capital, focus on the cities Bergen, Trondheim and Tromsø if you have the chance, and the areas Lofoten, Nordland and Sognefjorden.

 

[downzy]

2 hours ago, SoulMonster said:

That's a lot for visiting a boring city like Oslo!

Nah, stay away from our capital, focus on the cities Bergen, Trondheim and Tromsø if you have the chance, and the areas Lofoten, Nordland and Sognefjorden.

 

The Oslo stop was on a different cruise line that wanted substantially more money for essentially the same trip (minus Oslo).  I'm not a fan of cruises whatsoever as I prefer traveling to places on my own time, but with limited time and a desire to see most of Scandinavia we opted for the cruise as the most efficient.  I'm also hoping this lessens my wife's desire to take an Alaskan cruise.  Being stuck on a boat with a bunch of old people to see a few mountains isn't my idea of a good time.  

Thanks for the Norway suggestions.  I'll definitely be making a trip to Norway at some point.  Good to know I can spend less time in Oslo.  Thought about traveling up from Copenhagen for the day to see it but wasn't worth the time or expense this time around.  Glad to hear I'm not missing much.  

[Powerage5]

1 hour ago, downzy said:

The Oslo stop was on a different cruise line that wanted substantially more money for essentially the same trip (minus Oslo).  I'm not a fan of cruises whatsoever as I prefer traveling to places on my own time, but with limited time and a desire to see most of Scandinavia we opted for the cruise as the most efficient.  I'm also hoping this lessens my wife's desire to take an Alaskan cruise.  Being stuck on a boat with a bunch of old people to see a few mountains isn't my idea of a good time.  

Thanks for the Norway suggestions.  I'll definitely be making a trip to Norway at some point.  Good to know I can spend less time in Oslo.  Thought about traveling up from Copenhagen for the day to see it but wasn't worth the time or expense this time around.  Glad to hear I'm not missing much.  

I second @SoulMonster's recommendation for Bergen though - Bergen is stunning!

[SoulMonster]

Any big basket games taking place in San Francisco these days? I see all these tall black dudes in the gym of the hotel and lots of people standing outside the entrance, apparently hoping to see some stars. I tried to ask security guards but they refuse to answer.

Hah! Jjust asked the cleaning lady and she confirmed it, staying for six days and checking out tomorrow.

Edited June 5, 2016 by SoulMonster

[username]

Question. 

Has anybody here ever been to Madeira? 

[nelsontod]

On 12/20/2015 at 2:35 PM, Snake-Pit said:

I am tempted / looking into going 3 places this year if not 4.

Back to Amsterdam, NL

Guayaquil, Ecuador para sex.

 

Back to the United States to visit, probably not family, so, IDK where in the US, most probably Aspen, CO...

I lived in aspen.  Climb  mount Elbert when you are there.  its great.

On 12/21/2015 at 9:56 PM, Powerage5 said:

Big plans for next year, with the heavy Maiden touring. Ft. Lauderdale in February for the opening night of their tour, followed by a week in Mexico (Monterrey and Mexico City to be precise) several days later. I plan on doing their gigs in Japan and China in April, unless they fall through (Seeming ever more likely as the days go by without gig announcements...), in which case I'm potentially looking at doing South Africa (Cape Town and Johannesburg) in mid-May instead. Back to Europe in July - so far Milan, Rome, and Trieste are on the agenda, as well as a weekend in Germany for Wacken.

how are you able to go to all these places.  are you rich?....lol

[Powerage5]

7 minutes ago, nelsontod said:

I lived in aspen.  Climb  mount Elbert when you are there.  its great.

how are you able to go to all these places.  are you rich?....lol

I just work a job with extremely flexible scheduling and pump about every dollar I make into it. 

[SoulMonster]

3 hours ago, username said:

Question. 

Has anybody here ever been to Madeira? 

My parents go there quite often.

[Eric Cantona]

On 6/3/2016 at 5:41 PM, downzy said:

The Oslo stop was on a different cruise line that wanted substantially more money for essentially the same trip (minus Oslo).  I'm not a fan of cruises whatsoever as I prefer traveling to places on my own time, but with limited time and a desire to see most of Scandinavia we opted for the cruise as the most efficient.  I'm also hoping this lessens my wife's desire to take an Alaskan cruise.  Being stuck on a boat with a bunch of old people to see a few mountains isn't my idea of a good time.  

Thanks for the Norway suggestions.  I'll definitely be making a trip to Norway at some point.  Good to know I can spend less time in Oslo.  Thought about traveling up from Copenhagen for the day to see it but wasn't worth the time or expense this time around.  Glad to hear I'm not missing much.  

I'd recommend Tromsø, very nice place.

[PappyTron]

On 03/06/2016 at 2:29 PM, username said:

Right. For the fourth time this year our vacation plans are totally open. First we wanted to go to California, but the trip we want to do is a little too expensive now so we figured we'd do it next year or the year after that. Then we contemplated Switzerland. But seeing how stupidly expensive it is, we won't do that either. Then we decided to not go at all and buy a new house instead. But we decided not to go through with that either, so now it's all open again. 

We're going in early September and we're basically considering 2 options. 

1. Fly to a beautiful island and chill, option would include Kefalonia (Greece), Corsica (France) or Minorca (Spain) 

2. Go on a roadtrip to either somewhere in the Alps or possibly Tuscany or Liguria in Italy. 

As of yet we're undecided. 

Have you ever visited Croydon and Thornton Heath?

[Snake-Pit]

Edited June 8, 2016 by Snake-Pit

[Snake-Pit]

I arrived in Amsterdam Sunday the 5th of June 2016, left Amsterdam 10am Tuesday the 7th of June 2016..

My trip:

Day 1...

The Stock Exchange... Is where my hotel and favourite coffee shop is and; Feels like my home; 'This bull statue's on my street out there.'

Settling in...

Day 2...

Me in my favourite coffeeshop after that...

There are many reasons why this one is my favourite coffee shop that I won't bore you with now, and the fact that it's next to my hotel... Is just an added bonus to the it all like a very nice cherry to top off the already perfect cream.

Then during this I noticed the time... 16:15... I ordered a joint to go, told the guy what time it was, ran around the corner to Dam Square... Hot, nice, lovely weather, arrived @ 16:19 (it's that close to me/where I know/go/stay)... That I was greeted with an added surprise of having a minute's grace to settle in and get comfortable, which I happily did, then I like great clockwork was ready at 16:20 to celebrate 4/20 last Monday the 6th of June 2016 @ Dam Square... this was taken @ like 16:28 that day after having already celebrated and enjoyed my 4/20.. (glad I remembered and got to do that, LOVED the weather then there that day compared to England too)!

Snapshots I took there too (I was still a tourist afterall)..

Edited June 8, 2016 by Snake-Pit

[Snake-Pit]

Still Day 2...

I then went gift shopping... I bought someone I know a slice of Dutch Cheese because they like continental cheeses anyway and all the Cheeses were good to go/pack/travel with.. I then found myself way across town from my bearings and lost hunting for Ajax merchandise for someone else to gift to..

I randomly discovered a park... and wanted to cut through (without knowing the park too much)...  Within yards/metres/whatever (not long at all)
went for a run, this run was done with that Dutch Cheese gift in gift bag in hand wearing my jeans... so not exactly planned, I didn't even stretch, it was just go time; plan was, run through the park and come out through the other side to run up the street to Dam Square/home/hotel... Big park, but that's okay, I expected that... Got to the other side, slight error... I had I unintentionally had started heading away from my destination; I had to find my way back/plus I needed the wifi of my hotel to save the run for me otherwise I feared it wouldn't save and map the run for me... so I ran, and found my way back all at the same time.

This was that run; Am so glad I ran then and completed it too considering how long I was there for and my wifi situation.
I ran that holding that packed and ready to go gift cheese in hand (again, didn't plan to go for my run when I went for my run; just..;

I love to run and stumbled upon a neat little (what I thought was a neat little) run.
What should have been a 2/3 mile run was a lot longer because I thought I was facing the opposite direction when I set off...
A snapshot I took that I would have never would have seen if it wasn't for getting lost on my run in Amsterdam.

Got back, showered, changed, freshened up (after you know, drinking water and having a much needed stretch and; feeling really good/pleased with myself and that I did that and that it worked)..; natural high... 

Later/after that, when I came back out; I ran into an old friend;

This cat actually belongs to the hotel next to my one and I met him last time and, he came up to me when I was smoking outside so I caught up with him and pet him and stuff.. This time I took a picture of him too... This cat did something pretty ballsy too last time I was in Amsterdam that I was genuinely impressed with him for doing it thinking 'this cat's got balls;  , so needless to say, I remember that cat...  Cool cat.

Yet still Day 2 /but last night in Amsterdam..

Like a mini car/golf cart thing that they have all over...
They come in all colours cars do but this/a red one driving around kept on catching my attention still. (This time and last time/first time I went to 'Dam too)!..

- So I took pictures of it.

 

I even pretended it was mine sort of (just to not attract too much attention) later on, as I smoked my bedtime spliff; All leaning up on this red golf cart/car   -  - When it was still parked there when I went back out/after my this trip I took pictures of..; It was parked pretty close to my hotel still.. and you're not allowed to smoke inside the hotel; Last time I was in the shower and someone somewhere did and set of the fire alarm!.. Me and this other guy from somewhere else were running around the halls pretty much half dressed when we heard the all clear.  .. So can't smoke inside.

Last night of pics with just me and 'Dam (after all the coffeehouses had shut/closed)..
This green T Shirt of Amsterdam I actually bought in Thornton Heath and a thrift shop before I ever went to Amsterdam...

I like it and didn't want to lose it in Amsterdam so I ever took it with me last time/first time I went..

But this is me, in it, 'showing it' around it's home and repping it etc..

Selfie with one of those lion statues at Dam Square.

I'm like 50% sure that this is the branch/location I bought that gift cheese I ended bringing with me on my run..

The guitar shop I know/go to in the NL, I like it, the owner is the coolest/mellowest anything but a stoner Dutchman.

Selfie of me trying to climb up for a better picture of that sign with my phone in selfie mode by accident and me liking the selfie... So I took it.

Then I went back...

Then I went out 1 last time 'to smoke a joint I rolled earlier' @ like 3/4am and...
Found a place not too far called King's Cross cafe with coolness in the window that I took a snapshot of for my instagram...

Edited June 9, 2016 by Snake-Pit

[Snake-Pit]

On my way home...

I woke up/got woken up that day with'
Coach is coming to pick us up in 10 minutes!..

Rolled out of bed, got dressed/got my shit together, checked out, went from my hotel to Amsterdam Central Station (not far).. Like a 5/10 minute walk.. I walked through 'Dam/Amsterdam to my coach... 
and then settled in for the journey back to Vauxhall in London;

... Via 20 minutes in P&J in Veurne, Belgium
(got stoned, had a little fun there, in Belgium, for the first time in my life, 2nd time going there). and Calais, France

Gifts I got myself from Holland unpacked at my home yesterday night.

(Not the gifts I got for other people).

Edited June 8, 2016 by Snake-Pit

[SoulMonster]

Very well documented.

[Snake-Pit]

32 minutes ago, SoulMonster said:

Very well documented.

Minus the sex.

[Dazey]

4 hours ago, Wagszilla said:

Driving from Florida to the midwest next week - anything I should check out in the South? 

Going to make some pitstops. 

New Orleans would be my first port of call.

[Snake-Pit]

4 hours ago, Wagszilla said:

Driving from Florida to the midwest next week - anything I should check out in the South? 

Going to make some pitstops. 

I've never been but wish to go to/'Bucket List it' Austin, TX.

[Dazey]

9 minutes ago, Snake-Pit said:

I've never been but wish to go to/'Bucket List it' Austin, TX.

Went to Austin in October. Awesome place. 

[SoulMonster]

Detroit! Rock! City! What is up again? *air guitar playing* Weeeeeeee!

[SoulMonster]

8 hours ago, Wagszilla said:

I'm going to Arcade Game Night at the bar on Saturday. Until then I'm sitting at my computer getting work done. Tres exciting. 

Are you going to sample our culture or are you a transient again? 

Transient, I am afraid. Already gone and far away. 

[Snake-Pit]

The only things remotely political in Amsterdam this week was: Dutch people who were scanning people's brainwaves in a tent in the middle of Amsterdam, NL; asking people living in Amsterdam what they thought about immigration to collect data; snapshot of the poster on the tent I before I asked about it...

The lady told me it was about being chauvinist; but I gathered in the end from it all; that brainwave data .. They had this woman hooked up to an fMRI Brain scanning machine inside a tent on that bright summer's day in the middle of Amsterdam and you had to live in Amsterdam to qualify for a brainscan. I thought it'll be rude of me to take a picture of that woman hooked up to that fMRI machine; but, this was 1 of the only things (if that) that I observed them get political at.

There was this woman getting painted in the nude but it looked like 'whatever' I've seen better in Croydon, and an Anti Israel rally turned up, and this pretty looking girl who, my God, was pretty than the half naked woman (she had paint and a thong on)..; this pretty girl just wearing jeans and burqa as handing out these anti Israel things (on my first day) (I saw brain scanning on my second day and naked painted lady on both).. - This muslim girl was pretty, and fit, and I was stoned and they had a rally that just turned up and she was giving out leaflets/flyers say boycott Israel, literally, she was so hot, I had to shout 'woot!' That grabbed her attention she smiled, walked up to me, handed me one, told me all about it, she
spoke English didn't say much, was very brief, but was hot, much more 'me' that that touristy looking naked painted lady... and she gave me a leaflet; and I treasure it lol..;

Edited June 10, 2016 by Snake-Pit