Vallerina 2 #1 November 23, 2003 That's right. I can admit it. I'm a dumb American who wants to see something beyond this little bubble I've lived in. Okay, so I'm not completely sheltered, but I'm not exactly a world traveler (just an aspiring world traveler.) So, help a dumb American out. I want to take a trip overseas Give me some advice! I'll give you some more info to give you an idea of what I'm looking for. -I stayed in England/Scotland for about 6 weeks, so I'd like to go somewhere else (although, Scotland was beautiful.) -Is it cheesey to want to go to Dublin for St. Patty's Day? Actually, I've been wanting to visit Ireland for many years....has anyone been on one of those bike/pub tours? That's what I'd like to do! -A train tour through Europe sounds like fun, too. Has anybody gone on one or have any advice on that? -Is there a way to get to either New Zealand or Australia for less than a grand? -I'm really flexible on when and for how long. Off-peak is preferable because of the cheap flights. -Also, if anyone could share experience with any kind of guided tour...that would be greatly appreciated. I want to get out of this country and see something cool! What's the best way to go about doing that? Help a dumb American out!There's a thin line between Saturday night and Sunday morning Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #2 November 23, 2003 Quote-Is there a way to get to either New Zealand or Australia for less than a grand? A row boat? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nightingale 0 #3 November 23, 2003 hey, Val. I was just in Ireland in february. I would HIGHLY suggest making the trip... but not during st. patty's day. 1. dublin's a zoo. 2. st. patty's day is much more of an irish-american holiday, so most of what you'd be seeing are american traditions that spread back to ireland. go to my website, www.nightingalesnest.net, and click on the first link, to my travels page. There's a whole journal of my trip there, so you can see what its like. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydyvr 0 #4 November 23, 2003 QuoteI'm a dumb American who wants to see something beyond this little bubble I've lived in. Help a dumb American out! So, not experiencing life outside the US makes one dumb? I'll disagree with that. There's something to be said for choosing to travel or not, but neither choice makes one "dumb". Sheesh . . . . . =(_8^(1) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jib 0 #5 November 23, 2003 What do you want to do? See stuff in museums, do cool stuff, see pretty scenes... I wandered around Europe with a backpack, guidebook and train pass for about 3 months Aug-Nov '96 and never spent more than 3-4 days in one place. If there's anything specific you'd like to know, just ask. You may want to get a guidebook to decide where you want to go. If you do something like that, make sure you have well-broken in hiking boots! To go down under look at www.quantas.com You *may* be able to get a flight for your price range. Check out their specials. -------------------------------------------------- the depth of his depravity sickens me. -- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nightingale 0 #6 November 23, 2003 Aer Lingus usually runs a special starting about now... www.aerlingus.com 100Euro each way from dublin to Chicago and back... you could fly to Ireland for like $214.00, girl... go for it... just bring LOTS of warm clothes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian84 0 #7 November 23, 2003 Paddy's Day is good craic but the weather around that time is traditionally brutal.....Ireland is a beautiful place when the sun comes out which isn't all that often but i would suggest you wait until the summer. As for the pub crawl, you'll have no problem finding pubs on your own and maybe you can get the tour of the Guinness factory. If you want any more info on the country i'd be glad to help. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vonSanta 0 #8 November 23, 2003 Norway, Spain and the Swiss Alps are places that are really nice in Europe. Well, southern France is pretty nice too. Italy is ok except it's full of Italians . I'd suggest that you see some of the "non-English" parts of Europe as well. It might be a wee bit weird at first, but well worth it Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cindee 0 #9 November 23, 2003 San Sebastian Spain is beautiful. If you go in early July, you can also visit nearby Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls.__________________________________________________ "If happy little bluebirds fly above the rainbow, why oh why can't I?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,151 #10 November 23, 2003 QuoteNorway, Spain and the Swiss Alps are places that are really nice in Europe. Well, southern France is pretty nice too. Italy is ok except it's full of Italians . I'd suggest that you see some of the "non-English" parts of Europe as well. It might be a wee bit weird at first, but well worth it And southern France is full of the French, so why pick on Italy? Actually, I like both southern France and Italy, but you have to be on guard against pickpockets. There's nothing like foreign travel to dispel pre-conceived notions about the way things "ought" to be done.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikkey 0 #11 November 23, 2003 QuoteIs there a way to get to either New Zealand or Australia for less than a grand? Talk to a Travel Agent about "Around the World" fares. These are special deals where you fly in only one direction using airlines within the same "alliance" until you have made it around the globe back at your origin. These tickets have a defined number of stop overs you can do. I do not know how much they cost from the US. I do know that you can take one of these here from OZ and can do both Europe and the US in one trip for nearly the same price then just one of the destinations return.--------------------------------------------------------- When people look like ants - pull. When ants look like people - pray. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Faber 0 #12 November 23, 2003 Quote-A train tour through Europe sounds like fun, too. Has anybody gone on one or have any advice on that? As im a gentelman i wont ask you how old you are... just say try do a search on the word "interrail",its the cheapest way to travel by train in Europe i guess... Stay safe Stefan Faber Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ozthebum 0 #13 November 23, 2003 QuoteA train tour through Europe sounds like fun, too. Has anybody gone on one or have any advice on that? When I was stationed in England I took the trains through Europe a couple times. I had a ticket called a Euro-rail pass. For one set price I was able to ride alomst any train, including most inter-city trains. Really good and cheap way to travel. Also, once you get to Europe they have an airline over there called Ryan-air that flys to-from a dozen or so different countries. All the tickets are cheap and sometimes won't cost anything more than the airline tax ($15-$20 US). Hope this helps....and have fun! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KolibrieLinda 0 #14 November 23, 2003 If you are ever interested to come and visit some dropzones in The Netherlands or do other things over here? I'd be very happy to help you out and/or introduce you to people over here. And there are always cheap places to stay for skydivers. We've got some beautifull places and not just the mills and Amsterdam. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #15 November 23, 2003 QuoteStupid American wanting to go to Europe HOw'd you know I wanted to go to europe?My photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
souleh 0 #16 November 23, 2003 Quote 2. st. patty's day is much more of an irish-american holiday, so most of what you'd be seeing are american traditions that spread back to ireland. Wouldn't those be Irish traditions that were adopted by the Americans? 'buttplugs? where?' - geno Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vallerina 2 #17 November 23, 2003 QuoteWhat do you want to do? See stuff in museums, do cool stuff, see pretty scenes... I want to see pretty scenes and do cool stuff. Sure, there are probably a few museums that I would like to see, but I'd rather stay away from museums. Quote There's a whole journal of my trip there, so you can see what its like. QuoteIreland is a beautiful place when the sun comes out which isn't all that often but i would suggest you wait until the summer. How bad is Ireland in March? The flights are so much cheaper then. QuoteI'd suggest that you see some of the "non-English" parts of Europe as well. It might be a wee bit weird at first, but well worth it Yeah, I'd really like to check out Spain or Germany. Maybe I can get by in Spain with the few years I had in school a long long time ago? Okay, let's just say that I decide to head to Ireland (the country looks beautiful in pictures, and I've always wanted to go there), how would you go about "visiting" a country? I would rather not drive while there (I can barely drive on the right side of the road.) I don't know anyone there. I am a foreigner. Are there tours that are good or are the tours really lame?There's a thin line between Saturday night and Sunday morning Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #18 November 23, 2003 QuoteYeah, I'd really like to check out Spain or Germany. If you end up in Frankfurt.......just be careful around the train station. That's NOT exactly the nicest neighborhood. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Supergeil 0 #19 November 23, 2003 If you want to see Denmark or Sweeden I would be glad to help you with places to see,stay and of course jump. Next year im going to Russia for a lot of jump's but the year after that it must be the States and then it would be nice to now a Stupid American Supergeil Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jib 0 #20 November 23, 2003 QuoteI want to see pretty scenes and do cool stuff. www.balmers.com This is the youth hostel in Interlaken, Switzerland. I was told it was un-American [backpacker] not to visit. In March, it'd probably be skiing, but during the summer, it's a zoo and they do some cool, but a little expensive, activities -- like skydiving, paragliding, glacier climbing, hang gliding... I thought the southern coast of Portugal (Lagos) was nice (blue water, red/brown cliffs) and we got a cheap place with a view from a woman who met us at the trail station. In Spain, I liked Granada (even though I got food poisioning and rather ill in the Alhambra) and Toledo. The south of France was nice with a car -- wine country and driving from San Tropez to Cannes along the coast. In Italy, you'd probably want to see Venice, Florence and Rome. You may want to go to a old hilltown like San Gimigiano (there's some really sick stuff in the musuem of criminology aka torture), hike between the villages of Cinqua Terra, see Pompei, or ride down the Amalfi coast (don't think about driving it -- honk before you go around the blind corner). Then, there's the islands. In Germany, I took the jetfoil down the Rhine and saw the castles along the way. Dachau (concentration camp near Munich) was enlightening. -------------------------------------------------- the depth of his depravity sickens me. -- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #21 November 23, 2003 QuoteNext year im going to Russia for a lot of jump's but the year after that it must be the States and then it would be nice to now a Stupid American Just go to Florida, Arizona, or California during winter. Americans are the minority. It'll be like you never left Europe. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian84 0 #22 November 23, 2003 Its pretty unpredictable, the weather was great last time, actally it was roasting but every other year i can remember was fairly bleak. Its still a lot of fun but the sun is a bonus, maybe you'll get lucky.........just keep spraying those CFC's and hope for the best. Im sure youll have a great time where ever and whenever you go. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nightingale 0 #23 November 24, 2003 I had a wonderful time in Ireland in february. It only rained once, and it snowed once, our first night in Dublin. Which was great for me... silly california girl had never actually seen snow fall out of the sky before. I'd seen it on the gorund, but never actually seen a snowfall. I was glued to the window while my friend from new england laughed her ass off and kept saying "its only snow!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheAnvil 0 #24 November 24, 2003 Check out around the world airfares from this site: http://www.airtreks.com/ I've gotten some good deals through them in the past. Europe is always a blast - I've heard great things about the Euro-Rail or Eur-Rail passes, though I've never been there long enough to need one. If you go DO NOT miss Munich or Vienna. I don't do guided tours as a general rule of thumb - though I did hire some porters and a guide when I climbed Kilimanjaro a couple of years ago. You might want to consider South or Central America if you'd like a slightly cheaper vacation, though if you're doing guided tours and not winging it you're going to spend $$ regardless. My US$0.02. Vinny the Anvil Vinny the Anvil Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL JACKASS POWER!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eiley 0 #25 November 24, 2003 Quote-Is there a way to get to either New Zealand or Australia for less than a grand? Don't know about airfares, etc, but I certainly know that free accommodation can be arranged! Would just love to introduce another Hinckley Hottie to my male Aussie friends! They were somewhat impressed with the last one. Cheers, Eiley nothing to see here Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
