If you had $5000 and 2 weeks to travel, where would you go?

[deevergote]

I don't have either... but I got to thinking that if I COULD travel, where I would go. I feel that anyplace really far away would need 2 weeks to really appreciate, and at least $5000 to cover airfare, lodging, food, and a small amount of recreational spending.

The more specific the replies, the more interesting the conversation will be (because I know the first few replies are going to be "JAPAN! JDMLAND! JUNKYARDS!!!" )


The first two places that come to mind for me are:

Kyoto, Japan. I have a friend living there that has offered me a place to stay... which would cut down expenses, leaving me more money for fun stuff! Plus, I'd have someone to hang out with. It's not too far from Tokyo that I couldn't check it out, but I wouldn't be stuck paying for a vacation in Tokyo (which is NOT cheap!) I want to go to Japan for many reasons... the culture, the music, the food, and of course... the cars!

Cork, Ireland. My ex had a family friend with a cottage there, so I've always wanted to go. Obviously, I'm not going to the cottage anymore, but I've always been interested in the area. Apparently, that area of Ireland is far more enjoyable than most of the "touristy" areas. Of course, I'd still have to go to the Guinness and Jameson factories, and hang out at a few pubs! I'm mainly interested in Ireland because... well, I'm a good part Irish, I love the scenery (that I've seen in pictures and movies), the accents are awesome, and I'm a big fan of Irish beer, whiskey, and women!

[Leung]

My mom has always wanted to take us to Vietnam to meet the rest of the family that didn't get to come to the US with her back in the day. The only thing is, we'll probably need more money than the 5k and the two weeks being offered to really do anything.

[Ralphie]

Hmm this one is a tough one for me.

I spent a year in Korea.

Traveled to Egypt, Turkey, Italy, Greece, and London for my honeymoon.

I have been to Israel twice.

Did a trip to Dominican Republic not too long ago.

Honestly with 5k, there are 3 places I would probably choose from-

Northeastern Canada- there is a tour that goes in and around the northeastern part of Canada....small small boats...lots of hiking and going out on 5-6 seater viewing boats.
You basically tour areas, that except for the tours, no one lives.

That is also one place where you can see spirit bears!!!

Montana(Yellowstone). Ever since I was a kid I yearned to see the countries we learned about in school. Now that I have seen a lot of what I wanted to see, I want to bask in the glory of the good ole U.S. Watching tv programs lately about our backyard really shows how amazing our country is that a lot of people take for granted. Now that the wolf population is back up and the Bisons are up too, I think right now is the perfect time to see Yellowstone. Only problem is I want to see it in the spring AND winter, so for me, Ill have to go twice.

Japan(Im throwing this one in because the other options[Russia, Netherlands, South Africa, Australia] are WAY more then 5k)

For the obvious reasons, JDM LANDOMGGGGG

But also because they have an island off the coast that is abandoned(Mistubishi use to own it)

Tons of WWII sites, especially the bombing sites. There is a place where a shadow still exists from the moment the first A-bomb went off. Just really crazy.

Im still mad at myself for not going when I was in Korea but I didn't want to travel alone for security reasons.

Toyko is probably one of the top 3 coolest citys on the planet....so for a budget of 5k....Japan would round out the top 3 choice.

Plus...if I could afford it, Id love to hop a flight back to Korea and show the wife my old running grounds......plus Korean food is the fucking bomb!

[Straight Success]

Subscribed. I have to put some extra thought into this one.

[deevergote]

Ralphie, that's exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for!

A friend of mine went to Montana, and visited Yellowstone. He's a great photographer, and he took some AMAZING pictures! I never really had that much interest until I saw those pictures. Holy crap!



Some of the European places might not be too much. I've seen tours to various European locations for about $3000... so $5000 should cover it...
The Netherlands are up there on my list as well. I may have a place to stay there, if Stefan's offer still stands.

Damn, this thread is already making me want to find a way to make it happen!
I've never left the country, not even Canada, so international travel is really intriguing right now.

[mcdizzle]

The first week I would spend in Disney World because I have never been and neither has my girlfriend and the second week we would go to Boston/New York. Both cities that I have never been to and again that both my girlfriend and myself want to visit.

[Gemini]

I had this bookmarked. These are places that intrigue and also places where the US currency goes a long way.


Argentina
Why spend thousands in France when you can find the same vibe here? Buenos Aires (a.k.a. the Paris of South America) has embarked on a dramatic turnaround since the 2001 collapse of the Argentine peso — but the place is still amazingly cheap.
Chic hotel rooms, nights out dancing and fabulous food and wine cost half what they do across the Atlantic. A huge thick-cut steak dinner? Rarely more than $25.

Bali
With the dollar holding steady against the Indonesian rupiah over the past year, Bali has become one of the best island values in Asia.
Luxury bungalows nestled in lush hillsides can be had for $100 to $200 a night. At countless stone temples you can often see shadow-puppet performances for free or a small donation. And half-hour massages typically cost less than $15.

Costa Rica
Incredibly, Americans now have about a third more buying power in this natural wonderland than they did five years ago — a dollar equals around 500 Costa Rican colones today vs. 360 then.
You can explore beaches good for surfing, then go snorkeling in coral reef-filled bays.Don't miss the rainforests, which teem with wildlife — including rare quetzals with spectacular plumage.

Mexico
With the peso/dollar exchange rate steady over the past couple of years, Mexico remains a prime bargain destination.
The hottest area now is arguably Mexico City, booming with new museums, a historical architectural revival, and a vibrant music and arts scene. Entry to the city's huge Museum of Modern Art, where you can see works by Frieda Kahlo and Diego Rivera, costs just $2.

Morocco
Though the Moroccan dirham has strengthened a bit against the dollar in the past year, in the ancient cities of Casablanca, Fez and Marrakech many café meals still cost less than $5.
Classic budget hotels in atmospheric narrow streets, such as the Hotel El Muniria in Tangier, where Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac stayed, cost around $30 a night. Plenty of luxury hotels are available too.

Panama
This small country boasts mountains, rainforests, 1,500 miles of coast (your pick of the Caribbean or Pacific) and — of course — the magnificent canal, where you can gawk at giant supertankers being raised and lowered through the locks.
Forget exchange rates: Panama's currency, the balboa, is pegged at parity with the U.S. dollar, and the dollar itself is accepted virtually everywhere.

Vietnam
There's never been a better time to visit one of Asia's most fascinating countries, with pristine beaches and unique crafts: The dollar goes further against the Vietnamese dong than it did three years ago.
You may have enough left to splurge on a fivestar hotel, such as the new Park Hyatt in Ho Chi Minh City ($290 a night vs. up to $675 for a comparable room in Chicago).

[deevergote]

Did you copy and paste those comments, Dean? If not... you have missed your calling as a travel agent! (I now have Van Halen stuck in my head, and my inner 13 year old is snickering at the Vietnamese dong...)

[Gemini]

Did you copy and paste those comments, Dean? If not... you have missed your calling as a travel agent! (I now have Van Halen stuck in my head, and my inner 13 year old is snickering at the Vietnamese dong...)

Copy and past for sure from this link.

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-22776375

Ive been researching more international travel while getting the bang for my buck and i ran into this article. Very helpful

[GhostAccord]

I've always wanted to take the Canadian War Memorial Tour. Start in Paris, Caen, Normandy, Dieppe, Amiens, Arras, Ypres, Calais, Dover and end in London. That is the first 8 days. Then with the last few days I would travel through the Netherlands...... I hear they love Canadians.

Second choice would be to spend another two weeks in British Columbia and Alaska. We didn't get to see enough the first two weeks.

[ThePhoenix82]

Being a Canadian myself, I think Banff would be a great place to go for 2 weeks. I went there in a high school trip a while ago. The scenery was amazing, it really is a great place to relax in. Also, there are a lot of of recreational things to do such as hiking, skiing, mountain biking and a lot more. It's known for it's amazing mountainous surroundings and hot springs. Overall a great place to relax and just admire nature and it's creations.

[deevergote]

I think Iceland would be really neat as well... and apparently they're suffering from economic dysentery, so I bet it's nice and cheap!

[GhostAccord]

I think Iceland would be really neat as well... and apparently they're suffering from economic dysentery, so I bet it's nice and cheap!

Maybe you could look into taking a journey to the centre of the earth while your there!

[deevergote]

I'd probably stop somewhere in the middle... get drunk with the hobbits.

[texasvtak]

id pocket the money and just drive around texas.