I'm thinking of doing a month to six weeks in a Muay Thai training camp in Thailand. Has anyone done this before and have any tips or recommendations?
Hey, I'm visiting New York City for four days in October next year. I'm taking $1600 - this is for everything. Most of the stuff I want to see is free as far as I'm aware (except for stuff like Broadway shows, Top of the Rock etc), so the money will be spent on public transport, food and drink. I won't be doing a lot of shopping, not over $100 anyway. Accommodation and Flights are all paid for. If it helps, I'll be staying in Times Square. Here's a list of the stuff I want to see, I'm pretty confident I can do this all in four days: • Times Square (Broadway) • Subway • Rockefeller Centre (Observation Deck) • Radio City Music Hall • Grand Central Terminal • Chrysler Building • Central Park (Strawberry Fields, The Dakota) • Empire State Building • Macy’s • Madison Square Gardens • Museum of Natural History • 5th Avenue • Empire State Building • UN Headquarters • World Trade Center Site • Statue of Liberty (Staten Island Ferry) • Manhattan Bridge • Brooklyn Bridge • Wall Street • Greenwich Village [Washington Square] • Brooklyn Bridge I'd appreciate it if anyone could recommend me good places to eat and drink (I've been told not to go to the Olive Garden). Also what is the likelihood of The Lion King playing on Broadway in Oct 2010? Is there anything you'd add/subtract from the list? Thanks a whole lot in advance, if there's a chance anyone can help me with this. -Tom
I have about a 9 hour layover in Johannesburg coming up, and I don't think I want to stay in the airport for that long. Any recommendations for what to do for the day? Also, I've heard a lot about the carjackings (especially from the airports) and muggings and all that, but how dangerous is the area really, or is it a lot of media hype? Thanks
Tom, Please, don't do any of this. Really. You'll inevitably see most of this on your trip while you're moving around in the city. But in 1 or 2 hours you'll be bored with big tall buildings. I live in the city (Manhattan) and know the town well having been here for 5 years. I hate Midtown. So, I'll help you have a great trip! You'll want to eat and drink mostly and there are so many great, cheap places to eat and cool bars for beer and cocktails. What do you eat? What do you drink? Have you made arrangements to stay in Midtown (Times Sq.) already? October can be cold so be prepared for that Being outdoors trying to sight see every tourist spot when it's 30 degrees outside can be tiring. Are you bringing family or friends? Who are you going with? Let me know. It's a great place to come to. Best,
Hey, thanks for replying. I'm going with a bunch of friends, it's all booked (Times Sq. - tell me this is a good thing... the location seems perfect). We all eat everything but want to try it all from simply grabbing a hot dog to eating in a relatively nice restaurant (and pastrami sandwiches etc). I'm a little confused, wondering why you think I shouldn't do any of what I listed, but seeing as you're a resident New Yorker I'd love your help and advice! And dude, I'm from the UK, it's ALWAYS cold here, I'm sure we'll be fine weather-wise. Thanks again, looking forward to your advice.
Because dude most of what you listed are boring shitty buildings. Unless you have a hard-on for architecture I promise you the reality will be just another office block all of which you will pass in your daily travels anyway. One suggestion: http://www.bikethebigapple.com/
I see what you mean, when I say visit them I do really mean just walk past them, I'm not looking to go inside or stare at them for hours, (with the exception of going to the Top of the Rock because the view looks awesome).
Hey, I'm visiting New York City for four days in October next year. I'm taking $1600 - this is for everything. Most of the stuff I want to see is free as far as I'm aware (except for stuff like Broadway shows, Top of the Rock etc), so the money will be spent on public transport, food and drink. I won't be doing a lot of shopping, not over $100 anyway. Accommodation and Flights are all paid for. If it helps, I'll be staying in Times Square. Here's a list of the stuff I want to see, I'm pretty confident I can do this all in four days: • Times Square (Broadway) • Subway • Rockefeller Centre (Observation Deck) • Radio City Music Hall • Grand Central Terminal • Chrysler Building • Central Park (Strawberry Fields, The Dakota) • Empire State Building • Macy’s • Madison Square Gardens • Museum of Natural History • 5th Avenue • Empire State Building • UN Headquarters • World Trade Center Site • Statue of Liberty (Staten Island Ferry) • Manhattan Bridge • Brooklyn Bridge • Wall Street • Greenwich Village [Washington Square] • Brooklyn Bridge I'd appreciate it if anyone could recommend me good places to eat and drink (I've been told not to go to the Olive Garden). Also what is the likelihood of The Lion King playing on Broadway in Oct 2010? Is there anything you'd add/subtract from the list? Thanks a whole lot in advance, if there's a chance anyone can help me with this. -Tom[/quote] Tom, Please, don't do any of this. Really. You'll inevitably see most of this on your trip while you're moving around in the city. But in 1 or 2 hours you'll be bored with big tall buildings. I live in the city (Manhattan) and know the town well having been here for 5 years. I hate Midtown. So, I'll help you have a great trip! You'll want to eat and drink mostly and there are so many great, cheap places to eat and cool bars for beer and cocktails. What do you eat? What do you drink? Have you made arrangements to stay in Midtown (Times Sq.) already? October can be cold so be prepared for that Being outdoors trying to sight see every tourist spot when it's 30 degrees outside can be tiring. Are you bringing family or friends? Who are you going with? Let me know. It's a great place to come to. Best,[/quote] Hey, thanks for replying. I'm going with a bunch of friends, it's all booked (Times Sq. - tell me this is a good thing... the location seems perfect). We all eat everything but want to try it all from simply grabbing a hot dog to eating in a relatively nice restaurant (and pastrami sandwiches etc). I'm a little confused, wondering why you think I shouldn't do any of what I listed, but seeing as you're a resident New Yorker I'd love your help and advice! And dude, I'm from the UK, it's ALWAYS cold here, I'm sure we'll be fine weather-wise. Thanks again, looking forward to your advice.[/quote] Hey Vlad, Times square has a lot of tourists like yourself that move slowly and gawk at all the ads around. It's not very New York like. BUT, it does have access to every subway which is a cheap way to move around the city quickly. (taxi cabs can get expensive). Katz Deli in the Lower East Side (take the F train to 2nd Avenue) is THE spot for a corned beef sandwich: These places you've mentioned: • Times Square (Broadway) - You'll be staying here so you'll see it but I wouldn't spend much time gawking or buying "I Love NY" t-shirts etc. • Subway -You'll use this a lot. Get the Fun pass (7days) for $27. • Rockefeller Centre (Observation Deck) - They say this is better than the Empire State Building's Observation deck: <a class="postlink" href="http://travelwithkids.about.com/od/newyork/ss/top_of_the_rock_2.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://travelwithkids.about.com/od/newy ... rock_2.htm</a> • Radio City Music Hall - If you're not seeing a concert in the city while your here it's a waste to go to this place. • Grand Central Terminal - Check out the clock in the center but have a pint at the bar up top (The Campbell Apartment - Bar). Bring a camera for all your travels and take pics. • Chrysler Building - Beautiful to look at but the inside is boring and ugly. It's a small lobby with nothing to see but gawdy marble: • Central Park (Strawberry Fields, The Dakota) - Don't take the horse carriage rides just walk in and check it out. Then go to the Time Warner Building for a cocktail at the Stone Rose (Looks over the park, expensive drinks but hot cocktail servers) • Empire State Building - Waste, you'll see it from anywhere in the city. • Macy’s - Shop in Soho on Spring and Prince Streets. Go to KidRobot <a class="postlink" href="http://www.kidrobot.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.kidrobot.com/</a> • Madison Square Gardens - It's cool if you're seeing an event or game (Hockey, Basketball or Concert) but to just see the exterior of the building... idk... • Museum of Natural History - I think the best museum is the MET <a class="postlink" href="http://www.metmuseum.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.metmuseum.org/</a> • 5th Avenue - Walk on 5th ave from 59th street to 63rd and see the crazy homes that line the park if you must. • UN Headquarters - is far away from anything. They offer a tour but I wouldn't do that... <a class="postlink" href="http://www.un.org/tours/pages/atg.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.un.org/tours/pages/atg.htm</a> • World Trade Center Site - If you can, get here 8-9am. It's a zoo! It's really cool to see people rushing off to work that early. It's crazy. Then check out the hole (WTC) and the new freedom tower being built. <a class="postlink" href="http://www.nyc-tower.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.nyc-tower.com/</a> • Statue of Liberty (Staten Island Ferry) - This is a whole day trip. I haven't been there since I was a kid. If you go to Battery Park (Near the WTC site) you can see it. • Manhattan Bridge - You'll see these Bridges from the LES. Check out Nelson Blue in the South Street Seaport for lunch or dinner. <a class="postlink" href="http://www.nelsonblue.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.nelsonblue.com/</a> • Brooklyn Bridge - see above ^ • Wall Street - After Battery Park, go here. It's just east of the WTC site and north east of battery park. Don't go on a weekend. It's a ghost town. • Greenwich Village [Washington Square] - Really shitty college (NYU) bars with young 18-22 year old girls. Go to Off the Wagon and pick someone up. Check out Soho. (South of Houston Street) for shopping. There are cool bars and places to eat. I'll add more of those later. Questions?
Thanks a lot, I'll definitely have to amend my list of shit to do. Can you recommend any specific bars/restaurants you've been to to go to for a good night out? We'll be drinking every night I assume, and we love lager/beer. Thanks again dude. Edit: I read the Staten Island Ferrry is free and only takes around half an hour (or an hour) and you can just hop on it for a nice view of Manhattan and a close up of the Statue? Is this true? Cheers!
Also, bearing in mind I'll be seeing one Broadway show, drinking every night and eating out every day (but not shopping, and things I want to see/do don't cost that much), is $1600 too much for four days? Will I be alright with less? I do want to be more than comfortable though, and I hear NYC is pricey. Thanks.
I went to Pompeii yesterday and it was absolutely amazing. The condition of the entire city was unbelievable. I leave for Sicily tomorrow and cannot wait to see it.
I don't think this qualifies as world travel, but I'm looking for a recommendation for things to do while in San Antonio. I will be in town on business, and will most likely have one afternoon/evening to myself. If there were to be one thing that I absolutely must see/do in San Antonio, what would you all recommend?
I'm getting married in September and am in the process of planning my honeymoon. We are taking just under 2 weeks and have decided to go to go to the South Pacific. The current plan is to spend 5 nights in French Polynesia (Bora Bora) and then 7 nights in New Zealand. We'd like to see as much as possible while we're in New Zealand, but given that we are only going to be there for a week, we're sticking to just 1 of the 2 islands. We fly into Auckland, so naturally, it would be easier to stay on the northern island. For those of you that have been to New Zealand, what would you suggest? Sticking to the northern island, or taking a quick flight down to Christchurch to spend our time on the southern island? We'll get our relaxing done in Bora Bora, so while in New Zealand, we really hope to do some exploring and see as many sights as possible.
In regards to which Island to visit, it really depends on what you are in to. Do you want to do adventurous things, see pretty "untouched" scenery, or do you prefer more urban landscapes?
I spent 4 years in Auckland and wish to shit it had been in ChCh or Dunedin. Go South. There are a few cool things to see in the North (Bay of Islands, Taupo, Ruapehu), but the South Island is infinitely more fucking awesome. Everything down there is gorgeous, and you can go the better part of a week w/o seeing other tourists if you stick to the West Coast.
I'd pick the South Island, but internal flights in NZ are cheap and quick, so you could theoretically hit both. On the South Island, Queenstown is awesome and a must-see. Take a daytrip to Milford Sound. Dunedin is okay too, and the drive from Queenstown to Dunedin is really nice. Christchurch is cool, but not worth much more than a day. The TranzAlpine train from Christchuch to Greymouth is definitely worth checking out. If you stay on the North Island, Wellington and Rotorua are the most interesting places. Rotorua is full of geothermal activity and the center of Maori culture. Wellington was one of my favorite cities I've ever been to, even though the wind was unreal. It's just got a great vibe, and I enjoyed it a lot more than Auckland. Raglan and Tauranga are nice too.
I just graduated college and I'm planning on spending a little over 4 months backpacking alone in Europe, starting at the end of March and ending early/mid-August. I've been investigating on my own for a while, and I have come up with the following itinerary: Days City Country 6 Rome Italy 5 Florence Italy 3 Venice Italy 2 Milan Italy 3 Nice France 6 Barcelona Spain 4 Madrid Spain 2 Seville Spain 1 Tangiers Morocco (by ferry from Algeciras, Spain) 2 Fez Morocco 2 Casablanca Morocco 2 Marrakech Morocco 3 Lisbon Portugal 2 Bilbao Spain 2 San Sebastian Spain 5 Paris France 7 London England 3 Dublin Ireland 3 Edinburgh Scotland 3 Brussels Belgium 4 Amsterdam Netherlands 4 Copenhagen Denmark 4 Berlin Germany 6 Prague Czech Republic 3 Munich Germany 4 Vienna Austria 5 Budapest Hungary 1 Zagreb Croatia 5 Dalmatian Coast Croatia (Split, Brac, Dubrovnik) 3 Kotor Montenegro 2 Turina Albania 2 Sarana Albania 6 Athens Greece 2 Mykonos Greece 6 Istanbul Turkey 124 Total Days I tried to design this trip so that I would hit western Europe before the summer tourist season hits full swing, and towards the end of the summer I will be in eastern Europe (enjoying the beaches of Croatia, Montenegro, etc.). My budget is about $8000 for my trip, including travel and accommodation. I'm interested in getting a feel for each place by day (art, architecture, museums, etc.) and partying my ass off at night. This is also my first time backpacking/leaving the US. I'm probably going to get the 15 travel days in 2 months Eurail flexi pass for the first half of my trip (UK is halfway point), and get point-to-point rail and bus tickets for the latter half. I am also scheduling my return ticket to give me an extra week or so of flexibility in case I want to stay in a certain place longer or if I encounter delays. Does this itinerary look good? Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance for any comments.
I did a very similar trip in 2004, and that's an excellent itinerary. Here are my thoughts on it: Traveling for that long is not easy, especially if you've never done it before. It will stop feeling like a vacation after a few weeks and can be a bit of a grind at times. You've decided to stay in some big cities for a long period of time (6-7 days). Most of these cities can be seen pretty thoroughly in 3 days (with a few exceptions, like Rome). These places also tend to be the most expensive cities to stay in. After traveling for a bit, I learned to take a "vacation from my vacation" for at least a couple of days every 2 weeks, and they're usually a lot more relaxing when you're not in a city with 5-10 million people. For instance, you don't need to stay in Barcelona for 6 days...you'll run out of stuff to see during the day. Take 2 of those days and go vegetate on the Costa Brava or something. It might not be on your itinerary, but recharging your batteries will become necessary. It will also save you some money. It's not something that makes much sense until you're actually out there though, so I wouldn't worry too much about it until you get going. As far as specific destinations, a few suggestions: 1. 5 days in Florence is probably too many, you'll run out of stuff to do unless you daytrip somewhere else for a couple of those. I'd take 2 of those days and check out Siena and the Cinque Terre; 2. You could do Barcelona-San Sebastian-Bilbao-Madrid-Lisbon-Sevilla-Morocco, and fly from Marrakech to Basel or Lyon (or even directly into Paris) on Easyjet or Ryanair. It'd save you some backtracking, and the fights are seriously cheap; 3. Try to get to Glasgow for at least a day; 4. You don't need 3 days in Kotor, 2 will cut it just fine. But count on at least a half-day to get from Dubrovnik to Kotor. It'll be the longest 70km or so you ever travel in western Europe, unless shit's changed lately; 5. I cannot stress this one enough - GO TO BUDVA. It was my favorite city on the whole trip, and it's on your way between Kotor and Albania. I spent 3 days there and wanted to stay another week. It's amazing, and cheap; 6. If you're traveling overland between Albania and Athens, stop in Skopje, Macedonia. Very nice place, and right along the way; 7. You won't need 6 days in Athens. Use some of them to head out to the Pelponnese or hit an island or 2. Other various tips - Make absolutely sure you reserve your train trips in Spain. It's a nightmare if you don't. Trust me. 8k might be enough; it probably is for most people. I spent 11k in 4.5 months in 2004, but I probably drank at least 4k of that. And I went to a lot of expensive places. And I never did the noodle-eating in a hostel once. You might want more flexibility than a week, but it's a very good idea to have at least that. You'll get led off in different directions by people you meet and you might completely change your itinerary. That's part of the fun. It's easy to book hostels a couple of days in advance on the road, so you might just book a hostel in your big stops (Rome, Barca, London, etc) before you leave, and do the rest along the way. You might be better off doing something a little different with the rail pass. The places that you'd be using it in (Italy, Spain) are relatively cheap to travel by train, while the places you're going after England (Benelux, Germany, Denmark) are very expensive places to travel by train. Plus, as I said before, you need reservations on every Spanish train, so it's not as flexible there as it looks when it comes to passes. If you can handle bus travel, busabout (<a class="postlink" href="http://www.busabout.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.busabout.com</a>) is great for getting where you want to go and meeting people. I used it a bit, but I prefered trains for the privacy and comfort.
So there is a definite chance that I may be doing some traveling this summer. I have been thinking about doing something along the lines of eastern Europe (Bulgaria/Turkey and such.) Does anyone have recommendations? I am traveling on the cheap (probably in the 5-6k range for about 2 months). Thanks