lynn

I've got a question for ya.... <BR> <BR>Where's everybody going on their next big adventure? <BR> <BR>The only thing we know for sure this year is that Thanksgiving will be spent somewhere outside the U.S. We're self-employed and get slow that time of year so it's easier to get away. <BR> <BR>We'd like to go somewhere before this and are keeping an eye out for any spur-of-the-moment deals that come along. Hopefully, we'll be traveling before summer. If not, we'll have to wait until fall because we don't like to travel when it's hot and crowded. <BR> <BR>So, what are your next plans? <BR> <BR>Let us all know where you're going and why!!

Bob Brown

Paris. Why? My wife has never been there; and it has been longer than I care to remember since I was there. <BR>From Paris, we plan on continuing to Switzerland (Lauterbrunnen) because we like the mountains and the village. <BR>

anne

Tuscany, I think. There are so many places that we want to see! But our favorite area of Italy is Tuscany, and we'd like to explore it more (and go shopping in Florence again!!), and also get over to the Cinque Terre (sp?) region that so many of you rave about. The walk along the coast is something we've wanted to do for a while. This will probably be in late May/early June. <BR>Another area we're looking forward to visiting is Burgundy - maybe in the fall. <BR>The next "little adventure" is Mexico for the long weekend in Feb. - unfortunately the Latin America forum isn't at all as helpful about that area as this wonderful forum is about European destinations. <BR>One poster mentioned Paris - always a favorite of ours! Our neighbors, after listening to us rave about the city so often, are heading over in Feb. - <BR>Air France tickets for $250 or so round trip from DC! What a deal!

Maira

Spain---- May '99. Madrid for four days and then I'll start to walk a portion of the French Route (Way of St. James) from Leon on to Santiago de Compostela. To me that's a once in a millenium adventure....

lynn

Anne - <BR> <BR>I agree about some of the other area forums not being as helpful as this one. We recently went to Hong Kong so I was in the Asia site looking for info. Didn't find much. It appears that there are many more people going to Europe than Asia. At least, more people like to talk about Europe. <BR> <BR>We're taking a "mini-trip" in February too. Going to Las Vegas for a show. Vegas isn't for everyone but we like it. <BR>What the heck, it's business, so it's a write-off!!! <BR> <BR>Have a great weekend...

Susan

Off to England in 4 weeks. Making my first trip to Lincoln to see the castle <BR>and cathedral. Then it's Los Angeles in March and New England in the fall. Did I mention I'm a travelaholic?

Joyce

Holland in tulip time - late April, then Prague/Budapest in Sept., latter trip with Untours - check out their website at www.untours.com - followed by a week on our own back to northern Italy.

Myriam

Senegal (W-Africa) in March next, to escape from the long rainy winter. Why Africa ? We have been there once (in Kenya) and it was our most beautiful holdiday ever. <BR>Tunisia in July. It is not far away for us and is by far the cheapest destination that offers good value for money, especially if it's only for a fun-and-sun vacation with the children. <BR> <BR>Regarding Senegal, if anyone knows a good forum on Africa, please let me know. <BR>I have been reading the Insight Guide but I'd love to hear from other people's own experience. <BR>Thanks. <BR>

dan

Don't know when I will get overseas again. Our first child is due in March, and I am taking one of my two weeks off then. I want to go somewhere in the fall or winter, but it will probably be somewhere like Montreal, Vermont, or maybe a short trip to Playa del Carmen in Mexico - but Paris or London are not out of the question for a New Years trip. <BR> <BR>Next on my list of places to go is Australia, but it will probably be Italy. That is my favorite in Europe that I haven't visited yet. Then Britain, the Netherlands, Spain, Russia, and Poland. <BR> <BR>I will be glad when I can get a job with more vacation time. Sometimes I think if only I had stayed in grad school to become a college history professor...

FRED MC

HI LYNN !! <BR> <BR>WE WILL BE GOING TO OCTOBERFEST IN MUNICH AND ON TO AUSTRIA FOR TWO WEEKS. <BR>WE WILL BE STAYING IN GRUNDLESEE AS OUR BASE AND HOPE TO VISIT SALZBURG, VIENNA, <BR>GRAZ AND AS MANY OTHER PLACES WE CAN DRIVE TO. THIS WILL BE OUR SECOND TRIP TO EUROPE. IF ANY ONE HAS BENN TO THESE AREAS AND HAS SOME INFO THEY WOULD LIKE TO PASS ON PLEASE E- MAIL ME.

Maira

Without wanting to detract from the original thread, but wanting to comment on Dan's mention of vacation time ('--...one of the two weeks...-'). I am amazed at how little time the average company in the United States allows for vacation time. Germany (whose workers pride themselves in been the most productive industrialized society in Europe), get FIVE weeks a year as the standard. How they do it? What is so different? <BR> <BR>I think is sad I have to look forward until retirement to have at least three weeks time for a vacation....

dan

Maira, can you talk to my employer? Yes, it is sad, but in America people do tend to live to work rather than work to live it seems. You have to be at my company 10 years to get a third week off. When I look for another job, I am going to use vacation time as one criterium - I think you should get a third week after 1-2 years and then accumulate maybe one more day for every two years after that. It makes it hard to take the big vacations to Europe (not to mention Australia), etc. and also the short four day trips with the kids to the beach. Sorry to get off the topic.

Carol

We're going to Sweden and Finland this summer. The main event is to attend a family reuion in Rovaniemi, Finland with relatives we've never met before but found while doing genealogical research last year. In Sweden, we'll attend the Mid-Summer Festival and see where my maternal grandfather was born, among some other, touristy things.

Sharon

France, for at least a year. My husband was offered a 1-2 year research assignment in Rennes.

Lee

Lynn: We are off to Bavaria the last part of May. <BR> <BR>My wife and I were there in July, '97, but we are going back to take her parents (my idea) and her brother along. <BR> <BR>We arrive in Frankfurt and spend two days at Assmanshausen am Rhein, then to Munich for a couple, on to Oberammergau, then Dinkelsbuhl, Rothenburg and back to Frankfurt. There will be some side jaunts like Herrenchiemsee, Garmisch, Neuschwanstein, Ulm and Dachau and if time allows, Cochem on the Mosel. <BR> <BR>We are nearly booked on our hotels, with just one left. <BR> <BR>Best wishes to all of the other travelers. <BR>

Don Stadler

Next stop: London. I am in the process of moving from the Washington DC area to West London (Chiswick), and I'm SOOO excited!...... <BR> <BR>There is some talk that I'll be sent on to Paris for a month or two on an assignment. It sounds good to me! First time. <BR> <BR>I expect my vacations will tend to revolve around my work assignments. That is, if I'm sent to Madrid I might take a week afterwards to see a bit of Spain. On top of weekending in the locale of course. It's a little unpredictable, but a good way to see Europe I think. <BR> <BR>Has anyone been to Morocco? What are some good places to go?

Don Stadler

About US vacation time, I'm with you guys. I work for a Canadian company, and we get 3 weeks a year to start. UK employees (like me next month) get 4 weeks, which seems like forever! I'll be based in London. <BR> <BR>Plus they'll be sending me out on extended assignments on the continent and in different parts of the UK a lot of the time, so I'll have the weekends in those places also! They're talking about starting me out in Paris (swoon)! <BR> <BR>In terms of travel this is about 95% my dream job. Longish term assignments in interesting places on per diem. The company has a few problems in other ways, but it's not a disaster waiting to happen. So I'm pretty happy.

Trina

After seeing the final figures on how much I spent traveling this year, I swore I'd take a break. Then I found out that I'm within an 8 hour drive to the French Riviera. <BR> <BR>So, I want to take a couple of weeks this summer and tool around St. Tropez, Monacco, and Cannes for the first half and then maybe drive down the west coast of Italy. The whole thing will be on a shoestring budget of course, but I might treat myself to a nice hotel here or there. I'm salavating just thinking about it! <BR>

Tricia

Maira and Don- You guys are right- Americans live to work- I gave up the fight years ago and stayed home with my kids and now that they are older work as as temp so I can go when and where I please. This 2 weeks stuff is ______. I have a 1/2 brother that works for the government in Nederlands and he says he gets 10 WEEKS off every year. He laughs at our 2 weeks. I just read that Chrylser bought Mercedes-Benz in Germany and how the exec's are learning that 80% of mergers fail because of exactly what we are talking about. These differences. Daimler-Benz produces 850,000 passenger vehicles a year with 120,000 employees, Chrysler makes 3 million with a work force the same size. The German workers get BEER breaks every day. Wide flucations between wages and benefits could introduce disputes. When the Germans see their hoursly wages are much lower than ours; and when the Americans see benefit packages with 6 weeks of vacation and fully paid health care and education (meaning college)and the right to a SPA break every three years. <BR> <BR>Well, I know my brother says they pay 60% in taxes for the right to all these things. I guess us Americans have to ban together and FIGHT for more time off. Our families and mental health are suffering because of it! Just my 2 cents but was glad to see this topic brought up! Always wondered what other Americans think about our lousy 2 weeks off. <BR> <BR>

Susie

My husband worked in Canada on the Alaskan pipeline and we had every other Friday off as well as the 3 weeks. That was WONDERFUL! Is it still that way?