amnesiac

Im an avid traveler, I travel about once a year, usually solo. My trips in the past 10 years (in order) include:

Europe (mostly France, Monaco, Italy, Munich, Amsterdam) - 2004
Western Canada
California, Vegas, Grand Canyon
South America (Rio de Janeiro, Peru, Lima)
Alaska
Australia and New Zealand
Iceland
Hawaii

So I still have lots to see. Africa and Asia would be nice one day.

so far Im considering:

Athens-Cyprus-Istanbul
Japan
Cape Town
Spain-Switzerland
Nepal (I think November is the best time, though, so maybe Ill wait)

I seek adventure, trying new things (ive done skydiving, bungee jumping, scuba) for everywhere I go!

I especially love hiking and photography, landscape scenery mostly (mountains, glaciers, lava etc), but my goal is to diversify my travels of course.

Would really like to get some input and suggestions. My budget is pretty high.

thanks in advance!

mingtsainy

I am an avid solo traveler as well but I do it more for relaxation, self-awareness and exploration.

If you seek adventure, try New Zealand. I was there last summer (but winter in NZ) and got to kayak around the Abel Tasman area. And there are lots of mountain ranges for hiking as well. Bungee jumping and skydiving are quite popular in NZ.

Another place you might enjoy is Greece and Turkey. Lots of the island hopping, mountain hiking, scuba diving, etc.

Sojourntraveller

It would help if you gave some specific criteria otherwise you might as well just throw a dart at a world map.

How much time will you have? A week, a month, a year? There is no use looking at Athens, Cyprus and Istanbul if all you have is 2 weeks. How much is a 'pretty high' budget? What you consider pretty high may be what soneone else considers pretty low. What interests do you want to consider for this trip? You need to be specific with your criteria in order to narrow down the possibilities.

Sojourntraveller

Oops, just noticed your time limit is in the title. With 2-3 weeks, I would suggest you stick to one small area based on what interests you decide to go for.

mlgb

Galapagos?

As long as you've got a big budget, you're going to need it!

amnesiac

@mingtsainy: been to NZ already, but as mentioned, Im considerinf Athens-Cyprus-Istanbul. Have you been?


@Sojourntraveller: thanks... budget without flight is $2000-3000. I tend to stay in hostels and eat cheap, spend more on excursions. I dont mind splitting my time to see more, I figured 5-6 days in Athens, 5 Cyprus, 5 Istanbul would be doable.

@mlgb: Ive considered it, but seems TOO touristy. Maybe see Chile as well. Ive also already been to SA.

amnesiac

anyone been to Japan? is it worth a 2-3 week trip?

Sojourntraveller

Well, that provides some clarity. So you do NOT have a high budget at all it is in fact pretty low at around $95-140 per day.

You still need to narrow down your own criteria however. Otherwise, a map and a dart are still viable. All you are going to get is people suggesting where THEY would like to go with no reference to where YOUR criteria would suggest you go. You might as well get one of those '100 places to visit before you die' books.

amnesiac

fair enough... I can increase my budget if I really wanted to. Just looking for a few suggestions.

Still havent been to Asia or Africa....

mlgb

You won't get very far in the Galapagos for that, I'm afraid.

And that is not a "big" budget, I'm afraid it's rather a tiny one for two weeks (Around $100 a day including excursions).

South America is pretty big, compared to your other locations, so I wouldn't rule out a return visit.

Bolivia is amazing and should fit within your budget, you could do the Death Road, Salar de Uyuni, La Paz, and possibly the Amazon.



What about Thailand or Vietnam?

suze

<Still havent been to Asia or Africa....>

Post on the Asia and Africa board here on Fodor's to get more specific replies and suggestions on those destinations.

There's very little readership here on the Travel Tips branch.

suze

amnesiac

thanks

amnesiac

@mlgb: I actually went to LaPaz for a few days..... Thailand/Vietnam/Cambodia/Laos is on my list. Between that and Japan is a definite possibilty.

kja

Check you other thread.

sg117

I've gone to many of your same places. A couple years ago, I headed solo to Croatia. I flew into Zagreb, spent a few days there, then went to Ljblujana, Slovenia for several days. I caught a chea flight to Sarajevo, Bosnia and stayed there a few nights. Then I took a bus to Dubrovnik and was on a chartered trip that went island hopping along beautiful Dalmatian Coast - Kortula, Hvar, Brac, Mijlet... So much history and such beauty. I ended up in Split at the end of the the boating week but made my way up to Plivitcek Nat'l Park (I'm spelling it wrong I think but close). I also went to Krka Nat'l Park. Waterfalls, turquoise ponds, lots of hiking. I drove through the country a bit and even from Venice to Ljubljana later on, but just sticking to the coast is do-able in 2-3 weeks if you want to take it in.

emalloy

Have you been to the Moab, UT USA area yet? Sounds like you would enjoy some canyoneering. I haven't done it but some have loved the experience there.

janisj

The OP apparently has decided on Ireland + Spain - started a new thread on the Europe forum early last month.

(This thread was topped by a spammer last week -- amnesiac hasn't been back to it since November)