Well I'm figuring, when you add souvineers, and all expenses, taking my 2 kids on a 3+ week trip to Italy next year is gonna be nearly $9000, (unless airfare goes down) that's half so I'd take the other half and take them on a trip to Africa.

Oh my, I think I'd like to do Tahiti, Australia and New Zealand. But I would need quite a while to plan that trip. I guess I could also do about 6 weeks in Italy or France. I'd plan a mix of villas/flats and small but comfy hotels.

I am thinking that a couple of weeks in Japan, then on to New Zealand. Then to France where we would get a place and bum around for as long as the money holds out. Visiting Spain and Portugal,some time in Italy, I have to see David. Then on to some time spent in Tuscany, and to Venice. Then to England where we can visit friends. I must spend at least a weekend in Scotland, there is someone there I have to see :)
I think Uhoh has a good idea, flats and cottages, small hotels.

This is sooooo tough:

First thought is to go to China for as many months as I could, staying in houses or small hotels whenever I could, or floating in a houseboat or dragonboat somewhere; the language would just have to make do, I'm afraid! The money would probably last longer here on my own than in Europe....

Then, of course, there's Australia and New Zealand, next of the dream spots.

Or I could just return to Iceland, and maybe get three weeks out of the money! (if I got a really good deal on airfare.) That's kind of a joke, but not really. My favorite spot on earth would, of course, be this extremely expensive one. SIgh.

I would stay for as long as the $20K would allow me to in East and South Africa doing as many safari trips as possible.
This is coming from a non-believer, but if there is a God, this whole area must be his own back yard, or as the bible calls it "GARDEN OF EDEN". :-)

Definately, would go to India/Tibet/Nepal, the Maldives, then on to Thailand to veg out where you can live very cheap and make some side trips to Cambodia/Vietnam...I would be lucky if the 20,000.00 would get me and my husband to all these places, but I would somehow find a way!! But definately we would stay in huts on the beach when available..Anyhow, that is what I would do!! But I am planning on it anyhow, it just might not be all in 1 trip!!

How funny, Scarlett! I just asked my hub the very same question a few days ago! :)

I might go tour the south Pacific. Or maybe spend a year on a little Thai island. I've had a hankerin' for a beautiful beach lately.

Hey Peep!
We might become neighbours! :)

Peep :) We might ALL be neighbors :lol

Oh, sorry, Scarlett, for having left you out. My bad. X(
Just saw Japan...

Message: For $20,000 (preferably euro) my husband and I could have an updated version of a magnificent experience.

In 1972 we took our four kids (7-13 years old) to Ireland for three weeks visiting family and touring. We had a wonderful time and it put the travelbug in all the kids.

For the updated version (which comes with experience and frugality) we would take the kids, their spouses and assorted 9 grandchildren to Umbria. Why Umbria? Firstoff, it's beautiful, it's right in the middle of every place we would like to visit, and lastly, it's relatively free from tourists like ourselves.

A big house, maybe a cook thrown in so the ladies won't have to take turn cooking and perhaps a few euros thrown in for spending money.

We could easily go through the 20K euro, and then some. But we would have a conversation piece for years to come and in our family, that would be priceless.

Thejamlady

jamlady, sounds perfect :)

Miss Scarlett, what a fun question! I'd do a "great hotel" tour of Germany, Switzerland, Austria and down into Italy. I just love great old hotels. :)

(Please may I have some more money?:o)

CAIRO - for a year.... with frequesnt tirps to sinair and the south...

Where would you go?

-Buck Creek Indiana

Where would you stay? House, flat, hotel?

-Trailer Park

Would you go here and there or one place?

-The feed shop

Would you rent a car?

-Take the bus and lots of walking

Would the language make a difference, if you spoke it or not?

-I would try to blend in by affecting a drawl

How long would $20,000- last in the place you would choose?

-Eternity

Scarlett,
Before I make a decision...I'd go to
http://www.worldisround.com
and check out the photos from around the world. Maybe add a destintion that I hadn't thought of previously!! Or throw a dart at a map?
Great query!!
Bailey

Thank you!!!
I am off on a short holiday and while there will contemplate all these answers and figure this out..factoring in Pup sitter fees and all!
BTW-I might be in a city near you in the future, we might be able to GTG ((F))
Scarlett~