Hello folks. I keep popping in and out of this thread each tim e Fodors tells me there is a reply. After 19 months it's great to see it is still going. <BR>Thank you all for telling about yourselves and your travels. I am taking off in 6 weeks for Paris, Normandy Brittany and Dordogne then onto Loire to an old farm being renovated by my cousin. Hopefully when I return in October, I will be able to contribute something on the country. We are driving everywhere and I am luckily going with Americans who live in France 6 months of the year love the country and know how to see the place without being "touristy". regards Denise

Up we go.

I think this is my single favorite thread, closely competing with the "great book" list! I'm so glad Denise still checks in to see what she hath wrought! <BR> <BR>I thought I had put in my little story before, but I guess not. I'm in San Clemente, CA, southern Orange County, and I'm a recent arrrival to these pages. I LOVE it! There is no activity in the world I love so much as to travel, and it's a joy to find so many others who feel the same. I work as a financial advisor, and my bias toward travel causes me to put a distinct slant on the budgeting advice I give clients! I tend to favor European travel (I've been seven times, mostly single country trips), but there are so many other wonderful places beckoning. Luckily I recently married a man who is as footloose as I am, so we will be on the road together. <BR> <BR>Thanks to all for past advice, and for help on the many questions I will continue to ask!

Without a doubt, this is the classiest and most interesting European travel forum in internet-land. Most of the others are full of name calling and questions about getting laid in Barcelona. Sounds like my last family reunion... <BR> <BR>Anyway, I live near Boulder, Colorado. My wife and I love traveling, Boston Terriers, and dancing (especially West Coast Swing, which won't mean anything unless you're a dancer). I'm also an avid amatuer scenic photographer and a history enthusiast (which is why I love traveling in Europe). <BR> <BR>Professionally, I've bounced around somewhat pursuing work that interested me. By education, I'm a planetary physicist, which is a multidisciplinary field that combines physics, astronomy and geology. After receiving my Ph.D., I became interested in earthquakes and spent some time with the US Geological Survey and a year as a visiting scholar at the University of Tokyo. <BR> <BR>I now work for the National Center for Atmospheric Research developing radar-based turbulence warning systems. Our field program is in Juneau, Alaska, so I travel there several times a year.

Maine. They call it vacationland. A great state indeed, but everyone needs to get away from home now and then!

I am a 30 year old single American born to Brasilian parents and raised in the country of New Jersey (small joke). I have a B.A. in Economics and Business from Lafayette College, graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover MA, and I am a Sigma Chi. I am currently the financial controller for the Eastern Eur/Med Rgn of a healthcare company and have been living in the quiet village of Unterägeri, Switzerland for the last 5 months. Prior to this I was living between Budapest and Prague for two years where I was turned on to this site by Helena Stolka (see above-I miss her now that she's back in the U.S.) Prior to that, I was an international auditor (all with the same company) so I have been fortunate to have seen much of Europe and other parts of the world fully or partially subsidized by business travel. I work a decent amount but periodically use the forum to remind me of why I wanted a life exploring countires other than my own. I enjoy most of the postings (not some of the personal attacks) and enjoy the attitudes of many of the people here on life, love and traveling. Happy travels.

Hi ... <BR> <BR>Great thread .... <BR> <BR>I live in Southampton, England. Just finished a year working in the Netherlands, flying 3 times a week between Southampton & Amsterdam ... aren't airport lounges beautiful !!! <BR> <BR>This forum was great when I was planning my honeymoon to California recently .... which was great by the way ... (will eventually get round to putting a trip report up) <BR> <BR>Try & help people who ask questions on this forum .... so if your in need of help about England ... do e-mail me. <BR> <BR>Mark <BR> <BR>Oh yeh ... I'm 32, married, no children ... & there won't be any until we've been to Australia in 2 years time (just in case my mum read's this !!!) ... by the way ... has anyone else had the same experience as me ... 2 minutes after your married, your mum is asking when is she going to see some granchildren !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <BR> <BR>Great forum .... <BR> <BR>Mark

up!

Hi all. As someone in this thread has already mentioned, this is the classiest travel forum on the internet. No name calling or questions about where to "pick up" in whatever city. <BR> <BR>We have just moved from Calgary, Alberta, Canada to a very small town in northern Alberta called Cold Lake. Having just returned from Scotland I love to check that forum and throw in my 2 cents. Next trip is Wales and soutwest England, maybe in 2002.

Hi there. Can't believe it's been almost 2 years since the original posting of Denise's question!! Anyway, I'm glad for it. <BR> <BR>I am a daily reader of the postings and enjoy them immensely. I am a 30-year-old book editor in New York City, married to a 33-year-old independent filmmaker. I've traveled throughout the United States, and Bermuda during my childhood in New Jersey, and have also lived in Boston while attending graduate school at Boston University. I can also add the Bahamas to my list, as I got married there last year (still feeling like a newlywed!) I just visited Paris for the first time in March as a "thank you" present from my husband for being patient while he's been away working on a film. We hope to return in June 2001, as now I am totally addicted to Paris. I can't get enough of it, and read up on everything relating to Paris. <BR> <BR>It's very nice to meet all of you and thanks to Fodors for such a great site.

topsy

up up an away

Jessycat... Eugene, Oregon. We could all post our photos and start a dating service. What do you think??? Jcat

Rotting away here in state prison. Tax dollars have allowed the purchase of a computer and internet access for the inmates' library. We're allowed to use it for 15 minutes a month. I'm using my precious minutes to read about places I won't be able to see till after my 67 year term is up in 2061, and by that time I'll be decrepit and who knows if there'll be a Europe.

How interesting the original post and responses were pleasant people and polite. It appears now sarcasm is the mode of the day. Not for all ,but the few can spoil it for all, giving a bad taste. This is not intended to start a vitriolic repartee. just noted

My my aren't we touchy. I'm just so happy to be here on my rocker in this lovely assisted living facility using this wondering Iopener gizmo that my dear grandson gave me. I just can't wait to go to Galway next June with my boyfriend form down the hall.

Hello<BR>Back to genuine postings.<BR>I'm from Yorkshire and now live in Cambridge, England.<BR>I started reading Fodors for information on the Caribbean. We are planning to get married there this year.<BR>Don't be put off coming to the British Isles this year. Most of what you want to see is open and completely safe. I think there's been a lot of mi-information going out to the US about the situation here.<BR>Keep on travelling!!<BR>Kathleen.

Boy, this one just keeps going. I saw my own posting, which was among the first in this thread over two years ago and thought I should update it. I still live in Durham, North Carolina and work in Burlington. I am in my upper, not mid-thirties now. I am now Marketing Research Manager at my company and may start looking for something closer to home before too long. We did have our child, Claire, who is now two years and two weeks old (and more than two adults). She is a darling child and about as full of energy as any one person can be. My wife just started a new job as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Public Health Service. I am still heavily into photography, although I have found myself mostly taking pictures of my family except when I am traveling. Lately though the photo bug is biting big time again. I have put together two travel photography Web sites over the past year and am still working hard at finishing them - www.oneeyed.homestead.com and www.tarheelphotos.homestead.com. The travel has continued but has changed since our daughter was born. I have been traveling in the U.S. since then. Our little girl seems to enjoy traveling so far, and I am trying to teach her to speak a little French (if you want her to sit still, just pop in her Muzzy tapes, and she is hynotized). We spent three weeks last year taking her to the beach and on a Civil War battlefield trip (glad she liked sleeping in the car on that second one). The wife and I are thinking hard about finally getting to Italy this year. I think it will happen. The trouble is narrowing down the choices - so many places, so little time, but I know I will get back. Anybody else have any updates?

This thread came up in a (completely unrelated) search, and since in a casual scan it seems I'm the first from my location I thought I'd better jump in! <BR> <BR>I'm an American currently living in Shanghai, China.

What a wonderful thread! I've only been coming to this forum for about 3 months, but it rapidly became a daily habit for me. Love it. <BR>I'm retired U.S. Air Force, widowed, living in Las Vegas, and loving it. I was born in western NY, but since adulthood have lived in Texas, Colorado, Arizona, central New York, Florida, and, of course, Nevada in the U.S. and in Japan, twice in England, Belgium, and Italy. One of the reasons I stayed so long in the Air Force (26+ years) is that it gave me the opportunity to travel--my one passion. I've seen 46 of the States, most of western Europe (except for Scandinavia and Spain/Portugal), and Japan. My real passion is western Europe and I will be going to Spain in November. Unfortunately, retirement has severely curtailed my available funds, so most of my traveling will be here in the U.S. for the forseeable future (Death Valley next month). But, I hope to rectify that soon--I start school in June (going back to school again in my 50s?!?) to train for the travel industry. Any other Las Vegans like to get together?