Spent May 2003 in Italy with my BW and her sister and her husband. Last week of October and first of November in Cancun and Mayan Riviera. Only one trip in 2004, however, it will be two weeks in Greece for Olympics and ten days in Italy on way back.

Gee mmr41 only one trip in 2004? If only I were so fortunate to have one trip lasting approx. one month!! :}

Seems like there are a lot of Fodorites in Paris this September!

I'm leaving on Sept. 17th for Brussels (meeting hubby who is there for work), head to Paris for Sept 20-27th, then Amboise for Sept 27-30 and going to Champagne Oct 1-4.

3 weeks and counting!!!

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your wonderful insight!

Zoe

Scarlett -

We're leaving in five days for an around-the-world trip. Our first stop (other than several layovers on the way) is the South Island of New Zealand, where we'll spend 28 days. I live in Kuwait (American expat), and after a long, VERY hot summer here, I absolutely cannot wait for cooler weather, green pastures and that laid back Kiwi atmosphere that I love so much.

We've been to the South Island several times, so the goal of this trip is to visit some out of the way places.

We've designed a driving intinerary that will take us to some remote parts of the island, as well as to some of our favorite haunts. We've incorporated a "three night rule" - no less than three nights per stop. This will give us time to explore each area without having to rush.

After NZ, we'll spend a few days in AZ and a few weeks in CO visiting family before returning to Kuwait via Frankfurt.

We're off again in late November for even cooler climes - my husband and I will head to Switzerland where we'll visit Engelberg, Zermatt and Grindelwald. We've stayed in Zermatt before and we've visited Grindelwald, but Engelberg will be new to us.

After 10 days in Switzerland, my husband will return to Kuwait (work!) and I'll meet a few lady friends in Frankfurt. From there, the gals and I will travel to Rothenberg, Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Munich for an eight day Christmas market extravaganza!

It's going to be a busy fall!

Leaving for Greece and Amsterdam on September 8th for 3 weeks..Can't wait...Hopefully the Caribbean or Mexico in the March or April 2004 and if money allows, either India or Cambodia/Vietnam in November...And if I win the lottery, I may not return from Amsterdam.

Francophile03 -- Eventually all of those 14 hour work days and 7 day work weeks develop rewards. After 35 years of toil I am in a position to spend some time seeing what else goes on in this wonderful world of ours.
I am fortunate to have people that are competent enough to keep the train running and on time.
Most of the contributors to this forum seem to have the wherewithal to do some sort of travel. Over time, I hope everyone can do what I'm able to do now.

Hi Scarlett,

Since I thoroughly enjoy your posts, I will gladly reply (but nothing is set in stone):

Dec03: Coral Gardens Resort on Provo, Turks & Caicos. Hoping to catch some sun and snorkel before my busy (accounting) season.

May04: Revisit Italy to explore Tuscany (Florence, Siena and many hilltowns) before visiting Cinque Terre, Lake Como and Venice.

However, my beloved may have a delightful surprise to thwart our plans (keeping my fingers crossed), so we may have to push that May04 trip to 2022 or later!

Not very exciting to most of you, but I'm heading off to Seattle and Victoria next Friday. I haven't been home in fifteen months, and am having fantasies about shopping on Sundays!

Other than that, we're thinking of camping in Lauterbrunnen this long weekend if the weather forecast improves. Otherwise it's up the Moselle to see Burg Eltz and buy some wine.

Wow,
this is so much fun to read! I am taking notes to read to the Yankee at bedtime :) When he is tired and ready to sleep is the best time to introduce new ideas, like Around the World Trips!!
Thank you so much, do keep reporting in, next thread might be a huge group trip report :D

Scarlett, thanks for asking this question! It has been such fun reading everyone's replies.

Myself, I am leaving in just 2 weeks for a long dreamed about trip to Germany (with a taste of Austria) ... we'll be spending 20 days exploring Munich, Salzburg area, western Bavaria, Rothenburg, and the Rhine / Mosel. I am SOOO excited!

Then back to living frugally and scraping together my pennies for the next trip, which will probably be in April or May 2004 ... possibly a return trip to the glorious isle of Jamaica, but if funds and vacation time permit, perhaps we will go to Italy or Greece instead. So many wonderful choices, never enough time to do them all!

Happy travels and good health to all!

My first trip to London, September 16th.

Thanks to all the wonderful input from Ben Haines, and multiple others, I actually am leaving with minimal trepidation (but still some!).

It will be the first 2 weeks vacation I have had (as a working adult) and I am truly looking forward to it.

Cheers,

Ron

Hi Scarlett--

November 15-22 San Francisco working vacation

Thanksgiving Had planned skiing in the Alps or London (London looking like the winner), but our extended family trip to New Orleans was pushed back from Oct. to Thanksgiving.

Christmas Southern Caribbean cruise (Martinique, Barbados, St. Maarten)

Late Jan/Early Feb Tentative skiing in the Alps...will have to decide where

April/May I'm taking my Grandmother to Friesland to see the towns where her grandparents were born.

Schildc1...DH also loves Civil War battlefields. When it comes to an anniversary trip, some people get Paris, I get DC, Gettysburg, Antietam, Harpers Ferry, and Manassas.

For Schild. You will be very welcome any time. The Arts Festival is likely to run 12 to 22 March.

ben.haines@:btinternet.com

My husband has a 6-month sabbatical next year, so May-June 2004: London, Yorkshire, Rome, Sorrento, for three weeks with kids ages 6 and 12. (They are both seasoned travelers.) Then back to the states for 3 weeks on the East Coast and a 3-week trip to Yellowstone, Grand Tetons and the Rockies.

Getting married in three and half weeks, then jetting off to Spain with my new husband for our honeymoon!!! We're spending a week in Mallorca and a week in Barcelona. I'm so excited, I can hardly sit still!

Twelve hours from now I'll be on the train heading for Vienna for a 6 day leisure/business trip. In early October, I'm going to Paris to meet up with an old friend making her first visit to the City of Lights and then another trip to Paris near the end of October.
Sometime in November it's back to the U.S. for a week or two before moving to the UK--either the Ashford/Canterbury area or possibly Durham near the Lake District.
The first week of December will be a business trip to Chicago.
For Christmas and New Year's, we'll be joining our German relatives at a chalet they rented near Salzburg.

In three hours I'm driving about a half-mile down Hollenbeck Road to my office to participate in a staff training. The cuisine will likely include bottled water and assorted snacklets. I'll definitely be travelling second class in our Toyota.

Currently living vicariously and enviously through all the posts above until Provence in late April or May 2004. Not five minutes ago, I waved the across-the-fence neighbors good-bye as they left for their trip to Paris and Prague.

Scarlett: We're going to London the second week in December. I tried on my long black coat (which I don't often need here in California) and it still fits! :-D

In late May we're going to Washington, D.C. for the first time.

Hope to make a fall trip to either Portual or Sicily, haven't decided yet, but should get started on our planning.

Best wishes and safe trips to all of you. ;;)

I leave September 30 for one month in Florence, Italy. I'll be taking an Italian language immersion course for 4 weeks to improve my self-taught (via tapes) knowledge of the language. I've rented an apartment in Oltrano and look forward to the combined pleasures of living and going to school in the wonderful city of Florence.

Betsy, very funny :D

So glad that long black coat fits! I have visions of myself, moving somewhere warm all year and having to travel to a cold city so I can wear my lovely winter coats!

This is so great, thank you all for participating~