Guessing it’s all down to lockdown but dug out an old hard drive yesterday to look at some old photos and stumbled across some old holiday snaps from years gone by.
Back in the days when I had a better paid job (ah, the joys of self employment now…) I used to get away a few times a year, some long haul, some city breaks. I miss travelling but times have changed (as well as finances and other commitments).
So in anticipation of being able to travel again at some point in the future…where would you recommend and why? Pretend there’s no budget and no restrictions. Hit me with some ideas of special places you’ve visited.
Barcelona - for the architecture, parks and galleries. Also sunshine.
Scottish highlands for the scenery and chance of wild camping and BBQs.
The Lake District, because it always feels like home.
The Quayside in Newcastle upon Tyne for the river and bridges, the food, the Sage music and the Baltic art.
Not really a beach person…
Since I was a kid I have always gone to South Africa several times a year (My dad is South African so we would mainly go to see family), it wasn’t until recently that I have been able to appreciate it more for how beautiful the landscapes and animals truly are.
I would recommend going to Pretoria in Joburg and heading to the Lion and Cheetah Sanctuary where you can see the owner walking with and cuddling the lions, you also get the opportunity to walk with and stroke the Cheetahs who have been hand raised so are used to humans. It really is a small sanctuary with only about 8 people working there and maybe 15 animals in total so everything does feel really personal.
I went last year for 2 weeks to volunteer and it was truly an incredible experience. I was one of only about 3 other volunteers at the time. Really eyeopening. It was all lovely apart from having to pull apart horse meat for the lions but I guess it’s all part of the job. There were also such adorable Mongoose there which look similar to meerkats or rats but are just too cuddly!! and have the most adorable squeak.
I’ll attach some photos in the images to share in topics page; https://lovehoneyforum.com/t/images-to-share-in-topics/259586/86?u=sophie01
Seefeld in Austria. The most stunning landscapes, beautiful mountain village, lovely people, and the sort of peace and solitude I dream of experiencing again someday.
Japan for sure. Loved Osaka, Yokohama and Nara. Great food, things to see/do, shopping and people.
For UK trips, I really enjoyed York. Ghost walks and that old timey feel. Even the simple things were nice like walking around a park or having tea and cake in a quirky cafe. My partner also liked the Viking stuff there.
Back in my former career I visited some seriously nice places.
Personal highlights were Necker Island, the Amalfi coast in Italy, California, Australia and the beaches off the Great barrier Reef and (weirdly) St Petersburg. The beaches off West Africa from Ghana round to Mauritania are also some of the best I have ever seen.
Memorable non work trips would be the Highlands, New Zealand, Alaska (somewhere I would bugger off and live full time if the wife would come, genuinely the best place I have ever been). I tend to gravitate to wilder places.
Never been to Japan, it’s on my list. I have been in te region many times but never quite made it there. My brother raves about it and goes there a lot for work. I think may end up living there at some point. He’s actually learnt Japanese to (apparently) a pretty decent standard.
Love Rome, the buildings, the food & the wine!
But the greatest time Bandos in the Maldives. The people, the beach and the reef circling the island. The only holiday we’ve been on, ate and drank and lost weight! Spent so much time just swimming around the reef with all the fish, reef sharks and even a resident turtle. Amazing place.
Hey @Buzboy what you sayin about Newcastle? @MsR is clearly a person of taste and refinement.
Aruba is beautiful. I love the Northumberland coast, especially Alnmouth, and Dunstanburgh Castle took my breath away the first time I saw it. Midnight on a clear night at Kielder is the only time a view ever made me cry. Just stunning.
And I love Newcastle too, some lovely old buildings especially down by the river, so much open space, and all the bridges are so cool.
@Sophie01 that sounds the most incredible experience. I would love to do that. You do need to delete your photos from your post though I’m afraid and maybe pop them in Images to share in topics. You can then link to them
Scotland, The Lake District, Wales, Devon some beautiful homegrown places! Not visited it, but flew over Newfoundland in October, the colours of the autumn trees from above were stunning.
