I have room, but I’d rather not have large bags visible in the back of my SUV while parked in the city unless there’s a strong likelihood of using them, not to mention other logistics involved. I’m also much more interested in paddleboarding than he is. We butt heads enough, I want this to be a pleasant little getaway with him.
1 Like
My wife and I reach a milestone next year: 50 years of married life. Our kids have been nudging us to do some special travel next year to mark the occasion. We don’t actually need any such encouragement as travel has always been the one item we are willing to splurge on.
I am hoping you can provide some examples of special holidays you have taken to stimulate our thinking as we are just starting to think about this. This is an invitation for some humble bragging on your part.
My wife and I are experienced travellers, in good shape and like independent travel with an adventurous bent. However we are open to pretty well anything except a week on a beach or a Caribbean cruise.
We are willing to splurge for this special holiday, within reason. Please do not suggest a SpaceX flight!
The whole family is going to London next summer as our London daughter is officially getting married there in August. That could well be a jumping off spot for our holiday or not.
Thank you for your suggestions.
Alan
4 Likes
Antarctic cruise??? I think Jojo on the AO did this!
1 Like
I haven’t done any personally but a multi-day hike, while you and your wife still have the fitness, might be good. I’m thinking specifically of the Camino de Santiago, where there are places to stop each night. The Annapurna Circuit is also an option, but at altitude it sounds like it would be a lot more strenuous.
In a similar vein, there are organized multi-day cycling trips in Europe, where you’re luggage is transported to the next hotel and you ride your bicycle. With the availability of electric bikes, you and your wife can ride at the same pace without one of you exerting too much energy.
Both of these I would like to do at some stage. I think they’re possible in your 70s but in your 80s they may not be.
Those can be very nice. They have been on my radar for a while.
But you would have to fly down to Argentina first (Ushuaia) before embarking.
Excellent suggestion. I hiked in the Annapurna area by myself in 1997/98 and have always wanted to return with my wife before we get too old. I don’t think we could do the full Annapurna Circuit but there are shorter hikes in that area that are beautiful. I probably wouldn’t go above 4000 metres though now. I found the altitude was not a problem last time but my wife has only hiked a bit above 3000 metres (in Peru).
My oldest daughter wants to go with me to Nepal. She went there on a gap year after her first year of university. I should give my wife the first shot at Nepal but I do want to get back there before my physical stamina is not up to the hike.
Thanks
Alan
1 Like
We both love cycling so this is a very real possibility. The only time we did an organized bike tour was a Bike Vermont one and it was lovely.
1 Like
I haven’t personally been, but my wife has been to Nepal and Bhutan. You could potentially link up the two if time allows.
Bhutan has been a lifelong dream but I always balked at their high tourism fee. However I have been pretty well everywhere else in South Asia except Bhutan so that possibility excites me.
Nepal can be done ridiculously cheaply in comparison. My accommodation was only 50 cents a night when I went before. I expect food and accommodation would still be under $10 a night versus the Bhutan tourism fee of $200 per day the last time I checked.
Will take a peak at Bhutan tours though…..lots of convenient air connections from Vancouver.
This has been on my bucket list since I was a kid when I was reading about the Antarctic expeditions. Cost has always been intimidating. I think my wife and I have concluded that we should do a Northwest Passage tour before Antarctica.
We did get to Patagonia in 2009 and that is probably when we should have looked into a last minute Antarctica booking while there. An actuary friend of mine got such a last minute tour for peanuts last year.
Another good suggestion but my wife has always balked at it because of its “pilgrimage” connotations.
My wife has been nudging me to look into a trip around Africa (Botswana, Kenya, Namibia etc) and that does seem to look quite interesting for a special trip. You could then end up in Cape Town before flying back home.
This is actually what my wife has been suggesting, with the main emphasis on Botswana. She is a huge fan of the No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series of books….Botswana is probably the safest country in Southern Africa and the Okavango Delta is teeming with wildlife.
I was fortunate to make many business trips to Eastern and Southern Africa countries during the 1980s with Bata Shoe. However my wife has never been there and my side trips while on business were pretty brief. I would like to go back.
I like safaris enough that I’ve done one 3 times (Kruger/South Africa x2, Tanzania/Serengheti/Ngorogoro x1). Would do again.
1 Like
My next extravagant vacation will be the Galapagos in February. We chartered a small boat.
1 Like
Which month(s) did you prefer doing this?
Another good suggestion and possibility. Have been to Peru many times but not to The Galapagos or any other part of Ecuador.
For most of sub-Saharan africa, I think it’s a matter of rainy season vs dry season. We got lucky all 3 trips. In South Africa one was in November and one was in late September-October. Tanzania was around the first of September.
1 Like
Last year one of my friends did a cycling tour in Italy with his wife and 2 kids. They did something like 4 or 5 days of riding, and the tour company transported all their luggage and stuff from town to town for them. They even made matching cycling jerseys for the family. He said it was an amazing time.
2 Likes
