Travel ideas ?

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RustedFox

RustedFox

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I've been kinda bummed lately. Job has been wearing on me, lots of family stress. When I get this way, I think - "I just wanna go away for a bit and do nothing."


Who has been somewhere different or interesting these days ? I'm looking for ideas.
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RustedFox said:
I've been kinda bummed lately. Job has been wearing on me, lots of family stress. When I get this way, I think - "I just wanna go away for a bit and do nothing."


Who has been somewhere different or interesting these days ? I'm looking for ideas.
Click to expand...

I recently discovered TV series. I sat down on a bean bag stark naked eating cheeto's off my chest and watched the Wire season 1 in 4 sittings. It was pretty intense lounging.
 
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RustedFox said:
I've been kinda bummed lately. Job has been wearing on me, lots of family stress. When I get this way, I think - "I just wanna go away for a bit and do nothing."


Who has been somewhere different or interesting these days ? I'm looking for ideas.
Click to expand...

South of France is always nice.....
 
bad virus said:
I recently discovered TV series. I sat down on a bean bag stark naked eating cheeto's off my chest and watched the Wire season 1 in 4 sittings. It was pretty intense lounging.
Click to expand...

I guess that's better than being naked and drinking alone?
 
Went to Japan a couple of months ago, hung around Kyoto mostly, lots of temples and nature, with a side trip to Mt Fuji.

You can climb Fuji by foot, its a two day hike up and down, pretty easy hiking. You'll want to catch the sunrise on the summit on the second day, its a unique experience.

Intense lounging with a high quality show (Breaking Bad?) plus crappy food sounds pretty awesome too though.
 
I've always wanted to go to Ireland in search of Nessy...after a few Guinness...you might actually see it! Leprechaun's are pretty cool too!!! :luck:

Seriously....think of the VIEWS.
 
Lol, one of my friends just told me that I had nothing on him.

Supposedly (and I find this hard to believe) he finished season 1 of breaking bad in literally one sitting.

Oh, and I don't just sit there like an animal on my bean bag, I make sure I put a sheet on the bean bag or else the pleather ends up eating your skin.

Fox thinks I was joking, lol.
 
bad virus said:
Lol, one of my friends just told me that I had nothing on him.

Supposedly (and I find this hard to believe) he finished season 1 of breaking bad in literally one sitting.

Oh, and I don't just sit there like an animal on my bean bag, I make sure I put a sheet on the bean bag or else the pleather ends up eating your skin.

Fox thinks I was joking, lol.
Click to expand...

I'm on season 3, can't stop watching, stupid addictive show.
 
South America is a pretty big change of scenery...
 
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Virus: You're gross. Thumbs up, bro. :)

Cuba ? Hard to do, seeing as how there's that whole political tension thing.

Japan sounds pretty awesome.

Sounds odd, but I'm kinda obsessed in the far North these days. Alaska seems kinda awesome; I keep watching Discovery channel shows like "Gold Rush" and "The Last Frontier" and such. Been wondering about what life would be like in, say Edmonton (its like the last stopping-off point before the great nothing). I'm a big hockey guy, but there's no NHL, which is killing me.

Who has some odd-arse diamond in the rough ? Nothing terribly expensive. Like, I've been looking at Norfolk/Newport News and just thinking - "Hmm... Bay could be nice."
 
RustedFox said:
Sounds odd, but I'm kinda obsessed in the far North these days. Alaska seems kinda awesome; I keep watching Discovery channel shows like "Gold Rush" and "The Last Frontier" and such. Been wondering about what life would be like in, say Edmonton (its like the last stopping-off point before the great nothing). I'm a big hockey guy, but there's no NHL, which is killing me
Click to expand...

I was there on a cruise a few years back, most beautiful nature I've ever seen. Kayaking, whale watching, and again hiking. But the best was paddling up to a glacier wall, it will definitely make you feel puny. I highly recommend it.
 
nurse nancy said:
I've always wanted to go to Ireland in search of Nessy...after a few Guinness...you might actually see it! Leprechaun's are pretty cool too!!! :luck:

Seriously....think of the VIEWS.
Click to expand...

So, Loch Ness is in Scotland.
You may need a really big telescope, or more than just a few Guinness.
 
Hey RustedFox,

A couple years ago I went to Alaska in early spring. It was cold as hell, but AMAZING!!!

If you head north east of Fairbanks to the Chena Hot Springs the views can be spectacular. You can visit a replica of the original "Igloo Hotel", and can actually stay the night in an igloo if that's your thing :). Regardless, you can go set in a nice toasty warm natural hot springs in -30F weather and watch the Aurora Borealis. It is Wonderful! Don't know when your looking to go but the forecast looks like November 4th(ish) there should be pretty good lights and a relatively absent moon. Could be pretty nice :)
 
Lisbon (and surrounding areas Cascais and Sintra). It isn't super touristy...yet, and is absolutely beautiful and affordable. Great food, unique scenery, friendly people, lots of sun. Went there at the end of last May and would love to get back.
 
RustedFox said:
Virus: You're gross. Thumbs up, bro. :)

Cuba ? Hard to do, seeing as how there's that whole political tension thing.

Japan sounds pretty awesome.

Sounds odd, but I'm kinda obsessed in the far North these days. Alaska seems kinda awesome; I keep watching Discovery channel shows like "Gold Rush" and "The Last Frontier" and such. Been wondering about what life would be like in, say Edmonton (its like the last stopping-off point before the great nothing). I'm a big hockey guy, but there's no NHL, which is killing me.

Who has some odd-arse diamond in the rough ? Nothing terribly expensive. Like, I've been looking at Norfolk/Newport News and just thinking - "Hmm... Bay could be nice."
Click to expand...

Go for the forbidden fruit.
If you fly through canada or mexico, you can get to Cuba, the Cubans don't stamp your passport.
Legally, you could find a class that is going there. They opened up travel to Cuba for those on educational outings. That is how I am getting there this January.
 
RustedFox said:
Sounds odd, but I'm kinda obsessed in the far North these days. Alaska seems kinda awesome; I keep watching Discovery channel shows like "Gold Rush" and "The Last Frontier" and such. Been wondering about what life would be like in, say Edmonton (its like the last stopping-off point before the great nothing). I'm a big hockey guy, but there's no NHL, which is killing me.
Click to expand...

St. Petersburg (not the one in FL), Latvia, Estonia, Finland, maybe Sweden. Plenty of hockey and snow and cold up there.

St. Petersburg and the Baltics are an area I'm dying to go to. Probably pretty cheap this time of year.
 
Renaissance Man said:
Lisbon (and surrounding areas Cascais and Sintra). It isn't super touristy...yet, and is absolutely beautiful and affordable. Great food, unique scenery, friendly people, lots of sun. Went there at the end of last May and would love to get back.
Click to expand...

Spent Xmas and NY there about 10 (maybe 15...before the Euro so probably longer) years ago and it was amazing. We hit Lisbon, Sintra (Royal Beach town) and Coimbra (a really ancient college town). Glad to hear it's still cheap and awesome.
 
Not on the same level as most of the things discussed, but I just spent a week in the mountains outside of Ashville, NC and it was fantastic. Great views, no stress, pretty good food in the city itself. Easy to do with family.
 
RustedFox said:
I've been kinda bummed lately. Job has been wearing on me, lots of family stress. When I get this way, I think - "I just wanna go away for a bit and do nothing."

Who has been somewhere different or interesting these days ? I'm looking for ideas.
Click to expand...

Beach: Bermuda
Mountains: Calgary
Cute Girls: Iceland
Good Beer: Germany/Ireland
Malaria: India
Chagas Disease: Brazil
Ebola: Africa

...all depends on what you're into.
 
I have never seen Nessy....but you guys give me hope! Been looking in the wrong place... Thanks. If you say he/she is in Scotland.... I believe you.
Send Pics next time you encounter....
 
RustedFox said:
Sounds odd, but I'm kinda obsessed in the far North these days. Alaska seems kinda awesome; I keep watching Discovery channel shows like "Gold Rush" and "The Last Frontier" and such. Been wondering about what life would be like in, say Edmonton (its like the last stopping-off point before the great nothing). I'm a big hockey guy, but there's no NHL, which is killing me.
Click to expand...

Alaska is much better as a summer vacation than winter. I live in Fairbanks, where scarlettrose was talking about, and now would be an awkward time for a vacation. It's too cold to go hiking or fishing, but there isn't enough snow for skiing or dogsledding. This is supposed to be a good year for the northern lights, so in a month or two it will be just right for sitting in Chena hot springs and watching the lights. That's fun, but it still isn't enough to make a vacation of. I'd go someplace warmer now and come up to Alaska in the summer, maybe someplace like Kodiak with really good fishing.
 
Iceland.

Seriously.

It has long been one of my dreams to go there to try and see the Northern Lights. And, my wife and I love to travel. I was searching travel deals one day a few months ago, and saw Icelandair had unbelievable deals to Reykjavik.

My wife and I are going over Valentine's day leaving on Wed and coming home late Sunday. With flight, hotel, airport transfer, geothermal spa access in the hotel, breakfast, and a trip to the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa on the way back to the airport with massage was only 877$ per person ( total, including all taxes, fees, and fuel surcharges!!). Plus, it's only like a 5 hour flight from JFK. We'll do some other excursion when we're there, but for overall value, it's pretty unbeatable.

Their new deal is flight plus hotel, and a glacier excursion where they take you hiking and ice climbing on the Sólheimajökull glacier, followed by dinner at a farm based restaurant and a Northern lights excursion on the way back to Reykjavik for like 787$ pp r/t from JFK, DC or Boston. They also do it for just a tad more from Seattle (7h flight on a polar route) for 5 nights.

So, I get to take my wife to Europe for Valentine's day to my absolute dream destination without our kids for next to nothing! And apparently, because of the Gulf Stream, the weather in Reykjavik is no worse than in NYC that time of year!
 
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Smokey Mountains.. Its a great bang for the buck trip. You can rent a REALLY nice cabin for a very reaonsable price. Hang out, overlook the mountains, sit in a hot tub. The towns of Pigeon Forge has plenty of things to see and do. You can cook/grill etc at your cabin. I always found that to be a peaceful retreat....

Knoxville has an airport, fly there and rent a car.. about an hour drive to the mountains.
 
Maui.
This is no great secret.
Was there earlier this year for the first time.
If you like the ocean and outdoor stuff, pretty amazing.
Usually at the end of a week, I'm ready to come home.
I was really sad to have to come home from that one.
 
Hey RF, stress with the job AND family?

I got some ideas for the former. Not sure about the latter.

Sounds like you want to get away for awhile.

One is to get away from PEOPLE!!! Find solitude and desolation. Alaska, Amazon (fishing and cooking piranha is fun), rain forest, etc...

The other is to find an activity. My buddy and I (both EM attendings) got so fed up and decided to do a vacation. Left our wives and families home and took a tactical pistol course at the former Blackwater. One week of carrying and firing 1500 rounds. Damn, that was fun. Talk about stress relief.

As for the family issue, I don't know your circumstances, but if it is a relationship issue, un-cluster it now. Don't wait. It won't solve itself.
 
8654Marine said:
Hey RF, stress with the job AND family?

I got some ideas for the former. Not sure about the latter.

Sounds like you want to get away for awhile.

One is to get away from PEOPLE!!! Find solitude and desolation. Alaska, Amazon (fishing and cooking piranha is fun), rain forest, etc...

The other is to find an activity. My buddy and I (both EM attendings) got so fed up and decided to do a vacation. Left our wives and families home and took a tactical pistol course at the former Blackwater. One week of carrying and firing 1500 rounds. Damn, that was fun. Talk about stress relief.

As for the family issue, I don't know your circumstances, but if it is a relationship issue, un-cluster it now. Don't wait. It won't solve itself.
Click to expand...

That. Sounds. Awesome.

There's a reason I went to the gun range after every test in med school to date - I feel like that's one of the few places I can completely destress and forget about school.
 
8654Marine said:
Left our wives and families home and took a tactical pistol course at the former Blackwater. One week of carrying and firing 1500 rounds. Damn, that was fun. Talk about stress relief.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a lot of fun.

Here is my only question. I enjoy the gun store and I enjoy shooting. What i don't particularly enjoy is the type of people who frequent these stores as well. Not all of them, but a small vocal minority (redundancy) who are really good at repeating what Sean Hannity and Rush say. They feed on sound bites and catch phrases from Fox News. If I can go and enjoy a course without listening to this drivel during a majority of the stay, then it sounds like a very enjoyable trip.

So without further ranting, what's the environment like?
 
Warm and tropical place to get away from it all:

Little Cayman Island

About 10 miles long by 1 mile wide with less than 140 residents and no big mega resorts. Great fishing, snorkeling and diving. Lodges have bikes or you can rent a scooter to make your way to various snorkeling holes and beaches. There is no way not to relax here! About 60 miles and a short puddle jumper flight from Grand Cayman.

Exotic isolation and cool animals:

Namibia

Fly to Windhoek and rent a 4x4 truck with roof tent and drive to Etosha National Park. Amazing safari with lions, cheetah, elephants, giraffes, etc everywhere. Easy to drive around the country and very safe. The Skeleton coast and Namib desert and fantastic as well. Not cheap to get there but well worth the effort. Bonus: spend a few days in Capetown, SA and the wine country.

Iceland is amazing as well but better in the spring/summer due to lack of daylight in the winter.
 
Pakistan is great this time of year. If you want I can have you stay at my cousins place. Good sight seeing up north if you live mountains and a lot of beaches in the south. It's like the France of Asia.
 
RustedFox said:
Virus: You're gross. Thumbs up, bro. :)

Cuba ? Hard to do, seeing as how there's that whole political tension thing.

Japan sounds pretty awesome.

Sounds odd, but I'm kinda obsessed in the far North these days. Alaska seems kinda awesome; I keep watching Discovery channel shows like "Gold Rush" and "The Last Frontier" and such. Been wondering about what life would be like in, say Edmonton (its like the last stopping-off point before the great nothing). I'm a big hockey guy, but there's no NHL, which is killing me.

Who has some odd-arse diamond in the rough ? Nothing terribly expensive. Like, I've been looking at Norfolk/Newport News and just thinking - "Hmm... Bay could be nice."
Click to expand...

Wait a month or two, then I'd go cat skiing in Whistler or Banff.
 
RustedFox said:
I've been kinda bummed lately. Job has been wearing on me, lots of family stress. When I get this way, I think - "I just wanna go away for a bit and do nothing."


Who has been somewhere different or interesting these days ? I'm looking for ideas.
Click to expand...

In the vein of "it's the journey, not the destination," I once took the Amtrak Empire Builder from Chicago to Portland, then back. About a week, low key, great views... got a sleeper car for more room & a bathroom.

Felt orders of magnitude better upon my return home.

Cheers!
-d

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk
 
Went to Iceland in September. Incredible place. A tad pricy if you want to really DO Iceland, but can be done on the cheap. Incredible scenery... when it isn't raining or snowing or foggy. The Icelandic weather has it's own personality.

Greenebbs, pm me for tips if you want any.

Drove the Ring Road with my best friend from residency... nearly 3000 km in 9 days + 2 days in Reykjavik. Would highly recommend a trip to Snaefellsness - some of the best scenery is out on the peninsula, if you can get there. You're going to be cutting it close, timewise, though! The biggest problem with Iceland is that it's like coumadin - it has a very narrow therapeutic window. Prepare for rain, and cold rain at that. Would also highly recommend http://islenskihesturinn.is/?lang=en - had a really great experience here, and they pick you up in Reykjavik. Even in the sleet. I froze. It was so worth it.

Oh, and northern Iceland is pretty desolate. Same for the Eastfjords. We didn't get to the Westfjords, but many of the roads get pretty rough outside of the tourist window.

I also really love the Scottish Highlands... have been to Loch Ness, although I only managed to see a fighter jet scream by. Very wild and romantic in a foggy moor kind of way. Skye was fantastic, and I'd love to see the Outer Hebrides someday.

Also really loved a visit to the Grand Canyon. Plan to go back and hike rim to rim to rim one of these days. I know it's cliched, but it was really incredible.

Next big trip will probably be Kaua'i.
 
FSU2013 said:
That. Sounds. Awesome.

There's a reason I went to the gun range after every test in med school to date - I feel like that's one of the few places I can completely destress and forget about school.
Click to expand...

bad virus said:
That sounds like a lot of fun.

Here is my only question...

So without further ranting, what's the environment like?
Click to expand...

Stereotypes exist for a reason. Yes, those idiots exists. Just like in the opposite extreme.

To me the best thing was no one knew or cared who we were. We were there to have fun, SAFELY.

Don't think we talked any tinfoil stuff. Turns out that in our group, we had 3 EM docs, a few EMT's, a Naval pilot, a lawyer, a few private military contractors and a couple of sheriffs.

The range next to us were some African special forces, the next range had Marine MARSOC getting ready to go to the sandbox and meanwhile the evasive driving course was going full tilt.

There is nothing better than slinging lead down range to relieve one's stress.

I also heartily agree that it's the journey and not the destination. Make it mean something.

When the kids are a little older, I'm gonna teach 'em how to scuba dive and one of 'em wants to skydive with me.

Heck, RustedFox, if things are that bad, go to NZ or Australia for 1-2 wks, enjoy the women and sights and recon the hospitals for work. Forget Canada and Alaska.
 
Fly to Albuquerque, rent a car and drive to Santa Fe (45 min), or, even better, Taos (2.5 hours).

Walk around the plaza, have a drink, smell the air. You'll feel a million miles away from your troubles.
 
Just don't miss the turn onto the High Road to Taos and get lost in the mountains! Um, because, well, I would never do that. ;)
Santa Fe is a neat town.

Sedona is another neat place to visit - hike the Red Rocks, go jeeping...
 
Wow.

Thanks to all for the great ideas. To those who say - "If things are that bad...." - they're really not; I'm just turbo frustrated with the little things because they're so numerous. Even the family stuff isn't terribly awful; nobody is dying, getting a divorce, or anything - it's just that a number of people close to me can't get their heads wrapped around certain stuff that's really not difficult to "get over", and I just think I need some "me time". Then, I hear those same sentiments echoed in a lot of the patients at work. I just wanna scream - "GET OVER IT."


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H-Y7MAASkg
 
Eh. Charter a forward cockpit catamaran and sail around the Virgin islands.
 
RustedFox said:
Wow.

Thanks to all for the great ideas. To those who say - "If things are that bad...." - they're really not; I'm just turbo frustrated with the little things because they're so numerous. Even the family stuff isn't terribly awful; nobody is dying, getting a divorce, or anything - it's just that a number of people close to me can't get their heads wrapped around certain stuff that's really not difficult to "get over", and I just think I need some "me time". Then, I hear those same sentiments echoed in a lot of the patients at work. I just wanna scream - "GET OVER IT."


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H-Y7MAASkg
Click to expand...

Personally would have chosen "One of These Nights" or "I Can't Tell You Why"....but that wouldn't really go with the whole motif going on here...but still....
 
DreamingTheLive said:
Personally would have chosen "One of These Nights" or "I Can't Tell You Why"....but that wouldn't really go with the whole motif going on here...but still....
Click to expand...

Good Eagles tunes, for sure - but I *can* tell you exactly why - its the "its not my fault, I'm a victim of (insert whatever here), and now I can't do anything and want everyone to make concessions for me. That disease is just so pervasive.

I'm in the habit of asking (for my "social history" questions)... do you smoke, do you drink, do you use any illegal drugs, and what do you do for work ? Notice that I don't ask "Do you work?", my question is framed such that I make the assertion that you SHOULD be doing something geared towards gainful employment. All too often, I get:

Smoke: Yes.
Drink: Yes.
Drugs: Marijuana.
Work: No, I'm disabled.

and I fail to see any reason as to why they're disabled. A whole nation of whiners that "can't work", but like to receive money from those who do. I see this attitude creeping into some people that I'm close to. Then, with some people that I'm close to, I see the attitude of : "Well, I'm upset because of ____, and as a result, I can't _____."

Knock it off, people. An inability to "get over it" is poisonous.
 
RustedFox said:
Good Eagles tunes, for sure - but I *can* tell you exactly why - its the "its not my fault, I'm a victim of (insert whatever here), and now I can't do anything and want everyone to make concessions for me. That disease is just so pervasive.

I'm in the habit of asking (for my "social history" questions)... do you smoke, do you drink, do you use any illegal drugs, and what do you do for work ? Notice that I don't ask "Do you work?", my question is framed such that I make the assertion that you SHOULD be doing something geared towards gainful employment. All too often, I get:

Smoke: Yes.
Drink: Yes.
Drugs: Marijuana.
Work: No, I'm disabled.

and I fail to see any reason as to why they're disabled. A whole nation of whiners that "can't work", but like to receive money from those who do. I see this attitude creeping into some people that I'm close to. Then, with some people that I'm close to, I see the attitude of : "Well, I'm upset because of ____, and as a result, I can't _____."

Knock it off, people. An inability to "get over it" is poisonous.
Click to expand...


I see you have alot of Obama voters.
 
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