Looking for Vacation Suggestions

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macnotes
macnotes Posts: 210 Member
in Chit-Chat
We just went on a tour of a cruise ship last night and although it was very fancy, I really felt that it was just the complete opposite of what I'd be looking for in a vacation. It was all about over indulgence with food, gambling, alcohol, "entertainment", extravagant jewellery and clothes and little to no exercise or health focus. Basically un-doing everything that I'm trying to change by using sites like MFP.

I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions on where they've gone or done where they've come back from vacation with a renewed sense of life. Where you can go and get a enlightening experience and come back healthier, happier and more fulfilled than when you left. I'm not saying I'm above cruising, just wondering if anyone has gone on any trips where they didn't come back with a bunch of junk they didn't need including more junk in the trunk. I'm thinking seminars on healthy eating, a cooking lesson or two and maybe learning a new yoga stretch or a new way of exercising your body.

We've done the backpacking trips as well and while I do find them enlightening, I would like something perhaps a little more relaxing on the body. Traveling for days on a train isn't as much fun or sleeping in mosquito infested tents isn't what I'm looking for...

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  • dvisser1
    dvisser1 Posts: 788 Member
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    How about a multi-day "backpacking" where a porter carries your heavy pack, sets up your tent, a cook serves you a hot breakfast and dinner and gives you a cold, box lunch for the trail everyday? No mosquitos after the first day on trail. Sound good? That was my experience "climbing" Kilimanjaro in September 2008. Actually it was fly over, 4 day hike up Mt Meru (with porters, guides, a cook, sleeping in bunk houses), rest day in a B&B, 7 day hike up Kili (porters, guides, cooks, sleeping in tents), rest day, 4 day safari on the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, rest day & fly out. The outfit we used was Maasai Wanderings, and I really liked them.

    For something more civilized....check out the coast of Croatia. Dubrovnik and Split. I've been day dreaming about taking a few weeks to wander along the NW coast of Italy, down along Croatia and do a little beach bumming in the Greek islands.

    For more local...Banff?
    The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel looks like a little pampering, with access to the Rockies wilderness.
  • LadyIvysMom
    LadyIvysMom Posts: 391 Member
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    I've never been myself but my parents live for going on road trips out west where they can visit national parks and walk around and such.

    I personally like Disneyworld because of all the walking :D
  • macnotes
    macnotes Posts: 210 Member
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    Kilimanjaro sounds fantastic. A little bit of uncomfortableness but still enlightening. I will check out that company. Was it super expensive?

    Disneyworld sounds nice too! I've been tempted to do a half or full marathon there!

    ooooo and Greece would be so nice too. Would be nice if there was a tour company that does something like the amazing race. Where you can get a taste of the culture as well as seeing some really neat sights.

    I'm wondering if anyone has done a sort of "club med" thing but more health focused?
  • cindybowcut
    cindybowcut Posts: 250 Member
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    We went to Honolulu, Hawaii in 2009. We went in the spring and the beaches on the north shore weren't crowded at all. Spent lots of time at a little beach called the Hukilau beach. There is also plenty of other activities to do. My daughter and I went snorkeling at Hanauma Bay it was a blast. I would go back in a heartbeat.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    Kilimanjaro sounds fantastic. A little bit of uncomfortableness but still enlightening. I will check out that company. Was it super expensive?

    Disneyworld sounds nice too! I've been tempted to do a half or full marathon there!

    ooooo and Greece would be so nice too. Would be nice if there was a tour company that does something like the amazing race. Where you can get a taste of the culture as well as seeing some really neat sights.

    I'm wondering if anyone has done a sort of "club med" thing but more health focused?

    Surf trip. Go to a tiny island and surf for a week. They have beginner ones, I think. Best exercise you'll ever have. And, usually all you eat is fresh fish and fruit. You'll come back ripped, and 20 lbs lighter.
  • Feed_the_Bears
    Feed_the_Bears Posts: 275 Member
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    I believe I saw an ad once about "Wilderness Survival" weekend. Or something to that effect. It's like a camping trip where guides teach you how to survive in the wild. I'm sure someone in BC must have a business like that.

    Or learn how to SCUBA dive! That really opened my eyes about the world around me. Basically it doubled in size and the water is no less familiar to me than the air. Just do background checks on your instructor...and have like $600-$700 to blow on second hand gear (arg.).

    Winter's coming up, you can do a backcountry snowboarding tour in Whistler. You can even go mountain biking there now which was so much fun, swim in the glacial lake. sigh.... I hate that I don't live in BC.
  • zzzthump
    zzzthump Posts: 1
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    knowing you, i know you like a mix of relaxation and adventure experiences. so maybe iceland, machu picchu, galapagos, prague, spain, any EU countries will offer you something, AU, NZ, africa, brazil, argentina, india, israel, egypt, middle east, checkout my friend's video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRcqrz2LB30 , he spent a year traveling around the world (: he also has individual videos of the places he visited,
  • dvisser1
    dvisser1 Posts: 788 Member
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    Kili.....the whole thing was $3800 US for the in country cost, which covered everything except lunch and drinks at the B&B on rest days and tipping the guides/cooks/porters. We were a group of 10 for the climbs & 8 on safari, so I don't know if that played into the cost. It was lower than I expected. The flight over was about $1800. If you go, I would recommend looking at the KLM direct flight from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro International. Everything else connects through Nairobi.....and the unplanned, extra 12 hours we got to spend there was a story in itself. I don't recommend getting stranded in Nairobi.

    All told, I spent a little over $6000 after all the tips & souvenirs were accounted for.
  • mirandamayhem
    mirandamayhem Posts: 772
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    Cornwall in UK, hire a car, drive around, visit one of the most beautiful, ancient parts of europe.
  • ILoveTheBrowns
    ILoveTheBrowns Posts: 661 Member
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    rocky mountain national park/estes park colorado.....heaven
  • macnotes
    macnotes Posts: 210 Member
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    Anyone go to retreats year after year that they'd recommend?
  • magj0y
    magj0y Posts: 1,911 Member
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    In most areas you can rent a condo/house/cabin. This will allow for you to eat better and go out and have fun. They typically have everything you need, sometimes bikes, boogie boards and such.

    http://www.homeaway.com/

    You can rent a villa in Tuscany, a castle in Scotland and even a huge estate in Hawaii that sleeps over 20 people.
    Good luck on your planning.
  • Tony_Brewski
    Tony_Brewski Posts: 1,376 Member
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    Go north. Boundry Waters of Northern Minnesota are AMAZING! Tons of trails to hike, great fishing. Breath takingly beautiful landscapes.

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