h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm considering going on holiday for the middle two weeks of August and was wondering if anyone has any recomendations.
Parameters:
* Whilst money is not unlimited, it doesn't have to be cheap for cheap sake.
* I'm not really a lie-on-the-beach-then-frink-till-dawn kind of person.
* I'v spent some time in Ireland, England, Scotland, France, Germany, Yugoslavia (as was), Greece, Italy, Cameroon, Lesotho, China, Hong Kong and Australia - but this doesn't preclude going back for any part of these places I may have missed .

Suggestions so far include:
* Hire a small fishing boat and do a tour around Ireland.
* Short safari in Kenya
* Road trip around southern europe
* Package to Cuba / Canada

What else is worth a thought?

I realise I'm talking to myself, but sometimes this leads to an interesting conversation.

The boat cruise of Ireland option is eminently doable - about IR500 for a week isn't too bad : http://www.holidaysafloat.co.uk/celticcruisers/prices.htm

Scandinavia -on the grounds that you haven;t been there yet.
Laos on the grounds that it's cheap and interesting with a (very) little French residue.
Amsterdam -it's about time you revisited the Van Gogh art gallery
A return to your roots in Ethiopia is out - bad taste to tour in famines.
Look in a travel agent;s windows and take the third holiday down on the right hand side of the window Don't forget very strong factor sunscreen.

Are you planning to go alone, or together with someone? Where do you travel from?
I can recommmend a journey to the area called Dalslands Kanal, on the west of Sweden. Just across the boarder between Norway and Sweden theres a small town called Årjäng. You rent a (I don´t know the English word for it) bike that runs on the old rail road, called "dressin" in Norwegian, from Årjängs Turistbyrå (the tourist office). There´s a closed railroad for you to go biking on, going from Årjäng to Bengtfors, 50 kms. You go through really beautiful forests and countryside landscapes, it´s not very hard, the trip takes about five hours. The bike is made so that one person sit on it while the other one make it go forward. So when one is tired you can change bicycling. In Bengtsfors you pick up a canooe, and then you go paddeling back to Årjäng on some really beautiful lakes, connected by locks and canals. This trip takes about three days/nights. Of course you bring a tent, or you sleep under the sky. I promise you´ll have the best nature experience ever!

To get to Årjäng I suggest to take a plane to Oslo, Norway, and bus to Årjäng. Then you can also spend some time in Oslo. Or just go on holiday to Oslo... I´ll be happy to tell you more if you want!

I like the sound of that - would late summer be a good time to visit?
I'd be going from Dublin but can transit in any of London, Paris or Amsterdam easily enough. It'll be considered.

The weather is best in the end of July, but in the midle og August you can either be lucky and have really nice summer weather, or it can be rainy and a bit cold. I went on the same journy at the same time some years ago, and had a really nice time. It´s not too warm to go paddling, and you get the fresh late summer air at night. We stayed all the nights under the open sky, was surprised by a heavy shower at six o´clock one morning, but we survived!

Have you thought about south or central america. You seem to have travelled all over the place but there.

Hmm - in terms of places I haven't been to , there's South America, North America, Greenland, Iceland, Scandanavia, Russia and associated ex. USSR countries, India, Pakistan, Nepal, North Africa except for Egypt, the middle east - in fact a great deal of places....

However - staying with South America; which of Rio, Argentinian Andes, Peru or Dominican Republic would you recommend?

Hi Duncan,
At the time you´ll be going you can either be lucky and get really nice summer weather or nasty showers of rain. But anyhow, you´ll have a great holiday, with lots of fresh air and the amazing experience of being outdoor. So silent...

By the way, I had a look at your h2g2-homepage. When did you graduate from Aston? I might have seen you at Einstein! I went to UCE at Gosta Green, studied in B´ham for four years and graduated in 98...

India and Pakistan are both good places to visit I've been told by a friend who's been to both.
I've not been to South America, so can only talk of the places I'd like to go, namely the Argentinian andes and patagonia or Peru.

I realize I´m repeating myself... I´ve had some problems with my computer... sorry.

I graduated in '94 (I think - it seems such a long time ago )...and was here (in Dublin) in '98 so you would need good eyesight indeed to have seen me then.

I do remember UCE being referebished whilst I was there....is the sack of potatoes still in existence?

Ah, happy days - a pint of M&B in the sun....*picture fades to indicate flashback*

A lot of the suggestions you are getting are admittedly ideallicly tempting, but they all seem very restrained and like quotes from a 1920's travelogue. I think its time you went for some unashamedly, loud brash and in your face experiences.
Where else can you get this but North America. Suggestions.
1. Hire a mobile home and travel the South West Coast, onto New Orleans with various planned(or not) on the way. Know of a couple who did this and thought it was great.
2. Do the "Route 66" thing, whether on a Harley or not. Visit "hick" towns with their weird and wonderful side-shows, the man with a deard of bees, the two headed snakes etc...
3. A bit more down to earth. Visit various East Coast cities. NY (the best city in the world), chill out in Boston, Martha's Vineyard. Choose your time of year to correspond with certain festivals.

I don't suppose you are a student?
If so or for anyone else out there who fancies touring the states, you can get a package called a Jumper Ticket which allows you X- amount of fights within the states, so allowing freedom and flexibility. My friends daughter did this. Now she is in Australia on another extended trip. Maybe too far for a fortnight.
Happy Travelling

I came to England in 94, but I spent my first year at Bournville, doing the foundation course. The sack of potatoes were still there when I graduated, so much more tempting to have a pint on the green outside than being inside college doing my work... I miss the environment, but I definately don´t miss the stress of being a student!

Anyway: I still think you schould go to Scandinavia for your holiday!

A visit to trailfinders has thrown a whole new thought into the pot - vis. a trip down the jangtzee through the three gorges to Wuhan...and other related mainland China things.

What do we think?

If you want more information about "Dalsland" the region or Bengtsfors then I could be of assistance. I live in Bengtsfors and know a bit about the area and could surtanly dig out some more.

Maybe not quite adventurous enough, but I went to Prague for a week about a month ago and had a fantastic time. Having lived in New York, Edinburgh and London I can say without hesitation that Prague is one of the coolest places I've ever been. It has a completely unique vibe about it- very relaxed, very friendly- not too capitalist (although this is changing rapidly as McDonalds and KFC spring up all over town). Like NYC you'll meet people from all over the world there, and the Czechs themselves are really sound. I suppose this has something to do with the fact the CR has only been out of communism for ten years and hasn't had a chance to get too cynical about it... yet. Apparently Prague is not as good as it used to be a few years ago and this decline may well continue- so see it while you can...

You don't like to "FRINK 'til dawn".

Methinks your pished mate!

Another site I contribute to has a two-phase commit so you get to preview your stuff before its commited to the thread...an idea that would save me from a lot of smelling pistakes

Following on from your idea about a boat trip around Ireland - great idea if the weather is good! How about a horsedrawn caravan tour of Ireland instead?

Aside - a few years ago some guy hitched around Ireland with a fridge for a bet!