NationStates Jolt Archive

It's warm, it's sunny, the sky is blue and I feel like vacation. Not that I will be able to get any anytime soon, but one can dream, right?

Right now, I would imagine being in Southern France, on a beach somewhere, reading a fantastically interesting book, going for a swim now and then, then going to sit in a little cafe in a quiet little town somewhere when it gets too warm around midday. Maybe take a little nap, and be out on the streets again in the late afternoon. Having a fantastic dinner with a good friend, then sitting outside drinking red wine till well into the small hours....

What's your holiday dream?

It's warm, it's sunny, the sky is blue and I feel like vacation. Not that I will be able to get any anytime soon, but one can dream, right?

Right now, I would imagine being in Southern France, on a beach somewhere, reading a fantastically interesting book, going for a swim now and then, then going to sit in a little cafe in a quiet little town somewhere when it gets too warm around midday. Maybe take a little nap, and be out on the streets again in the late afternoon. Having a fantastic dinner with a good friend, then sitting outside drinking red wine till well into the small hours....

What's your holiday dream?

To the beach with Cabra! :fluffle:

I'm in Spain on a cool, crisp day, enjoying some reading and martial arts training during the day and going out for some drinks and dancing at night with friends.

To the beach with Cabra! :fluffle:

:fluffle:
I wouldn't get to read much then, but your company would more than make up for that :)
:fluffle:

Anywhere I can go where there are no people. My vacation will be full of quiet. Absolute quiet.

My vacation will be a place where I don't see pictures of airplanes hitting a building and where I'm not confronted with pictures of some dead "terrorist" or the latest numbers from a Presidential poll.

My true vacation is silence. Simple silence.

Anywhere I can go where there are no people. My vacation will be full of quiet. Absolute quiet.

My vacation will be a place where I don't see pictures of airplanes hitting a building and where I'm not confronted with pictures of some dead "terrorist" or the latest numbers from a Presidential poll.

My true vacation is silence. Simple silence.

Ditto.

Maybe with a bottle of whiskey.

:fluffle:
I wouldn't get to read much then, but your company would more than make up for that :)
:fluffle:

Reading is overrated ;)

:fluffle:

Anywhere I can go where there are no people. My vacation will be full of quiet. Absolute quiet.

My vacation will be a place where I don't see pictures of airplanes hitting a building and where I'm not confronted with pictures of some dead "terrorist" or the latest numbers from a Presidential poll.

My true vacation is silence. Simple silence.

For you, my friend, I recommend a thirty-day silent retreat in a Benedictine monastery. :)

Maybe with a bottle of whiskey.

I'll take that, too!

For you, my friend, I recommend a thirty-day silent retreat in a Benedictine monastery. :)

But then I'd have to hang around with Christians who believe I'm hellbound for my secular, heathen ideaologies. That silence would be crushing.

But then I'd have to hang around with Christians who believe I'm hellbound for my secular, heathen ideaologies. That silence would be crushing.

It's not like you'd have to tell them your ideology, and because the Benedictines are by and large not a communal order you wouldn't have to hang out.

It's not like you'd have to tell them your ideology, and because the Benedictines are by and large not a communal order you wouldn't have to hang out.

Oh...

Well then ...

Where are these monks? I believe I've just made new friends.

Oh...

Well then ...

Where are these monks? I believe I've just made new friends.

They're all over the place...

http://www.osb.org/retreats/index.html

Reading is overrated ;)

:fluffle:

Depends on what you read *cougheroticshortstoriescough* ;)

:fluffle:

For you, my friend, I recommend a thirty-day silent retreat in a Benedictine monastery. :)

I don't know if I could do that...I think i'd want some space. Like out in the Sahara or something. Or some obscure island like Socotra.

I mean, it's OK if I run into people, I just want to avoid any stress associated with it and have space to myself. Even somewhere tropical where I can just lie on the beach, drink beer, and listen to music without a care.

Depends on what you read *cougheroticshortstoriescough* ;)

:fluffle:

:eek: Have you been reading my works on your vacations?

They're all over the place...

http://www.osb.org/retreats/index.html

I checked.

The nearest one to me is here:

http://www.boernebenedictines.com/pages/omega_retreat.html

Unfortunately, their first thing is:

"A place to hear Jesus' invitation."

I don't want to hear anything. I want silence.

Any other suggestions?

Depends on what you read *cougheroticshortstoriescough* ;)

:fluffle:

Yes, they can be good on a certain *coughdailycough* basis :p

:fluffle:

:eek: Have you been reading my works on your vacations?

Didn't know you wrote erotic short stories, too? :eek:

I checked.

The nearest one to me is here:

http://www.boernebenedictines.com/pages/omega_retreat.html

Unfortunately, their first thing is:

"A place to hear Jesus' invitation."

I don't want to hear anything. I want silence.

Any other suggestions?

Read a bit further, k?

"individuals who want to spend some quiet time in a private retreat;"

Just ask for that. It's not complicated.

Or not, if the fact that it's hosted by a Christian group creates too much of a problem for you. *shrug*

Didn't know you wrote erotic short stories, too? :eek:

Only on a rare occasion when the mood strikes me. :)

Or not, if the fact that it's hosted by a Christian group creates too much of a problem for you. *shrug*

No no ... I'm not interested in the religion ... if they can provide actual silence, you would probably never see me again. I am not interested in their religious message, but if they can provide true quiet, I'm there.

:eek: Cabra West dont you mean holiday?????? You dont have to use american terminology you can just be yourself surely all your reading has at least taught you that!!!!

:eek: Cabra West dont you mean holiday?????? You dont have to use american terminology you can just be yourself surely all your reading has at least taught you that!!!!

Considering that my mother tongue is in fact German, I've come to use the words "vacation" and "holiday" as synonyms, as they seem to be used that way here as well... :p

mine would be to ride trains most of the day, during daylight hours, when i could see the scenery, get off in whatever town it was getting along toward afternoon but still early enough to look arround and find an inexpensive but really good place to eat and likewise spend the night. get up and have the breakfast buffette the next morning and along about midmorning get on another train. do this for maybe a couple of weeks or even a month. someplace, i don't care what part of the world it was as long as it wasn't some place i'd get shot at, where there are lots of forrest and mountains, and of course, trains, like switzerland, but parts of japan or even india or if there's other places like that them too, even in the u.s. if we had places like that with enough trains to do that which we don't quite, though maybe someday again.

i'd avoid the tropics unless it was a cooler time of year or higher cooler elevations. i'd need the flexibility of travelling alone too, without the hassle of trying to bring someone else along so that i could fallow whimsy and spontaniousness. then again i'd probably have a problem with that in some places being not very good with languages as i am, though i can probably puzzle things out pretty good from signage if i don't have to be in too much of a hurry. and that of course is the other thing; NOT having to be in any kind of hurry at all.

no deadline to get back and enough resources to cover contingencies and then some.

=^^=
.../\...

Set off with my girlfriend in some valley, with a good rope, telemarks straped to my back if, a tent, and food for as long as possible. If its summer, I'd probably leave the telemarks and take more climbing equipment instead.

My perfect holiday would be just travelling around and seeing where I end up, with just a backpack with basic stuff: clothes, money, camera and my phone, so I could call ahead and probably sleep on the sofas or floors of old friends ^_^ but basically I'd be free from everything, I could just wander wherever.

My dream holiday is a long slow trip around the UK visiting all the old historical places like castles, manor houses, old cemetaries, battlefields ect. Not forgetting Stonehenge of course. Then a couple of weeks to explore London from one end to the other, and at least a few days just to spend in Harrods.

i'd just go off and be a drifter for awhile. until i was done, i guess.

no, seriously.

NYC here I come!!!

No, seriously...my flight leaves in about five hours. :)

It's not my "ideal" vacation, but damn it, I'll take it anyways. :p

For me the company is important. Anywhere The Beautiful Darkness and Cabra West goes is good. As long as it's not too crowded.
: Super Threesome Fluffle! :
Do I get fluffles? :(

For me the company is important. Anywhere The Beautiful Darkness and Cabra West goes is good. As long as it's not too crowded.
: Super Threesome Fluffle! :
Do I get fluffles? :(

Company is the most important *nods*

:fluffle:

Company is the most important *nods*

:fluffle:

:fluffle: Yes ma'am. *salutes*

Do I get fluffles? :(

You fluffle-whore, you.

You fluffle-whore, you.

LOL You're one to talk :p

:fluffle:

You fluffle-whore, you.

Nope, merely a fluffle he-bitch. :D

LOL You're one to talk :p

:fluffle:

True. ;)

:fluffle:

Yay, a fluffle-vacation!

:fluffle: :fluffle: :fluffle:

That's simple... waking up with the sun just starting to peak over the walls of Yosemite Valley and getting packed and ready for a nice long hike in the most beautiful spot on earth.

Yay, a fluffle-vacation!

:fluffle: :fluffle: :fluffle:

Yay! :fluffle:
Now where is that 1000 fluffle march thread? :p

But then I'd have to hang around with Christians who believe I'm hellbound for my secular, heathen ideaologies. That silence would be crushing.


Quite crushing :eek: :confused:

I guess a perfect holiday would be me and a friend driving aroung Europe with a pair of snazzy creeking kayaks strapped to the roof looking for rivers to play on.

Edit: Maybe on of these;
http://www.kayaksandpaddles.co.uk/canoe/kayak/uk/shop/productpages/pyran/m3.htm
Afriend of mine has one and they're fun :D

Yay! :fluffle:
Now where is that 1000 fluffle march thread? :p

Uhm.......i think my cat sorta ate it....sorry..

i take my perfect vacation every november

my sister owns a one-week time share in aruba

we 3 sisters go every year and enjoy it so much that we now stretch it out to 10 full days (this year i leave on the 5th and come back on the 17th).

the hotel is in what passes for downtown on an island of less than 100k people, it has its own casino and its own private island (seperated into family and adult only beaches). there are bars where one can eat lunch (mostly liquid) and watch the comings and goings of the capital and the marina. our room overlooks the carribean sea and the route the cruise ships take into the marina. its a beautiful sight to watch the ships float right past the hotel.

its peaceful and prosperous. so safe that you have to remind yourself (while walking the streets at 2am) to use common sense safety precautions. the people are amazingly friendly and courteous. ive been going for 10 years and have never seen an aruban be rude or lose their temper no matter how obnoxious the tourist is being.

so we roll out of bed in the morning, the sun is up with few clouds in the sky (the sun shines every day), we spend the day at the beach on the private island. its a perfect place to snorkel, clear water, beautiful tropical fish. most days we read and doze under the palm trees. we have lunch at the island restaurant and make sure to enjoy their early happy hour.

5 starts happy hour at the hotel pool so we make sure to be back for that. we swim a bit, sleep some more (no its NOT passing out) have some drinks. go back to the room for showers

the evenings tend to be dedicated to gambling. the sisters love slot machines but i prefer poker and blackjack.

next day we do it all again. its the best beach vacation possible.

Anywhere with a pool, roller coasters, && my friends of course!:p

:fluffle: :fluffle: :fluffle:

Everyone was doing it so I felt the need!

Somewhere cold.

Actually, I'm going to plan my vacation today :D

I'm sick of the beach, so New England, here I come!

Where in NE do you plan to go, Ruff?

For me: A long backpacking trip through Denali National Park, the Canadian Rockies, or anywhere else with a lot of mountains far from civilisation that's very cold. I'd go with a trusty animal of some kind, and maybe another human, although that human would have to be resourceful, intelligent, and creative enough to survive in the wild. (Volunteers?)

Tehran. I went a year ago, it was amazing.

Of course, everyone wants to visit Hawaii :)

But then I'd have to hang around with Christians who believe I'm hellbound for my secular, heathen ideaologies. That silence would be crushing.

Hows about a Buddhist retreat. The last one I went on was silent. The silent fasting retreats are especially good.

There are other groups that are even stricter. (A friend went on a "hardcore" Zen retreat for a full month - complete silence except for a short interview once a day - which can be skipped depending. But you'll have to put up with sitting zazen at least 4 hours and as much as 8 hours, a day. And don't forget getting smacked with the keisaku "stick of compassion" which the Ino in chgarge of the meditation session uses to give "reality checks" and "wake up calls"...)

Where in NE do you plan to go, Ruff?

For me: A long backpacking trip through Denali National Park, the Canadian Rockies, or anywhere else with a lot of mountains far from civilisation that's very cold. I'd go with a trusty animal of some kind, and maybe another human, although that human would have to be resourceful, intelligent, and creative enough to survive in the wild. (Volunteers?)
Up in Maine, Bar Harbor area I guess.. and hell no I refuse to hike on vacation! The boardwalks were hikes enough. :eek:

Fat and lazy, dream vacation *nods*

The beautiful carribean island of St Lucia

My ideal vacation?

Heading off to the great cities of the world, playing gigs/concerts, and just walking around, looking at what we've accomplished as a species. Making new friends wouldn't hurt, either.

I'm not one for beaches and tropical islands, I much prefer vacationing in big cities. NYC used to be a favourite vacation spot for me, but since I'm moving there soon I don't think it will be quite the same :).

My favourite vacation is Iceland, especially when I stayed in Vik with friends. It was one of the best months ever! Kayaking, good friends, good food, hiking, relaxing it was all incredible.

I'm not one for beaches and tropical islands, I much prefer vacationing in big cities. NYC used to be a favourite vacation spot for me, but since I'm moving there soon I don't think it will be quite the same :).

My favourite vacation is Iceland, especially when I stayed in Vik with friends. It was one of the best months ever! Kayaking, good friends, good food, hiking, relaxing it was all incredible.

But, but, but...you can't go on vacation! What would all the leghumpers here do without you? :rolleyes:

- Buy a few more memory cards for my camera
- Take the train from Ottawa to Halifax
- Take a ship from Halifax to Lisbon
- Buy a nice bicycle
- Cross Iberia, stopping in Valencia to visit my friends there
- Pop through Andorra on my way to France's East Coast
- Head through Monaco and onto Northern Italy
- Cycle through Slovenia, Croatia, and Hungary
- Surprise my pal in Bratislava
- Take a boatride to Vienna, and find my Austrian friends
- Go through Liechtenstein on my way to Luzern, take the cablecar to Pilatus while keeping my eyes open (Didn't quite make it last time)
- See everything having to do with Hugo Eckener in Konstanz
- Go back into France, this time heading to Paris (Lots of friends there with whom I must party)
- Pass through Luxemburg
- Visit an old mate in Belgium, see a Kate Ryan concert if there's one on
- Head to Utrecht to visit yet another friend (In the future maybe I should avoid promising every exchange student a visit, this vacation is getting long!)
- Check out the scenery along the North Sea
- Sing Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen in the appropriate city
- Visit Legoland
- Go see my Swedish friends (Preferably finding out if they're still in Jönköping or gone to Stockholm before I pick which route to travel)
- Remove my odometer, but leave my bike somewhere and have it stolen
- Fly from Stockholm to Ankara, have a blast with my friend there
- Take side-trips to Cappadocia, Efes, Istanbul, and Troy
- Fly back home to Ottawa

It would be a rather long trip... Especially if I follow the advise of a guy I know who cycled through Europe, he recommends not going more than 100km a day. But surely it would be a super-fun one!

I really don't have an idea of a "perfect" vacation, but last summer I had one that must come pretty darn close.

My boyfriend's family has a lakefront property up at Lake Tahoe that is simply gorgeous. A big group of friends gets together, and everyone gets assigned a night or two where they get dinner duty. Everyone brings several bottles of wine, so there is plenty for all. Days start whenever you feel like rolling out of bed, which for me tends to be around 8 am when I'm up there. Down to the dining room, where there are pastries, coffee, cereal and such laid out for you to serve yourself. Spend an hour or so chatting and reading the newspaper or a book, then it's time to get on with the day. Sometimes it's a hiking day, sometimes we'll take the boat out on the lake for a few hours to sun and swim, sometimes it's just a day of reading and relaxing at the cabin.

Lunch is a casual affair, usually sandwiches or something equally simple, and that's usually when everyone starts drinking. A beer or two with lunch, then on to cocktails or wine with/before dinner. There's a nice big lawn with a tree swing and a hammock, and a big patio in front of an outdoor fireplace that gets lit after dinner. There's a ping pong table and bumper pool, kayaks and a rowboat if you feel like going out on the lake by yourself, and nice comfy chaises longues for reading in the sun. After dinner we gather in front of the outdoor fireplace for more chatting and such, or into the big living room if we feel like playing Trivial Pursuit or pictionary or such. The atmosphere is always nice and relaxed, with good company and good food. *sigh* Can't wait to make it up there next month.

My favourite part of the whole thing is that there's no TV up there. :D

I'm not one for beaches and tropical islands, I much prefer vacationing in big cities. NYC used to be a favourite vacation spot for me, but since I'm moving there soon I don't think it will be quite the same :).

Hey-hey, someone else who likes huge cities as much as I do? Weird. Wild.

Hey-hey, someone else who likes huge cities as much as I do? Weird. Wild.

Leghumping on teh interwebs is neither weird nor wild.

Leghumping on teh interwebs is neither weird nor wild.

Eh?

Eh?

Try to keep up, kid. ;)

I'd be happy to have vacation at all, that's something that hasn't happened in almost two years. But then again, I'm quite happy that work is rolling in so good, so can't complain.

Hey-hey, someone else who likes huge cities as much as I do? Weird. Wild.

Indeed! Most of my friends enjoy tropical destinations. I was always the only one who preferred going to LA or NYC for a week or two.

Indeed! Most of my friends enjoy tropical destinations. I was always the only one who preferred going to LA or NYC for a week or two.

Yeah, much easier to whore around in the clubs in LA or New York.

I've always wanted to go around Europe. Eastern Europe. :S

Hanging out on a beach on the Aegean. :)

My perfect vaacation is gonna be my honey moon, cruising the carabean with my new husband... sunbacking on the top deck by day, dancing under the moonlight at midnight... Hmmm, even though it's still a few years away, a girl cant dream cant she....