Wanderlust at a late age

My wife and I have been looking at a couple of trips in the next few years.

Out current top four are 1. Driving through Canada to Alaska 2. Hiking New Zealand 3. An as of yet decided tropical island. Still narrowing that one down and 4. South American tour of several countries.

The more I look at New Zealand the more it is on the top of my personal list, followed by South America.

 

Definitely check out some of the New Zealand options. Offers both mountains and beaches.

 

I know a few guys putting together a trip to Peru, somewhere along the Amazon river. Just a thought.

 

If you are after nature in all of its beauty, I would go with New Zealand. South American is also pretty beautiful, New Zealand would be less of a culture shock and is most likely safer than SA for visiting Americans. If you also want the experience of a different culture, SA is not all that bad. Learn what is different than America since it can make a real change in how you respond to various situations. There can also be a language barrier in SA that would not exist in NZ.

Examples: My brother-in-law worked for a multi-national oil field service company and he and my sister and family were in both Venezuela and Columbia almost 20 years ago. Two and a half years in Venezuela then one year in Columbia. In Venezuela they were told to watch out for carjackers, but that if they were carjacked they would most likely be dropped off down the road by the carjacker without any physical harm. In Columbia, they had to be concerned about kidnapping, but that payment of the ransom would result in the release of the kidnappee. The point being that in America you fight for your life in either situation, but down there it was about the money and if they got what they were after they did not seem to feel the need to eliminate witnesses. I don't know what it is like now, 20 years later, but these are examples of how even crime can be different in other cultures.

They did have a friend who whose wife was carjacked and they did indeed just drop her off unharmed. Again, 20 years ago.

 

Come to Austria, mountains, rainforest and beaches so can look at allsorts

 

I once went to Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile on a backpacking trip. I remember waking to screaming monkeys, swimming with dolphins and holding baby crocodiles all in a weekend. And this was just after hiking around the highest navigable lake in the world. Thanks for sending me down memory lane,strig. Good times.

 

I will put a vote in for Austria! Loved Salzburg just before Christmas time!

I've traveled and visited Europe, SWA and the Middle East. Of the country's I've been to in the last ten years I would give a thumbs up to Italy, Germany, Austria, England, Ireland and Israel. It has been a while but I highly recommend Vancouver Island and the San Juan Islands, BC if you don't want to go to far.

Saying you know your state have you considered checking out National parks in the US as a travel dry run of sorts? Not knowing what state you from have you considered somewhere like Alaska and Denali national park? Esp if you have a hesitation to leave home maybe a adventure in the US might be a good baby step to overseas travel.

I've visited 11 different country's in the last 10 years (Some more then a couple times...) And I have never really had any problems. Someone tried to pick pocket me in a subway in Rome but I knew that was a common problem and had my wallet in my chest pocket. Other then that launquage was my biggest challenge.

Biggest thing I tell people and I am far from a expert... Drop the tourist and American look, do your research online, read travel forums and books. And if anyone asks you your from Canada! ( I'm sure Bushy could give you a crash course on sounding like a Canuck ) And you should be good to go!

I'm sure there are folks on here that are far more traveled then myself thou so I would defer to them on locations.

 

Canada is pretty badass. And we have like 5,000,000 craft beer brewers....lol

 

I would not leave the country.

 

Pacific Northwest is awesome if you have not been there: northern California, Oregon coast, and Washington offer beautiful scenery and tons of adventure.
Alaska is...well, the last frontier: wild, but navigable; oceans, but mountains; far away, but an 8 hour flight; separated, but connected. You can fish, hunt, pan for gold, hike, and eat seafood (oh, I forgot; you don't like that).
If I was 25 years old again, I would move to Alaska.

 

Costa Rica. Beaches, rain forest, mountains, volcanos, friendly people.

 

A friend of mine owns a restaurant/brewery in Albuquerque. I'd like to wander over there and check it out someday.

 

Trust me I throw some Canada jokes around BUT I liked visiting and have plenty of friends and family from there.

Canada would be a good trip but I would just recommend stepping a Little more off shore for the experience. Far easier to get dysentery and eat some crazy food the farther you step off shore.

 

What about the beautiful and tropical Greenville Sc, even have a free place to stay. Got 40 acres to hunt, camp and shoot.