The next 6 months are going to include a lot of travel for us and we’re (or at least I’m) feeling overwhelmed. Here’s the line-up and advice about any of the destinations would be most appreciated.
Tanzania – I head to Dar es Salaam in a few days and will be there awhile. I need to be in the city during the weekdays but I believe I have at least one weekend, maybe two to explore. The things to keep in mind are that I will be alone for all of the trip, it will be humid and super hot (in the 90s) and I’m on a budget. I’m thinking about heading to Zanzibar for the weekend but then am not sure until I see the picture below.
Tucson, AZ – I’m spending a few days in Tucson with my sister for her birthday. She’s living near there with her husband for a few months. I’ve only been to Phoenix and Sedona. I’m sure she’ll have some good ideas of what to do, but I’m sure she’ll be open to suggestions, particularly on the food front.
Santa Barbara, CA – Micah’s parents have just moved there from South Carolina. This trip isn’t about sightseeing as much as it is about seeing family. Micah’s brother, sister-in-law and nephews will be in town during Spring Break and we haven’t seen them since Christmas 2009. Also, Micah’s Uncle, Aunt and cousins live there too and we haven’t seen them since the wedding. Any wineries people suggest? We’ll only be there 3 days.
Guatemala – Remember when we were trying to pick out a place to vacation this summer? Well, we decided that we’re going to spend the summer in Seattle (and pray for good weather) and hopefully do more camping than we have in years past. Instead, we decided to go somewhere during Micah’s Spring Break. We looked at our options and all our miles and decided on Guatemala. Neither of us has been there and it seems pretty doable in a week. We wanted to go to Thailand but we couldn’t use miles and it would be too hot in the summer. Our tickets to Guatemala are completely covered by miles, so all we have to do is pay for everything else. Right now, we’re thinking about a few days in Antigua, a few days checking out the Mayan Ruins of Tikal, a few days at Lake Atitlan and a visit to the market at Chichicastenango.
Any suggestions for Guatemala? We have an idea of what we want to do but are open to anything and everything.
Iceland – Is it worth checking out for 2 days or so? I’m 95% sure I’m headed to a wedding in May in London and for $15 more I can stop in Iceland. I can’t decide if I should stop because I know Micah would like to go but can’t because of work. I’ve always wanted to go but never had the chance.
I can’t believe how much traveling will be done this year. I’m already feeling bad for Izzy and missing her. Luckily my parents love having her around and we just found a great doggie daycare near our house that does boarding. I also found out that I can watch Izzy on doggie cam while I’m out of town. It’s totally ridiculous but you know I’m going to check it out while I’m in Dar.
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14 comments:
It's a bit far from Tuscon, but this summer I drove from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon and it was honestly one of the most beautiful drives I've ever, ever taken--I'd totally recommend it!
I wrote about it here: http://startupmarriage.blogspot.com/2010/09/1800-miles-in-4-days-part-2.html
hi! i'm a long-time reader, but first time poster. as a santa barbara native, there is is much MORE to do than wineries! i think it's funny that SB is getting a reputation as a winery town, because all the wineries are all at least a 45 minute drive north, and not even in santa barbara! for the true sb experience, i recommend going to the beach, exploring the mission, driving the riveria, hope ranch and montecito, shopping downtown, eating at super rica & los arroyos & hamburger habit, exploring summerland, antique shopping, and soaking up the town. a great website is: http://www.santabarbaraca.com/things-to-do/. those things are great to do with family - fun to explore, but not incredibly demanding. warning though: if you go to super rica, get there early!! it's street mexican food and has a total cult following. the food is amazing and totally worth it though.
if you're really into wineries? kohler is one of the best, hands down. it's not sold in stores, so it's not as well known - but amazing local wines. gainey is another great one, along with au bon climat. they're about 45 mins - hour north of sb. don't do the "sideways" drive- way over hyped and there are much better wineries to be found.
@ Alissa: Thanks for all the suggestions. We asked for winery suggestions because we knew Micah's parents would have everything covered. Micah's dad went to school there and they've spent a lot of time there over the years. They mentioned what was new to them were the wineries. We're excited about the beach. We hear they live right on the beach right now.
@ Alissa: Oh, we are totally going to check out Super Rica. We're sure it's somewhere the parents haven't been yet. :)
I've been to Iceland, and you should totally stop! I spent a day in Rekjavik, and wish I'd had more. The architecture and art is really cool, and though I didn't make it out of the city to see anything else, I've heard there are amazing natural wonders there to check out!
95% sure?! I'm 100% sure you should come!! I have always wanted to go to Iceland too, it's supposed to be awesome but pretty expensive once you're there (especially for alcohol). We'll just have to keep our fingers crossed that that volcano doesn't blow up again in the Spring!! xx
@ Claire: OK, it's more like 99.8% sure. I'm close to buying my ticket but I keeping holding out just incase works send me to Malawi or Zambia and I can just add a week layover in London. It probably won't happen, so I should just book my ticket. :)
Very jealous of your travels - completely recommend a trip to Zanzibar. I went over for a weekend after a work trip in Tanzania and it is a great place to go. completely stunning, and very friendly.
I've not been to Iceland myself, but quite a few of my friends have been on short trips from the UK, and really enjoyed it.
I'm off to Zambia tomorrow with my husband for a holiday. we only have one night in Lusaka - any recommendations?
I lived in Dar for 5 months a few years back so email me if you want my extensive list of things to do! (I actually blogged about it here: hannahintz.blogspot.com)
I would 100% Suggest Zanzibar - you can get they by plane or ferry. The plane will give you absolutely stunning views of the reefs while the ferry will be much more cultural. I personally have a fear of flying in East Africa so I loaded up on Dramamine and Tangawizi and took the ferry every time I went.
If you can get to Arusha or Kili, I'd suggest it. Also, Mikumi is a close safari park and absolutely beautiful along the Uhuru mountains. You can also do a weekend trip to Moombasa, Kenya. I didn't travel alone while there, so I'm not sure about that - I'd suggest looking for expats as they'll be happy to help you out (or even let you crash).
You want to spend at least 3 day in ZBar if possible. At least a day in Stone town and then try to get out to the beach (the best beaches are about an hour away - reached by private taxis or "buses.") There are a lot of expats/western tourists in ZBar so you shouldn't feel alone there. If you can't be there that long, skip the beach. Dar actually has amazingly beautiful beaches that cost less than $5 to get to: http://hannahintz.blogspot.com/2007/09/dala-dala-bills.html
My favorite things to do in Dar were visit Hananasif Orphanage, the Msasani Peninsula (for western style bars - a bit safer than the local hangouts), Mwenge Woodcarvers market, Addis in Dar Ethiopian Restaurant, Tiki Tiki paintings... I can tell you all about any of that (or much more) if you'd like.
Where are you staying in Dar? I can give you advice on Dala Dalas if you'd like. Have you been there before? What are you going for?! I'd go back in a heartbeat! I loved it there.
@VictoriaM - We spent most of our time in Livingstone which I'm assuming you're going to. Try to get to Botswana or the Zim side of the falls if possible. We went the Zambezi Swing: www.thezambeziswing.com and I highly recommend it.
Where do you all work that you get sent to Africa?! I am so jealous...
Hola...I highly suggest staying at Casa Del Mundo on Lake Atitlan (http://lacasadelmundo.com/) it is literally one of the most gorgeous hotels in the country...definitely splurge on eating dinner at the on site restaurant and bring some books for lounging in the cliff side hammocks.
oh, and make a reservation for a spot in the hot tub that they heat all day and opens after dinner, it makes for a truly magical evening watching the lake at night.
@ VictoriaM: I can't say there is much to do in Lusaka. Whenever I'm there, I just spend time at my friend's house. I hope you are headed to Victoria Falls! :)
@ Hannah: Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm definitely checking out the beaches in Dar, the orphanage and the woodcarvers. I think I'm staying at the Movenpick because it's across the street from our office there and we get a special rate. I'm definitely emailing you.
I work as a field administrator for a Malaria prevention project that works in a few African countries.
Yes go to Iceland! My husband and I stopped there on the way back from Iceland a few years ago. We were there 2 days as well. 2 days will give you enough time to see the basics. On your first day there when you are jetlagged you should take the shuttle from the airport to the Blue Lagoon. Spend a few hours relaxing at the lagoon. Then catch a shuttle to Reykjavik. On the next day you should do one of the Golden Circle Tours. These are bus tours which will take you on the circle road and show you all the main sites and tell you about the history of Iceland. They are well worth it. Just make sure you get to the bus early so you don't get stuck with a crappy seat in the back of the bus like we did. To do all these things you'll probably need three days in Iceland. Because I doubt you could do the golden circle tour and get back to the airport on day 2. You'd have to go back to the airport on day 3 instead.
But I loved Iceland. And even if you only have enough time for the Blue Lagoon and a night in Reykjavik you should do it. I would love to go back to the lagoon and relax again. I would skip the tour next time just because it took a long time and I wouldn't need to see those places again.
*I mean we stopped there on the way back from London.
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