Your best overseas holiday?

[Oakie]

By the end of the year Mrs Oakie and I will have saved enough for another week to 10 days away somewhere sunny next winter. Just trying to decide where. Another South Pacific island is on the cards having already done Samoa and Rarotonga (as well as Gold Coast in February) over the past 6 years.

Got me wondering anyway ... where was your best overseas holiday ... and what made it special?

For us ... all three were good for different reasons. If I had to do one again it would probably be Rarotonga. Don't know why ... it was just a good holiday. That was apart from me getting sick about two hours after landing which took me about five days (and by far the biggest fart I have ever done) to shake. Farts during recovery were spectacular ... including one I did under-water in the lagoon which Mrs Oakie felt the shock wave of from 3 metres away

[Ocean1]

A three week bareboat charter on 50ft Benetaus in the Whitsundays. There were a dozen of us on two boats, mostly Kiwis on ours, mostly French on the other.

We won.

[JimO]

a couple of weeks windsurfing on Maui after a trip through the USA and canada

[Laava]

Tassie on a motorbike

[tri boy]

Fiji is still good. (Friendly, and more options than the cook islds)
But catching a Wahoo in Raro was a bit of a highlight.
Better beach's and outer islands in Fiji.
Me n Kanny are thinking about next winter also.

[Blackbird]

Been to some great places but Vietnam takes some beating. We went on a limited numbers tour (4 of us) with NZ company Active Asia who supplied a local guide who was fantastic. It's pretty cheap, great food and lots to do and see. Did a write-up with photos here if you're interested:http://geoffjames.blogspot.co.nz/2011_03_01_archive.html
There are a couple more posts as we worked our way south.

We went to Tassie earlier this year and had an absolute ball but Aussie is a bit pricey these days if you want to push the boat out. We're off to Rarotonga again at the end of the month for a few days to celebrate our 41st anniversary and laze about and drink cocktails!

[Big Dave]

South Island.

[BigAl]

Iom for the TT, any year but 92 when Hissie won the senior on the Norton.

[Crasherfromwayback]

USA West Coast road trip on a Buell XB12SS taking in Laguna Seca Moto GP race. LA, Las Vegas, Yosemite National Park, Big Sur, San Jose, San Fran, Santa Barbara....fucking didn't want to come home.

[martybabe]

Hawaii, any holiday you want it to be. 10 out of 10 for us.

[caspernz]

Anytime I don't get arrested counts as a good holiday.

The last trip to Europe was six weeks and only one warning from a stern German LEO, so maybe I'm growing up? :rolleyes:

[speeding_ant]

Been to some great places but Vietnam takes some beating. We went on a limited numbers tour (4 of us) with NZ company Active Asia who supplied a local guide who was fantastic. It's pretty cheap, great food and lots to do and see. Did a write-up with photos here if you're interested:http://geoffjames.blogspot.co.nz/2011_03_01_archive.html
There are a couple more posts as we worked our way south.

We went to Tassie earlier this year and had an absolute ball but Aussie is a bit pricey these days if you want to push the boat out. We're off to Rarotonga again at the end of the month for a few days to celebrate our 41st anniversary and laze about and drink cocktails!

+1 for Vietnam. Thoroughly recommend it, and it's cheap! You can be as adventurous, or as relaxed as you want.

[Dogboy900]

Backpacking in south western Mexico. Mexico city the off to the coast, Zipolete, Tenacateta, Puerto Escondido, Acapulco, and a bunch more, on the way back to San Deigo.
Was a good while ago though so things might have changed by now.

[mashman]

The Maldives. All inclusive so money wasn't a concern (made it for me in itself)... but then there was diving, fishing, beach volleyball, decent local brew, rich chicks in bikini's, stunning storm, thunderous warm rain, early evenings, late nights, 2 days of my wife's food poisoning :innocent: and 10 days of bliss.

[unstuck]

Cod fish Island, Free chopper ride, free food, free accommodation , peaceful, awesome birdlife, awesome fishing and diving.:woohoo::woohoo:

[skippa1]

By the end of the year Mrs Oakie and I will have saved enough for another week to 10 days away somewhere sunny next winter. Just trying to decide where. Another South Pacific island is on the cards having already done Samoa and Rarotonga (as well as Gold Coast in February) over the past 6 years.

Got me wondering anyway ... where was your best overseas holiday ... and what made it special?

For us ... all three were good for different reasons. If I had to do one again it would probably be Rarotonga. Don't know why ... it was just a good holiday. That was apart from me getting sick about two hours after landing which took me about five days (and by far the biggest fart I have ever done) to shake. Farts during recovery were spectacular ... including one I did under-water in the lagoon which Mrs Oakie felt the shock wave of from 3 metres away
We have done Rarotonga a couple of times and thinking about Samoa now. Loved raro, how do they compare?

[Bikemad]

IOM TT 07 followed by a lap of scotland,Newark Antiques fair,Triumph factory tour,Birmingham Motorcycle museum,goodwood festival of speed then home

[Oakie]

We have done Rarotonga a couple of times and thinking about Samoa now. Loved raro, how do they compare?
Samoa was cool because it was our first overseas trip. It is not quite as 'developed' as Raro. Two islands of Samoa... the main island is more developed than the second (we had power cuts every day on the second). We stayed in a really nice adults-only resort ('Coconuts') on the main island and a slightly more 'rustic' one (Stevensons at Manase') on the second. At Stevensons I saw a rat run through our fale a couple of times there and the menu each night was a choice of just three dishes. The food was certaintly good enough though. And we did discover Pina Coladas there. We had a really nice young man looking after us at Stevensons though and he made a big difference to our experience.

On the main island we went to Apia for a day. The bus trip over the island from the resort was a hoot! It was like a roller-coaster ride. The market was cool but we didn't really like Apia itself.

We didn't do much touristy stuff although we did do a 'Swim with the Turtles' thing on the second island for about NZ$5. That was a highlight.

I think the main difference is that in Raro there is always somehere to eat or a small scale touristy thing nearby. A lot less so in Samoa.

Samoa was nice and is wonderful if you just want to laze around where you are staying as the water is warmer than Raro, as are the daytime temperatures. If you like getting out and about though, I think Raro provides more.

[blue rider]

New Zealand...... 15 years and counting.
France....... 7 years (including Corsica for 1 year)
New York......1 year (the rest of the US is just bat shit crazy) before 2011
Scotland...... (aye.....always a soft sport for this one)
Ireland...... (hicks.....no i did not drink and i did not sing, i wuz a good girl)
Italia....... (fuck that back pack was heavy, dropped a lot of the stuff quickly)
Asia....... (one food festival up and down Thailand, Singapore, Malaisia)
Netherlands.......2 years (yes the food is crap but man you can get stoned being a non smoker....hash cookjes, and riding a bicycle is fun when the world is flat)
East Germany......(there was still a wall when i went there) interesting, nothing to buy, no deviating from designated roads, armed VoPo (Volkspolizei) everywhere, and everystep was monitored. Regardless if ya had something to hide or not.
Switzerland......oh the cheese, and the nice roads.

[Smifffy]

New Zealand...... 15 years and counting.

East Germany......(there was still a wall when i went there) interesting, nothing to buy, no deviating from designated roads, armed VoPo (Volkspolizei) everywhere, and everystep was monitored. Regardless if ya had something to hide or not.


Sounds like NZ in 2015.

A road trip through Arizona was awesome. Monument Valley (utah border) - Grand Canyon - Meteor Crater - Phoenix - Tucson - Tombstone.

Been looking at Vietnam for next trip.

[granstar]

:violin:6 week trip in 90's ( could have bought a new bike) to LA ... we packed in Universal Studios, Disneyland, Knotsberry Farm, and tour of snobs area in a few days,. Then headed to London for a stopover, did Madam Tussard's wax museum and Rock circus, a squizz around massive London Museum ( would like to re-visit), a ride on the tube only to get ordered off due to a bomb scare ( bus got blown up next to hotel we stayed at a year later)then a sleep as we were fuckd with the jet lag and past week. Then off to Holland for 4 weeks, catch up with the very generous wifey's rallies who hail from there. In that time we tripped around the Netherlands mostly by train from South to North near drowning in Amstel bitter popping up occasionally for a fine Dutch cigar. Never bought one meal and stayed at relations houses, bloody cheap.
Mid way our stay they unexpectedly shoved us onto a bus to Paris. An Uncle shouted us the 4 day trip , it was an ...awesome experience and took in the scenery, Louvre, Seine cruise etc etc as all tourists do. When we got home we found out that money came from an inheritance her dad had yet to collect ( lives in NZ too) but was happy that we enjoyed it ( Dutchies aye).
Noticed the many WW remnants about (bunkers, bullets holes up walls,etc) reminded how lucky we were ( apart from the ANZACS) to have missed the wrath of that lot. Rotterdam is a very modern city compared to the rest with 1000 year old houses, because of the bombs. They also ride Triumphs in Netherlands, spotted a few :blink:
Took in the irrigation systems, the wall keeping the seas from claiming Holland, the food, culture, the shopping.

Returning home a stop over in Perth for a good cooking at :sunny:40 degrees before heading back to land of the very quiet Kiwi's cool 7 degrees :cold::cold::cold:

The special thing about the trip, made us realise...no place like home.

[bluninja]

A few highlights for me.

Tanzania on Safari. Went to the Ngorongoro crater and the jeep was charged by a rhino. Then back to Mombassa and some diving on the barrier reef.

India taking a rice boat trip in Kerala.

Road trip down the route Napoleon to the South of France and into Italy. 2 days riding Monza racetrack and then ride back through France again.
New England (USA) in the fall...glorious colours of the autumn leaves.

Carcavelos on the Lisbon coast in Portugal ...honeymoon...nuff said.

Hoenschwengau in Germany (think original Disney Castle) Sitting on the balcony watching a thunderstorm over the mountains into Austria all reflected in the Alpensee lake. Out lighting was provided by glow worms in a glass.

A few nice holidays in the Highlands of Scotland whist visiting relllies and a fortnight on the Isle of Muck just chilling and watching the selas basking.

[Swoop]

By the end of the year Mrs Oakie and I will have saved enough for another week to 10 days away somewhere sunny next winter. Just trying to decide where. Got me wondering anyway ... where was your best overseas holiday ... and what made it special?

Having seen quite a bit of the planet over the years...

Last year was Thailand. The result was just simply amazing. Stunningly beautiful, amazing people, friendly, great shopping and cheap.

Phuket was great, elephant riding, water park to relax at, after the flight over there. The jewel in the crown was Phi Phi Island and a day on the boat going from island to island.
A mate has taken his family to Krabi several times (different coast) and says exactly the same thing. Superb place!

I'm not too fussed with Bangkok, but once out of the cities it is simply amazing!

After Thailand, I'm not fussed with ever returning to Europe again unless it is business or family visits. Others say the same thing with Vietnam.

[tri boy]

India taking a rice boat trip in Kerala.




Did it catch fire, like the train i was on going from Delhi to Agra.
People running/pushing/shoving, while the conductor/bullshit artist was calmly saying, "do not worry, it is only a small fire":facepalm:

[Crasherfromwayback]

). We stayed in a really nice adults-only resort ('Coconuts') on the main island .

Lovely innit! Rach and I stayed there a couple of years ago for a friends wedding.

[SMOKEU]

Check out South Africa. You can't go too far wrong.

[unstuck]

Check out South Africa. You can't go too far wrong.

Especially Joburgh aye smokey.:whistle:

[SMOKEU]

Especially Joburgh aye smokey.:whistle:

That place is totally legit. Except for all the kaffirs.

[Oakie]

Check out South Africa. You can't go too far wrong.

Especially now that all the white Saffas live here.

[SMOKEU]

Especially now that all the white Saffas live here.

If you were in an AIDS infested country where the crime rate is as rampant as it is, then you'll want to leave too...

[Oakie]

If you were in an AIDS infested country where the crime rate is as rampant as it is, then you'll want to leave too...

Fair call. My boss is a South African who went home for his first visit for ages. Said he won't be going back.

BUT OFF TOPIC ... c'mon, more happy holiday stories please.

[Dangsta]

I stole your topic and posted it on an american rider site I visit to see what would happen. Sort of a cultural experiment. I was a bit curious but knew what I'd probably get by way of responses. So far I'm a couple of hours in and its been "why would aaah go anywur 'cos this hur's the best dang country....ba..bing....bong...bang"!!! It might be a little bit interesting to cross reference the diversity of answers from an NZ site to the lack thereof on a US site. Probably not though....I was just a bit bored. :mellow:

[Ocean1]

I stole your topic and posted it on an american rider site I visit to see what would happen. Sort of a cultural experiment. I was a bit curious but knew what I'd probably get by way of responses. So far I'm a couple of hours in and its been "why would aaah go anywur 'cos this hur's the best dang country....ba..bing....bong...bang"!!! It might be a little bit interesting to cross reference the diversity of answers from an NZ site to the lack thereof on a US site. Probably not though....I was just a bit bored. :mellow:

Nice! Giza link mista?

[Dangsta]

Nice! Giza link mista?

Oh yeah I would....but I don't quite want to get busted on the other site quite yet. I reckon someone might get tempted to "out" me to the 'mericans. I'll put it up tomorrow though so y'all can have a laugh.

[carbonhed]

The southern half of France does it for me. The food, the wine, the approach to life, culture and shit. Is awesome.

[Oakie]

The southern half of France does it for me. The food, the wine, the approach to life, culture and shit. Is awesome.

Mmm, yes. A guy I work with married a woman from somewhere near Marseilles. They go to visit the mother-in-law for a month every couple of years. Damn!

[testastretta]

Egypt 2 years ago was my best holiday. Just after the revolution so almost all the tourists had been scared off, especially from Cairo. Apart from having our vehicle suddenly surrounded by riot police near the Israeli embassy we never felt unsafe there. Unforgetable place.
Left Egypt for Spain to go to the MotoGP at Catalunya. Fantastic racetrack. Superb atmosphere! Mugello and the IoM are on my bucket list.

My favourite place that no one has been to is Ohrid , Macedonia. Not the most exciting destination, but a really nice place in a struggling country.

[TLDV8]

Every holiday is the best,beats working any day which is highly overrated.
India ?.

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