Your best overseas holiday?

**skippa1** · 14th July 2013, 09:19

Originally Posted by 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

We have done Rarotonga a couple of times and thinking about Samoa now. Loved raro, how do they compare?

**Bikemad** · 14th July 2013, 09:37

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** · 14th July 2013, 09:49

Originally Posted by skippa1

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** · 14th July 2013, 09:58

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** · 14th July 2013, 11:35

Originally Posted by blue rider

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** · 14th July 2013, 11:49

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

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

40 degrees before heading back to land of the very quiet Kiwi's cool 7 degrees

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

**bluninja** · 14th July 2013, 12:06

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** · 14th July 2013, 15:51

Originally Posted by 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. 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** · 14th July 2013, 16:42

Originally Posted by bluninja

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"