Oh man we loved Lucerne. Did you go up Mt Pilatus?
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We’re currently touring the national parks of Southern Utah and we might be the only Americans around… Feels like all of Europe is here.
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I toured the Dalmatian Coast in 2002 and then again in 2019. It was a top 3 travel experience of my life the first time and yeah kind of shitty the second time. Too bad.
Montenegro and Albania much less crowded and more interesting at this point in time.
thinking about a hawaii trip in january.
never been to the state at all, we’re not huge beach people but wouldn’t mind a couple of days just sitting and staring at the ocean, whatever. But I think we’d want to be in honolulu for at least part of the trip. Kind of interested in a volcano tour, definitely looking for good eats, maybe some hiking or whatever, idk I’m generally up for whatever, what’s good there?
been able to visit Hawaii a few times over the last 10 years and Kauai is probably my favorite of all the islands. it’s small and rustic and has a ton of natural beauty and hiking that’s worth a visit, like the Na Pali coast and Waimea Canyon, if that’s your thing.
you’ll want to visit The Big Island and/or Maui if volcanoes is on the to-do list. The hikes at Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island (along with a bunch of other smaller national parks) and Haleakala NP is on Maui are beautiful and a lot of fun. Although with the fires in Lahaina last summer, I’m not sure how easy accommodations in Maui are there these days. The Big Island is big, and if you visit you’ll need a car and want to decide if you stay on the Kona or the Hilo side. Kona is where all the resorts are and is dry and hot as hell, but you’ll get the Instagram sunset pic you’re after, where Hilo is very green and much more likely to see rain. Between them is Mauna Kea which is responsible for the radical change in climates a few miles apart. You can drive up to the observatory on Mauna Kea too (you’ll want to double check this) and see snow. The Big Island also has the Waipi’o Valley, but since covid, you can’t drive down there anymore which is a bummer.
O’ahu is probably my least favorite of the islands, although visiting Waikiki Beach can be a lot of fun, and the energy of downtown Honolulu a block off the pacific is great for a couple of nights. Getting out of Honolulu proper and hiking up Diamondhead (you’ll need to make a reservation) or taking a drive to check out the Polynesian Cultural Center on the north shore are decent side trips. There’s also Pearl Harbor ofc. Chinatown in Honolulu has some great spots as well.
as far as food, there are many decent options in Honolulu. The Hawaiian “malasada” donuts are decadent as all hell and worth a try. The famous malasada joint in Honolulu is Leonard’s and
Manuela Malasada Co is a truck on the side of the road on the Big Island that makes them to order and just bonkers good. A fine dining spot in Honolulu that I’m a fan of is Hau Tree. It’s right on the beach and scoring a table around sunset is a memorable experience. The food there is very good as well. And I guess I should mention Loco Moco, the “traditional” Hawaiian breakfast that’s worth a try at least once.
It looks like I’ll be in Honolulu in January also for a work thing. Looking forward to it already.
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Lucerne was great; we went to Burgenstock on a day trip, then into the Lauterbrunnen valley to see the Alps. There’s so much to see and do in Switzerland it’s overwhelming.
+1 to everything @King_of_NY said. And a few other notes.
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Winter is when the surf is biggest on the North Shore of Oahu, so if you have a rental car it’s worth checking the surf report and seeing if any surfing competitions will be going off while you’re there. And, if you do head to the North Shore, stop in Haleiwa for some Matsumoto’s Shave Ice and a stop at one of the shrimp trucks ( Giovanni’s was the best when I was there, but that was years ago, so you might want ask a local if there is a new top dog)
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Zippy’s and L&L are local chain diner/fast food spots that do good versions of all the local classics (saimin/plate lunches/etc.) Not necessarily the best version of those things, but good versions and ones that locals will ride for. A stop there is equivalent to going In-N-Out for a East Coaster visiting LA
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If you like museums and want the story of Hawaii pre and post annexation, the Bishop Museum and the Iolani Palace are both good.
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Out of necessity (prices getting too high), I’ve been doing a bit more low season traveling and so far I’ve had great experiences.
We did France (Paris/Lyon) and Spain (Madrid/Barna/Andalucia) from Dec-Feb and London/Amsterdam in February the following year.
Prices are way more reasonable, and if you bundle up and walk fast, the temps aren’t really that low. Certainly nothing compared to my hometown Omaha, and I spent 2 Winters in Montreal, which would prepare you for anything. The only thing that can really fuck things up is extended rain, but it was only really an issue in Amsterdam. I was probably super lucky in London to get 50% sunshine and only 1 day with rain out of 5 in February. Paris is a bit gray in January, but there was a decent amount of sun, not that much rain, and not too cold. I don’t mind Winters there.
We’re visiting Tokyo for a couple days in both Dec and Jan. Hoping that goes equally as well.
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bob just following me around 
I moved to Georgia, he visits Georgia.
I move now to Bangkok, he plans a trip to SEA.
I haven’t been to Kauai but have done the other islands. Agree with a lot of KONY’s post.
Oahu would be my last choice unless you really want the Honolulu vibe (which I don’t really understand but everyone has their thing).
Big Island is large and so diverse with climate and terrain plus it’s the spot for volcanos if that’s important. Volcano National Park is very cool and you can easily spend a day or two there
I always rent a car on my trips but you’ll definitely want one on Big Island. Also prefer to stay on the Kona side but if you want the rain forest vibe then Hilo side is your spot.
I love Maui especially for more of a chill, relaxing vacation. I always stay in the Kihei area now but have driven around the island a couple times and spent one trip in the Kaanapali area. The switchback drive up Haleakala is cool and there are a lot of hiking trails but it’s usually quite cold and you’re at 10k feet of elevation. It snowed on the upper roads during one of my trips.
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actually this was my other thought for January, spain seems like a no brainer but I’ve really been curious about the winter weather in Paris/Brussels/Amsterdam
And yet you’re the one who visited me 
The tentative plan is to see my girlfriend’s family in Malaysia next summer. It may include a trip elsewhere in SEA but that’s unclear.
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By weird random chance a friend of mine is going to be in Paris the same time as me because she’s moving her daughter into University of Paris Nanterre as a freshman. Must be nice! I mean it’s no Kirksville, MO. But she’ll make do
OK maybe the big island is the vibe I’m going for. looks like there is a direct from LAX to KOA on Delta, which would be fantastic as well (I’ll be in LA for a wedding and then planning to head out directly from there)
Maybe just a day or two in honolulu before flying back. Ok this is good stuff
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I’m looking at one-way flights from LAX to Philadelphia in October. On the day I’m going there are multiple options on American for $262.48. And there is one option for $48.99…on Spirit. Perhaps my time has come.
Who are the slow travelers/nomads here? Anybody other than @Fossilkid93 ?
I’m at step 1 of 100, but starting to think about a year of travel (with Ms. JordanIB) starting in January if I get laid off in September or October. I don’t even know where to start with questions, but would love your top few tip/things to consider at the outset. I’m a voracious researcher, so if/when I do get let go, I’ll have a lot more time to spend looking into every aspect, from packing to healthcare to housing, etc. Probably wouldn’t want to spend more than $1000/month for housing, and roughly thinking a split between Asia/Europe/South America (or Mexico). This may go nowhere, but the more I talk about it, the more I feel like it could be spoken into fruition.
DO NOT DO THIS YOU WILL REGRET IT
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Tokyo winters are quite mild. Can get chilly, but it’s usually sunny and clear during the winter season. Snow is rare. IMO a great time of year to visit given the current over-tourism.
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More of an expat than a traveler these days.
Forget staying in any major city in Europe if $1000/month for housing is too much. I guess the Balkans would be in play but that’s probably it unless you wanted a long-term lease where that’s a bit more doable in some parts of Eastern Europe.
What to consider depends on what your needs are. As an example if you are on any prescription medication, you will likely be able to find places in Europe to fill those medications but it will need to be with a for-profit provider rather than a public hospital and you’ll be at the mercy of those prices whatever they may be (better than America but you still have to pay).
One thing to keep in mind is how exhausting travel (even slow travel) can be. Don’t feel ashamed for wanting to lay low wherever you are and chilling out. There’s always an urge to do something in your mind because you don’t know if you will travel again but I say for the long haul, listen to your body.
Connect with the expat community wherever you are. They are your gateway to information about where you’re staying and also will be some great company when you do go out.
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Thanks, and that would be fine (re: locations that are and are not doable on a certain budget). Was also thinking someplace like Istanbul. Not sure if that is a reasonable price expectation there. Also totally fine expanding the budget a bit for Europe, or skipping it altogether. I’m mainly just thinking a bunch of random thoughts at this point, one being that doing this would actually be cheaper than living in our current location for a year. So I came up with $1,000 a bit randomly. Still could go up a good bit from there and have it be less than current monthly rent.
As far as timing, in my mind it’s minimum 1-2 months in each place. But probably no more than 3 in any.