Plan my fall . . . WWMD?

**Kellie** · 10-04-2005, 11:19 PM

So, I gave notice at my job today and will effectively have from November 1 - Christmas without gainful employment . . . WWMD?

The constraints on the plan:
* Don't want to lose fitness - I've rehabbed pretty hard, so I don't want to go somewhere that activity is secondary, although a bit of down time/exploration probably won't kill me
* I'd like to go international . . . Spanish-speaking is fun cuz I love to practice, and I'm taking French and would love to learn more . . . all languages welcome though
* Skiing, mountain biking, boating, cycling, surfing (?) all cross my mind

Some intial ideas:
* Visit my cousin in Mexico, figure out how to get to Cuba and bike around the country . . . perhaps bike around the Yucatan as well . . .
* Go to NZ and figure out how to be a better boater with their spring runoff
* Go to Patagonia for some spring touring and/or boating . . . touring partners and snow may be an issue . . .
* Cambodia/Thailand and other places SE Asian . . . have heard it's amazing
* Himalayas? Don't even know if it's a good season or what the political situation is, but sounds pretty rad as well
* Go to Costa Rica, visit friends teaching English, live on a beach and learn to surf? I should mention that I'm not much of a beach person, but who knows?
* Travel somewhere in November and storm chase the lower 48 in December? I do have a KW pass . . .

So, WWMD? I am pretty much open to anything, as long as it's fun, adventurous, cultural, active, etc . . .

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

**comish** · 10-04-2005, 11:30 PM

Hmm, tough call.

Been to Cuba and with and unless we experience a rapid regime change in our own country I don't advise going as people are getting significantly more harrased/prosecuted upon reentry than when Mrs. Comish and I went in '01.

I'm thinking this might not be the worst time for the Himalaya? Possibly getting a bit late, but I'm sure others know better than I.

The far southern part of Patagonia is potentially one of the most beautiful places I have been to in the world. Amazing. Argentina is fun, you can practicar tu castellano, y comer carne muy rico sin gastar mucha plata.

I would vote Patagonia over Costa Rica unless you really have a surfing itch.

SE Asia, very fun, cheap, no spanish/french. My trip was more lazing on the beach than super active, but there are definitely ways to be active there.

Basically you can't lose, but I would look toward Patagonia/Argentina.

**Superstar Punani** · 10-05-2005, 01:20 AM

Originally Posted by Kellie

* Go to Costa Rica, visit friends teaching English, live on a beach and learn to surf? I should mention that I'm not much of a beach person, but who knows?
* Travel somewhere in November and storm chase the lower 48 in December? I do have a KW pass . . .

So, WWMD? I am pretty much open to anything, as long as it's fun, adventurous, cultural, active, etc . . .

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

DINGDINGDINGDINGDING!!!

CR is fun. During the Nov timeframe best head north to Tamarindo.

Peru is another fun option. You can hit up the surf camps around Lima, then go trekking in the Peruvian Alps

Or I can smuggle you in my boardbag to Micronesia this November. You can even ride my thruster

**truth** · 10-05-2005, 01:36 AM

Originally Posted by Superstar Punani

You can even ride my thruster

She has 2 months to kill, how will such a short ride be of any use?

**DougW** · 10-05-2005, 01:52 AM

Or if you want to make money you could come to Oman as a process Engineer and help finish off the project I'm working on. Its alot cooler than it was in the summer. Be pretty good by Nov 1. Get one day a week off , 50 + a little. Sunny every day. Pretty good air miles for flight over. Great diving.

**Pinner** · 10-05-2005, 07:23 AM

If you're planning to fall, I'd suggest wearing a helmet.

**gincognito** · 10-05-2005, 07:45 AM

I hear Scotland's lovely at that time of year...

Sick and ashamed and happy (and I'm sure some people find it lovely),
d.

**Foggy_Goggles** · 10-05-2005, 07:54 AM

Hey Kellie, check out Los Roques and Canaima areas in Venezuala. Very underated IMO. Certainly be heads up if you're girl traveling solo in Caracas however.

For whitewater check out http://www.smallworldadventures.com/

For bike tourning, how about Spain?

**weibo** · 10-05-2005, 09:27 AM

Kellie,

I have the same time off but more constraints and this is my thought on it.

November = travel for me it means visiting family and friends around Alberta and BC

December = ski I will use my season pass like a fiend and look at where things are happening and head there. If it pukes in Whistler I will drive down, if it nukes in Tahoe there's planes that go there SLC has one of them airport things too. So drive and fly and fill that month.

The weekend warrior thing won't seem so bad after a 20-25 day December

**yentna** · 10-05-2005, 09:58 AM

SE Asia is great too, there isn't Spanish but there is a lot to do. I got my scuba cert there, learned to drive a moped and then a motorcycle, hiked in the jungle and rode elephants and took a bamboo raft over a dam and over a waterfall, plenty to do and see there. And it is REALLY inexpensive, much cheaper than the Yucatan. Just my $0.02.

Good luck wherever you go!

**cj001f** · 10-05-2005, 10:15 AM

Patagonia will be pretty cheap say $300/week. Hike & Backpack, or bring a bike for bike touring. Plenty of fun, and you will be before the big post Christmas high season. With 2 months you could cover alot of ground and see some pretty rare places. More than you'd see on a beach.

November is prime trekking season in Nepal, but it's politics are a bit shall we say "fluid" right now. I'm tentatively there over Christmas. I think.

**runethechamp** · 10-05-2005, 10:23 AM

Chamonix

**Kellie** · 10-05-2005, 10:38 AM

Thanks for the suggestions and insight . . . keep it coming!

So, on the note of Euro skiing, is December too early to count on there being snow somewhere. When are conditions marginally reliable?

**runethechamp** · 10-05-2005, 10:46 AM

My limited experience says december might be early, at least for the resort skiing, but flingle probably has some good pointers there. December 2002 looks ok though http://www.philingle.com/20021207.asp.

**mattitude** · 10-05-2005, 11:04 AM

Get to Bangkok and then get a flight on to Katmandu, Nepal. Check out Katmandu and Pokara. If weather permits, and you are up for an 18 day walk, do the Anamurna Circuit trek out of Pokara. It is awesome. You go over the Thrung LA pass at 17,400 feet. There are five peaks all over 26,000 in view most of the time. I went in July which was the rainy season. I am not sure about snow on the pass in November. I went alone and hired a dude to walk around as a guide. It turned out he had never even been on this walk. In hind site I would have hired a guy to carry my pack as I was way overloaded.

Then go back to Thailand and enjoy the beaches and SCUBA diving. Amazing stuff. I have a ton more information and local contacts if needed.

Both places are very cheap and magical.

Matt

**cj001f** · 10-05-2005, 11:14 AM

mattitude-
How long ago did you go to Nepal?

**mattitude** · 10-05-2005, 11:46 AM

I guess that is an important peice of information considering development and political unrest. I was there in 1998. Wow, time flies. I would love to get back there some time.

**Huckwheat** · 10-06-2005, 09:02 AM

So Kellie, where are you going? Any decisions yet?

My vote is for a mixed bag. Pick a two week bike tour somewhere (maybe France), then do some early season N.America storm chasing/couch surfing.

That said, if you wanted to go epic, I am with Mattitude. Nepal is about the most amazing trip you could ever do. I spent 3 weeks in the Everest region (Solo-Khumbu) and it was awesome. A great trip solo too. There are so many travelers on the same trek, that you would hook up with lots of people.

**Lostinthetrees** · 10-06-2005, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by Kellie

Thanks for the suggestions and insight . . . keep it coming!

So, on the note of Euro skiing, is December too early to count on there being snow somewhere. When are conditions marginally reliable?

2 early for anything below 2200metres...and most CH and French ski areas top out at that level. Last 2 seasons (Dec.) it was very poor piste skiing and no off-piste until the 19th/21st of Dec. Then, amazingly it dumped both years big time... but Christmas vacations (and holiday lodging rate$$$) started.

2 early for storm chasing over here. You would be driving from one end of the Alpes to the other chasing 1.5 ft of fresh...if...if..again, if.

In Dec. I would not spend my money on anything but;
Zermatt - expensive lodging, but there is a large hostel in the town w/ pool access. Buy your hostel pass before coming over. French not spoken, but understood. German 1st language, Italian or English preferred. Bad place to learn/practice French.

Cham/Argentiere - Lots of English spoken (Brits!!!). But, I think there are some French still in town. Argent. is a much better bet for peace, quiet and practicing French...unless you like a scene that you can find at any large US University town (read Cham-U). They are connected by a short ride on local bus service.

Honestly... Yucatan, Palenque, Chiapas, Guatemala (interior and their beaches), Honduras down to CR. You money goes a lot, lot further, you will come back with a great tan, and, you will need that Spanish!

**Greydon Clark** · 10-06-2005, 11:12 AM

Susan and I will be in Chile for much of November. However, I'd go to Costa Rica and learn to surf, at least for a bit of November.

**snowfire** · 10-06-2005, 06:36 PM

fkna. I'm so jealous right now, I want to go with you. Hopefully I'll have that same decision to make in about 3 years when all this doctor bullshit is over.

Whatever you do, I'm sure you'll love it and won't regret it.