2008 Travel

[curtiejoe]

Hi C



I'm quite amazed at all the different kinds of high-heeled shoes there are.



To me they all look pretty much alike though strikingly good on any woman's feet. I am equally amazed at the many differnt places around the world that you have explored while wearing high heels. Going up a mountain in India in high heels takes the cake! I'm trying to visualize how you'd walk down a sandy beach in your high heels without sinking....I guess it's a skill that women learn to master at an early age. Me, I just want to run down to a beach barefooted and dig my toes in the sand before i jump into the waves for a refreshing swim.



Curt

[no-backpacker]

Curt, don't forget... There are very mane different kind of high heels. It's definitive not the once at the picture I went up the mountains in India with. (I wouldn't dream om ruining my nice shoes up there!) AS I said, there ARE walking shoes with HIGH heels, not the highest and not the thinnest! :-D

Hmmm... And to be honest... I do not wear my most expencive shoes at the beach either...:-D

And yes, it was a nightmare to use high-heeled shoes in India. But I didn't bring other shoes.... (My husband was for a conference and I had only packed clothes and shoes for nice dinners etc... His workmates, and me too, had a laugh when I climbed into a rickshaw with my nice clothes and high-heeled shoes. Luskily they were all men and they know me. To my justise, it was after the conference dinner...)

OK, I think I will quit the discussion here, before you all think I am crazy...:-D

C.

[kyshel]

I just have to add that when I was a very young thing--19 to be exact, I took my first trip to Brasil. While in Rio I had shoes made for Carnival--as well as 5-6 more to take home. It was the 70's and platforms were all the rage. I requested 1-2" platforms + 4-6" heels and got the most incredulous looks--because I was a 5'12" tall skinny blonde who looked so out of place with my regular size 9 shoes anyway!! Not the typical Carioca!! I made sure I scuffed the soles of every pair so I wouldn't have to pay duty either!! The thngs we do for fashion--now I would never dream of traveling without the sensible walking sandals (not nearly as severe as British nanny's....) but no heels!! NO MAS!!

[Mountie]

Maybe I'll skip Villa Corcovado after reading the horror story posted by dwoodward20. There seems to be lots of other properties that other community members have enjoyed in Costa Rica!

[obrienkf]

Omegaet,



what a fun thread... great to learn where others are headed, and no surprise that Central and South America seem to figure prominently, as does the perennial favourite, Italy. My own travel is somewhat further afield, considering my starting point is in Australia.... but my knowns / possiblesat this time.... a mix of business and pleasure...



a wine tasting adventure through the Clare and Barossa Valleys, linked to a few days in Melbourne, to see the Australian Open Tennis 2008. (got great seats btw)



a few trips in and out of other state capitals in Australia (Sydney, Adelaide, and likely Brisbane --- hopefully some time on the Gold Coast to see grand Aussie beaches) .... a few trips back to New Zealand (Feb and Sep), hopefully one will include some time volunteering home building work with "habitat.org" .... but am still working that into the schedule .... a trip to Fiji before July, Papua New Guinea in August, and hopefully a trip to Italy and Canada before that ... and if all works according to plan, to Canada this time next year, to put my sheepskin / goretex coats back into use... although i have friends planning to visit from UK in December, so I have to hold off on that travel still....



so, if i am absent from time to time from the community, perhaps this schedule will explain why. Given a few moments, I'll scribble a few thoughts on my travels.. hopefully some of my scribbles will encourage others to come to this part of the world. Its really grand, and can be affordable, once you get over the cost of the airfare --- as an alternative,it's a great destination to use all those points one accumulates (sign on to Qantas or Air NZand check out their deals --- they offer lots of good options, if you book 8-10 months in advance...).



kind regards, and happy new year from 'where it all begins'...

[lhbrown]

Hi O,
Good topic and many interesting responses so far... We will be off to Paris again on Jan. 10th to stay there for 6 months.... if only we would stay put.... Unfortunately, we had to cancel our Jan. ski trip to Val Thorens because of my broken wrist and it will be too soon to think about skiing. We are thinking about replacing the ski trip with a trip back to Rome or Madrid, or perhaps Nice. In March we are off to the LL Hotel Andrassy in Budapest for 4 nigths then on to Prague to the LL Hotel Hoffmeister for another 4 nights, ending it in Nuernberg, Germany for 4 nights before flying back to Paris.
In April we are planning another 10 day bike trip along the Moselle and Rhine Rivers in Germany. Duringt the months of May, we will be in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, renting a chalet there, and doing some hiking and biking in this lovely southernmost area of Germany. In June we will go back to the LL Bellevue Hotel in Cogne, Italy for 8 nights to do some more hiking and climbing, and perhaps spend a couple of days in Milan while we are at it. After July 4th we are back in Sarasota, FL for a week before driving North to upstate New York. From the looks of it, the first 6 months of 2008 are already pretty well planned out for us.

[CMDAVILACLI]

So far, my travel plans for 2008 include our annual trip to Villa Del Sol in Zihuatanejo in April, a 5 day trip to NY City with girlfriends in May (still looking for a hotel/package on this one - need two rooms or a two bedroom suite, so any help/suggestions on this would be great!), a birthday trip in July for my husband with another couple to Sonoma, California (purchased two great packages for the same B&B from LL and saved a bundle!) and our yearly family vacation to Newport Beach, California in August. I'd like to get a trip to the Orient in sometime in the fall, but I haven't planned out that far!
cmdavilacli

[claassenam]

Hi CMDAVILA - What brings you to Newport Beach each year? That's where I live! Where do you and your family stay?

[kyshel]

CMD--There are one bedroom suites with 1 1/2 or 2 baths at the New Yorker. 2 double beds in sep room, huge LR/DR combo w/wet bar/fridge--some have wrap-around balconies. You have to reserve a double/double w/extra bath. Not sure about rates for May if it's anywhere near Mother's Day and the Fashion market wk. I'm sure the NY members can add lots more ideas.
Have you explored the AKA hotels with additional occupants? Sometimes you can supplement a pkg.

[omegaet]

BLEISURE

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