Countries you want to visit before you snuff it.....

[BanosSwan]

Definitely Japan.

A food tour of the US.

Pripyat.

Lots of Italy.

 

[Pacemaker]

It is really quite odd in that the town is jam packed almost all year around with back packers and thrill seekers, but set on a wonderful lake with fantastic views, and so much beautiful countryside all around you.

It is ideal to use as a base to visit Milford Sound, Arrowtown and other sites and worth getting away from town as you have literally hundreds of camper vans of all shapes and sizes, people of all ages from all around the world, so it can be difficult to find some peace and quiet.

All the big thrills like the Kawara Bridge Bungy, Nevis Bungy and Shotover Jet are just outside town, but they will drive you out there as part of s the package if you don’t have transport. There is also a Bungy on the top of the cable car in town, the sports grounds are just outside town near the airport.

There are Loads of pubs and restaurants it literally has something for everyone, it can get very very busy at the height of the season, but oddly enough if you want to go hiking, MTB riding or cycling once you are out of town it is very peaceful. If you do go you need to get a Fergburger they are fantastic, ignore the massive queue, phone up and click and collect it’s much quicker.

Skiing is a bit hit and miss compared to Europe and a pretty short season (in our summer) overall I must have been there 5 or 6 times and still love it, I usually get a Airbnb or hotel, I did have a camper van one year to tour around the area but it was more hassle than using a hire car.

Just north of Queenstown is Glenorchy which is a fantastic road to drive along literally a photo opportunity at every bend. I have been using hired MTB around the southern part of the lake, they are on my Strava page if you want a look absolutely stunning area. As you can see I love it.

Ageee Pacemaker. Wonderful place. Worked on Lake Wanaka in 2012 and took my lad there to work too.

Spent a fair bit of time around Lake Wanaka and had a bit of a missing day at the Speights pub on the corner as you enter Lake Wanaka. Great spot to do a bit of water sports, although my Mrs got eaten alive by those Sand Flies up in the Blue pools. Mount Aspiring is just a fantastic spot.

 

[Cooperman]

Definitely Japan.

A food tour of the US.

Pripyat.

Lots of Italy.

A food tour of the US sounds like a cracking idea!

 

[Cooperman]

Russia - several countries in one especially when going off piste.
I used to go to Izhevsk which is the home of Kalashnikov rifle manufacturing (not that this was the subject that took me there). 800,000 inhabitants and until thirty years ago it was one of Russia’s hidden cities and didn’t feature on most maps.

Samara - on the banks of the Volga. Incredible sights in the summer months and awful in the depths of winter. Home of Lada (which is what took me there).

Travel in Russia was generally via internal flights on Russian state airlines; the only flights I’ve been on where the sign above the emergency exit read “in emergency use rope”. Two of the airlines eventually lost their safety certificates that then nullified our travel insurance which meant that we stopped going.

Id love to have travelled further into Russia, a mate of mine who works for Rockwool was over there for 6 months in a small village & he loved it.

Learned not to stereotype people over the years but Russians (Muscovite's at least) are probably the closet to being the stereotypical image I had when I worked with them.

Taking the train from Vladivostok to Moscow is something else that I wouldn't mind doing.

 

[controversial_jack]

Definitely Japan.

A food tour of the US.

Pripyat.

Lots of Italy.

A food tour of the US, are you nuts?

 

[BanosSwan]

Definitely Japan.

A food tour of the US.

Pripyat.

Lots of Italy.

A food tour of the US, are you nuts?

I've done the Michelin star thing (and will continue to do so).

But I just want honest, honest flavours.

 

[K23]

I can take a picture for you across the Dee Estuary. Though I guess you don’t mean Flint or Holywell

The Great Orme would be my dream place to live.

I lived in Llandudno from the age of 10-18 so know the Great Orme Well, in fact, lost my virginity there!

 

[K23]

I had a trip to Peru all booked up for May this year but obviously that didn't happen so it's still on my list. Will book it all again for next May some time later this year. I Will get there!

 

[K23]

Definitely Japan.

A food tour of the US.

Pripyat.

Lots of Italy.

Are you allowed to visit Pripyat?

 

[Pegojack]

The bit of Italy I haven't visited which I really want to is Sicily. Bit of a Montalbano nut, see, and you can actually stay in his house from the series, it's a B&B.

 

[Belfy]

I've been to plenty of different places, but there are several countries I'd REALLY like to get to before the Reaper comes a calling..

Mine are...

1. Japan
2. Argentina
3. Cuba
4. New Zealand
5. Egypt.

Need to get my arse in gear!

Fck sake, whatever you do don’t go to Egypt, they hate everyone and w@nk in your dinner.

 

[controversial_jack]

I've been to plenty of different places, but there are several countries I'd REALLY like to get to before the Reaper comes a calling..

Mine are...

1. Japan
2. Argentina
3. Cuba
4. New Zealand
5. Egypt.

Need to get my arse in gear!

I didn't find that, but i did get a horrendous dose of the shits.Food is awful there, even in a good red sea hotel

Fck sake, whatever you do don’t go to Egypt, they hate everyone and w@nk in your dinner.

 

[BanosSwan]

Definitely Japan.

A food tour of the US.

Pripyat.

Lots of Italy.

Are you allowed to visit Pripyat?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/ukraine/articles/how-can-i-visit-chernobyl-and-is-it-safe/amp/

 

[K23]

Are you allowed to visit Pripyat?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/ukraine/articles/how-can-i-visit-chernobyl-and-is-it-safe/amp/

Fair enough, you obviously can then but, fascinated though I would be, I think this would put me off

"Ukrainian officials have suggested that Pripyat will not be inhabitable for another 20,000 years. Whether or not you consider any possible impact on your health to be worth the risk of proximity will depend on how much you want to see a place that has become not just a time capsule but a remnant of the Cold War era beyond the scope of anything that can be created in a museum."

I am quite interested in abandoned towns but for that reason, Pripyat wouldn't be as high on my list as places like Belchite (Spain) ,Craco (Italy) or Epecuén (Argentina) and I will probably visit the first 2 of those in the next few years when I'm in the area.

 

[BanosSwan]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/ukraine/articles/how-can-i-visit-chernobyl-and-is-it-safe/amp/

Fair enough, you obviously can then but, fascinated though I would be, I think this would put me off

"Ukrainian officials have suggested that Pripyat will not be inhabitable for another 20,000 years. Whether or not you consider any possible impact on your health to be worth the risk of proximity will depend on how much you want to see a place that has become not just a time capsule but a remnant of the Cold War era beyond the scope of anything that can be created in a museum."

I am quite interested in abandoned towns but for that reason, Pripyat wouldn't be as high on my list as places like Belchite (Spain) ,Craco (Italy) or Epecuén (Argentina) and I will probably visit the first 2 of those in the next few years when I'm in the area.

Apparently you're exposed to more radiation on the flight over.