Where are you going.. (Travel Thread)

[nwoodman]

10 minutes ago, Parsad said:

For those that have climbed to EBC, you know how dangerous the climb is.  This Vancouver physician just passed away coming down from Camp 4.  12 climbers have passed away just since April 12th!

 

https://globalnews.ca/news/9726831/vancouver-doctor-dies-mount-everest/

With another 5 missiing A few reports coming in of stolen oxygen bottles etc. It sounds like it has been a bit of a crazy season.  

 

 

[Luke]

1 hour ago, nwoodman said:

With another 5 missiing A few reports coming in of stolen oxygen bottles etc. It sounds like it has been a bit of a crazy season.  

 

 

 

[John Hjorth]

Saluki,

 

If you chose to visit Oslo, the capitol of Norway, I would suggest you to visit the HQ of Norges Bank Investment Management [http://www.nbim.no][The Norwegian Gorvernment Pension Fund Global] [the worlds largest investment fund].

 

The location is fairly close the Oslo Opera and the Oslo Stock Exchange. The adress is : 

 

Bankplassen 2,

NO-0107 Oslo,

Norway.

 

The underwhelming experience of such visit will likely overwhelm you and your spouse dearly. It's really a "wtf?" experience.

[Xerxes]

5 hours ago, Parsad said:

For those that have climbed to EBC, you know how dangerous the climb is.  This Vancouver physician just passed away coming down from Camp 4.  12 climbers have passed away just since April 12th!

 

https://globalnews.ca/news/9726831/vancouver-doctor-dies-mount-everest/

i would imagine most of deaths are on the way down from the summit (8,800 meters I think) Mostly caused by the secondary effect of the “traffic”. I.e coming down later than they should etc 
 

I have not heard of anyone dying these past years doing the base camp hike that goes up only to 5,000 meter or so. 
 

Not sure where Camp 4 is, but I think it might be close to the death zone. Higher than 7,000 meters, so far above the EBC

[Luke]

Just doing what @nwoodman did, going up to 6000m is already super hard. Any 8000er is expert full time mountaineer level (most 7000er as well). I dislike that they make it too easy for average people to go up on 8000 meters.

[Parsad]

12 hours ago, Xerxes said:

i would imagine most of deaths are on the way down from the summit (8,800 meters I think) Mostly caused by the secondary effect of the “traffic”. I.e coming down later than they should etc 
 

I have not heard of anyone dying these past years doing the base camp hike that goes up only to 5,000 meter or so. 
 

Not sure where Camp 4 is, but I think it might be close to the death zone. Higher than 7,000 meters, so far above the EBC

 

Camp 4 is the last camp before you hit the peak.  So much riskier than EBC...but still...EBC is no piece of cake.  Cheers!

[Xerxes]

Just finished 42,2 Km marathon in the nation’s capital. Took about 4 hr or so. 
 

between travel, vacation and work, did not train for it, other than my usual weekly runs. 

[nwoodman]

18 minutes ago, Xerxes said:

Just finished 42,2 Km marathon in the nation’s capital. Took about 4 hr or so. 
 

between travel, vacation and work, did not train for it, other than my usual weekly runs. 

Congrats, that’s a decent time especially with minimal training.  You must have a good base fitness level

[Xerxes]

1 hour ago, nwoodman said:

Congrats, that’s a decent time especially with minimal training.  You must have a good base fitness level

Thank you. The final time is 3 hr 58 min. Last I did it, in 2018, I think I had it at 4 hr 20 min. Definitely improving stamina. 
 

incidentally, I am 42 years old. So that means I did 1 Km of run for every of the 42 year I have been in existence. 
 

[cubsfan]

^^ Congratulations Xerxes on a wonderful time. Keep it going!

[Xerxes]

18 minutes ago, cubsfan said:

^^ Congratulations Xerxes on a wonderful time. Keep it going!

Very much appreciated. Thank you !!

[Saluki]

On 5/27/2023 at 2:34 PM, John Hjorth said:

Saluki,

 

If you chose to visit Oslo, the capitol of Norway, I would suggest you to visit the HQ of Norges Bank Investment Management [http://www.nbim.no][The Norwegian Gorvernment Pension Fund Global] [the worlds largest investment fund].

 

The location is fairly close the Oslo Opera and the Oslo Stock Exchange. The adress is : 

 

Bankplassen 2,

NO-0107 Oslo,

Norway.

 

The underwhelming experience of such visit will likely overwhelm you and your spouse dearly. It's really a "wtf?" experience.

John, I know you were probably kidding, but I was in the neighborhood and stopped by. They wouldn't let me inside here or at the stock exchange and seemed quite surprised that I wanted to see inside.

 

Needless to say the better half didn't find it as amusing as I did when I was questioned by security. "No, I don't have an appointment with anyone in particular...but I work in finance and I'm on vacation so it all makes perfect sense you see..."

[Dinar]

What are people's favorite places to go away for the summer with kids?  Ideally a place that has ocean or sea where one can swim and a pleasant climate during the summer.   (I know of Jersey Shore, Long Island, Cape Cod, Nantucket & Martha's Vineyard, Maine, and Hawaii, but wondering if people have other suggestions as the Balearic Islands, Sylt, et all.)

 

Thank you.  

[Xerxes]

1 hour ago, Dinar said:

What are people's favorite places to go away for the summer with kids?  Ideally a place that has ocean or sea where one can swim and a pleasant climate during the summer.   (I know of Jersey Shore, Long Island, Cape Cod, Nantucket & Martha's Vineyard, Maine, and Hawaii, but wondering if people have other suggestions as the Balearic Islands, Sylt, et all.)

 

Thank you.  

How about Montreal, Canada. 
Just try to dodge the smog. No beach though. 

[Cod Liver Oil]

@Dinar Lake country in Ticino or northern Italy is great for kids. Lots of public places to swim, great hiking, huts in the mountains,  trains to everywhere, old villages, castles.  Expresso is still 1 euro in northern Italy. My wife is Swiss so we come for a couple weeks every summer.  Speak the language of Dante!!!!

Shelburne, Vermont on Lake Champlain is also great in the summer.

Edited July 10, 2023 by Cod Liver Oil

[KJP]

4 hours ago, Cod Liver Oil said:

@Dinar Lake country in Ticino or northern Italy is great for kids. Lots of public places to swim, great hiking, huts in the mountains,  trains to everywhere, old villages, castles.  Expresso is still 1 euro in northern Italy. My wife is Swiss so we come for a couple weeks every summer.  Speak the language of Dante!!!!

 

This sounds like a great trip!  @Dinar, if you'd consider areas with lakes rather than oceans, a few places closer to home that my kids have enjoyed are the Berkshires in Massachusetts, Southern Vermont (around Manchester), and the White Mountains in New Hampshire.

[ValueArb]

Climbing Mount Everest? Bah, child’s play.

I just drove half way across Arizona in daytime with no AC.

[Luke]

For the danish folks here, @John Hjorth, I will travel with the GF to Copenhagen for the weekend, anything worth doing and not worth doing, we thought of visiting Rosenborg Castle, statens museum? What do you recommend:))

Edited August 15, 2023 by Luca

[frankhkii]

2 hours ago, Luca said:

For the danish folks here, @John Hjorth, I will travel with the GF to Copenhagen for the weekend, anything worth doing and not worth doing, we thought of visiting Rosenborg Castle, statens museum? What do you recommend:))

Not Danish, but just back from a great 10 days in CPH.

 

Although it has become a trendy spot, I would recommend stopping by la banchina for a swim and book the sauna if looking to relax and enjoy the short summer like the Danes (albeit with tourists around you). Two restaurants I enjoyed a lot are restobar and il buco. And for a classic Smorrebrod try Det Lille Apotek (touristy but a classic that locals took me to).  I would skip the little mermaid statue. 

[Luke]

4 minutes ago, frankhkii said:

Not Danish, but just back from a great 10 days in CPH.

 

Although it has become a trendy spot, I would recommend stopping by la banchina for a swim and book the sauna if looking to relax and enjoy the short summer like the Danes (albeit with tourists around you). Two restaurants I enjoyed a lot are restobar and il buco. And for a classic Smorrebrod try Det Lille Apotek (touristy but a classic that locals took me to).  I would skip the little mermaid statue. 

Thanks a lot for sharing, i will let you know!! :))

[Xerxes]

Unless something goes off this fall, I should be going to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, GeorgeTown, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Bangkok.
 

Most likely in that order. 

[Parsad]

On 7/12/2023 at 8:33 AM, ValueArb said:

Climbing Mount Everest? Bah, child’s play.

I just drove half way across Arizona in daytime with no AC.

 

A real man would have done it with the windows up!    Cheers!

[Gamecock-YT]

On 8/15/2023 at 6:33 AM, Luca said:

For the danish folks here, @John Hjorth, I will travel with the GF to Copenhagen for the weekend, anything worth doing and not worth doing, we thought of visiting Rosenborg Castle, statens museum? What do you recommend:))

 

Also not danish but just back from a few days there....

 

Good beer spots: the mikkeller bars, Søernes Ølbar, and Fermentoren. Boerns Gadekokken is a nice little food truck/outdoor spot. 

 

Ditto to skip the mermaid statue. I biked over to CopenHill, kind of unique spot to have a beer after you finish hiking up.

[John Hjorth]

On 7/3/2023 at 8:06 PM, Saluki said:

John, I know you were probably kidding, but I was in the neighborhood and stopped by. They wouldn't let me inside here or at the stock exchange and seemed quite surprised that I wanted to see inside.

 

Needless to say the better half didn't find it as amusing as I did when I was questioned by security. "No, I don't have an appointment with anyone in particular...but I work in finance and I'm on vacation so it all makes perfect sense you see..."

 

@Saluki,

 

Thank you for sharing! ... somehow I missed it at the time when you posted it!

 

But, yes, - you got it exactly right! Such a small, modest - but still very nice - office building, housing one of the worlds largest investors! Absolutely not something like the new JPMorgan Chase Headquarter tower / skyscraper under construction these days on Manhattan.

 

Your wife and you seem from the photo to have hit Banktorvet [English : 'The Bank Square'], Oslo, on a very nice day! 

[John Hjorth]

On 8/15/2023 at 3:33 PM, Luca said:

For the danish folks here, @John Hjorth, I will travel with the GF to Copenhagen for the weekend, anything worth doing and not worth doing, we thought of visiting Rosenborg Castle, statens museum? What do you recommend:))

 

Hi @Luca,

 

I'm sorry for missing your post a couple day as ago, ref. above [, too!].

 

The suggestions and recommendations from @frankhkii and @Gamecock-YT are actually very good.

 

For a weekend stay this coming weekend  I would suggest you to simply hedge the weather bringing practical foootwear and a raincoat for you both, so you can give the weather a finger, if needed to, in stead of getting more or less grounded because of it. The weather for Copenhagen at www.dmi.dk looks fairly good for the weekend. But the Danish weather gods have been quite moody in general this year.

 

If the weather gods are with you, a visit in Nyhavn is [almost] statutory, I would say. Personally, I have also developed over time a soft spot for the area around Skt. Annæ Plads and down to the waterfront, including the area around the outer end to the water of Nyhavn, after Hotel 71 Nyhavn, direction Skuespilhuset, ... It like an oasis to me, when the weather is good!

 

Rosenborg is also a great place to visit - fantastic garden - so relaxing to stay there!

 

If you want to hang out a bit for your self - pretty much in private with something to drink [soft / not soft], I would recommend a waterhole at Kultorvet or at Gråbrødre Torv! - The food at the restaurants at Gråbrødre Torv appear to be fairly good, too.

 

Enjoy! 

 

 

Edited August 17, 2023 by John Hjorth