Where are you going.. (Travel Thread)

[gfp]

@Vish_ram that looks wonderful.  You stay in real beds in villages or in a tent along the way?  I assume the former?

[Vish_ram]

Stayed in real beds, Decent food (i’m a veg). On average each day I did 11 miles (2500-3500 ft climb). I booked it through flashpackerconnect. Alpenwild is a bit upscale ( I had done Haute route and Dolomites with them).

[Luke]

Dear Board Members,

 

Id like to travel to China, which City would you recommend me? 

 

Any tips are very welcome! 

 

 

[Vish_ram]

6 hours ago, Luke said:

Dear Board Members,

 

Id like to travel to China, which City would you recommend me? 

 

Any tips are very welcome! 

 

 

Beijing - Great Wall & other attractions

[dwy000]

Just got back from Paris, taking the kids for their first time. I always forget just how vibrant and alive European cities are.  The sidewalks and stores and restaurants are just packed on an average Tuesday or Wednesday.  People there definitely know how to enjoy daily life. 

 

The first thing the kids pointed out was how few fat people there were.  Its really noticeable.  And especially surprising given the amount of pastries and pasta people consume. Of course they all ride bikes everywhere so that helps. Gorgeous city still.

[nwoodman]

On 7/9/2025 at 3:10 AM, Vish_ram said:

Really enjoyed the TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc) 6 day hike. 

 

Great photos, it looks like you aced the weather.  Congrats

 

 

[Vish_ram]

Weather was mostly manageable. We had light rain on 1 day, warmer on another. Rest very pleasant in the hills.

 

 

we were told that the peak of the mountain had temp go above zero for first time (mid of last week). 
 

locals say that the glaciers have receded compared to years/decades ago. 

[longlake95]

On 7/9/2025 at 3:17 AM, Luke said:

Dear Board Members,

 

Id like to travel to China, which City would you recommend me? 

 

Any tips are very welcome! 

 

 

Xian is a must. Walled city. The city where the terracotta warriors reside. 

[Marco Van Basten]

9 hours ago, dwy000 said:

Just got back from Paris, taking the kids for their first time. I always forget just how vibrant and alive European cities are.  The sidewalks and stores and restaurants are just packed on an average Tuesday or Wednesday.  People there definitely know how to enjoy daily life. 

 

The first thing the kids pointed out was how few fat people there were.  Its really noticeable.  And especially surprising given the amount of pastries and pasta people consume. Of course they all ride bikes everywhere so that helps. Gorgeous city still.

How old are your kids?  How many?  What did you do?  Where did you go in Paris?  Anywhere besides Paris?  What would you recommend?  I apologize for so many questions, but my wife wants to take our three kids to Paris next year, so while we have been there a dozen times and love Europe, this will be the first time for the kids and I am a bit apprehensive...

[Xerxes]

On 7/9/2025 at 3:17 AM, Luke said:

Dear Board Members,

 

Id like to travel to China, which City would you recommend me? 

 

Any tips are very welcome! 

 

 

while Xian, Beijing and Shanghai (I didn’t see the latter) are worth a visit. I saw the first two and was not a big fan. 
 

My personal favourite region was the cosmopolitan Yunnan province in the south close to Tibet. Absolutely beautiful. 
 

Chengdu and Guilian are also very nice. But Yunnan is something else. 

[Parsad]

4 hours ago, Xerxes said:

while Xian, Beijing and Shanghai (I didn’t see the latter) are worth a visit. I saw the first two and was not a big fan. 
 

My personal favourite region was the cosmopolitan Yunnan province in the south close to Tibet. Absolutely beautiful. 
 

Chengdu and Guilian are also very nice. But Yunnan is something else. 

 

Beijing and Shanghai are both worth seeing.  The history combined with how modern China has become is amazing!  If you've been to India, I would say Beijing is like Delhi...alot of history, state buildings, parks, etc.  Shanghai would be akin to Mumbai...modern, cosmopolitan.  If you have the time, certainly visit other cities...but if you have just a few days...start with those two cities.  Cheers!

[dwy000]

9 hours ago, Marco Van Basten said:

How old are your kids?  How many?  What did you do?  Where did you go in Paris?  Anywhere besides Paris?  What would you recommend?  I apologize for so many questions, but my wife wants to take our three kids to Paris next year, so while we have been there a dozen times and love Europe, this will be the first time for the kids and I am a bit apprehensive...

They are teenager (boy) and tween (girl).  We did all the regular tourist stuff since it was their first time there (wife and I have been many times).  Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, Versailles, Eiffel Tower, Latin Quarter etc.  Did one day where I took my son on a tour of PSG soccer stadium (was great) while my wife and daughter did a fragrance museum.  

 

Definitely some things were better received than others (taking a tween to musee d'orsay and then the Louvre next day was pushing it).   We stayed at an AirBnB in Le Marais area which was perfect.  Its close enough to walk or quick Metro to everywhere but far enough removed that its mostly locals not tourists.  Both of them loved the clothes shopping and sitting in cafes people watching. The decline of the USD wasnt pleasant for me but its still not overly expensive. 

[Cod Liver Oil]

Hey  @Vish_ram we are hiking around Annecy right now, headed to Bressanone soon. How was your experience with Alpenwild? Thank you!!!!

[Vish_ram]

4 hours ago, Cod Liver Oil said:

Hey  @Vish_ram we are hiking around Annecy right now, headed to Bressanone soon. How was your experience with Alpenwild? Thank you!!!!

Alpenwild is bit upscale. Never had any complaints. Guides did a terrific job. 

[Vish_ram]

Finally visited Taj Mahal (Agra, India). Beautiful, clean and pristine. Delhi-Agra expressway was too good, just like in US. 

 

Munnar & Thekkadi (Kerala) was great too. 

 

My cousins in Mumbai spend 4-5 hours/day on commute. I dont know how people live and work in India. Happy to have bailed out. 

 

India is a great country and the only problem is that there are too many Indians (who lack civic sense, urban planning etc among million other things). If only 10% of Indians pride be converted to a useful resource, they can match up to China. 

[DooDiligence]

2 hours ago, Vish_ram said:

India is a great country and the only problem is that there are too many Indians.

 

Thank god. I thought for a second you were gonna stop right there.

[nsx5200]

On 2/9/2025 at 11:56 PM, DooDiligence said:

Was just reading about Ashoka in Walpola Rahula's "What the Buddha Taught" (downloadable pdf), and would like to visit the Bihar region (formerly Magadha).

A bit late with this, but TY for the link.

 

Some random thoughts regards to AI and truths...  I would think that some AI system, after ingesting centuries of text, human knowledge, and in the near future, lots of data points on human behaviors and correlated outcomes, that it would be able to derive an optimal way to live life.  If I had to guess, gun to the head, it would look very close to the teaching of Buddhism, or at least contain a lot of elements of Buddhism.

[Parsad]

11 hours ago, Vish_ram said:

Finally visited Taj Mahal (Agra, India). Beautiful, clean and pristine. Delhi-Agra expressway was too good, just like in US. 

 

Munnar & Thekkadi (Kerala) was great too. 

 

My cousins in Mumbai spend 4-5 hours/day on commute. I dont know how people live and work in India. Happy to have bailed out. 

 

India is a great country and the only problem is that there are too many Indians (who lack civic sense, urban planning etc among million other things). If only 10% of Indians pride be converted to a useful resource, they can match up to China. 

 

Taj Mahal is stunning!  I imagine that's what seeing the Pyramids of Giza must be like as well.

 

Agra...Rajasthan...very clean and beautiful.  The Indian countryside is very pretty as well.  Cheers!

 

 

[villainx]

Going to Seattle and Vancouver with family.  Any non obvious things to consider?

[Xerxes]

Climbed up Mount Kinabalu in Borneo. 
Fantastic place to visit. And less known.

Don’t miss Borneo, even if you are not into hiking. The river safari, wild elephants, turtle islands. All worth it. 

 

 

[John Hjorth]

@Xerxes,

 

Actually, earlier today, it hit me in the 'Politics' topic, 'where is  @Xerxes?' to my best, loose recollection not seing you posting there for a while, ending up here, by looking up your posts!

 

Let me just say : Much better choise of time spent than hanging out around here, to hang out there! If you are there now! [Or is it 'hanging up there' or is it 'hanging out up there'? lol]

 

Awesome photos! - Thank you for sharing.

Edited August 21, 2025 by John Hjorth

[Xerxes]

8 hours ago, John Hjorth said:

@Xerxes,

 

Actually, earlier today, it hit me in the 'Politics' topic, 'where is  @Xerxes?' to my best, loose recollection not seing you posting there for a while, ending up here, by looking up your posts!

 

Let me just say : Much better choise of time spent than hanging out around here, to hang out there! If you are there now! [Or is it 'hanging up there' or is it 'hanging out up there'? lol]

 

Awesome photos! - Thank you for sharing.

 

thanks John

 

I am done with Borneo and east Malaysia and currently in the old Dutch imperial capital in Jakarta. 

will be back in North America early September. 
 

cheers

 

[Marco Van Basten]

1 hour ago, Xerxes said:

 

thanks John

 

I am done with Borneo and east Malaysia and currently in the old Dutch imperial capital in Jakarta. 

will be back in North America early September. 
 

cheers

 

Come to NYC, I will buy you lunch!  I hear MCD is cutting prices...

[Xerxes]

5 hours ago, Marco Van Basten said:

Come to NYC, I will buy you lunch!  I hear MCD is cutting prices...

lol how about this. 
I ll meet you half-way in NH.

 

you chose which peak of the presidential range to meet. We can go to MCD after. 

[Marco Van Basten]

2 hours ago, Xerxes said:

lol how about this. 
I ll meet you half-way in NH.

 

you chose which peak of the presidential range to meet. We can go to MCD after. 

You have an exaggerated opinion of my physical fitness, although I can still walk ten miles or swim a mile or two in the pool.  I might have to come to Montreal or Quebec then, and to ensure a warm welcome, I will have to buy a MAGA hat...