re: What's the best vacation you've been on?

Lake Tahoe for a couple reasons. It’s not the biggest or most expensive vacation I’ve been on, but it was the first expensive trip I took once I started making a little money and it made me realize how blessed I was. It was also the furthest west I had been in the US at the time and the Sierra Nevada mountains and scenery just absolutely blew my mind. I didn’t realize beauty like that existed in the US. Also, it was the first trip I took that didn’t revolve around drinking. It was about hiking and being outside and enjoying nature and it felt good to be up early in the mountain air and being active instead of partying and feeling like shite everyday. I guess I could say it was my first “grown up” vacation. My now fiance’ had been there before and knew all the spots and where to park and how early to get there so we were able to get to all the good spots like secret beach and chimney beach. We popped a couple gummies and hiked everyday and hung out at the beaches, horse back riding, sunset cruise, clear kayaking, etc. Then at night they had a cool outside live music spot walking distance from our bnb and we’d go sit by the fire with a few drinks and listen to music and be in bed early and up early to do it again the next day. I don’t think anything will ever top it no matter where I go

Alaska

Unplanned one.

My ex and I just decided to say screw it, rented a convertable and went on a 10 day road trip.

Figured it out along the way, it was incredible.

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No worries. No responsibility’s. No cell phones. No health issues. Killer time to live.

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Anywhere you are with above is a great vacation!

For me, I find that in National Parks when the "no cell service" icon is on.

I've got two in mind. Back in the 90s, we had a group get together at our church and plan a father/son MLB trip across the country. The first year there were just 4 families, and we had a minivan and my dad/s SUV. We left south Alabama and drove to Texas, then Denver, then back across Kansas, down to St. Louis, and eventually to Atlanta before heading back home. We saw games in 6 different cities, and stopped to do a stadium tour in KC but they were on the road that week. That one was fun, but sort of small compared to what it turned into. A few years later we had like 20 families in an old church bus.

I think it was 1997 or 1998, and we had a bus full of boys and their dads, and we went straight to St. Louis (the pastor that planned and organized these trips was a Cardinals fan), and from there went to Iowa to the Field of Dreams site, and played a fathers vs sons baseball game on the field. Then drove up and stayed 4 days in Chicago. Saw a Cubs day game, a White Sox night game, drove up to Milwaukee one day to catch the Brewers, and had an off day from baseball in Chicago. Then we drove across Indiana and Ohio, and saw a game in Cincinnati, then went over to Cleveland then Pittsburgh, and on to NYC. Came back down through Philadelphia and eventually Atlanta on our way back home. We were on the road almost 2 weeks and saw games in about 10 different cities. All while riding in a 15+ year old church bus, playing cards in the back, and it was great.

Both of those were just great adventures in seeing multiple parts of the country and having a fun thing to do in each city and see all the different ballparks.


As an adult, it would probably be either Hawaii or NYC on one of our anniversary trips. Back when we either had no kids or they were young and stayed with their grandmother and the wife and I just got away alone for a week.

Safari in South Africa…

How old were you? What made it so special?

I grew up an avid outdoorsman. Reading excerpts on Africa was always a favorite of mine. Petersen’s, Outdoor Life, Sports Afield.

It’s one thing to see it on television or read about it in magazines. Africa is just a different place. There’s a huge amount of diversity and abundance of wildlife. It’s just different seeing it in person. There’s a sound and even a smell to it. Most rural homes still used wood fired stoves for cooking. So there’s a persistent smell of burning coals in some areas. Having a monkey enter camp and create havoc is a regular occurrence. Seeing a deadly black mamba only feet away is a real eye opener. Hearing lions at night is something you won’t soon forget. As the areas were so remote and without light pollution; the night skies felt like being in a planetarium. It’s the only vacation I’ve ever been on that truly felt like an adventure.

We did Johannesburg followed by venturing into Limpopo. We did not do the very popular Kruger. Instead we opted for Mapumgubwe and some private land near the Botswana border.

We stayed on a private ranch, we ate like royalty and were treated very well. The dollar goes very far there. They say you either fall into one of two camps after visiting Africa. You either checked the box and never return or are actively working to get back. I’m in the latter; I want to go back in 26’ and tie in a visit to Cape Town and the Stellenbosch wine district.

Age

I was 44 at the time..

Who went with? Kids go?

Took the wife and kids. Ages 9 & 14 at the time.

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It’s one thing to see it on television or read about it in magazines. Africa is just a different place. There’s a huge amount of diversity and abundance of wildlife. It’s just different seeing it in person.

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It exceeded my expectations, which were pretty high. I managed to sneak into Kenya and Tanzania during covid, two of the few places open. The amount of wildlife everywhere we went surprised the hell out of me. It rarely lets up. I finally get to go back in January, to Ghana. And a June trip to Uganda. Africa is a shockingly huge continent and there are tons of places to go.

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Taking my 18-year-old niece to Egypt

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You probably know this, but repressed cultures will try to cop a feel on the females. Happens in India too, so be on the lookout for that.

You'll likely not be able to stop it in large crowds, so you should prepare her for that.

South Africa, as others mentioned, was so cool I'd definitely do something like Tanzania or Botswana (which is supposedly the best).

You’re right, but 2014 they made a similar run to the Semis on the redemption tour.