The "Actual" Top 100 places to see before you die!

[kimjongun]

So hard to just pick 31. Taj Mahal - First thing that popped into my head, it's just stunning, pictures do not do it justice. 2. Venice - There is just something magical about it.3. Fiordland NZ - Just amazing

I cannot be made up my minds either. Will This thread list be updating? I think it is very good but muniatlp does not update the list and it would be very good if he did. I go to museum now

 

[DrA]

London has culture?

Not all of it is restricted to growing on agar plates

Antarctica and Galapagos were awesome for the nature. But London is still my favourite city, such as it is...

 

[drron]

You should also try the Inside Passage on a small boat-we went on a converted crab trawler with 8 pax.
Kayaking with the humpbacks whilst they were bubble feeding was amazing.but yes the Galapagos does beat it.

 

[DrA]

You should also try the Inside Passage on a small boat-we went on a converted crab trawler with 8 pax.
Kayaking with the humpbacks whilst they were bubble feeding was amazing.but yes the Galapagos does beat it.

Sounds amazing! I went scuba diving with humpbacks in Tonga. Also amazing

I think the Galapagos beats everything I've done so far. Even Antarctica to be brutally honest.

 

[kpc]

1. Galapagos Islands
2. Iguazzu Falls
3. Great Wall of China

Wish list:
1) Machu Picchu
2) African Safari
3) Antarctica

1) & 2) to be visited this year

Update
Been:
=1) Galapagos islands
=1) African Safari at Sabi Sands
3) Rio de Janeiro

also great: Machu Picchu, Easter island, Victoria Falls, Iguassu Falls, Patagonia, Sakura season in Tokyo

Wish List:
1) Antarctica
2) gorillas in Rwanda
3) Angel Falls in Venezuela

 

[JohnM]

Sounds amazing! I went scuba diving with humpbacks in Tonga. Also amazing

I think the Galapagos beats everything I've done so far. Even Antarctica to be brutally honest.

Hmmm, interesting. I'm off to Patagonia and Antarctica on Tuesday and I did the full double-circuit cruise over two weeks in the Galapagos last May. I'm a research biologist (terrestrial) by profession so the Galapagos was 'Holy Grail'. It was good, but I wouldn't put it right at the top. Maybe it's because it was my first-ever organised tour and sometimes it moved a bit slowly for me. I always describe it as 'interesting', not as 'spectacular'. But it could also be that I understood too much in advance .

My all-favourite wildlife buzzes have been swimming with the whale sharks at Ningaloo and trekking to the gorillas in Rwanda (I think in that order). But a four-gamepark aerial safari in Kenya (I did post a brief TR on this in August), a two-week Kimberley coast cruise and a week travelling independently in Kruger Park, all in the last couple of years, have all been exceptionally memorable.

Add to that plenty of travel to destinations throughout Europe, Britain, the US, S America, Morocco, the Caribbean, S Pacific, courtesy of about 12 years straight of a DONEx each year (2014's just booked ), I'm hard-pressed to rank things as they all have their own great attributes. Plus, I just love sitting at 36000 ft with champagne in hand enjoying the journey .

 

[DrA]

Hmmm, interesting. I'm off to Patagonia and Antarctica on Tuesday and I did the full double-circuit cruise over two weeks in the Galapagos last May. I'm a research biologist (terrestrial) by profession so the Galapagos was 'Holy Grail'. It was good, but I wouldn't put it right at the top. Maybe it's because it was my first-ever organised tour and sometimes it moved a bit slowly for me. I always describe it as 'interesting', not as 'spectacular'. But it could also be that I understood too much in advance .

My all-favourite wildlife buzzes have been swimming with the whale sharks at Ningaloo and trekking to the gorillas in Rwanda (I think in that order). But a four-gamepark aerial safari in Kenya (I did post a brief TR on this in August), a two-week Kimberley coast cruise and a week travelling independently in Kruger Park, all in the last couple of years, have all been exceptionally memorable.

Add to that plenty of travel to destinations throughout Europe, Britain, the US, S America, Morocco, the Caribbean, S Pacific, courtesy of about 12 years straight of a DONEx each year (2014's just booked ), I'm hard-pressed to rank things as they all have their own great attributes. Plus, I just love sitting at 36000 ft with champagne in hand enjoying the journey .

I'm a research geologist, so the Himalaya is probably my "holy grail". I fly off in under 2 weeks, so we'll see how that goes.

I think Antarctica was certainly amazing, but I got frustrated a lot. I'm a very active person by nature, and it was just too much sitting around on the ship for me. You got ashore once (sometimes twice) a day, but only for an hour or so. And the wildlife wasn't quite as prolific as I had thought it might be. You'd see a penguin colony in one location, then have to cruise for 3 hours to find the next one. Don't get me wrong, I did truly love my trip to Antarctica, but it just wasn't active enough for me. I did take up the option to go kayaking and skiing when it was offered, but they weren't regular occurrences by any means. Going swimming there was certainly an experience though (for all of five seconds before the ship doctor forces you out)!

Whereas the Galapagos? I also did the 2 week circuit, but also spent some additional time there to scuba dive. Much more time was spent ashore checking out the wildlife or going for hikes than was ever an option in Antarctica. And I got to go diving. It was a lot more active and interactive, which I think is why I probably enjoyed it more.

I did the gorilla trekking in Uganda a few years ago, and it was certainly a life-altering experience for me, but isn't quite at the top of my list. I have a very long list of "places I think everyone should visit"!

 

[JohnM]

I'm a research geologist, so the Himalaya is probably my "holy grail". I fly off in under 2 weeks, so we'll see how that goes.

I think Antarctica was certainly amazing, but I got frustrated a lot. I'm a very active person by nature, and it was just too much sitting around on the ship for me. You got ashore once (sometimes twice) a day, but only for an hour or so. And the wildlife wasn't quite as prolific as I had thought it might be. You'd see a penguin colony in one location, then have to cruise for 3 hours to find the next one. Don't get me wrong, I did truly love my trip to Antarctica, but it just wasn't active enough for me. I did take up the option to go kayaking and skiing when it was offered, but they weren't regular occurrences by any means. Going swimming there was certainly an experience though (for all of five seconds before the ship doctor forces you out)!

Whereas the Galapagos? I also did the 2 week circuit, but also spent some additional time there to scuba dive. Much more time was spent ashore checking out the wildlife or going for hikes than was ever an option in Antarctica. And I got to go diving. It was a lot more active and interactive, which I think is why I probably enjoyed it more.

I did the gorilla trekking in Uganda a few years ago, and it was certainly a life-altering experience for me, but isn't quite at the top of my list. I have a very long list of "places I think everyone should visit"!

Interesting - thanks DrA. I'm hyperactive too. I'll report back to compare notes after I get back from Antarctica on 22 Dec. My motto is always: 'Be prepared to be disappointed'.

 

[Scarlett]

1. Salzkammergut (region), Österreich. - Just a beautiful collection of mountains, valleys, towns, lakes, European history and modern convenience.
2. Old Course, St. Andrews, Scotland. - This is my church; this is where I heal my hurts. For today, god is well struck 7-iron. (with apologies to Faithless)
3. Any beach in Australia, but with a special mention to Fingal Bay, Port Stephens.

Now what I'm surprised by, given the nature of this site, is that no one has nominated the QF SYD Flounge...

 

[RooFlyer]

I'm a research geologist, so the Himalaya is probably my "holy grail". I fly off in under 2 weeks, so we'll see how that goes.

<snip>

As a humble industry geologist, the mid Atlantic ridge, exposed at Pingvellir, Iceland was my 'always wanted to see'.

whoha!!! Check out those pillow lavas and chilled margins.



And gratuitous geyser pictures - "Geysir" also Iceland. MUCH more up-close-and-personal than Yellowstone



Good luck on the Himalayas trip !

 

[drron]

And as a humble rural physician I knew not to go when it was that cold-

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[RooFlyer]

And as a humble rural physician I knew not to go when it was that cold-

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You are right! if you look in my pic, see the ice footpath heading down into the feature. 75% success rate in people slipping over on the way down.

I admire any physician who takes photographs of pillow lavas

 

[DrA]

My fieldwork in the Andes is always fun

And yes, even on holidays in the Galapagos I was taking photos of rocks...

 

[drron]

Dr A you will have to save your pennies and come on the Silver Explorer one day when Stefan the geologist is aboard.you cant get his mind of rocks.
I even take a few pictures of rocks just to keep in his good books.Like this one of the Angolan coast-

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He does dress in the manner of all eccentric geologists-

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[RooFlyer]

Dr A you will have to save your pennies and come on the Silver Explorer one day when Stefan the geologist is aboard.you cant get his mind of rocks.
I even take a few pictures of rocks just to keep in his good books.Like this one of the Angolan coast-
<snip>
He does dress in the manner of all eccentric geologists-

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Sorry drron, 'Stefan' (?Stephi?) is obviously a geophysicist, not a geologist. You can tell by ... um .. well ...

He just is, OK?

 

[KLN]

i think doing the whole F1 circuit for a season is top of our list...............one day........

 

[JessicaTam]

i think doing the whole F1 circuit for a season is top of our list...............one day........

Same here. I am just going to have to take several seasons to get to all of the races.

 

[DrA]

I wouldn't mind following the ASP world surfing tour for a year. Endless Summer indeed

 

[horseman]

Walt disney world, lots fun.
Everything else has been mentioned.

 

[drron]

Just a few places from this years travel that are worthy of a visit.In Chronological order.
The Drakensbergs.
Rorkes Drift.
Namibia.
Sao Tome-the carribean before tourists.
Togo-wonderful people.
Safari in Botswana.
Iceland.
Greenland.
Nunavit.
Churchill,Canada.
Canadian Rockies.
Devon botanical gardens.
Drumheller and the Royal Tyrell museum.