MaxPowers

Where would you go? Currently deployed and will be taking rest relaxation leave. Don't have dates locked in yet though. I don't want to go back to the states. I want to see the world. The Army will fly me to any major approved airport for free. But I will most likely be alone. So my question, what is a place I can go, alone, and have fun? just doing whatever. relaxing and seeing the sites.

genuinegirly

I enjoyed roaming through Paris alone. I did a semester abroad there in 2001, and had 4 days/week without class. I planned out sightseeing excursions for some days, other days I just hopped on the bus and got off when I saw a pretty park, or an interesting part of town. I imagine the experience would be similarly liberating in any major city with well-developed public transportation.

Another idea:
One of my friends (former US Marine) spent a month walking through Mongolia. He just randomly woke up one morning and decided to buy a plane ticket. He had a backpack and a sleeping bag, traveled light. He stayed with people he met along the way, or just slept wherever. Was a great experience for him.

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Derwood

Australia or Japan

Grancey

Ditto for Australia.
I'd also opt for Italy and Greece.
Or if you really want to relax, pick an island somewhere.

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levite

Personally, I'd say London. I love it. It's the most amazing city, I think. Wonderful historical sites, museums, theater, bookstores and curio shops, great restaurants, pubs everywhere. Surprisingly hot girls.... Plus, you can do day trips or overnighters to all kinds of good spots around the south of England. I particularly enjoyed Salisbury (gorgeous cathedral, right near Stonehenge, 9th century Saxon city wall, and some excellent cider) and Bath (the Roman baths are really something), but both Oxford and Cambridge were fun, too, especially if you like looking at classic architecture.

My best friend raves about Italy, though. He says Rome and Florence and Venice have to be seen to be believed. I'm going to Rome this June.... Probably not a bad gamble, if you wanted to go there....

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Fotzlid

Japan or Australia for me too

ironman

CUBA!!!!!
Seriously, what about going to Ushuia in Argentina?

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snowy

Paris is fabulous. I am incredibly jealous of how much time you got to spend there, gg. I only got to spend three days there and I fell in love. It's a city you can eat, drink, read, and wander your way through.

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noodle

i'd go where Charlatan's been going.

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match000

I was originally going to say Bali or Tahiti, but Japan sounds cool too. Porn capital of the world

ASU2003

Japan would be interesting, but hectic in the cities. There is a language issue as well. I would think that you may want to do some research or trip planning before going there.

Sydney was cool. It was relaxing, you don't need to rent a car (they have weekly train/subway, bus, & ferry passes for around $35 US) Youth Hostels in the city are decent and close to things. There are some better ones by the ocean and a little bit out of town. You can take a train two hours west to the blue mountains to go hiking and get away from it all.

You may also want to try Cairns, Australia if try will fly you there. I haven't been there, but it should be nice (unless it is the monsoon season).

Willravel

Anywhere? How about snow-blading Mawson Peak on Heard Island in the South Indian Ocean? Screw hot, itchy beaches with tourists and cheap fruity drinks. Give me sub-zero temperatures and not one other person on the same piece of land.

It's the very definition of a secluded vacation. The only reasons I don't do it know are that it's too expensive and I need permission from the Australian government because there's a rather large wildlife preserve there.

girldetective

Vietnam or French Polynesia

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Jove

Switzerland!

spindles

And there is no way we are letting Will in there!

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Willravel

Even if I assassinate Laura Bingle? Fevola took a whole season to get back on his game.

dlish knows what I'm talking about.

BadNick

I'm wondering if there is someplace you can go with your army hookup that you can't go on your own, or it would be difficult to go. Like Antarctica. People I know who have gone there are either military or part of a scientific team and I think all flights there are by military aircraft ...usually out of Australia or New Zealand.

dksuddeth

new zealand for me. that place looks awesome.

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Tully Mars

Darwin Australia, New Caledonia or Fuji. But then I like empty beaches and cheap beer.

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dlish

haha! good ol Fev! yeah i hear he's back on track..but looks like another sportsman (this time our heir to the cricketing throne michael clarke has snapped her up, and their enagaged??.. there goes our and his cricketing prospects) i think you will need to assassinate her..for our sake will..

sorry for the threadjack

yes oz is beautiful.. do the east coast (drive down from gold coast down to sydney and from syd down to melbourne, and then do the great ocean drive to adelaide. should be a two week trip.

or you can trek some remote country... that'd be my ideal getaway from people. I'd say Lhasa in tibet, but at the moment thats not a good idea.

amazing views... god i miss australia right now

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genuinegirly

French Polynesia is beautiful. I personally wouldn't recommend going alone. Too many honeymooners.

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"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

ASU2003

North Island New Zealand was nice, but Australia (Sydney/Melbourne) had more options of things to do. I would recommend a Sydney to Brisbane trip, spend a few days in Sydney without a rental car, then get one and drive to this hostel.
http://www.yha.com.au/hostels/details.cfm?hostelid=126
It is a little beach town that is perfect and not very far from Sydney. But that is as far north as I got since I didn't rent a car and just took the bus and ferry there.

I haven't been there yet, but Queenstown, New Zealand on the South Island would be another cool place to go.

There's a reason the beaches are empty in Darwin, Australia. They have crocodiles and jellyfish.

Tully Mars

I could be wrong, haven't been there since '86, but seems to me the jelly fish were a seasonal problem. I didn't see any on the beach or in the water. I did take a very nice sunset cruise on a sailboat. Also took a trip out to see the Croc's.

My memories of the place may be tainted, was in the Navy. They made us wear our uniform on liberty. We were none to happy about this until we walked into the first bar and found out no one would let us pay for a beer. Didn't pay anything to go on the cruise either.

Brisbane was nice too, but the people of Darwin were great.

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host

If you're trip is financed from your military pay, and you don't want to wipe out the money you have accumulated during your deployment, consider that the dollar is worth about half what it was in Europe and Australia, five years ago. It buys next to nothing in Japan and in most other first world countries, either.

I don't know about you, but I don't want to think about what my vacation days are costing me, while I'm living them. Do some research and consider what things like lodging and meals are going to cost you, where you are going. Here is a great way to maximize your lodging dollars, and stay in better places, at the same time:

Foreign hotels are listed at the bottom of the page....bid on only the best places, as a start:
http://p198.ezboard.com/bpricelineandexpediabidding

If you're looking for sex:
http://www.whorist.com/

Bangkok and Rio are also highly recommended and offer decent currency exchange rates.

Some of the suggestions on other posts seem challenging....you get PT in your day job, so why not do the opposite...pamper yourself for a couple of weeks!

If you are going in spring summer months, and you are into anything like I was
at your age, and you decide to put up with the poor Euro exchange rate, Amsterdam is a place to seriously consider. If I were you, I'd want a vacation experience that is as opposite your recent months experience as I could possibly find.

dlish

hey u could always come to dubai (the UAE dirham is pegged to the dollar..at 3.65dhs to the $)..but then again if your in the military..and arab country is the last thing on your mind!

jelly fish in oz - yes it is a seasonal problem especially up north.

i wouldnt recommend sydney to brisband..id do brisbane to sydney cos u will be driving on the 'sea-side'of the road (us aussies drive on the left)

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MaxPowers

thinking about Australia and going scuba diving in the great barrier reef. will probably be expensive though. I can get my certification here for $300. I will probably go in november