Travel? What Travel?

So, I turned 40 years old.  Still no trip.  Life has a way of not going as planned.  Instead, I had a big fat party with Pupy Costello and His Big City Honky Tonk.  

I guess going to the Points East Pub and drinking 40 Pabst Blue Ribbons and 8 shots of Jameson (or something like that) can induce hallucinations of travel, but that is about as close as I am getting to this Walkabout.

There is the economy, the two year-old, did I mention I am in the housing construction business?  Yeah.   I could "lose my job" and earn as much as I do now working 10 hours a day 7 days a week.

For the time being, I am eating cake for breakfast.  Yep.

Back in the Saddle

The air is crisper, days shorter, and my birth date is bearing down.  Time to get back to planning.  I will work on some surveys, tools, gadgets and other participatory prompts.  In the meantime, send thought or research-provoking comments.  I am looking for friends in Portland, family in British Columbia, that great Bed & Breakfast, a hidden island, themes, goals, cost-saving tips, all of the above.  Probably need a Sarah Palin reference now in here somewhere.  

Wow, how things change in a few months.   

I still don't have travel dates.  I am inclined to actually travel in summer when this destination will be a tad warmer, but my birthday is in January so I won't rule that month out, although my budget might.  

Let the games begin again.

WINNER!

Northwest North America!  Who could have guessed?

So, I suck at blogging.  It's been months.  But, I have been twittering, so there is that.  I plan to spend the Summer, enjoying Summer.  In Fall, I shall return in earnest to research Portland, British Columbia, Alaska, what else?  So many reasons to love the NWNA, and it never would have been my pick without all of you.  

For now a hiatus, until the travel bug starts to get back under my skin.  Standby.

Narrowing the Field

Thanks for your votes and narratives.  Based on extensive feedback, coupled with personal bias, I now have five contenders.  I am taking new votes and comments, but will also start to research each in more depth.   First, a few clarifications:

1.  Mike will travel with me.  Freddy will not.

2.  Except for major transport legs, we will spend most of the trip non-motorized- likely hiking and walking, perhaps canoeing or biking, depending on destination.  

3.  We would like to visit people you know, if you know people where we go.

4.  The time of year and length of trip will depend on where we go.

5.  We don't plan to tackle the entire scope of each choice- just quality time in a few spots within the selected region.

Send ideas, let me know if you have connections, help persuade me further.  It will be hard to narrow to a finalist, so I will need your help!

Greek Islands and New Zealand Shut Out

I got rid of the extremes,  eliminating destinations with only a few votes, but also axing the two with the most votes.  Yep, the Greek Islands and New Zealand / Australia are out.  Hey, they are my rules and I have my reasons.  Suffice to say that narrative comments often outweighed numbered votes.  I also think there is greater subtle interest in the places in between.  Plus, I had to cut somewhere, and that seemed to make this more interesting!  Bye-bye Mediterranean sails and kiwi adventures.  For what it's worth, I also cut Ireland and the Caribbean since I have been to each destination a few times.  Onward.

Hating on NYC

So.... the only choice with no votes at this point is New York City.  Curious.  I just can't figure it out.  But, you go with your big city hate.  There are no rules.  I guess you can support Al Qeada if you want.  Its America.  

Defending Southeast Asia

Players-  Only a handful of you have weighed in and already I am tantalized.  And horrified.  How could my list exclude what used to be on the top of my list?  That is - Vietnam and Sri Lanka. Well, I know how it happened.  I let you pick the starting list, not me.  I am not sure I am ready yet to relinquish control now that I realize the omissions.  What else is missing?  In fairness to my own self-imposed process, a friend did email yesterday making the case to add Vietnam.  So, I now consider it a viable write-in.  I know I will have to narrow it soon.  Just not yet.  Play on.