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  • #91
    Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

    Originally posted by Gibber View Post
    I'm shooting a friend's wedding near Rockland (or is it Rockport?) Maine in August (21st) and am looking to finally spend a few days in Acadia National Park (either before or after). Looking for advice on how to best spend a couple of days there, relatively inexpensively. I'd like to at least do some hiking (not too far, yet) and photograph some good scenic stuff...

    I've casually begun to browse some websites for some ideas, but if anyone here has spent some time there and has any suggestions, I'd appreciate it!

    I sent you an email but I forgot to mention that when you are in Bar Harbor take a tour of The Jackson Laboratory. You'll walk right by my office (it actually gets kind of annoying in the summer, they always stop outside my office and talk for a few minutes before continuing on). Most people only dream of such a privilege

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    • #92
      Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

      Originally posted by MadTownSioux View Post
      National park to put on your 'Don't Miss' list - Yosemite. Just the most amazing scenery ever. We went the week after Labor Day, and there were NO crowds. It was wonderful - the weather was great. The biggest problem was that Yosemite falls was dry. But the other falls weren't.
      Half Dome from Glacier point:
      ***********

      El Capitan from the valley floor
      ***********

      Also, be sure to get out of the valley - see the sequoias, Hech Hechy, the back country, hike up to Half dome, etc.

      I want to climb the Nose on El Capitan. I have a friend that is a park ranger at Yosemite. I should go visit him sometime and maybe we can take it on.

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      • #93
        Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

        Originally posted by BassAle View Post
        I want to climb the Nose on El Capitan. I have a friend that is a park ranger at Yosemite. I should go visit him sometime and maybe we can take it on.
        Wow, good luck with that! It would be awesome.
        Fighting Sioux Forever

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        • #94
          Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

          Originally posted by MadTownSioux View Post
          Wow, good luck with that! It would be awesome.
          I'm a bad climber, and I've never done any aid/big wall climbing, so I don't think it will happen real soon. I am super interested in doing it though.

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          • #95
            Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

            Those are phenomenal pictures, MadTownSioux, thanks for posting them!
            Cornell University Men's Hockey
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            • #96
              Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

              Originally posted by Probert View Post
              Going to New Zealand on Tuesday
              So? How'd you like it?
              Boston College Eagle Hockey » "We want our players to leave here with a diploma in one hand and a ring in the other." - Jerry York

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              "I said, it's all in our hands / got to learn to respect what we don't understand /we are fortunate ones, fortunate ones, I swear."

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              • #97
                Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

                Originally posted by Zudnic View Post
                So? How'd you like it?
                Just got back yesterday and greatly enjoyed myself. Biggest disappointment was missing Milford Sound as the night before we were supposed to go there was a big rainfall and numerous landslides and the road in was closed for about 5 days.

                Spent my first week in Auckland with a friend and the 5 days I spend there was probably too much but it also had the benefit of free room.

                Enjoyed the Auckland Museum immensely and the Maritime Museum is excellent if you enjoy boats. Spent a day on Ragittoto and climbed One (Gone) Tree Hill and Mt Eden one day. We also went down to Hamilton to catch a Rugby game one night. Did go to Sky Tower and got in for free as my friends girlfriend works for the casino which owns the tower.

                Spent the other two days in the Bay of Islands. Went to Cape Reinga, 96 mile beach and some other out of the way coves and beaches in the area. Did a boat cruise the other day and saw some dolphins and penguins. About a week after I was there it was in the news as a pod of Orca's attacked some dolphins right in front of a tour boat.

                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJaRjEs8-Ko

                I did the South Island and Wellington/Rotorua in the North on a tour because basically that was the only was I could fit in as many sights in the 3 weeks I got for vacation.

                Really enjoyed Queenstown would have liked to have an extra day or two there. I did the Dart jetboat which was nice but the other parts of the 6 hour adventure were a bit overrated as it included a 45 minute ride each way to and from Glenorchy and 45 minutes free time in Glenorchy, population 256 with 2 stores and 2 restaurants. The ride and walk thorugh the countryside to catch the jetboat were pretty interesting though. The gondola ride and view from above the city and lake were incredible.

                In Otago I visited the yellow eyed penguin reserve and nature cruise which were great as we saw several penguins in the reserve, one molting it's feathers another one coming in from fishing for the day and a small baby. On the wildlife cruise we saw the albatrosses, which are incredible to see in flight with their wingspan but when you see them on the water they look like a big seagull, also Dusky and Hector dolphins, they look like baby killer whales and another penguin out fishing.

                I didn't hit the Antarctic Center in Christchurch because both day we were there we got in around 4 in the afternoon and left the next morning so I didn't have a whole lot of time though I did get to the museum to check out their exhibit. I also enjoyed the Tranz Alpine train ride. We stayed at Fox Glacier and unfortunately only got to go view the glacier.

                We stopped for lunch in Kaikoura but only stopped briefly to see a large bunch of seals lounging by the ocean. Though we had quite a few around the boat in Otago and Bay of Islands.

                Te Papa in Wellington was very good and spent most of the day after the ferry ride there.

                In Rotorua they took us to the Agrodome show which wasn't that great but I went to Te Puia and enjoyed looking at the geyers and hot springs. We also went to a Kiwi Encounter which was interesting as we got to see Kiwi eggs, they take them when they are eggs hatch them and keep them until they are about 2lbs to help them survive, several that had just hopped and then go into a dark house where we got to see 3 of them shuffling about. This was a little different then some of the others as there was no glass or anything between us and the kiwi I basically looked over a small wall and there was the kiwi poking in the ground.

                I greatly enjoyed our night at the Hangi. Got chosen to do the Hongi. ceremonial greeting with the warrior, will teach me to sit down front, also did the Haka.

                The glow worm caves with the exception of the 5-10 minutes we were on the boat in the glow worm cave was just like every other cave I was in. it was interesting to see the glowing worms but I was glad I didn't pay extra to go to another glow worm cave.

                I thought the food was good but not a whole lot different from England. We had the same breakfast every day at the hotels the typical English b-fast eggs, bacon, hashbrowns. For main courses being in the NYC area their huge amount of Chinese and Indian restaurants didn't do a whole lot for me and it was tough to eat lamb fish and chips for 3 weeks. I was surprised that venison was expensive as it was since we saw quite a few deer farms.

                I thought the beer okay but I tend to like German and Belgian beers, both Mac's and Speights had a few I liked the Speights Gold Medal Ale and Mac's Great White. I enjoyed Galbraiths brew pub in Auckland and a chain of Belgian pubs Occidental were excellent.
                Last edited by Probert; 04-02-2010, 08:27 PM.
                Oswego State Lakers 2007 NCAA Div III Champs

                Adirondack Red Wings 4 time Calder Cup Champs 81,86,89 & 92

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                • #98
                  Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

                  Originally posted by Gibber View Post
                  I'm shooting a friend's wedding near Rockland (or is it Rockport?) Maine in August (21st) and am looking to finally spend a few days in Acadia National Park (either before or after). Looking for advice on how to best spend a couple of days there, relatively inexpensively. I'd like to at least do some hiking (not too far, yet) and photograph some good scenic stuff...

                  I've casually begun to browse some websites for some ideas, but if anyone here has spent some time there and has any suggestions, I'd appreciate it!
                  If you get a chance to go out on a schooner, I'd recommend it. We did it out of Camden, which is on the way from Rockland or Rockport to BH. A little corny but on a day with some wind it is worth doing. Of course, Route 1 in August is not a quick way to get somewhere.

                  I would take full advantage of Acadia for hiking or biking...the view from Cadillac Mtn will get a few good pictures for you. I've never been a fan of whale watches but we did go out on one of the small boats that does the harbor area and we had a good time with the kids looking at seals, birds and other things you might miss on a high speed whale boat.

                  Depending on when you leave Rockport/Rockland there are decent places for lunch in Lincolnville and Castine...Lincolnville is right on the side of the road, Castine, you have to head a few minutes off the highway.

                  We also liked heading into Northeast Harbor for a bit...if you play golf, the course is an old Maine course that we enjoyed each time we played. The Asticou is a really nice place for lunch, but not cheap.

                  Lastly, a kayak tour in just about town is also worth it. You are from up that way so you might be less impressed than those from farther away but I never had a bad kayak trip in Maine.
                  I believe in life, and I believe in love, but the world in which I live in keeps trying to prove me wrong.

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                  • #99
                    Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

                    A friend of mine and I are looking to fly out to Las Vegas for a week in late-August; any suggestions for while we're there? My goal is to not look like your typical tourist...
                    Facebook: bcowles920 Instagram: missthundercat01
                    "One word frees us from the weight and pain of this life. That word is love."- Socrates
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                    • Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

                      Originally posted by ShirtlessBob View Post
                      A friend of mine and I are looking to fly out to Las Vegas for a week in late-August; any suggestions for while we're there? My goal is to not look like your typical tourist...
                      When I went with some friends, we dressed nice in the evening (although I was dressed up 100% of the time): business casual minimum, but that was just us. We like "old-style" Vegas.

                      Must hits:
                      Bellagio fountains. At night, they are gorgeous.

                      Venetian/Bellagio/(I hear) Wynn. Beautiful beautiful casinos. Just walk around, maybe play a table or two, but everything about them is awesome.

                      Take in a "lounge" show at one of the nicer casinos (like the ones mentioned above). These aren't your Wayne Newton/cheesy shows. It's usually a cover band, but it's nice and relaxing.

                      Have no plan. You walk by a place you want to check out? Check it out. We found a couple nice clubs/places to eat because of it. One of my faves was Rumjungle. Trapeze artists were flying over the dance floor, and they have a HUGE wall of rum. Huge.

                      Word of note: places don't really get hopping until at least midnight. At least. Adjust your schedule.
                      Never really developed a taste for tequila. Kind of hard to understand how you make a drink out of something that sharp, inhospitable. Now, bourbon is easy to understand.
                      Tastes like a warm summer day. -Raylan Givens

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                      • Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

                        Here's travel advice:

                        Screw volcanoes.
                        Old Monster Records

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                        • Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

                          Originally posted by Rimbaud View Post
                          Here's travel advice:

                          Screw volcanoes.
                          I would not follow that advice. You could burn your dick.

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                          • Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

                            I would love to be in Iceland right now. I'd so go down there and check it out. Not that there's much else to do between Selfoss and Höfn..
                            Boston College Eagle Hockey » "We want our players to leave here with a diploma in one hand and a ring in the other." - Jerry York

                            Try FantasyCollegeHockey.com

                            sigpic

                            "I said, it's all in our hands / got to learn to respect what we don't understand /we are fortunate ones, fortunate ones, I swear."

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                            • Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

                              Jumping in with where I've been (not a huge list, but not bad for a 22 year old )

                              Stealing Puck Swami's format, because I like it...

                              USA/Canada:

                              Exceptional:
                              New York (grew up 12 miles from there, so it hardly counts as travel, but whatever), Boston, Montreal

                              Enjoyed:
                              Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Jackson Hole, Baltimore, Williamsburg, Tampa/Clearwater, Lexington, Portland (ME), Savannah, Burlington (VT), Yellowstone National Park

                              Lukewarm:
                              Hartford, Pittsburgh, Orlando, Louisville, New Orleans (too young to appreciate it when I was there)

                              Not a Fan of:
                              Atlanta

                              Europe:

                              Exceptional: London, Bordeaux

                              Enjoyed: Paris, Lubeck, Madrid, Zurich, Barcelona, Edinburgh, Segovia, Avila, Toledo, York, Oxford, Swansea, Lucerne, San Sebastian, Lisbon, El Algarve, Toulouse, Albi, Marlborough, Avebury

                              Lukewarm: Geneva, Nice, Cannes, Lugano, Stonehenge, Mainz

                              Not a Fan of: Frankfurt(hated the airport, didn't love the city)

                              Latin America/Caribbean:

                              Enjoyed: Puerto Rico and Aruba, the only two places I've been.


                              Asia:

                              Exceptional: Beijing, Kyoto

                              Enjoyed: Tokyo, Xi'an
                              "You miss 100% of the shots you never take." - Wayne Gretzky

                              Photography

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                              • Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

                                Has anyone done Amtrak??

                                Here's the dream trip (with the wife, of course)

                                Fly to Chicago
                                Empire Builder to Seattle -- jump off in Glacier National Park
                                Pacific Coastline to LA -- jump off in SF
                                Sunset Limited to New Orleans -- jump off @ San Antonio
                                Crescent back to Washingon DC

                                Anywhere from 2/3 weeks to a month on the rails.

                                Expensive, yes. Scenery should be great and with a sleeper (with or without shower???) we'll have some privacy.
                                CCT '77 & '78
                                4 kids
                                5 grandsons (BCA 7/09, CJA 5/14, JDL 8/14, JFL 6/16, PJL 7/18)
                                1 granddaughter (EML 4/18)

                                ”Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.”
                                - Benjamin Franklin

                                Banned from the St. Lawrence University Facebook page - March 2016 (But I got better).

                                I want to live forever. So far, so good.

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