I don't on vacations; I just move there
So, I'm in a bit of an odd spot: I'm trying to plan a winter vacation. One week, roughly $1000 budget, narrowed down to three contenders. Votes welcome:
1. Wellington, NZ: I've been here before, and guess what: I like it. Enough that I want to go back for a week. They have NZ amounts of theater, good running trails, lots of live music, and a good friend of mine lives there. And this is my least expensive option, and I could check out my possible grad school's campus while I'm there. On the other hand: the weather sucks. As in, a LOT. And I would kind of like to go somewhere I haven't been before. And I could easily do Wellington later in the year as a weekend trip.
2. Sydney, AUS: I HAVE NOT YET GOTTEN ACROSS "THE DITCH!" This whole (mis)adventure started with wanting to go to Australia, and I haven't been there yet. Sydney would be a brief start, and I'm kind of missing big-city amenities. Like Wellington, they have theater (including what is probably the most famous opera house in the world), lots of live music, good running trails, and shopping, but they *also* have drag queens. World-famous drag queens. And, oh my goodness, do I miss the fabulous sparkles. And beaches. HOWEVER, if I don't get into grad school next fall (NZ time), then I'll go there anyway, in time for Mardi Gras, and possibly live there for a few months. And it isn't much warmer than Gisborne is in the winter time. Which brings us to option number three...
3. The South Coast, Suva, Fiji: This is the most expensive and risky option. After carefully studying the tourist possibilities of several Pacific Island nations, Fiji seems the best set up for the single female vegetarian traveler. (These things must be considered.) They have world-class diving, sandy beaches, surfing that is far too heavy for me to even think about, and, oh yes, it's WARM. There are a lot of young people about, and they tend to be happy, drunk, and friendly. Also, I'm not sure if I would go there if I don't go now. But part of that is my somewhat less than burning desire to visit any teeny, impoverished nation in the middle of nowhere with recurring governmental issues (no jokes, please.) But, then again, SUN and SCUBA.
But this is new to me: before I've either traveled with friends(the Bahamas), family (France, Ireland, most of the USA), or just moved somewhere (London, New Zealand). This whole thing of planning somewhere that I'll go for a week is very bizarre. Whereas, on the other hand, if you told me that I have to move to Australia in two months, I would totally know how to plan for that. I think the only time I've done this before was the first time I went to Cozumel.
1. Wellington, NZ: I've been here before, and guess what: I like it. Enough that I want to go back for a week. They have NZ amounts of theater, good running trails, lots of live music, and a good friend of mine lives there. And this is my least expensive option, and I could check out my possible grad school's campus while I'm there. On the other hand: the weather sucks. As in, a LOT. And I would kind of like to go somewhere I haven't been before. And I could easily do Wellington later in the year as a weekend trip.
2. Sydney, AUS: I HAVE NOT YET GOTTEN ACROSS "THE DITCH!" This whole (mis)adventure started with wanting to go to Australia, and I haven't been there yet. Sydney would be a brief start, and I'm kind of missing big-city amenities. Like Wellington, they have theater (including what is probably the most famous opera house in the world), lots of live music, good running trails, and shopping, but they *also* have drag queens. World-famous drag queens. And, oh my goodness, do I miss the fabulous sparkles. And beaches. HOWEVER, if I don't get into grad school next fall (NZ time), then I'll go there anyway, in time for Mardi Gras, and possibly live there for a few months. And it isn't much warmer than Gisborne is in the winter time. Which brings us to option number three...
3. The South Coast, Suva, Fiji: This is the most expensive and risky option. After carefully studying the tourist possibilities of several Pacific Island nations, Fiji seems the best set up for the single female vegetarian traveler. (These things must be considered.) They have world-class diving, sandy beaches, surfing that is far too heavy for me to even think about, and, oh yes, it's WARM. There are a lot of young people about, and they tend to be happy, drunk, and friendly. Also, I'm not sure if I would go there if I don't go now. But part of that is my somewhat less than burning desire to visit any teeny, impoverished nation in the middle of nowhere with recurring governmental issues (no jokes, please.) But, then again, SUN and SCUBA.
But this is new to me: before I've either traveled with friends(the Bahamas), family (France, Ireland, most of the USA), or just moved somewhere (London, New Zealand). This whole thing of planning somewhere that I'll go for a week is very bizarre. Whereas, on the other hand, if you told me that I have to move to Australia in two months, I would totally know how to plan for that. I think the only time I've done this before was the first time I went to Cozumel.