Bonjour guys!

It’s been a while and I wanted to say HELLO again! I just spent a fabulous week in France and had the most amazing time of my life. I fell in love with Paris. I got to see the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, and much more. It was so cool experiencing another culture. I feel like this trip has opened up my eyes, and it makes me want to travel even more to see what else is out there! The world is so big, and yet so small.

Have you ever taken a vacation that has changed your life? I’d love to hear your fabulous stories!

Hi Valerie… I love to travel!! Always very exciting to experience different scenery, foods, smells, routines, customs, people… glad you enjoyed Paris! I have only been to Paris one time for one day while traveling thru Europe… but would like to go again and spend more time.

I recently returned from Kaua’i. I have never been to the Hawaiian islands & feel tranformed. I would move there today if I could swing it. A very relaxed way of life surrounded by beauty!

Can’t wait to experience more travels & find another special place in which I feel that I would drop everything & move there in a heart beat…. enjoy your travels & the many experiences that come with the adventure!

@Valerie Lovely to have you back and so glad you had fun!
@Brandi So nice to see you! :) I would LOVE to go to Kaua’i!

For me it would have to be my trips that I took to see my best friends in Colorado. As soon as I saw those Rocky Mountains, I fell in love for sure. It is has been a while since I have been but I can still feel the air like it was yesterday. I want to go back!!

hi valerie, i am happy you have enjoyed your trip to France, i have been to many countries, and that opened my eyes to lots of things, and made me more acceptable and accepting others what ever they are. it is a rewarding experience. enjoy

Welcome back Valerie!
I think many of my travels have been a start of life chapters for me. They are that intense, it can be that life changing. Some places that started a new chapter in my life: London, Okinawa, Busan(Pusan), Granada, Hong Kong, Maienfeld, San Francisco, Adelaide, Rome, Montréal, and Allentown, PA.
History, architecture, friendly people, and food, I think are the connecting factors?! :) Love to hear destination recommendations!

Yesss :3
I just came back from Korea. It was the most wonderful summer of my life!
I want to go back for college! I want to get a job and save money so I can buy myself a ticket and go back for next summer! I want to live there forever……….!!!!!!!! I know it sounds stupid, lol. But w/e its what I really wanttttt.

Hi Ji Young! Wow, your trip must have been really special. Just take it one step at a time. You’d be surprised you’re almost there knocking at the doorstep of opportunities. This forum is a family. I’m sure you’ll meet a lot of new friends willing to help you towards your dreams. :)

I visited America (North Carolina) about 30 years ago and I found it absolutely amazing. There were shops open all through the night, drive-in movies and even drive through MacDonalds – you could get served without getting out of the car! I also loved the hash browns. I had never seen any of these things before as they certainly didn’t exist where I lived (North Wales, UK). Now they are all common place (except the drive-in movies as it rains too much here), but I often wonder whether I would see other different new exciting things if I went to America again, or if the world has become more homogeneous over time …..

Wow your stories sound so amazing!
@Mair: It’s interesting to hear that you were amazed by drive through McDonalds! This is something that is so common in the states. :) Maybe it’s a bad thing….lol
@Oliver: eduFire is so amazing because we are able to connect with people all over the world
@ Jiyoung: I don’t think you’re crazy! I visited Paris only for 1 week, and I want to move there already! You can do whatever you want in life….just be focused!
@Wren: Thanks for the welcome back! Wow, I’m jealous! You’ve visited so many places! Lucky you! Did you go for vacation or for work?
@Abdul: What is your favorite state in the US?
@Debbie: I have never been to Colorado, but I heard it was absolutely beautiful. I must make a trip there soon.

Come on guys! I know more of you have taken dream vacations! Share your stories!

Well I want to go on a vacation so hopefully I can add to this thread in the future! lol :)

I’ll be waiting for your response.

I visited Napa Valley last week. Not only was the visit a nice mini-vacation, but also it could be classified as a trip to another world. LOL

(I heard a rumor that Debbie’s coming to the States next week to have tea in San Francisco. I wonder who’s picking her up at SFO.)

Woah! Really?! I like that rumour very much!! lol

@valerie, each state has its own beauty which is different to the other, my longest period i have ever spent in a state was new york and Colorado, but i love the rest too;
Miami, Florida for the ocean and the Latin music
south and north Carolina for the beauty of the countryside
California for the diversity of the population and the ocean
Montana and Wyoming for yellow stone national park which i adore
Texas for the cowboys and the hats which i love
Mississippi and Alabama for the their accent
Nevada has nothing but casinos which i do not like very much
Utah is not very interesting but the people are fantastic as human being
Tennessee for the countryside and its people are very simple
Kansas and Missouri are not very interesting
Michigan is so cold and gloomy, did not like it and it is full of Arabs
Washington, Seattle is full of crazy people and i like craziness
i can write books about the characteristics of each state but i am too busy teaching
i am waiting you to visit Alex.

Hey Valerie,

sounds like you had a great trip… Paris is a beautiful city…been there a few times and will be back there again no doubt…

I guess my vacation that changed my life was to San Francisco a few years back…went for 2 weeks….met some cool people and then came home worked for another year…then quit my job and headed to SF to play music….ended up spending 9 months there over about a year and a half, just playing gigs, meeting new friends….and having amazing experiences…and again, I will be back there someday….something about leaving my heart there….haha

here’s to amazing places!!!!

Ciao Andrew! What made you go to San Francisco in the first place? Job? Family? A girl? LOL
I’ve never been to California, but I have been to Oregon, which is just North of Cali. Portland is an amazing city, and I loved the variety of food there. I tried some really interesting things (Thanks Koichi !), like Maple Bacon donuts (literally a donut glazed with Mapple and a piece of bacon on top!) Sounds weird, but it was da bomb! (amazing!) I love to travel. I need to win the lottery.

@DJ Noelle I also heard that after Debbie goes to SFO, she’ll be on a trans-continental flight heading to Miami to have tea with Me! LOL

Hey Valerie N,

went there the first time as I had made some connections online, while I was planning a move to NY….(but that’s a whole different song….hehe) so I played some open mics while holidaying in SF…. and I just loved the vibe of the place so decided to move there for a while…. hmmm….Donuts…use to get some froma 24hr place…..sometimes at 3am….not a good idea….haha…. but those days are gone…healthy living for me nowadays….

had planned on going up to Portland….but alas life took me in a different direction for a while…

but hey, lots of travelling to be done yet….

@DJ and Valerie! Please keep these rumours circulating! Is this a ‘tea tour’ that I am on? lol
@Andrew I am totally jealous that you spent 9 months in SF!

I need more stories of travelling adventures! :)

Valerie how cool!!
For me, Paris is the most beautiful city in the world! I am so happy you could get to know such beautiful Parisian sites ^^
I had the luck to stay there for last New Year`s Eve with my family and it was really amazing… the only bad thing is all the scattered green glass you find the morning after, as people get a bit crazy and throw the Champagne bottles all over ….. I took my lovely beagle dog with us, and fortunately I had packed her booties, so no paw problems!!
What else did you see in Paris, where else did you go in Montmatre? Did you go elsewhere in France?

Love,

Nelly

@Debbie, would you like someone to come and carry your bags when you go to SF and Miami? If so, I could be persuaded :)))

@Mair I think that sounds like a fantastic idea!
Debbie and and Mair are going to SF and Miami! Now that has a good ring to it! We could stop by to see both Valerie and Enrique in Miami!

@Debbie oh yes please, that would be amazing. If we are flying from London, maybe we could see Marco too. Is Alexandria anywhere nearby? It would be great to see our Hidden Imam. Maybe I should take a geography class ;-)