ORIGINAL: edentowers

We're also on a 3 week trip to the US in about 10 weeks time - taking in New York, Washington, Chicago, Denver, Durango, Los Angeles & San Francisco.

Colin, I hope you'll find some time to go for a ride on this...


http://www.durangotrain.com/

The drive from Denver to Durango is beautiful. We stopped at an amazing old hotel in Ouray. Hard to think it was over 18 years ago.

Nice to know that I've been some places that Space hasn't though. We stayed with friends in Hanover, NH a few years back. A year after that we joined them for a week in their family's wonderful beachside holiday home in Cape Cod.

I was born in England but brought up in Australia (Melbourne, Victoria and Burnie, Tasmania) and Hong Kong.

Phillip - I think that's more or less exactly the same train we take for one of the legs of the journey.

I just wish we'd bought our dollars last year when we could get $2 for every £1 GBP

ORIGINAL: Bristol_Jonesey

ORIGINAL: RobertB

I can think of one big reason to go to Durango.
If my guess is correct, try to swing by Alamosa. It's on the way from Denver to Durango.

What happens there then mate? Chances of us making a detour are zero as we're on a train.

Well, if you are going by train, you will most likely go through Glennwood Canyon, which is a very different direction, but amazing in its own right.
Alamosa is close to an operating rail museum (the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad). They have a bunch of working equipment from the old narrow gauge railroads here in Colorado, including rotary snow plows, which they run in special Winter trains. I have been building a model based on the Rio Grande Southern, which terminated in Durango, for several years. Part of the fun is just researching the history of the area. My travels have contributed to my being a rabid history buff, and I really enjoy getting into some local history. Plus, steam engines are just to cool.

Whoever said that the Silverton-Ouray-Durango trek was great understated it. And the train ride is special.

ORIGINAL: SteveStrummerUK

So, where have your travels taken you in life

Barry Island.


Unfortunately it was open

+1 for Barry Island!!!!!!

The last time I was there was when we stopped off for a football match, Bristol Rovers v Swansea.

It was open then.

Barry Island - Luxury!!

When I was a kid my gran had a static caravan on a site at Beachhome holiday camp nr Cleethorpes

What can I say about Beachholme - it was like a Butlins but without the amenities or the fun

They had a camp compare who was the image of Ted Bovis (if you can remember him from Hi de Hi)
someone stole the mic stand from the club one night, so they attached the mic to a broom handle
propped up against a stool - CLASS

still ... it was my first taste of chicken in a basket - what a treat!!!

ORIGINAL: edentowers

Barry Island. There's wonderful isn't it?

From distant memory I recall things floating down the log flume that would suggest the ride was part of the South Wales sewage infrastructure

I went through a phase where I was taking 2-4 week vacations (working some too) where I would move my family into a house in France, Spain, Italy... and try to assimilate into the local culture. You learn a lot more that way.

With France, I also had the good fortune to rent an apartment in St Germain in late December 1999 - putting us in the heart of the city (not so much the touristy side) for the big NY 2000 bash.

That is the way I prefer to travel now - stay in one place long enough to learn the culture. It is so much different than seeing 10 countries in 5 days - aka If its Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium.

Having said that, there is so much to see in the US. Two years back, I took my son camping in Yellow Stone for a week - out in the North Eastern part of the park - no running water, no electricity - 5 miles down gravel roads to get to about 30 campsite that was next to a big creek (Slough Creek). We had animals coming through our campsite constantly, though the only grizzly we saw was about 5 miles out as we were driving to a small Montana town at the NE exit of the park.

Been down to Big Bend a few times - another gorgeous area. Alaska - man - awe inspiring. Nebraska - nah - just kidding. One of the six states I have never made it too. I was thinking about buying an abandoned silo for the world's biggest reverb chamber.

The San Juan Islands - in the NW corner of Washington State - also some of the most scenic parts of our country. Orcas Island, Friday Harbor... It is amazing - and totally unlike being anywhere close to Seattle (no offense Bit Flipper - I like Seattle).

There are desolate parts of Florida that are lovely. The islands off NC are nice. The UP is kind of cool, though i am not a huge fan of Detroit. Martha's Vineyard - kinda cool. Santa Fe. Red Rock country in AZ. Eureka CA - a victorian gold rush town. So many great places in the US. And all so different.
Canada has some fabulous

There is a ton of the US

Here are some of the places I've been:

USA - Every state except Hawaii, Alaska, Maine, Vermont, Montana, North Dakota
Canada - Toronto, Windsor, Ottowa, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Calgary, Vancouver
Mexico - Victoria, Monterrey, Tampico, Cozumel, Tijuana
Cayman Islands
UK - London, Chichester, Portsmouth, Durham, Darlington, Daventry, Oxford, Birmingham, Manchester
France - Paris, Nice, Lyon, Port D`Ail, Dijon
Monaco - Monte Carlo
Italy - Rome, Venice, Florence, Verona, Milan
Germany - Munich, Frankfurt, Gross Gerau, Bad Schoenborn, Zweibrücken, Heidelberg, Weisbaden
Austria -Salzburg
Netherlands - Amsterdam

I can now proudly add central PA to my list of places I have been. Other than State College, there aint much there.

I like some grew up as a military brat and then due to business I traveled extensively. So here is my list by country or state. The cities I can say have been numerous.

Alaska; Hawaii; Washington; Oregon; California (lived there off and on); Idaho (live there now); Nevada; Arizona; Utah; New Mexico; Colorado; Texas; Oklahoma; Kansas (lived there for 2 years); Minnesota; Missouri; Iowa; Ohio; Wisconsin; Illinois; Indiana; Louisiana; Arkansas; Tennessee (Even been to Graceland); Georgia; Florida (lived there for 5 years); Virgina; District of Columbia; New York; New Jersey; Pennsylvania; Delaware; Maryland & Alabama.

Philippines (2years); Japan (2 years in Misawa; 2 years in Tokyo); Canada (Quebec City and Montreal); Mexico (Guadalajara); Germany (1 month - Cologne, Wiesbaden, Bergneustadt, Gumasbach); Denmark (Copenhagen and Ballerup 3 weeks); Netherlands (Amsterdam).

I've lived in OK, WI & MO, Papua New Guinea and Ontario, Canada.
Visited several states, inc. Alaska and Hawaii and several provinces (all west of Ontario) and been to WAY too many airports!

ORIGINAL: rob.pulman

Mod bod - that's so refreshing to see you mentioning Wales. The vast majority of folks across the pond only usually mention England, Scotland or Ireland, and never mention the most scenic and beautiful area of the UK - Wales. I'm Welsh, we have our own language and culture, and we are probably alongside New Zealand in our obsession with the best game on Earth - Rugby Union. (pity we can't quite match NZ on the pitch though). Hope you liked it, and come back some day.

Hi Rob

All joking aside (i.e. my many references to Barry Island/taking your mud home etc), I also think Wales is a beautiful place and is my holiday destination of choice.

Over the years, I've spent many a happy summer both as a child and latterly with my own kids at a variety of destinations; Amroth probably being my favourite. This year we're heading oop north for a week near Pwllheli - it's a perfect spot, with beaches and plenty of amusements for the kids and we'll only be a short drive away from a day's trip around Snowdonia.

This is, to me, the lure of Wales, you're never very far from stunning scenery - I'm guessing you caught a few of my pics from our recent trip to the Elan Valley?

As to the rugby, I have to agree with your assessment - I remember at school that any lad who spoke with a Welsh accent was automatically picked for the rugby team without even having had to display his prowess!

Mind you, I'm fortunate enough to have watched the game through the seventies and can reel off the names of those Welsh wizards... the likes of Barry John, Gareth Edwards, Phil Bennett, JPR, JJ, Gerald Davies, big Merv etc etc... marvellous!


Steve