Justin works for just about the best non-profit ever, where he gets to do his bit to save our little corner of the world, and has fantastic benefits like 3:1 matching funds for charitable contributions, four weeks paid vacation and a bonus week of vacation between Christmas and New Years. Every year they have a company wide raffle, where several pairs of round trip tickets to anywhere in the world are given away.
Let me just repeat that: Round trip tickets for two, ANYWHERE in the world.
A few days before Christmas we were chatting about the honeymoon, and I mused that it sure would be nice if Justin won the raffle this year, wouldn't it just be nice timing? Three days later, Justin called me at about 9:14 am and said, "I got it". After a moment of confusion, it sunk in that HE. WON. THE. RAFFLE.
(Sorry about yelling here, but holy shit, he WON THE RAFFLE.)
Folks, we have a honeymoon! Now, the question is where to go? The whole world is suddenly open to us, and we have been having a hard time picking a place.
Unfortunately, there are no flights to Antarctica so my top place is out.
When we first got engaged and started talking about where to go on our honeymoon, we were thinking of going to the Balkans- Justin is obsessed with all things Central European, as well as being a poly-sci geek. I am also interested in the region, but am particularly excited about visiting what is supposed to be some of the most beautiful coastline in the world. (Pisces, love water in all its forms, and nothing makes me happier than getting to do my best lizard interpretation by laying on a beach and soaking up the sun until I just can't stand it and have to jump in the water to cool off. Rinse. Repeat.) We have been rethinking this, Europe is close enough to us East Coasters that it doesn't have to be a hugely expensive ticket and is something that we could reasonably afford to pay for ourselves some other time.
Justin is now fixated on South Africa, and while I am moderately interested in going there, my imagination has not been piqued in the same way as his. There are other places in sub-saharan Africa that I am more interested in visiting, although I am certainly not ruling it out.
I would love to visit Thailand, from what I have heard and read it is spectacularly beautiful, with a varied geography (mountains, lowlands, coast) in a relatively small area, so it is easy to see a lot of the country. Let's not forget to mention the spectacular food and the beaches. Ah, the beaches.
So, the question for you, my (four or five, I think) readers is: Where would you go?
Have you been somewhere that you would go back to in a heartbeat?
Have you been somewhere that was so awful you can be wheedled out of lurkdom to warn us away from it?
Is there a place that you have always fantasized about visiting, that would be at the top of your list if someone handed you a free ticket?
We are taking any and all suggestions, and would love to hear from you.
Hi! That is such great news! I would go to Tahiti in a heartbeat. French cuisine, lots of little islands. I bet there is some amazing little inn that is totally out of the way. I would also love to go to Brazil some day. What a fun thing to think about!
Posted by: Meg | January 08, 2007 at 05:57 PM
That is crazy good news. I can't believe you won! Congrats.
Anywhere in the world...well I would go somewhere that I would not be able to afford to go to normally. Africa is an awesome choice. Australia and New Zealand is another because it is so far away thus so expensive. Speaking as someone who just returned from Thailand I think that is a great choice too--especially for a honeymoon. There are so many options...South America, South Pacific, Greece, Egypt...wherever you choose I am sure you will have an amazing trip.
Posted by: Erin | January 08, 2007 at 06:55 PM
Funny you mention Thailand! I'm going in April! So I can give you feedback when I get home if you'd like. I'm actually doing Singapore, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. I will certainly give a full report! Place I've been and would go back: Egypt. In a heartbeat! Absolutely amazing but I'm also a sucker for Egyptology in general. It's also pretty expensive to get there from here...so that might be a good option. Place(s) I want to go: India, all over...and Zambia and Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls and do a canoe safari on the Zambezi River as well as a regular safari in the bush. African travel is a lot of fun. A bit more risky, but completely worth it. That's my 2 cents and CONGRATS on winning!!!
Posted by: Diane | January 09, 2007 at 02:59 PM
Wow. Wow. Wow. Congratulations, C & J - the generosity of GS couldn't happen to a better twosome, or at a better time.
As for destinations, Thailand, Vietnam and/or Cambodia would be my vote for culture, historical context, food and insanely good value. OK, so I haven't been, but my Thai friends and friends who have been to Southeast Asia rave about how gorgeous and how inexpensive it is to travel there, which appeals to my cheapskate ways.
Whereever you go will be lovely.
Cheers!
Posted by: Lily | January 24, 2007 at 07:30 PM
Senegal or West African coast. That's an expensive ticket. New Zealand would be worth it too!
Posted by: Elinor | February 10, 2007 at 08:04 PM
Congrats!
I have to tell you, the Balkans are A-MAY-ZING! or at least, the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia is shocking, utterly, crazy amazing. And the tickets to get there are not cheap, and you can take ferries all over the place, and it's cheap as chips once you get there, and oh man, I want to go back soooooo badly! Unfortunately, it's not the most romantic place in the world in terms of hotels and stuff, they're still all crazy post-Soviet.
Posted by: ann | February 23, 2007 at 12:27 PM
Great work.
Posted by: Kuniko | October 29, 2008 at 11:33 AM