I can go to any country, with the caveat that my mom would accompany me for part of it. I don’t want to go someplace I’ve already been, so it can’t be Taiwan, Canada, France, Germany, Morocco, Japan, Mexico, Ireland, or Argentina. I’m from the US and don’t want to go to a state I’ve already been to either. I want somewhere that feels very different.
The reason that this is a hard decision is because my mom is up there in age and can’t swim. I would really like to beach and party at least some of the time, but I don’t want to do that with her because we’re not the type to drink and do drugs in front of each other. The idea is that it would be 2 weeks for me and 1 for her, so we would start off together and then I’d be let loose and she’d fly home. When she is there we would do shorter hikes, visit museums, shop, and do normal tourist things. When she is gone I want to party and swim, so I need a place that is rich in both culture and unzh unzh.
The other issue is that it has to be June, and some places we would both be really interested in like Thailand and Vietnam would be too hot for me. Or would they? Idk, that’s why I’m asking.
I would love to visit any country tbh but some would be less fun with my mom. Like in Kazakhstan I’d want to ride horses and sleep in yurts and it’ll just be different with her since she can’t do those things, so I will save that for solo travel. This also may be the last trip we take together so I want to make her happy. I bet the best option is Thailand in winter but June is when I won’t be employed.
My thoughts: Costa Rica–plenty to see and do with her, warm oceans for me after, many activities, but we only speak French, Chinese, Taiwanese, and English.
Cuba–same as above but could be difficult for US citizens?
Puerto Rico–I know it’s part of the US but I haven’t been and my only concern is the stability
Turkey–I was a history major with a focus on the Ottoman Empire so historical site would be fascinating to me, and I love cats, and there would be a lot of things I’d love to see while she’s there and plenty of beaches for me.
South Korea–her idea. I think if we go there not speaking Korean we might struggle to have a good time without a strong itinerary. I want to go to Korea with a person who speaks Korean and can show me more authentic things so I don’t just feel like I’m walking around looking at skyscrapers without a good itinerary. I’d also want to save up for some plastic surgery before going, lol.
New Zealand–only con is a long flight for a trip that will be on the short side for her if she’s only going for a week.
Scotland–I bet we’d both love it but it seems a bit quiet and more the kind of trip I’ve want to take with a lover.
Portugal, Croatia, etc…
To be clear I’m not trying to say that any of these countries would be bad to go to, just that they may not be ideal for a half-family half-solo trip. Other places I want to visit, like Iceland and Alaska, won’t offer the kind of swimming I want to do.
I’d also like to get a bit slutty on the back half. Like it’s actually really important to me that I get to make out with random strangers and do something stupid and stumble home
Color me interested, I’ve been meaning to get to the balkans for a decade now on any number of recommendations. What is the food like in Albania? What Plato stage is that? What took you over there in the first place and why did you decide to stay? I’m interested in hearing as much as you’re interested in sharing. How’s the public transport/healthcare? Natural environment, clean air and water? What kind of ruins are there?
There’s a plaque in Byllis that says Plato had given talks there. You can just walk up and stand where he was. The food is great. Did you know that celery has flavor? It’s not just crunchy water. Same with tomatoes, even the heirloom tomatoes in the US don’t have shit on any random tomato I’ve had here. Tirana is a little smoggy. In the winter when everyone is burning wood for heat, the air all around Albania bothers a lot of Americans. I lived in California, it never seems bad to me. I haven’t had problems with the water anywhere. There are busses between most cities, and usually a local bus in the cities. Healthcare is cheap. Doctor visits are around $25 with no insurance. I’ve never had labs cost more than $100. We came here because getting a permanent visa to an EU country is a pain in the ass. Albania has chill immigration laws, and we were tired of living to work and never getting ahead. We went in with a bunch of friends and managed to buy a house in the bad part of Oakland, CA so we didn’t have to keep dealing with rent increases, but the insurance increases we’re more than the rent increases ever were. We realized that we’d never be able to retire, and tried something insane.
Thanks very much for the information, very cool about Byllis. A lot of your motivation rings familiar. The bland produce and meat is one of the worst parts of visiting the US, buying food that’s been processed to mush or frozen for weeks or months is crazy and offensive in so many countries. Good to know about the smog, although I tolerate woodsmoke a lot better than industrial byproduct. And yea, US housing is also insulting.
Retiring 40 years early was maybe my biggest motivation to continue living abroad. Congratulations, I’m glad living abroad is working out for both of you. And thanks for bringing eastern Europe back onto my radar.
You made a very sane choice.