Travel questions and vacation ideas

[TheRib]

Hi Wildcat,
The suggestions on this thread are all good and from what you have narrowed it down to, it is hard to see how you could go wrong.
For myself, I enjoy walking, and there is no better way to see some of the natural wonders than one step at a time (also keeps you healthy).
You might consider one of the trips from either ElderHostel or Road Scholar (someone has mentioned those).
I have used Country Walkers Walking Vacations, Walking Tours, Hiking Vacations to Ireland, Europe, Italy as well as Walking the World www.walkingthworld.com. There are tons more, but from experience these two organizations will show you things and take you places you could never find on your own. I used Country Walkers to trek in the Banff/Lake Louise area and also part of the Lewis and Clark Traiil in Oregon and Washington. I used Walking the World to trek in Spain and also in Corsica. I would not take for that experience and have two more planned for 2008.
You will have a wonderful trip because the destinations you have on your list are wonderful.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Wildcat, we like to travel independently, but I have a fairly new and expensively learned rule about tour companies/group stuff (meaning that when I took my mom to Italy last year and ended up with her in a hospital emergency room, I'd have given anything for a native speaker to help me out). If I am going to a country where I don't know the language, I'm going to play it safe and have some structure to the trip and an english-speaking guide. Our upcoming trip to Mongolia will be with a guide from start-to-finish, I think.

But in Belize, which I highly recommend for your Central American jaunt, you can move around easily, since it is english speaking. Go it alone there and discover stuff on your own.
FWIW,
Sarah

 

[crazy connie]

I would do the US without a tour group. There are tons of things to see.

I have done the international scene and for my money... I couldn't agree more with BSSC! Also, here at home the $ value can be evaluated and the standards in accomodation easily discerned. If you decide to hit AZ give me a holler and I'll buy coffee or whatever the weather dictates!

 

[CourtneyC]

If you're in the mood to do something completely different, you could try some of the cheaper countries in Asia. I found a flight to China a few months back for $850, and the rest of the trip was extremely inexpensive. Compared to what you will spend in Northern CA, you could probably do China or somewhere in SE Asia for the same price.