Kids/Teens Book Club discussion

A lot of us here at Kids/Teens book club live all over. But we also want to (or get to) travel all over. Post here about your dream vacations, your favorite places you've been, and so on!

I want to go to London or Washington D.C.

Australia, the UK, Italy, and France. :)

I really want to go to Australia. I almost had a chance this summer, and I'm still really mad that I can't.

I want to visit every continent at least once in my life. At the moment, I have been to a total of two, although I've been to multiple places in each.

Let's see...

Taylor's dream trip takes her from little Arizona, U.S.A. to Europe. She would spend about a week in England, mostly in London but with a trip to Warwick Castle and a few other countryside areas. She'd spend a few days in Ireland. Then she would head to Paris for about two weeks, also making some day trips but mostly taking in the City of Lights. From there she would head to Florence, Italy, and probably spend about three days there. Next would be Rome, for about a week, including a boat trip to the island of Montecristo and a day trip to Naples/Pompeii. Finally she would spend a week in Greece, taking time to see Athens, Olympia and Crete among other things.

The furthest I have been from home is Hawaii. Which is still part of the United States. Yeah, I've only been to two countries. And one continent, which is the one I live on. I need to get out more.

And that trip? That's my "someday" trip that will probably be added to and may be taken in chunks. There are places I want to visit all over the globe though.

Rae*Gnomey* wrote: "Australia, the UK, Italy, and France. :)"
Ive been to all of the above :P

Firstly, here is a list of the places Ive been:
-London
-Amsterdam
-Paris
-Venice
-Rome
-Sydney
And a whole bunch of places in New Zealand & practically everywhere in Australia except Darwin.

My favorite place would be either Paris or London, depending on my mood. Its a toss of the coin for my favorite. They were both so amazing and beautiful.
Venice comes at a very close third.
I'll have to post some of my photos here at some stage...maybe :)

In the future, I would love to go all over Europe. Quite literally every country. I am in love with Europe.
Also, New York, San Francisco & Las Vegas are high on my list.

I'll post some stories and my favorite photos from my Europe trip later on. There are some great/interesting ones :)

I love Canada. Sorry, that was a little random.

Jessica- New York is great. I live one or two states away, so I've been there a few times, but it never gets old.

Taylor- I'm going to Arizona this Summer! I can't wait.

Jess- I think you will enjoy Vegas. I live so close and have been so many times that it isn't terribly exciting but out-of-towners and people who've never been love it.

Rose- I will say the same thing for Arizona as I will for Vegas. I can't really give a perspective on coming here on vacation as I've lived here for 17 years. What are you planning on doing while you're in AZ?

We're going to the Grand Canyon, thinking about a jeep tour. We're also going to phoenix to do whatever we think looks good. Have any suggestions?

Taylor wrote: "Jess- I think you will enjoy Vegas. I live so close and have been so many times that it isn't terribly exciting but out-of-towners and people who've never been love it.

Rose- I will say the same..."

That's how I feel about New York City. It's a fairly ordinary place for me. I mean, I love going to shows and things, but I kind of take it for granted, although I wouldn't want to live there. That being said, I know it's one of the most magical places in the world for some people, but my perspective is skewed.

I went to Ireland this summer. It was really awesome! (My family kind of got addicted to Gaelic football and hurling, but that's another story. Although they too, are quite awesome) Anyway, I've decided that Ireland is one of the best places ever.

Oh yeah, I also want to go to New Zealand.

Rose(ninja) wrote: "We're going to the Grand Canyon, thinking about a jeep tour. We're also going to phoenix to do whatever we think looks good. Have any suggestions?"

I've lived here for 17 years and I've actually never been to the Grand Canyon... Anyways. Phoenix, depending on what you like to do, can be pretty cool. I'd say check and see if there are any festivals or events going on that you'd be interested in. The Arizona Science Center is cool if you're into stuff like that. There are a few places outside of Phoenix that are cool... Sedona is gorgeous.

Kate, New Zealand is beautiful :)
I went there in 2004, when I was in year 3, so I probably didnt appreciate it as much as I should have. Its really an amazing place though :D

Taylor and Kate, I know what you mean about taking Vegas & New York for granted. Ive been to Sydney so many times, I get surprised when people on this site say: "I am desperate to go to Sydney!". If I wanted to, that could be a weekend trip for me :)

Taylor, Sedona is more than gorgeous. I just googled it :O

Incredible, right? I haven't been to Sedona in ages. There's this gorgeous chapel that's built right into the side of one of the cliffs...



When I was there I was about 9, so I could probably appreciate its beauty more now. Still pretty incredible.

Thats definitely incredible! I love this picture:

Oh! I almost forgot about this one!



They call this one "Snoopy Rock".

Sedona is a SUPER artsy town. There are some really neat houses and little chotchki shops if you drive all around. And some really great little mom-and-pop restaurants.

hahaha :) Thats awesome.
I'll look into that a little more, I think.

I'm thinking of making a post of my favorite 'views' in the world.

You should! That'd be cool.

It is my absolute dream to travel to England. Then I think it would be amazing to discover all of Europe.

Top 3 Places I've Been (all in Hawaii):

#1: Byodo-In Buddhist Temple, Valley of the Temples, Oahu



#2: Pearl Harbor, Oahu



#3: Nuuanu-Pali Lookout, Oahu (the view)



Of course, the pictures do no justice to the real thing. But they're quite beautiful in my opinion. Maybe cuz I took them. ;)

Those look amazing. I wanna travel and see like big cities like Sydney, London, Paris, Rome, ect., but I also wanna go to a smaller cities where you can really get a feel for the culture and such.

Me too, Rae. I want to travel Europe and Australia, especially Sweden and Norway, I'm Swedish and Norwegian. =)

JAPAN!
I'm also Norwegian.

Israel.
Australia
Venice
Paris
London (I love England)
SCOTLAND
Ireland
....

All of Europe

Rae*Gnomey* wrote: "Those look amazing. I wanna travel and see like big cities like Sydney, London, Paris, Rome, ect., but I also wanna go to a smaller cities where you can really get a feel for the culture and such."

I definitely know what you mean. I am certainly a big city girl. Every person I know says so, but seeing the culture in smaller towns and whatnot is exceptional. Personally, I liked Venice more than Rome. It doesnt count as 'big city', though its still pretty popular. The culture there was fantastic. Same goes for Amsterdam. Its a big city, but bucket loads of culture :)
I would love to visit Norway. Oslo, and some little towns. It looks so beautiful!

Great to see lots of people want to come to Australia! I could put up some photos of Australia-stuff I take for granted? I'll do that after my favorite views, which I'll do in a moment.

Yeah. :) I'm definitely more of a small-city/town girl/country girl. :) I could visit the city, but I definitely couldn't live in a big city like DC. Or somewhere. I was in DC for a weekend for the National History Bowl and it was fun to visit, but I couldn't stay long-term.

On the other hand, I would kill to live in London or Paris.
But its nice to have a range of interests/tastes among us. Makes for some great & interesting conversations :)

I'm gonna agree with Rae.
I love small towns or the country.

Well, here are some of my favorite views in the world. Because I have so many, I will narrow it down to city-by-city. First up, Rome:
(I took all the photos except for the first one. None of them capture the amazingness of it)

Saint Angelo Castle, look from across the Saint Angelo Bridge:


And here is the view from my hotel window in Rome:

I also love the view from the top of Saint Peter's Basillica, looking down at Saint Peter's Square, the Tiber river & Castle Saint Angelo. If you look hard, you can also see The Pantheon:


From the ruins of the Roman Forum, looking towards the Colleseum


I'll post more later :)

Wow. Those are all great photos.
Now, I really, really, want to travel.
I wish it was possible to just hop on a plane and disappear.

Those are truly amazing, Jess. I hate to be all touristy, but I'd most likely be taking pictures of everything if I went anywhere.
(Which I will next summer- Chanticleer Children's Chorus of West Virginia (an amazing choir that I'm in) does an international tour every 4 years and in June 2012 we're going to Austira and Germany. :) I would LOVE to get to sing in Salzburg, but I don't thi k we are- I believe we're just visiting. But I mean, how amazing would it be to get to sing in such a place as Salzburg!?!
(If you can't tell, I'm uber excited. :) lolz)

I want to spend a whole year in Europe just going around to different places - cities and the secluded - just to learn their history. :D

Thats so cool Rae! I'd love to go to Salzburg, singing or not.
Im not much of a singer, but I prayed inside Saint Peter's Basillica, and that was amazing. I came out feeling like a better person :)

Jess, your pictures are so incredible. Correct me if I'm wrong, the Pantheon is kind of up and to the left? (Yes, I looked.)

Actually, on the right hand side of the Tiber, there is a cluster of buildings. Somewhere in the middle you can see a dome. Thats the Pentheon :)
(its clearer the bigger the image gets)

Rae*Gnomey* wrote: "Those are truly amazing, Jess. I hate to be all touristy, but I'd most likely be taking pictures of everything if I went anywhere.
(Which I will next summer- Chanticleer Children's Chorus of West V..."

Just to be in Salzburg would be amazing.

★ Jessica ★ wrote: "
Actually, on the right hand side of the Tiber, there is a cluster of buildings. Somewhere in the middle you can see a dome. Thats the Pentheon :)
(its clearer the bigger the image gets)"

*headdesk* Taylor was thinking in stage directions again. I TOTALLY meant right. What on earth... Sigh. I do that ALL THE TIME.

Kate and Jess: I know! I can't wait, I just have to get all the money raised (it's like $4,000). But I've been singing for forever- and been in the choir since Kindergarten. It's an amazing experience to be in a choir like it- it's one of the best in the state. (sorry if I'm bragging, you just get me started and it takes a while to stop me. lolz)

Wow. That is Awesome, Rae! My friend did that a few years ago.
You'll have to take lots and lots of pictures.

Yes, remember to take/show us lots of photos :)

I will- if I don't have a digital camera by then, my mom's is mine for those 2 weeks. :)

Hmmm....
If I could go ANYWHERE in the world; I think maybe it would be, WASHNGTON DC

Or Paris... Either one.

Just thought I would share that I plan to live in London for a few years after graduation university. A Law degree in Australia = a Law degree in London. I'd love to stay there and work as a lawyer, whilst trying to get published as an author as a night job :)

Nobody wants to go to Indonesia? :D
Since reading Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, I would LOVE to visit Greece. And since I haven't gone to USA, that's one of the few places I'd like to go to as well.

★ Jessica ★ wrote: "I'd love to stay there and work as a lawyer, whilst trying to get published as an author as a night job :) "

Woah! Deja vu! I was talking to one of my friends the other day at lunch and that's what she wants to do. Being an author is her #1 goal, but she was saying that she'd like to do something in law while her career in writing is taking off.

i wish i could travel to Guatemala, Mexico, London, Florida, Rome, Hawaii and/or Japan. I've been to the first two though. Loved it. Who's up for the HarryPotter theme park in Florida ;D

*frantically raises hand* I was trying to convince my mom to trade our October Disneyland trip to an October Wizarding World trip. ;)

I wish i was lucky enough to go. It would be so cool. I would trade 3 disneyland trips just to go there for a few minutes! *sigh*

That's Harry Potter fan paradise...

I hope you succeed Taylor. I hate roller coasters, but this is one amusement park I want to go to.

I'm with you there, Kate. I am so anxious to go to Wizarding World. :) And there aren't just roller coasters there, it's HP fan paradise.