We finally made it to Ottawa a few days ago. There was a snowstorm in Newark which delayed our arrival. To make a long story short, we missed our connection from Newark to Ottawa on Saturday. Instead of landing in Newark, we landed in Philadelphia and had to bus to Newark. We lined up in front of the Continental office from, get this, 3:30 AM until 11:00 Am. It took us more than 7 hours to be able to talk to an agent. This was an absolute debacle. Well anyway, we made it safely back home.
As I promised, here is my ranking of the destinations we visited this year :
1 = Oman
Pros: The weather, the people, the landscapes, the sultan, and pretty everything else in the country. That’s the one destination you want to visit ASAP before mass tourism catches on this gem.
Cons: Well, if you are ideologically against visiting a Muslim country, then well, avoid Oman. So that means local women take the back seat when it comes to enjoying life outside. Also, Oman gets boiling hot in summer and there is not much to do during the siesta.
2 = Australia
Pros: Ahh, Australia. Great diversity of landscapes with some of the most stunning beaches, canyons, and gorges in the world. Fossicking for precious stones! Our friend Marty!
Cons: Horribly expensive: food, hostels, gas, everything is expensive. Australians treat Aborigines poorly.
3 = Hawaii (United States)
Pros: Stunning landscapes for such small islands. Terrific trekking options. The beach is gorgeous and the waves fantastic (but not in winter – see my post on the subject). The astronomy centre and Volcano Park on Big Island are unique attractions. DO NOT MISS.
Cons: Not much in that department. Maybe the flights between the islands could be cheaper. Also it is a bit hard to find hostels, and the placement for road signs is terrible.
4 = Fiji
Pros: Such nice locals! They really enjoy talking to strangers. Stunning islands and stunning snorkeling. Cheap.
Cons: Some resorts are poor quality. Not much to see outside of the beach. Nadi isn’t great.
5 = Bolivia
Pros: One of the most diverse countries we’ve seen this year: it has jungle, mountains, deserts, you name it! The town of Sucre.
Cons: Quechua people are not very warm to strangers. Food served in restaurants revolve around fried chicken and French fries. Garbage is everywhere as there is no environmental awareness whatsoever. Bolivia would rank higher if it wasn’t for the terrible state of the environment.
6 = Hong Kong
Pros: Incredible show of lights. Hong Kong by night is breathtaking and vibrant. Cheap food, cheap beer, cheap wine. The best place in the world to buy electronic gadgets – at a discout.
Cons: Space is an issue, so hotel rooms are minuscule. Lots of restaurants have menus written only in Chinese.
7 = Singapore
Pros: Singapore is a island of order and cleanliness in chaotic and polluted South-East Asia. So refreshing! Marina Bay Sands resort!
Cons: Singapore is not an exciting destination. The city won’t hesitate to can your behind if you drink coke in a subway or spit on the floor.
8 = Philippines
Pros: Best trekking in South-East Asia. Filipinos are very nice, franc, and direct.
Cons: Manila is terribly poor and overcrowded.
9 = Chile
Pros: The most well-organized country in South America. The amazing night sky around San Pedro de Atacama.
Cons: San Pedro gets cold in winter!
10 = Java (Indonesia)
Pros: Beautiful Buddhist and Hindu temples in Yogyakarta. Fabulous kids we met in a local school (we are still in contact with a few of them!).
Cons: It’s VERY poor and quite polluted.
11 = Argentina
Pros: Perito Moreno Glacier, the most spectacular we’ve seen this year. Great variety of landscapes. Cheap, excellent wine across the country. Beautiful Patagonia!
Cons: Horrible security in major urban centers. Violent assaults for thefts are too common. Also a bit of milk-the-tourist attitude around major attractions.
12 = Thailand
Pros: Pleasant across the board and the easiest country to travel to in South-East Asia. Thai food is the best!
Cons: Overrated. We’ve heard so many people rave about Thailand but the country has nothing unique to offer. Thai people have made an industry of the Karen people and are treating animals (elephants in particular) very poorly.
13 = San Francisco (United States)
Pros: Great city, very pedestrian friendly, great and cheap asian food. The walk along the ocean is very pleasant.
Cons: The temperature is never really perfect.
14 = Miami
Pros: Relaxing! Finally feeling “secure” after leaving South America.
Cons: Well, Miami is primarily about the beach. So no excitement here.
15 = Peru
Pros: It is better organized than neighbor Bolivia. Trekking around Huarez?
Cons: Absolutely overpriced in so many respects. Machu Pichu is a bit overrated.
16 = Malaysia
Pros: The twin towers in Kuala Lumpur!
Cons: Restaurants often try to cheat the clients. Taxi drivers as well. Malaysia suffers from being a “transitory” destination: if you are in Malaysia you are either on your way to Singapore or on your way to Thailand.
17 = New Zealand
Pros: Beautiful mountains.
Cons: Overrated as there are no unique attractions or landscapes like Australia. Quite a bit expensive for what it offers.
Bali (Indonesia) = 18
Pros: hmm…maybe Ubud is OK.
Cons: Where do I start? Horribly polluted, drugs, rampant prostitution (“massage, massage, massage”), and constant harassment to buy all kinds of useless trinkets. Contact with the locals is virtually impossible. There are a few million other destinations I would like to go to in my life before I go back to Bali. Avoid.
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