Cape Town, Franschhoek and safari in Marakele National Park in South Africa. Stunning natural landscapes, wonderful food, amazing animals and a wonderful people made it our favorite trip so far. Also gave me a chance to snap my profile pic at Groot Constantia.
I love St. John, USVI. Easy to get to from the eastern US. Some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Sleepy enough to feel you are truly away from it all. Easy access to the BVIs for day tripping. And enough watering holes to remain very happy during your stay. The recovery from Irma is still on-going but thinking of going for a quick trip in early 2019.
Most memorable vacation day was spent in Montalcino during the 2002 World Cup. The town was empty and there was big game being played on TV. After lunch I headed to an Enoteca / wine shop to taste some of the local product while my wife explored the village. The proprietor seemed a bit annoyed that I was there. He gave me a glass and slid three open bottles of Brunello my way. And then turned back to his small TV. I asked about a specific wine which increased his annoyance with me, but he responded in the perfect way. He quickly opened two more bottles and placed them in from of me with the understanding that I would taste quietly, and he would watch his game. Whatâs a guy to do? Bar to myself, 5 open bottles of Brunello (1997 vintage with a fantastic 1995 Riserva) and filling my own glass. Pure bliss. One of the best tastings I have been to!
Too many great ones. Here are my top 3:
- We chartered a 27â boat with another couple who sail, from the Moorings in Tortola and toured the British Virgin Islands for a week in May in the late 1980s. On Jost Van Dyke we discovered the Soggy Dollar Bar where we were the only ones there on a picnic bench at sunset drinking while looking out at the water while big loudspeakers hanging down on each side played some blues. A somewhat peak experience in our frames of mind. Twenty years later, some acquaintances bought the place upgraded it.
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We visited my wifeâs brother who lived in St. Jean Cap Ferrat in the south of France right on the Mediterrnean in September, 1992. We rented a car and drove to Florence. On the way through Tuscany we passed a sign for a Chianti release fair in a small town and stopped to taste. We were the only Americans. Then on to Florence, Sienna and San Gimignano and back with our case of wine. We had planned to take some of the wine home but when we were ready to leave there was only one bottle left.
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For our 30th anniversary we booked a 10 day cruise on Oceana (Venice to Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Corfu, Santorini, Kusadasi and Ephesus, and finally Athens.) What a great experience - like cruising in a 5 star hotel. About 1000 guests with 1.2 service people per guest. No kids- all adults. Four different high end restaurants on board (Italian, French, Asian, Steak House) or the main dining room or a buffet (with steak and lobster). We met some amazing people on board.
At the time, memorable but not the most memorable. Now, after itâs recent history, it might have gone ahead. Palmyra in the 1990âs.
Did this same trip about 10 years ago. Lots of âadventurousâ memories.
The next one.
Truth be told, the question is impossible to answer; so keeping to form⌠seated in first class headed to an international destination on a long flight⌠flying an international carrier.
dh
Doing this in Feb 2019, so looking forward to it!
there worst part of any trip is better than any part of the flight there
My memorable First Class flight was from NRT to LAX. I was in First Class and met Jay-Z who was in Business class. I got to hang out with him for a bit.
I was surprised at how much time they spend on their phones.
For me ; Paris
Bordeaux
Cape Cod
Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
Surferâs Paradise, Australia
Obergurgl-Hochgurgl, Austria
The Lufthansa first class lounge (not business, first class) in Frankfurt was my most memorable positive airline experience. I rearranged my return flights for a longer layover.
An interisland hop in the Caymans with my pregnant wife on a 12-seater landing in a heavy crosswind was my most memorable negative airline experience.
Frankfurt First Class lounge was nice. I loved their bath tub and the EROS kits. I enjoyed the private Porsche ride directly to the plane as well.
First Class (& VIP) on Pan Am 747 to Frankfurt & October Fest was a memorable one for me.
Iâm siding with Dan on this one. My limited first class experience, both on Asian airlines, were peak experiences. I was praying for headwinds both timesâŚ
Not the most fun, nor the most exotic, but as a lifelong soul-filling whole body experienced memory, the 1st time I went to Banff in the winter to ski with my father. The solitude & magic at the top of a mountain while surrounded by other peaks.
Gives me goosebumps just being reminded about it. Mountains have always done that for me since then.
Itâs not the destination but the journey?
Give me a break 
Bolzano is my favorite place too. We did hut to hut hiking hiking in the Dolomites from there. If you like the mountains and wineâhard to imagine a better place; heaven for me.
Like all of you I just couldnât narrow this down to one spot. The ones that come to mind when I think back:
Fly-fishing trip to Argentina, based out of central Patagonia about 3 hours south of a town call Esquel. Very remote, and as it was early Summer when we were there I saw more trout that people over the course of a week. Remember wading in a deserted stream, chest high, and catching a 20 inch rainbow that almost stole the rod out my hands.
St. Barts - Only been once but every year I think of going back. Great food, awesome beaches. The flight in on a 20 seater from St. Marten is an adventure in and of itself; one of the smallest runways in the Caribbean with the ocean at one end so you need to get the plane down and stop it fast! Come it at like a 45 degree angle.
Africa - First time we went on safari in South Africa, on our first game drive, our guide drives the Land Rover to some commotion in the distance, and a herd of buffalo are running for their lives. We canât figure out from what; he guns the land rover and weâre neck and neck with the buffalo who are running away, for a couple minutes. We circle back to where we started and find a pride of lion devouring a buffalo that didnât make it. On another trip to Tanzania, we were parked in an open savannah area, at sunset, watching the sky turn orange, as three lionesses slowly sauntered past our vehicle about 5 feet away from where I was sitting at the edge of the seat. Nothing between me and them - looked one in the eyes as it passed within a distance close enough for me to touch it and a shiver ran down my spine.
First trip to South America we stayed in the old walled colonial city in Cartagena. Very touristy to be sure, but really could feel this great energy there, really pretty with colorful flowers hanging out of open windows above century old doors.
Staying on Lanai a few years back and playing 54 holes of golf in one day on a fantastic and deserted Jack Nicklaus course. Golfing nirvana.