We were lucky enough to live in Oman for three years (2000-2003) and there are so many memories of fantastic trips sights and off the beaten track things to do there.
We drove with visiting friends from Muscat to Salalah across the one black-top road that crosses the 'Empty Quarter', taking turns to drive the 1700 miles.
The south of Oman boasts some of the most spectaclar sights (and we have seen the Grand Canyon) including a drive down the 'furious road'. It is also the one safe place in the world to see both Myrhh and Frankinsence trees in their natural environment.
Oman has Fantastic mountains, a small but easily visited desert called the Wahiba Sands, friendly people, great hotels and even bargains in the souk.
I really shouldn't promote the place as too much tourism may spoil it the way the UAE have been, but it is such an overlooked part of the world. Apart from during Ramadan, alcohol is permitted to be sold in licenced bars and restaurants and there are some fantastic ones
Sue Cooper, Ashurst, England
Why would anyone choose to spend a night sleeping on an ice bed at minus 5 degrees? My 50th Birthday seemed an ideal reason.
At Kiruna airport we were kitted out in thick ski suits, black balaclavas, Deputy Dawg hats, leather boots and gauntlets. We sat astride the low husky sled: ‘mush, mush’ we were off. The ride was fast and bumpy but just as toes were becoming numb, we saw the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi.
Our unique hotel suite was a ‘room’ within a ‘room’ with a small hall with benches covered in skins and a staircase leading to a mezzanine bed, all completely made from ice.
Bedtime came. Fortified by the Asbolut Icebar and duty free champagne, we left the warm changing area dressed in pyjamas and snow suit. After safely negotiating the icy stairs, we shed suits and boots and wiggled into a double sleeping bag with separate liner. Not an easy task when the ceiling’s four foot high and you’re two foot taller. Reindeer skin blankets kept us snug and cosy and we slept surprisingly well before being woken at 8am with hot lingonberry juice. The adventure was over: we’d survived and had an “ice-night to remember”. Would we do it again? Definitely not: after all you’re only 50 once!
Roy Messenger, London, UK
No road appeared to be marked so our driver followed other vehicles driving into the white eternity. After a while we stopped at a hotel with walls and contents built from the salt. Then we continued on, now aiming for a dark dot punctuating the distance. It was the end of the wet season and a thin covering of water lay on the ground, rising in plumes behind the van and the reflected light having a luminous, shimmering beauty. After a couple of hours we arrived, to find that the dot was not a mirage but a coral island, dotted with giant cactus. Once it floated on a huge prehistoric sea, now it was stranded in its saline remains. Far from the “mainland”, the endless white of the land gradually merged into the limitless blue of the sky and the horizon vanished. There were some mountains with jagged edges to break the illusion and remind us that there was an earth and a heaven. One’s skin came to life in the chill of the mid day sun, in the silver silence of the Salar de Uyuni.
Graeme B, London, UK
We were lucky enough to live in Oman for three years (2000-2003) and there are so many memories of fantastic trips sights and off the beaten track things to do there.
We drove with visiting friends from Muscat to Salalah across the one black-top road that crosses the 'Empty Quarter', taking turns to drive the 1700 miles.
The south of Oman boasts some of the most spectaclar sights (and we have seen the Grand Canyon) including a drive down the 'furious road'. It is also the one safe place in the world to see both Myrhh and Frankinsence trees in their natural environment.
Oman has Fantastic mountains, a small but easily visited desert called the Wahiba Sands, friendly people, great hotels and even bargains in the souk.
I really shouldn't promote the place as too much tourism may spoil it the way the UAE have been, but it is such an overlooked part of the world. Apart from during Ramadan, alcohol is permitted to be sold in licenced bars and restaurants and there are some fantastic ones
Sue Cooper, Ashurst, England
Why would anyone choose to spend a night sleeping on an ice bed at minus 5 degrees? My 50th Birthday seemed an ideal reason.
At Kiruna airport we were kitted out in thick ski suits, black balaclavas, Deputy Dawg hats, leather boots and gauntlets. We sat astride the low husky sled: ‘mush, mush’ we were off. The ride was fast and bumpy but just as toes were becoming numb, we saw the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi.
Our unique hotel suite was a ‘room’ within a ‘room’ with a small hall with benches covered in skins and a staircase leading to a mezzanine bed, all completely made from ice.
Bedtime came. Fortified by the Asbolut Icebar and duty free champagne, we left the warm changing area dressed in pyjamas and snow suit. After safely negotiating the icy stairs, we shed suits and boots and wiggled into a double sleeping bag with separate liner. Not an easy task when the ceiling’s four foot high and you’re two foot taller. Reindeer skin blankets kept us snug and cosy and we slept surprisingly well before being woken at 8am with hot lingonberry juice. The adventure was over: we’d survived and had an “ice-night to remember”. Would we do it again? Definitely not: after all you’re only 50 once!
Roy Messenger, London, UK
No road appeared to be marked so our driver followed other vehicles driving into the white eternity. After a while we stopped at a hotel with walls and contents built from the salt. Then we continued on, now aiming for a dark dot punctuating the distance. It was the end of the wet season and a thin covering of water lay on the ground, rising in plumes behind the van and the reflected light having a luminous, shimmering beauty. After a couple of hours we arrived, to find that the dot was not a mirage but a coral island, dotted with giant cactus. Once it floated on a huge prehistoric sea, now it was stranded in its saline remains. Far from the “mainland”, the endless white of the land gradually merged into the limitless blue of the sky and the horizon vanished. There were some mountains with jagged edges to break the illusion and remind us that there was an earth and a heaven. One’s skin came to life in the chill of the mid day sun, in the silver silence of the Salar de Uyuni.
Graeme B, London, UK
If not for Malaria and the Italian Mafia The Island of Lamu (KENYA) would be heaven -on earth ,no cars .Wonderful people and most delicious food.and clear sea.
zalim, Siwan, Bihar India
Iceland-land of ice and fire and it was with the biggest volcanic eruption in ten years.Lightening in the clouds of volcanic steam and the next day layers of ash and internal flights grounded.The Northern lights , never to be forgotten and the the worlds only penis museum-what can a girl say? Bathing in village spa pools with the stars above us and sulphurous spumes of boiling water and mud.
The charm of the yet unspoilt Azores stunning views .cobbled roads and farmers carrying milk in churns astride their horse with dog travelling on the rear.Europes only tea plantation and the annual festival with streets coloured in geometric patterns of flowers,leaves and coloured sawdust. The town of Furnas with its calderas and stews cooked in the ground and the pool with its thermally heated waters.
Debbie Phillips, Chard, Somerset
Captain Anter was piloting our hot air balloon from Luxor’s West Bank across the Nile.
He pointed out the all the sights we’d already been to including the Valley of the Kings. As we rose the day unfolded below. We saw animals in the courtyards of the houses, families working in the fields and the bright green fields of the Nile Valley.
The trip had started with a 4.30am call. Thirty minutes later we were hustled into a bus for the short drive to the Luxor quayside and transferred to a motor boat for the ten minute crossing to the West Bank. As we drank tea and ate marble cake we were given a safety briefing.
At the take off area, the balloon was already half inflated. The basket was just big enough for six and you were immediately aware of the tremendous heat and noise.
All too quickly the landing field came into sight and we fell into position. We scrambled out and were back in our hotel by 7am. In two hours I’d travelled by land, river and air and achieved a life long ambition. Champagne would have been lovely, but we were in Muslim Egypt. Instead, we took advantage of an early morning breakfast and as we ate freshly fried falafel and my partner asked “what shall we do for the rest of our day?”
Helen Jackson, London, UK
My vote would be for the rice terraces near Batad in the Philipppines. After a short ride from Banaue, you have a have to walk down about an hour into the main terraces which has a small village on the outskirts and a few huts in the centre.
Arriving at terraces you feel like you have just entered a large, natural ampitheatre. Step upon step flows with lush green grasses and the trickle of water revererate across the whole scene.
You can take the time to walk along all the walls, up to the peak and then down to the valley. Each viewpoint highlights in how much time and effort was spent to create such a survival system to grow crops and use nature's (and physics') natural cycle for maximum human benefit.
Adrian, London,
It strikes me that these places are the kind of high profile 'must see' sights that travel journalists feel they have to pick. The more exotic the better. Of course some of them are spectacular and worth going the extra mile for - Grand Canyon, sure; Venice, certainly; Pyramids - well you have to see them, don't you.
Frankly though, I have seen views in the English lake district and the glens of Scotland that are more beautiful than most of the 'spectacles'. And the south island of New Zealand is one of the loveliest places I have ever been to. Other ones I might add are Sequoia national park (great if you like trees - and who doesn't?) and Yosemite - maybe full of tourists, but still a staggering experience.
But then again, if pushed, I would probably prefer to spend my time stting at a taverna on one of the Greek islands (almost anyone, but the Cyclades take a lot of beating) sipping a drink and watching the ferries come and go and the blue Mediterranean washing the shores.
Joe Atiyah, tewkesbury,
Las Pampas in northern Bolivia. After a bumpy and uncomfortable 24hr bus trip from La Paz and an even bumpier jeep ride from Rurrenabaque, during which we got stuck in the mud for 2 hrs, two punchers and then had to start pushing the jeep to get it going, we eventually reached Las Pampas themselves. Imagine a lush forest, filled with countless huge trees, then imagine the forest flooded up to the canopy layer - that is Las Pampas. We boated around them in a small motor boat admiring these huge avenues of trees mixed with water lilies, reeds and other lake plants. Along the way we saw alligators, monkeys with faces like grumpy old men, monkeys that could stand on the palms of your hands, pirahnas but most amazingly we saw pink dolphins. Grey in colour but with vivid pink tails swimming together as a family. And to top it off we got to swim with them, attempting to keep up with their fast yet lolloping pace and occasionally touching one. Breathtaking, adventurous and unforgettable!
Robert Holtom, Guildford, England
I would have to say one of the most memorable experiences was driving through eastern Wyoming in the US some years ago. Although we had driven through lonely landscapes before, there was something about Wyoming that felt like we had left the planet. We were the only ones on the roads for miles and there were no signs of any kind of modern life. Only the herds of antelope and buffalo for company. The landscape was chilly and flat, going for miles but choppy, with little earth bogs ripped up. Apparently that was carved up by retreating glaciers from the past.
My mom spotted what she though looked like wagon tracks running in the road next to us for miles. Although we didn't believe it, we found out later that they were actually records of the wagon tracks from pioneer days permanently carved into the ground. To think of us travelling alongside of the tracks of the pioneering familes crossing the lonely landscape in search of a better life left us all humbled.
Claudia, Atlanta, USA
If you are a wild flower nut like me, nothing beats a walking tour round Mont Blanc in high summer. Over 10 wonderful days we trekked 105 miles through the surrounding hills and valleys of Switzerland, Italy and France.
I 'spotted' around 200 species, ranging from the familiar daisies, bedstraws and vetches to the rarer alpine gentians, lilies and orchids. To see the eidelweiss in its natural setting is something to behold.
The quality of the thinner, purer air suffused with the combined heat and moisture of the short summer season encourages a superabundance of lush growth. It was a difficult choice. Look down so as not to miss the next, possible rare specimen. Look up to admire the ever changing mountain views. Do both as I did and trip frequently over a rock!
I came back both physically and floristically elated and energised, each day 'burned' in my memory. Travel experiences can be enhanced and enriched by having a special focus or interest. I'm off to spot some more rarities!
Janet Dickinson, Stockport, England
After months of watching Anime movies and endless re-runs of 'Takeshi's Castle' I decided that I had to visit Japan. I stayed for a week in Kyoto. Me and my family stayed in a hotel just above Kyoto station, so as I fell asleep I could hear the twinkly music that announced the perfectly regimented arrival of every train. Every morning, I would have a bowing competition with the hotel staff, who were adamant that they would go lower than you and thus win the war of politeness. We visited Horishima where all the buildings are brilliant white and the atmosphere is beautifully peaceful. However, after visiting the atomic bomb museum, we all left feeling rather unpatriotic. We took a trip into the mountains where the sunlight hitting the roots of trees looked liked something out of a final fantasy game. It was spring so we caught the stunning cherry blossom, taking as many generic tourist pictures of the family grinning away as the Japanese themselves. I can't wait to go back.
Suzy, Edinburgh, UK
As a young family with 3 daughters then aged 2, 6 and 7, five of us had an amazing month travelling round parts of Australia. This holiday encompassed everything from cultural arts through the wonderous natural world to clambering about a tuna trawler in Port Lincoln. We flew in planes, we rode in trains (the Ghan and Puffing Billy), drove a stately car and then a hired camper-van from Cairns to Brisbane, even took a couple of boat rides around the Great Barrier Reef. Saw amazing sunset at Ularu stroked frisky kangaroos and cuddled dozy koalas. The children panned for gold at Sovereign Hill, patted the Dog by the Tuckerbox and saw a re-creation of Ned Kelly's last stand. spent a wonderful afternoon at Apollo Bay where the children had the beach to themselves and paddled in the ocean, danced cartwheels on the sand all in the winter sunshine. We discovered that they grow alot of sugar cane in Queensland, not all road signs mean live animals and the dust of the Red Centre is RED.
Simone Smith, Orpington, UK
We were driving around the periphery of Iceland in a big, fat, red Sharon with a couple of friends. At every turn, every bend in the road there was a new 'something' to ooh or aagh at; a black flatness to the horizon, a vista of lava fields as far as the eye could see, the road being repaired infront of us, quite literally, a total absence of trees.
But nothing, nothing prepared us for the quiet beauty of the majestic, ancient iceburgs of Jokul Sarlon. There must have been 20 of us in the rubber 'Frog', all in lifejackets and clutching cameras. As we floated on the cold, still water at the foot of the glacier, the only sound to be heard was the groaning and creaking of the expanding and breaking ice, and then the collective 'aaaaagh' as we spied yet another fabulous 'burg.
This has to have been the most beautiful of sights and experiences in a whole lifetime of travelling and seeing wonderful things. That serenity and majesty is not to be missed.
Rhea Williams, Ipswich, UK
just time for a quick coffee at Kleine Scheidegg before piling on the train to the Jungfraujoch with hosts of other tourists, intent on reaching the top of one of the most spectacular train journeys in the world.
We chug through the tunnels in the Eiger to reach the subterranean station, then walk through dimly lit passages to the Sphinx - a glass dome and terrace from where can be seen spectacular viewsof snow covered mountains and glaciers.
Back along the eerie tunnels to step out into the piercingly bright sun and walk in the snow along the path to the Monch Mountain Refuge hut. The air is thin , the snow is crisp and the views are spectacular.Its tiring, but exhilerating work in the cold still air.
I reach my destination and linger drinking in the views, before turning with a lump in my throat , to go back to the dark claustrophobic tunnels of the station.Still it was a most amazing day and I will never forget walking in such a remote place on such a beautiful day.
susan Willing, Ellon, Aberdeenshire
This place was used in The Empire Strikes Back. OK there weren't two moons in the twilight sky but it was just as awe-inspiring.
Tikal, Guatemala, the Mayan city over-run by jungle except for a few of the largest pyramids poking their heads above the canopy.
The taxi picked us up from the island town of Flores at 4am to take us to Tikal for sunrise.
After an hour bumping around in the back of a mini-van we arrived, greeted by thick jungle, numerous poorly signed paths and of course it was dark. Clearly the previous nights socialising had contributed to the fact that nobody had brought their torch!
We stumbled around, the howler monkeys making primeval noises straight out of Jurassic Park but the sky getting rapidly lighter.
I decided to cut our losses trying to find the tallest pyramid where everyone goes and we scrambled up the nearest one. We were alone, watching the sunrise over the mirror pyramid at the other end of the central court. That photo’s still on my wall.
Ed Morris, Stoke-on-Trent, UK
I would say traveling through Northern California was the best experience of my life so far. I started in Sacramento, and I went hiking in Yosemite National Park, and saw giant Sequoias. While I was there I even found the largest type of pine cone on earth that is from the Giant Sugar Pine. I went to the vinyards of Napa Valley, and saw a petrified redwood forest. I walked through the oldest forests on earth the Costal Redwoods. Then I went down one of the most scenic routes in the US. I even went to see the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz in San Francisco. The next trip I will be going on this summer is going to Creaters of the moon National Monument. Then to Salmon, ID where Sacajowea was born. Then to Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. I've been to so many places in my life and its been an amazing experience!
Jason Gablaski, East Brookfield, United States, Massachusetts
We were driving round the periphery of Iceland in a big, fat, red Sharon with a couple of friends. At every turn, every bend in the road, there was a new 'something' to marvel at; black flatness to the horizon, a vista of lava fields as far as the eye could see, the road being repaired infront of us, quite literally, a total absence of trees. But nothing, nothing prepared us for the quiet beauty of the majestic, ancient iceburgs of Jokul Sarlon.
There must have been 20 of us in the rubber 'Frog', all in lifejackets and clutching cameras. As we floated in the cold, still water at the foot of the glacier all we could hear was the gentle creaking and groaning of expanding and breaking ice and the sudden intake of breath as all 20 of us spied a particularly awesome 'burg.
This has to have been the most beautiful and breathtaking of sights in a whole life-time of travelling and seeing marvellous things.
Rhea Williams, Ipswich, UK
Having been to more countries than my age, I've seen lots of the world's wonders (according to others' opinions and mine!). But there's little I enjoy more than strolling around London. It has to be one of the world's wonders and I think everyone at least agrees on that it's way up there among the finest cities. East end markets, the world's premier museums and galleries, history alive in architecture, festivals and film sets... what a wonderful place to walk around! Take some time to carry yourself through London's streets and you'll see what I mean. Try cycling through the City (financial district) at 3am: its smart, almost deserted streets with clean, bright lights and calm, pristine mood are fascinating. For its true diversity of people, rich, colourful history and a baffling assortment of culture, London is simply wonderful. It gets my vote anyday.
Adam, London, UK
Amalfi Coast Italy
We have travelled there many times when we are in Italy. We stay at an ancestral home south of Rome when we visit, and always make the day trip to Amalfi. My favourite town there is Ravello. A magical place set in the mountains overlooking the Sea. Lady Chatterlee's Lover was written in Ravello. Villa Cimbrone is a must see when you visit Ravello. The walk up the hill via narrow lanes that are fringed by homes, churches and vineyards is most peaceful. The view over the sea from the promentory in the gardens of Villa Cimbrone is magnificent. Postcard perfect.
Positano is a fine town to stop for lunch. Ristorante Tre Sorelle is right on the beach and serves superb seafood.
Shopping is a forte of Positano.
All along the Amalfi coast the main highway is cut into the cliffs overlooking the sea. Stop many times for photos.
Peter Babishuk, Toronto, Canada
I was lucky enough to spend the best part of 8 months living and working in Sydney, Australia. I was living in North Sydney, almost at the other end of the bridge to the CBD with a stunning view of the harbour, the opera house and the city skyline 5 minutes walk from my front door.
The harbour hums with activity as white boats and water taxis bustle about all day and night long. A water taxi back from Watson's Bay, the furthermost south point of Sydney harbour, back to North Sydney is one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. Much different from being on a big ferry, you are very close to the water, bouncing along at high speed with the lights of Sydney all around.
After the sheer sparlkliness of the harbour, the next on my list of top ten Sydney attractions has to be the food. Wow.eating out is a brilliant option. We went to quite a few restaurants. Most with views onto the water. Cool serving staff. Imaginitive combinations of food...Very good indeed.
Sarah Thompson, London, Greater London
Visiting the Park of Monsters at Bomarzo. I'd longed to visit it after seeing a Channel 4 programme on it with John Romer. A bright sunny May Day holiday and we got in just before it got busy. We turned a corner and came upon a 3 storey high giant tearing another man apart, then we all swayed in the leaning house before encountering the Furies. I did look for a doorway in the mouth of hell face and admired the testicles of the elephant as Brian Sewell had pointed out their anatomical accuracy on his Grand Tour and they were the first thing I saw after the Mouth of Hell. 'Unbridled female sexuality' our guide said of one recumbent piece. The seemingly random placing of the sculptures under the dark canopy of foliage as lizards scampered about made Bomarzo more enigmatic than I could have imagined. But on a dark day in winter I knew that the Park would display ahother face to me.
Also the Chrysler Building was the first thing I saw coming into NY - a lifelong love affair began.
carole, London, UK
It would have to be driving from Vancouver to Calgary through the Canadian Rockies in autumn / fall a few years back. Despite the distance it is a truly humbling experience and one we long to recapture it one day. The trip took us from Vancouver, via Kamloops, to Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff.
Setting off in a 4x4 at 6-6.30 in the morning most days we would see so much wild life just along the road side.
With numerous stops, walks and detours on the way to see glaciers and the wildlife (including encountering a bear on one walk, but that’s another story)
The reflections of the breath taking mountains in the perfectly still lakes, was something we only dreamed of seeing, yet it became almost common place. The majesty of the mountains is amazing.
On route we stopped off in Banff for a few days to enjoy the walks and scenery, it was beautiful sunny autumn day of 19 degrees.
Yet the day we left, for our final stage of the trip there had been the first fall of snow, gently blanketing
Rob Jones, Leicester, UK
Have just returned from a few days in Andalucia, Spain, where I was lucky enough to experience the Feria de Abril - a week long festival that takes place the week after Easter. It seems the whole of Spain gravitates to the site lined with tent upon tent of hundreds of people drinking, eating & dancing. Nearly every single woman attending is dressed in traditional flamenco style dress (topped off with a fan of course) & many of the men are also in traditional dress. They parade around on horseback throughout the day then get into the serious stuff inside the tents after dark. After wandering around the massive site you eventually find a public tent that you are allowed into so that you can also become a part of the festival. The feeling of excitement that runs through the city is extremely infectious and to top it off I never heard another English accent while I was at the Feria - definately not one for the tourists.
Clare, Lancashire,
Lenin's Tomb should be on your list.
During a visit to Moscow, we decided to visit Lenin's Tomb. The hours long, but we were able to move ahead by the judicial "gifts" of American cigarettes and Hard Currency.
We close friends talked and laughed we waited. About one hour from the Tomb, babas (old women) took our passports, purses, backpacks, etc. and hung them carelessly on hooks in a "Museum".
On the other side of the "Museum", dead silence. Even our racous group was silent as we slowly moved towards the Tomb. Upon entering the Tomb itself, I felt bathed in reverence. It was as if the millions of people who had viewed Lenin in this very spot, had left behind some of that reverence and the place had become "holy". We left the Tomb in silence and remained quiet and contemplative for a long time.
I am not suggesting that Lenin was holy or even a good person; rather that people's energy can make a place holy. What began as a tourist attraction for me, became much more.
June Slobodian, WINNIPEG, Manitoba
Visiting the Park of Monsters at Bomarzo. I'd longed to visit it after seeing a Channel 4 programme on it with John Romer. A bright sunny May Day holiday and we got in just before it got busy. We turned a corner and came upon a 3 storey high giant tearing another man apart, then we all swayed in the leaning house before encountering the Furies. I did look for a doorway in the mouth of hell face and admired the testicles of the elephant as Brian Sewell had pointed out their anatomical accuracy on his Grand Tour and they were the first thing I saw after the Mouth of Hell. 'Unbridled female sexuality' our guide said of one recumbent piece. The seemingly random placing of the sculptures under the dark canopy of foliage as lizards scampered about made Bomarzo more enigmatic than I could have imagined. But on a dark day in winter I knew that the Park would display ahother face to me.
Also the Chrysler Building was the first thing I saw coming into NY - a lifelong love affair began.
carole, London, UK
Watching the sun go down over Fish River Canyon in Namibia - the second largest in the world - with 20 other people, rather than 20,000 at the Grand Canyon! Then climbing the Soussveli dunes in the searing heat to discover a world of almost make-believe proportions - sand dunes 300m high for as far as the eye can see - before paranoia about shoes melting in the oh-so-hot sand hits and climbing back down to a bottle of water fresh from the tap thats salty and warm in 5 minutes! A crazy place.
Emma Tomlinson, London, UK
Go to Iceland and encounter all the Wonders of the World in a short time. Drive the Ring Road and venture off it to see even more. Volcanos of all shapes, sizes and ages. Geysirs exploding. Thermal springs. Boiling mud. New land like the island of Surtsey. Huge glaciers. Waterfalls like no others in Europe. Fjords leading 20 miles inland. Lava deserts. Amazing bird life. Reindeer grazing. Iceland's own species of sheep and horses everywhere. Additionally you see what man has touched in this amazing landscape - the sites of the Sagas, the best medieval literature of Europe - beautiful tiny churches in the middle of nowhere - plus the vibrant city of Reykjavik. Finally the two most dramatic sunsets of my life over Reykjavik and Lake Myvatn. Wow!
Serica East, WOODBRIDGE, UK
Trekking up an active volcano on Tanna island in vanuatu, sitting on the rim with your legs dangling into the smoking crater watching the sun set. By night being witness to a awe inspiring (read terrifing- as in 'oh sh*t is something going to land on my head') natural fireworks display as bits of lava got shot from the crater. The whole thing was topped of by hitching a ride down some rather precarious tracks on the back of a pick up.
Ibs, london,
Skiing in the Canadian Rockies (Banff and Whistler) - I've been early season, during the main season and for Spring skiing, and the snow is always fabulous, slopes uncrowded, and people really friendly
Add the spectacular views from both Lake Louise and Sunshine, and you can't go wrong !
IL, London, England
The ultimate travel experience for me is visiting the Maldives. Anybody who has not been should visit one of the many 'paradise islands' that are truly breathtaking and relaxing. On arrival in Male International Airport you are taken to your Island by either boat or sea plane; both of which are breathtaking experiences. The resort islands are typically very small and offer a holiday experience like no other. The islands where we have stayed only have approximately 150 beach villas and are all tastefully blended in with the vegitation on the Island. The hospitality and customer service displayed by the Maldivian's is second to none with nothing being too much trouble and absolute attention to detail without being obtrusive. If you do want to undertake some activities whilst on the Maldives there is scuba diving, fishing and island hopping trips.
The balmy Maldivian breezes and warm, crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean provide one with a truly cathartic experience.
Gary Parlett, Spalding, Lincs
I have a plea for a more specific entry. Yes, the Great Wall at Badaling, north west of Beijing is breathtaking in it's scale and uniformity but surely the wall to the north east of Beijing at Simitai is literally a thing of absolute beauty. I was truely staggered when I first caught site of the meandering sandy snake caressing the peak of a mountain range! Having cheated to get half way to the top via a decrepit cable car and rack rail way, the rest of the climb was truely sublime as a chinese version of the blue mountains came into view: considering the proximity to Beijing and it's smog one could almost see forever at the top! This section of the wall is a true wonder: I continue to wonder how so much masonary got so far up the side of a mountain. I will remember our day at Simitai for a long long time and I will remain in awe of the civil engineers of their time who made it possible.
Tim Elsey, Worcestershire, UK
Swimming with Orcas off the coast of the San Juan Islands near Seattle. The schools of whales who inhabit Puget Sound and the Strait of San Juan de Fuca are amongst the best best protected and hence most trusting in the world. Houses on the picturesque San Juans rent by the week or the month. The food is scrumptious. The local Washington wine is superb. But the black and white whales steal the show. We spotted a school and were able to leave our boat to swim along for a few minutes with the gentle giants. I had never experienced anything quite like it.
Hasan Jafri, Seattle, United States
At 13 my parents took me on a tour of naitonal parks in Colorado, Utah and Arizona. Mesa Verde and Zion were excellent but nothing compared with Arches NP. At that age I really couldn't quite grasp how dozens of arches of stone had been left standing in the middle of a desert. The simplicity of the rocks was astounding.
When you've lived in London your whole life the shock of the area's climate makes a lasting impression. My first morning we drove for hours in an air conditioned Cadilac into Utah. Finally getting out for a stop, I opened the door and a wave of pure heat hit me and practically knocked me back in. I was on a whole new planet.
That trip also provided a great moment at the Grand Canyon. We rose early to watch the sun rise. Outside I sat on a wall overlooking the canyon, my mum cut up a melon and whipped out some tea, and I was able to forget the crass tourist trap behind me and enjoy the view.
They were my first enchanting travel moments, and I haven't stopped since.
Joanna Ridd, London, UK
Hiking in the french Pyrennees with a friend, we were taken by surprise when it started to snow. We found a tiny mountain hut and quickly took shelter. An hour later the door flew open and in marched four men armed with rifles and two dogs. We were more than a little worried, especially when they began shouting in french. With their minimal english and our menu french we did manage to establish that they were there to hunt deer, not us and that they were upset because we had not lit the fire yet! Soon the eight of us were huddled in the hut, warmed by the fire and enjoying a feast! The hunters had brought with them steak, sausage,cheese, bread and wine! We had only tinned tomatoes and dried pasta, but together it made an unbelievable meal, especially with plenty of wine to wash it all down with. We ate, drank and talked late into the night, eventually falling asleep. When we awoke the next morning the hunters had gone, but outside the mountains were covered with beautiful fresh snow.
Ed Dimmock, Maidenhead, UK
I find anywhere where I am suddenly surprised at the real in the flesh sheer beauty of a place or the people or horror of historical events still echoing down the ages all move me to tears. Seeing the Parthenon for the first time, the Temple of Amon at Karnak, the Taj Mahal, and the Golden Temple, The Himalayas like a wall from the flight to Nepal, the Isle of Wight looking just like a physical map from the air coming in to land in London, the Ganges and the ghats, Tiannaman Square remembering what happened there, The Jewish Quarter in Prague, the paintings of Simone Martini, etchings of Rembrandt, statue of bewildered Moses by Michaelangelo - all and more besides move me immeasurably. Then I remember the kindness of the people who I have met, encountered or passed in the street in any of these places. They have all helped me to trust in the kindness of strangers when I had a mental breakdown and was most in need. They have consistently helped me after I recovered. " For in as much".
Carlyle Braden, Croydon, U.K
My ultimate experience has got to be driving through the Skeleton Post National Park in Namibia on honeymoon on possibly the most deserted road in the world. You are checked in and out of the gates so that the guards can check that everyone has left the park before the park shuts at night (just to reinforce the point the park gates have a skull and cross bones as a motif). With the ocean bordering one side of the road and miles of desert on the other and nothing in between it is not a place you want to hand around in. That is unless you have a ditz of a (new)husband who drove us straight into a mound of soft sand. After an hour of pointless digging (you try digging unpolluted, incredibly soft sand out from behind the wheels of a car), we started to calculate how long it would be before the guards realised that we hadn't exited the park when a huge 4WD with a tow-bar pulled up. Our rescuer was none other than a diamond miner off to find the nearest bar!
Tonia Edwards, London,
My best was a trip to Tunisia with it's wonderful history. The outstanding parts were the coliseum at El Gem and a two day trip to the Sahara observing the massive oasis with over 5,000 trees, the salt flats and the tirp culminating with a camel ride across the dunes. We stayed a night in a hotel at the Sahara and I swam in a pool; therefore I can say that I have swam in the Sahara.
Pete Meekings, Benfleet, Essex
Coming into Manhattan in the wee wee hours of the morning still ranks as my ultimate travel experience. Everything was just how you'd either seen it in countless films or imagined it in as many dreams. The Empire State, The Chrysler Building The Brooklyn Bridge, the turnpikes all were larger than life, in every sense. Seeing them all again the next day from river level and combining that with a view of the statue of Liberty was for me one of the most thrilling experiences of my life.
Martin Pearce, Islip, UK
Sailing around the Dalamation coast, there was a beautiful bay, we walked up the mountain to find a village which still had houses made of the stone from the mountain all leaning on one another and the animals lived in shacks made in their gardens with only wooden bars to keep them in. The chucrh was tiny and right at the top of the hill. There was one road in and out, there was no electricity but sadly the population all seemed old, one presumes that when this generation expire so will this life style. It was so simplistic and beautiful
debbie freeman, Horsham,
I've been to a few of the places listed by Rough Guide, and they were indeed amazing, but my most memorable experience was in the small walled town of Korcula in Croatia. Meandering down the street after a fabulous evening meal we heard beautiful music. In a medieval cloister near the main gateway and tower a small group of girls - music students I guess - were singing what must have been traditional Croatian folk songs. Their glorious unaccompanied voices gave incredible feeling to these beautiful songs. The music combined with the setting to give a sense of ambience I've not felt before or since. And they weren't using their skills to earn tips from the tourists and locals who had gathered to listen, for after the last song they gave a shy bow and left, the remains of the last note faintly echoing round the stone walls.
Helen Bray, London, UK
My story starts in Toowoomba, Australia where I worked as a "beef pusher" for 3 months. I finished just before the Easter holiday, a 6 day break for my coworkers which they used to make a trip to their hometown in the outback. When invited, I couldn't accept quickly enough. After a 10 hour drive into the outback and a night in outdoor sleeping bags on the red earth surrounded by Kangaroos, Emus and various colored birds, we were there: a clay pigeon shooting competition in the middle of the outback. Although it was held by a small town, almost every person had shown up making it a fair sized event. I entered myself, but was not able to equal the success of children as young as 10 missing every shot. After the competition, there was a buffet of mutton and sausages, everyone was there, and everyone knew each other closely. I’ll probably never live in a small town, content with the excitement that comes from a city, but the comradery of Quilpie, Australia will never leave me.
Luke Richard, Vancouver, Canada
As a media guy I trekked to southeastern Sri Lanka after the tsunami to report on the people and conditions in the tiny coastal village of Aragumbay. Arriving I saw horrific devastation amid the rich beauty of the land. Waving desperate people away from the whirling rotors of the helo, we jumped to the ground with supplies and I started reporting. Abject pain, abject destruction everywhere. Strung out, I found myself a few hours later interviewing an old woman whose material life was in tatters. As we sat down on an old bench with an interpreter, she looked closely at me, arose, and walked away. Moments later, from the remnants of her tiny home, she returned with a cup of tea, looked me in the eyes and touched me gently and lovingly on the shoulder. I wept as she looked without words at me and taught me a defining life lesson about dignity and grace under pressure: a Mom, she gave me what she had with love and care -- an act of humanity and beauty among the horror in Sri Lanka.
Jeff, Dallas, USA, Texas
Horseback riding in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, formerly of the USSR. It was winter and the locals thought we were nuts but the mountains loomed above us and although I had a cold I wasn't about to miss out on it. Most of the group were inexperienced riders and the horses took complete and total advantage of it. I knew what I was doing and knew that I could get one of the horses to behave - and I did get him to behave only to find out that he was the least surefooted horse ever when he slipped and fell with me still on him. I wrenched my knee and he rolled off my leg - in essence, falling on me. We were both uninjured but he was having fun bucking around afterwards. After a fall like that, the grooms thought the little American girl would go lick her wounds inside - not so. I climbed back on once he had calmed down. We finished the ride and got stuck in a sheep traffic jam on the way back. It was worth it though, to tell people that I went to Kyrgyzstan and that a horse fell on me.
Tarina Peterson, Kew Gardens, New York
A cruise from Sydney and round New Zealand was followed by a tour round North Island with a hire car. We saw many amazing sights but nothing could match the views from the plane on the flight home.
Having endured what seemed like an unending night, as dawn broke, we were treated to awe-inspiring views of the Hindu Kush mountain tops of Afghanistan - barren, rugged peaks, stretching on forever, brownish in colour at lower levels, with the sun shining on the creamy white snow on the peaks but appearing almost orange on the shadowy Western flanks.
As if this wasn't enough, we then flew over the Caspian Sea, taking forever to cross over it as we marvelled at the intricate, feather-like, sandy-coloured patterns on the surface of the water.
By lifting our spirits, these magical sights, helped make our long journey from Auckland to Manchester more bearable!
Gillian Oakes, Gatley, Cheshire,UK
I was mid-twenties smug traveling from my air force post in Adana Turkey to Cappadocia to experience the underground cities with their hollowed out "witches hats". The trip had been long and dry across the Anatolian Plateau and I had managed to navigate a series of min-bus rides via my limited Turkish to my destination. As I made my way through the formations I found myself quite alone and far afield from the tourist groups. Haunting, quiet, then the faint echo of a twang going up and down the scale. I entered the next valley and met a leathery tanned nudist couple sunning themselves on a rock ledge. I was greeted with a "G'day mate" and discovered a resource far greater than my Fodor. Irv and Shirley were driving their VW Van from Brisbane on a trip around the world and were roughing it in Turkey. By the end of a long enlightening afternoon my travel smugness was diminished and I had learned that it was the journey, and not the destination, that travel is about.
Robert Meyer, Savannah, GA
The boat ride from Elgol to the Cuillin Hills. On a misty morning you feel that you are truly about to visit the land o fthe Gods. I'll never forget it. We arrrive at the stop and walked over the path to the hidden lake. It's been five years and I still can feel the wet on my face, hear the wind on the peaks, and smell the peat just as its been for thousands of years. I've seen a lot, but this is my favorite spot on earth. I hope God allows me to return
Clinton Burchfield, Biloxi, Mississippi/USA
Without a doubt it was the 3 weeks I spent travelling from St Petersburg to Beijing via Moscow and a lot of Siberia on the Trans-Siberian and then Trans-Mongolian railways. It was cramped and I became intimate with my fellow travellers in a way I wouldn't normally (4 persons to a cabin and no showers) but there was loads of camaraderie and with nothing else to do save to admire the endless miles of birch trees, I got to know quite a few of the locals too (neat vodka and raw salt fish).
Aside from the journey itself and the different cultures along the way (from the austere Muscovites, the friendlier Siberians, the very cheery Mongolians and the Olympics obsessed Beijingers) there were also some of the more surprising sites: up close to rarely seen Van Goghs in Moscow, the beautiful scenery of both Lake Baikal and Mongolia, the dust of the Gobi desert, the snaking Great Wall and finally all the sights of Beijing.
Vicky Hau, London,
My favorite travel experience was in Nepal, at the Royal Chitwan National Park. My friend and I signed up for an early morning elephant rides. There were seven elephants and about 15 riders. It was dawn, dew was on the ground and off we went. We could see deer and other small animals. We stopped at a river, where elephants could get a drink. I remember thinking life does not get much better than this.
Later that evening, there was an outdoor meal, with music, dancing and singing. I have fond memories of my wonderful trip to Chitwas
gerald stevens, los angeles, california u.s.a.