[Macros]

Sort of in line with the have you read thread in OL, I figure our member base has seen a bit of the world.
I'm not talking about your big attractions that are listed on every tourist website and brochure going, I'm thinking more off the beaten track stuff, maybe really boring sounding stuff that surprised or amazed you.

I'll start it, has anyone been to Dubai?

I'm going for a week in September, and obviously I'll be going tourist mode to see the islands, the big towers, the new mall and Basakilas. But this is the stuff everyone does in Dubai, so has anyone been there and found something different, maybe more traditional or just really left field to do?


Relevant posts:

China - (Macros 2018 Beijing/Shanghai)
Dubai (Macros 2012)
Bolivia Peru(2002 BoD)StD 2012)
Croatia (Dag 2013)
Japan (Morgoth)(IH)


Travel accessories
Backpacks - (QT)

This post has been edited by Macros: 19 May 2018 - 09:18 AM

[Macros]

I don't think so no.

[Abyss]

I defer to my fellow modgods of greater technological thinkymeatz, but i'm pretty sure posting videos is a no-go.
Bandwidth issues or overworked pixelfae or too many virgin chicken sacrifices or something.

[QuickTidal]

Macros, on 23 August 2012 - 04:13 AM, said:

Sort of in line with the have you read thread in OL, I figure our member base has seen a bit of the world.
I'm not talking about your big attractions that are listed on every tourist website and brochure going, I'm thinking more off the beaten track stuff, maybe really boring sounding stuff that surprised or amazed you.

I'll start it, has anyone been to Dubai?

I'm going for a week in September, and obviously I'll be going tourist mode to see the islands, the big towers, the new mall and Basakilas. But this is the stuff everyone does in Dubai, so has anyone been there and found something different, maybe more traditional or just really left field to do?

Dubai is a crafted city. It was created from the get-go to be a rich tourist mecca. It's gorgeous to look at, but it's all empty. The majority of the buildings (minus the hotels....and even in some cases the hotels) are not occupied.

I have friends who visited and the only reason they found anything to do was because they had a friend who had family there, otherwise they said it was kind of boring...as far as middle eastern culture is concerned. The way one of them described it like a Hollywood movie set of a Middle Eastern city. Like a Vegas that isn't really occupied.

It's simply not the type of place to look for stuff to do off the beaten path. As far as I know.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 23 August 2012 - 02:47 PM

[Lady Bliss]

RESEARCH THE LAWS. Strange things about drinking, sex toys and sex outside of marriage.

[Abyss]

The real fun is on the outskirts of the city, where the rave tent cities move around.
You have to find someone in the know and get in on the twitter feed - mine's out of date or i would pm it to you - , and they'll send you a GPS location for that night . Typically the GPS location is a kid standing around with a camel who will give you the proper coordinates and password .... the kid, not the camel... i always figured the camel was there as a 'getaway car' in case the scene got rumbled by the Dubai popo. Anyhoo the parties are legend, tonnes of repressed Dubai young adults and foreign workers getting drunk and high and laid and tattooed and pierced and i swear true story this one time a group seance broke out and they actually summoned an Elder God for about seven seconds which was just long enough for it to eviserate three Tunisian engineers, impregnate two backpacker debutantes with the anti-prophet (two backpackers, one anti-prophet... it's complicated...) and steal an Australian guy's wallet. We all cleared out but if you get to a party and see someone with the three tentacle tattoo, fair bet they were there that night. Don't even get me started on the Bedouin cactiiborgs...

[QuickTidal]

^^Why did I start reading that an think Abyss was being serious...

fuck. I got taken in.

[Solidsnape]

QuickTidal, on 23 August 2012 - 03:30 PM, said:

^^Why did I start reading that an think Abyss was being serious...

fuck. I got taken in.

Haha! Me too.
Right up until "I swear this is true"

Abyss never swears.

[worry]

I saw an episode of No Reservations set in Dubai. Look that up if you wanna find some food places.

[Abyss]

Solidsnape, on 23 August 2012 - 03:33 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 23 August 2012 - 03:30 PM, said:

^^Why did I start reading that an think Abyss was being serious...

fuck. I got taken in.

Haha! Me too.
Right up until "I swear this is true"

Abyss never swears.

.

[amphibian]

worrywort, on 23 August 2012 - 04:09 PM, said:

I saw an episode of No Reservations set in Dubai. Look that up if you wanna find some food places.

This is exactly what you should be doing. Why not let Bourdain & Co. do your legwork?

[Sir Thursday]

Good thread idea! I'm off to Peru and Bolivia in September for 3 weeks. The first half of the trip has already been planned - arrive in Lima, Lares Trek to Machu Pichu and some stuff around Cuzco. But then I have 10 days of time to spend before I have to be in La Paz for my flight home. So far, the main things people have told me are good to see are:

- Colca Canyon
- Bolivian Salt Flats

Anyone got any other recommendations about how to fill my time?

ST

[QuickTidal]

Sir Thursday, on 23 August 2012 - 05:10 PM, said:

Good thread idea! I'm off to Peru and Bolivia in September for 3 weeks. The first half of the trip has already been planned - arrive in Lima, Lares Trek to Machu Pichu and some stuff around Cuzco. But then I have 10 days of time to spend before I have to be in La Paz for my flight home. So far, the main things people have told me are good to see are:

- Colca Canyon
- Bolivian Salt Flats

Anyone got any other recommendations about how to fill my time?

ST

Map out the Bolivian border for the government and then go in search of the Lost City of Z....


...wait...sorry, that was Percy Fawcett.

[Nocturnal]

Has anyone here been to India? I read a few books about the country and watched a documentary, and overall it looks like a terribly filthy country. Overpopulated too, I don't think there's any breathing space there.
Well, a friend of mine always wanted to visit it and asked me to come along this October, but I'm reluctant. Is there anyone here with a positive impression of the country?

[Abyss]

Nocturnal, on 23 August 2012 - 06:40 PM, said:

Has anyone here been to India? I read a few books about the country and watched a documentary, and overall it looks like a terribly filthy country. Overpopulated too, I don't think there's any breathing space there.
Well, a friend of mine always wanted to visit it and asked me to come along this October, but I'm reluctant. Is there anyone here with a positive impression of the country?

I have not been to India, but i have been told, repeatedly, by spoiled western fat white people who one would not expect to travel anywhere that does not have a Radisson and a Dennys, that the typical impression one gets, the one you have, is based on life in the cities, and that once you're out of the urban sprawl it's a wonderful place. YMMV but there it is.

[Abyss]

Ontopic and without any reference to Cthulhu, i'd appreciate any suggestions re California, from LA up the coast to San Fran. What to do and see, where to eat, what to avoid.

...Ok fine, if your suggestion does in fact require ref to Cthulhu that's fine too...

[Tapper]

@ Mac: If you're there for cool architecture, brand stores and fabulous weather, artificial beaches and waterparks, you're going to love it. One of my previous squeezes swore by Dubai as her go-to destination and a Maltese friend of mine loved it as well. Mind, they were both a bit of label freaks, very european and very female. Not sure how many of those criteria apply to you, though

This post has been edited by Tapper: 23 August 2012 - 07:22 PM

[Sir Thursday]

Abyss, on 23 August 2012 - 07:04 PM, said:

Ontopic and without any reference to Cthulhu, i'd appreciate any suggestions re California, from LA up the coast to San Fran. What to do and see, where to eat, what to avoid.

...Ok fine, if your suggestion does in fact require ref to Cthulhu that's fine too...

There's a place about an hour south of San Francisco where you can see Elephant Seals...they're pretty impressive creatures. You do have to go at the right time of year to see them at their best though (when I was there there were a lot of very young pups about, which was cool. I imagine the best time to go is when the males are fighting though, suspect that would be impressive). And just in general that drive up the coast is very picturesque.

ST

[Macros]

Nocturnal, on 23 August 2012 - 06:40 PM, said:

Has anyone here been to India? I read a few books about the country and watched a documentary, and overall it looks like a terribly filthy country. Overpopulated too, I don't think there's any breathing space there.
Well, a friend of mine always wanted to visit it and asked me to come along this October, but I'm reluctant. Is there anyone here with a positive impression of the country?

Its on my list of places to go.
Anyone I k ow who has been there says that yes a lot of the urban centres are horrid and over crowded but staying on the tourist track in those areas is fine.
depending on what you're into India can be immense.
Historical its a veritable gold mine with stuff that you can visit spanning thousands of years of their history (I'll be checking that stuff out when I go)
If you want to party then Goa is still going but I hear its been well curtailed these days in comparison to its full flwoing hedonistic Mecca days.
Probably not that helpful but personally Id recommend going because you might not get the chance again, but Id book a few things in advance to make sure you see some of it.
Nothing off the beaten track here, come back to.me in a few years time, hopefully I'll be able to fill you in!

[Binder of Demons]

Sir Thursday, on 23 August 2012 - 05:10 PM, said:

Good thread idea! I'm off to Peru and Bolivia in September for 3 weeks. The first half of the trip has already been planned - arrive in Lima, Lares Trek to Machu Pichu and some stuff around Cuzco. But then I have 10 days of time to spend before I have to be in La Paz for my flight home. So far, the main things people have told me are good to see are:

- Colca Canyon
- Bolivian Salt Flats

Anyone got any other recommendations about how to fill my time?

ST

I was there over 10 years ago so things like tour companies, and hostel recommendations will be out of date, but I did travel from Cuzco to La Paz and there are a few things worth seeing. since it is on the way, stop off and see Lake Titicaca. There are several islands worth a visit (Isla del Sol, Isla Tequile) and the floating islands are a touristy thing these days but worth a look all the same (the ferry to one of the islands visits them so it's not a big detour). It used to be a popular thing to stay with a local family on the islands but not sure if that's still being done. The scenery is nice there, and the sunsets and sunrises can be amazing due to the clear skies.

You have already mentioned visiting the Salaar in southern Bolivia but i will wholeheartedly recommend that too.

Within touching distance of La Paz, there are the ruins of Tiahuanaco, which are worth a look too due to their mysterious origins, and the fact that there were some serious new excavations going on there when I was there. Curious as to what it looks like now (they supposedly found a pyramid shaped building buried next to the complex).

In LA PAz itself, you can apparently visit the local prison and get a tour from one of it's "residents"!!! I kid you not. The inmates must pay for their stay, and this is one way they do so.

I never got to visit, but I heard good things about the city of Potosi, where you can get a tour of a working mine (Used to be known for silver mines, but it may only be Copper or Tin these days). Your guide book should have more info.

If you are moderately active, and have been in the area for a few days to acclimatise to the altitude, then DEFINITELY do a trip with "Gravity Assisted Mountain Biking" based in La Paz. I got to cycle down "The world's most dangerous road" which goes from La Paz-Coroico. Occasionally really scary, it was an exhilarating experience and one of the highlights of my time in South America (The Salt Flats tour was in my top 3). I had cramps in my hands from pulling the brakes, since it is almost all downhill! Check out their website above for some short video clips as examples of the trips they offer.

That's pretty much all i can remember off the top of my head in Bolivia, but I did remember another thing to do near CUzco. I had a day or two to spare and I really wanted to visit a local site called MORAY but didn't like either of my options of either using public transport and walking to god knows where, or getting a tour bus right up to the site. By total chance i came across a company offering a mountain biking trip to the site, and it proved to be a wonderful surprise. ME and my guide were the only people there and i got to have a nice leisurely cycle in a beautiful part of the world. And it cost me the same as a regular guided tour.

If you have any questions feel free to ask. I would just say though, be aware of the altitude especially going to Bolivia and allow yourself a leisurely day or two when moving on to a town at a higher elevation (e.g. when arriving in Cuzco, do the city tour and the Sacred Valley tour by bus first, and then do the Inca Trail. When you get to La Paz,arrange the day trips or guided tour things like Tiahuanaco before doing active stuff like the mountain biking). Remember that Bolivia is mostly over 4000m elevation and the effects of altitude sickness are unpredictable.

I am jealous of your planned trip regardless of where you go.