The Last Day

Today was my last day in the office, and is my last day in the Netherlands. I fly out tomorrow back to the U.S. Surprisingly, it felt like any other day until I was about to leave the office, and then I was suddenly really sad. I will be leaving behind lots of good friends. I really do hope to see them again in the future.

The rest of the evening will just be a quiet evening home with my boyfriend. Actually, it's more likely I will probably start panicking in a few hours trying to get everything into my 2 suitcases.

Well, next time you hear from me, I should be back Stateside. So, as they say it here - tot ziens, doei, dag (take your pick).

Immaturity Levels Rising

It's old news, but I came across this study on the rising levels of immaturity for the first time recently. In summary, it claims that adults these days are less mature since it's more beneficial to maintain child-like qualities to be able to learn and adapt - in higher education, changing work demands, traveling, etc. This might explain why these days we call the 30's the new 20's. Certainly, I don't feel as old as I expected to feel at this age. Apparently, the faults of child-like traits are retained along with the virtues. Having a "short attention span" and the need to seek "novelty" could explain my nomadic tendencies.

A bit off the subject, but it's only in the past month or so that I've realized I'm 33 and what that means. It means I need to get married now and pregnant next year! You think I'm joking? All of my friends are naturally around my age, and most of them are sweating it. 2 of my friends who are married are having a hard time conceiving. While this article says women over 35 can have a healthy pregnancy, it's not oh so reassuring when it starts rattling off the risks that are increased. I've heard before that women nearing the age of 35 start panicking to have a child, but it never occurred to me I'd be one of them. For starters, I hate kids. I never wanted one, and I still don't. Then again, will I want one when I'm old? It's too late when I'm 60 something and lonely to say "I wish I'd had some kids back then." So what's someone like me to do? As I mentioned in my previous blog post, I have tons of things I want to do that doesn't involve kids in the equation. I could adopt later if I decide to have kids and can't have any, but that's not as much fun as having your own. Particularly as someone who get hives when surrounded by children, I probably have a better chance at loving and nurturing my own flesh and blood. Assuming I have, or can find, an able and willing partner, how do I convince myself to have kids? Supposedly, despite the hard work, parenting is very rewarding. So, should I just take the leap and get pregnant? Maybe that'll make me mature. Anyways, for now, don't go expecting any little dancingnomads anytime soon. Even tho I'm starting to hear this big tick-tock in the back of my head, I have no intention of having any babies yet.

One Week To Go

By this time today, I should be on US soil, waiting to catch the last leg of my flight back to VB - and boy I cannot wait. After Switzerland, I've pretty much seen everything I needed to see in Europe to keep me satisfied for some time. I think I've checked out sometime ago and it's been a struggle to stay motivated at work. Although, the beuracracies of my work place never actually gave me any reason why I should be motivated. It's been four and a half month now since I made the decision to jump ship, and I'm just really really really ready to get on with my new life. I stayed this long only for the events of last week in Norway, and now that it's over with, I wish I could fly out now. Good-byes are always hard, and I'm not looking forward to next week. Generally, I always presume my paths will cross with some people again and that it's not really a good-bye. Still, it would be easier if I could just sneak out. I'm pretty good at keeping in touch with people anyways, and those who are my true friends will always be my friends.

On a brighter note, I'm looking forward to my life back in the U.S. There's a lot I want to do - develop my career, learn Spanish, take up martial-arts again, go for my PhD (maybe), do volunteer work, etc. I have a lot of friends near DC to catch up with too. Of course, there's also my brothers and their family who I haven't seen in almost a year.

Perhaps I will change my blog title to 'Living in America.' Having said that, I have no intention of stopping travel. I will be more limited in my vacation time back home but I will just have to make the most of what I have. For the moment, I am thinking about a Guatemala/Belize trip in the spring, and then a China trip in the fall. Until then, I'm stuck going where my work might take me, or places I can go on weekends. Will I survive??

Ørland, Norway

I just got back from a 10 day trip up to Ørland for work. Unfortunately, I have nothing exciting to report. However, I think it's the highest latitude I've ever been in. At 64 degrees North, I was still some ways away from the Arctic circle, but it was full blown winter there by my standards. It didn't get much more than 50 degrees there each day. The weather was also crap - it rained everyday. I didn't see sunshine until today during the layover in Copenhagen, which felt like the carribeans after being up in Ørland. Anyways, everyday was spent working all day, some days a bit longer than usual working days. At night I'd meet up with colleagues for dinner, and that would usually be about it. I'd slip in an occasional episode of 24 but there wasn't a whole lot of time for much else. Didn't help that I came down with a cold as soon as I got there. The first few days were pretty rough for me. The one day I had off, it was pissing rain so didn't do much then either. Not that there was much to do there anyways even if I wanted to. There are couple of hills (not the high mountains you'd expect in Norway) and an old fortress, that's about it. Yeah, so it was bit of a lame trip. Oh well.

Moving Pains (continued)

So yesterday the movers (Top Movers) finally came. They arrived on time at 0800 but with only 2 people. It took them 8.5 hours to pack and load a one bedroom apartment!! I sort of expected they would take lunch somewhere in between, but they didn't. So I didn't eat or drink anything all day (all food had been thrown out). That still would've been such a big deal, except that they didn't know how to pack. They would not fully pack the boxes, so if the boxes were shaken, you can hear stuff shifting around inside. When I told them they needed to stuff the boxes with paper or something to prevent this shifting, they said they only wrap breakables. Don't they realize unbreakables can still get damaged? When I insisted, they gave me an attitude saying this is how they do it and it's never a problem. I don't believe it. They started stuffing a little bit of paper, but not enough to really keep things in place. I'm pretty much expecting things to arrive damaged. Oh, and they only had small boxes! So anything bigger than the box would either be squeezed in, or bubble wrapped and left as is. They forced my printer in one of the boxes, but didn't pad it at all, and the top didn't close properly. Put one heavy box on top of it and my printer is crushed. I also had to insist on getting my electronics wrapped, and getting a plastic (bubble wrap) lining for the box containing the liquors. They also almost didn't get everything into their truck. They decided to put the 2 sofa pieces into the truck last. Smart move guys. Next time, get the big things in first.

What did go well though, was the check out with the makelaar. He seemed quite happy with how clean I left the apartment. The only problem I had was that he thought it would be better if I had the final bills for utilities sent to the owners and have them pay it out of the deposit. Unfortunately, it takes 4-8 weeks for these bills to be sent, and the owners have an obligation to give me back my deposit within 2 months according to my contract. There is also nothing in my contract about having to pay the final bill out of my deposit. So, I insisted the final bill be sent to me so I could pay it and get my deposit back sooner - hopefully before I close my Dutch bank account.

Oh, I made one last try to change my mailing address without making a visit. It turns out there is a section on the Dutch site (not the English site) that lets you change address. So I thought, great... until the site came back with a form I had to print and mail into ABN Amro. I couldn't even get my local bank rep to use my work address they already have on file as the mailing address. Stupid bank.

Good-bye, Harstenhoekstraat

The movers are coming tomorrow to get all of my stuff so I spent all of yesterday packing, sorting, and cleaning. It was a busy day but at least the kitchen and bathroom's cleaned up. Now I just have to take care of the floor once all the stuff is gone. I pretty much moved out last night, and will stay with my boyfriend or friends, when I'm not away on business, until I leave on 9/21. I'll miss having my own place, but I've bounced around from place to place so many times in the past so it shouldn't be a big deal. Getting kind of tired of moving every year though. I hope I will stick around in one place for a while this time. We'll see.... Anyways, just letting y'all know so you don't come knocking on my door looking for me :)

Moving Pains

For those of you who do not know, I am moving back to the United States. It's been a great year here in Netherlands, and I have enjoyed my job here. However, I was given an offer back home I didn't want to refuse. My new job will take me McLean, VA. I already have a place to live lined up in Reston. I fly back to Virginia on September 21st.

I began moving preparations some time ago, but as I prepare to move out of my apartment end of this month, I have to yet again deal with terrible Dutch services. I called ABN AMRO, my bank, to inform them I was closing my account, and also to let them know of an address change. I can understand having to go into their office to close an account, but I don't see why I have to go into their office for a simple change of address. I need to change my address few weeks before closing my account and I don't want to make two trips to the bank, especially for something so trivial as an address change. I can't call it in, fax it in, or email it in. Their website doesn't even allow you to change your information. If their on-line banking services is secure enough to perform transactions through, why can't I change my address there also?

Then there's Eneco Energy. They can't prepare the final bill until 6-8 weeks after my move date. I'll be in the States by then! Based on my arrival experiences with Dutch service, I can already imagine things will only get worse from here. Not looking forward to the mess at all.

Prague, Czech Republic

I had no plans to take anymore trips this summer, but I decided there was just no point hanging around Holland so I went to Prague this weekend. Unfortunately, I am completely jaded. Prague to me is just another 'pretty' European city that I've seen enough of. I don't even think it's one of the prettiest cities in Europe, and it's so over-hyped. The famed Charles bridge was so over-crowded with tourists that I couldn't even see the bridge when I was on it. The Brugge trip last weekend was somewhat nicer if just for the fact that I got some delicious chocolates out of it. I figured Prague wouldn't excite me so much, but nevertheless, it's my goal to see as much of this world as possible.

The first half of Saturday was spent mostly around the Prague Castle. We saw the St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George Basilica, and some galleries. Everything was ho-hum until I stepped into the Daliborka Tower and came across their collection of torture instruments. I found it so fascinating that the next day I actually went to another Medieval Torture Museum in the city center. It was definitely worth the visit. I learned a lot about different torture methods that you normally would not hear about (probably because it's too disturbing for public television or Hollywood movies). The museum claims the worst torture to be impalement. While the museum's image of impalement did draw the biggest gasp out of me, I thought sawing was quite nasty too.

The rest of the time in the city was spent mostly walking around and meeting up with a friend from college. We wanted to check out the Technical Museum there, but it was closed for renovations. We went instead to their National Musuem, which was more like a natural history museum. I found the Natural History museums in NYC and at Smithsonian much better tho (and not just because it's in English!) We were tempted go check out the Sex Machines Museum instead, but we were too short on time :(

Tips for Weather Forecasting?

I am going to Prague this weekend and wanted to check the weather so I would know what kind of shoes to take. I checked couple of websites, only to find that their forecasts were not similar at all. So I went on to check several more websites only to find that none agreed with another. The forecasts varied from no rain to 70% chance of rain. Some websites expected some sun on one day, while others expected some sun on the other day. How is it possible that these weather forecasts can be so different? Since I have no idea which site is the most reliable, I have no freakin' idea what the weather is going to be like. Stupid useless sites....

Brugge, Belgium

On Sunday I took a day trip with some friends to Brugge. It's about a 2.5 hour drive from the Hague. I've always heard it's a nice place, but I assumed it was just like any other 'nice' city - meaning nice pretty houses that to me now are just normal. Perhaps because my expectations were low, I found it to be quite nice. The city has a medieval look to it, and it's on the UNESCO world heritage list. It's not too big to walk around and see the sights. The canal boat trips are also popular though we skipped it. Aside from walking around and seeing the nice buildings, we enjoyed bradwurst, waffles, frites, and chocolates. Mmm....

Pictures are here.

Aveda in the Hague

If you're looking for a good place to go get your hair cut in the Hague, check out Aveda Lifestyle Salon. I have a tendency to get my hair butchered when I go to any old salon, so I try to stick to brand name salons (I've never had a cut go wrong at Toni & Guy). I tried Aveda for the first time on Saturday, and it was not a bad experience and the price is not much different from the salons you'd find elsewhere in the Hague. For starters, the cut takes place on their second floor so that passerbys outside can't see you getting your cut. Then, they start you off with a short head, shoulder, and back massage. I've been to places that do head massage, but I've never had shoulder and back included. It's just too bad the girl I had was weak and sucked at the massage part. Next, they wash your hair like any other salon. The difference here is that you get a bed to lie on instead of one of those chairs that kill your neck when you get a wash. I requested a stylist (you can get a Jr. stylist, stylist, Sr. stylist, or a top stylist), and she was okay. She didn't ooze creativity or lavish skills, but she was very text book and took her time cutting my hair. After some of my past experiences, I much prefer that than someone who is scissor or razor happy. So overall, I think it's a good place to go. Also, they have tons of nice products. You could probably ask for a sample or two of something new to try. They are also open on Sundays, and it's not difficult to get an appointment, even on a weekend (I got mine the day before). The stylist I got was 48 euros, and I think there's about a 10 euro difference between the each level of stylist. Check out their website (link above) for contact info (they are located in the center).

Simon the Apprentice

In the UK, they have a version of the game show The Apprentice. In the US version, contestants vie for a chance to work for Donald Trump, one of the most successful business persons around. In the UK version, it's Sir Alan Sugar. Today, I've just been informed by a friend of mine that this guy Simon Ambrose, who we were hanging out with for about a week or so in Cape Town back in the fall of 2003, was the winner of the latest show in UK. I thought... what a small world. Too bad he wasn't one I'd kept in better touch with. What's more unbelievable tho, is how unexpected someone like him would win a show like that. Basically, my friend describes our last memories of him as being "pissed and moon walking in the bar in Cape Town." Actually, that's all we remember about him... being drunk at the Ashanti hostel just about every night. Crazy world....

Simon in 2003:

Simon after winning the Apprentice:

24

This year there is no summer in Holland. It's been rainy and cold most of the days. Given that and the fact that I've just about seen and done everything I want to in Holland, I'm not ashamed to admit that I've managed to spend yet another week watching TV. This time, the show is Fox's hit show 24. I just finished watching season 1 and will begin season 2 soon. Considering they're about to air season 7 in January, I am waaaay behind the bandwagon and an intro to the show probably is not necessary. For those who aren't aware, however, the show is about a day in the life of Counter-Terrorist Unit (CTU) Agent Jack Bauer. Each episode represents an hour in the day, and there are 24 episodes in a season, one for each hour in the day.

Season 1 was mostly about preventing an assasination attempt on a presidential candidate and saving Jack's family from the same terrorists who try to kidnap them for leverage. It's got a totally unexpected ending and I'm looking forward to season 2.

Heroes

I just finished watching Season 1 of Heroes. I was so hooked it took me just about a week to finish watching all 23 episodes (42 minutes each). The show is about these people who begin to discover that they have super powers. Naturally, some try to take over the world while others save the world. Yeah, it sounds like it should be a comic book but hey, did you not like the movie version of Superman, Batman, or the X-men? Heroes is also much better made with its complex plot cleverly revealed in each episode. Not to mention there are several hotties in the show. Yeah, the above is my fav - Milo Ventimiglia, who plays Peter Patrelli. He also played Rocky's son in Rocky Balboa.

The 7 New Wonders of the World: Results

Here they are: http://www.new7wonders.com/index.php?id=633. It's Chitzen Itza, Petra, Christ Redeemer, Great Wall, Machu Picchu, Colloseum and the Taj.

Switzerland

Right after France, we drove onto Switzerland for a week. (Pictures here.) The objective was to get as much hiking in as possible. Unfortunately I'm not so fit these days and I think I got about all I could handle:

Day 1: Zermatt & the Matterhorn

We arrived in Zermatt on Saturday, 23 June after parking our car in Tasch and taking the 15 minute train in. Zermatt is car free, so once there, we had to take an electric bus or taxi to our hostel. Our initial plan was to stay here 3-4 days, but bad weather was supposed to roll in on Monday so we decided to stay only two nights. On Sunday, we paid 85CHF to take the cable car up to Kleine Matterhorn where we nearly froze to death. We also stopped at Schwarzsee Paradise where there is a lake. Since we'd seen most of the great views from top of the cable cars, we did a 3 hour hike (2 up, 1 down) between Furi and Schwartzsee for the sake of exercise. And boy did I need it.... I was struggling a bit and was quite sore the next day. A rest day off the bat :P but fortunately it was a travel day for us anyways with the crap weather that actually rolled in.

Day 2: Locarno


Since Switzerland was a small country, we thought it would be hard to escape the rain that was expected over the next few days. Christian had a great idea though, to go to Locarno. Locarno is a town off of Lago Maggiore in the Italian part of Switzerland. It supposedly gets 2200 hours of sunshine a year, most out of any place in the country. While the weather this day wasn't good, it was supposed to be fine from Tuesday. Most of this day was spent enjoying views from the high mountain passes. While most people, or guys, probably would enjoy the driving on the tight turns along the mountain edge, I often had thoughts of the car sliding off down the cliff.

Day 3: Valle Verzasca

We found a beautiful, and easy :) hike for today in the valley of Verzasca. It could have been a 4.5 hour hike, but because we couldn't be inconvenienced to work our schedule around the limited bus times (once every 2 hours) for the trip back, we parked somewhere in the middle of the route (around Gerra) and did a round-trip of the last half of the route to Sonogno and back. It ended up being only 1.5 hours each way, but it was a nice hike. My favorite part of the route was a walk through an old abandoned village or something where the houses were made of stone.

Although we didn't hike there, we did make a stop in Lavertezzo where we saw the popular bridge Ponte dei Salti. It was indeed a beautiful area, but a bit over run by a tourist. There is also a big dam on the way into the valley. There is also the Froda waterfall. If you get a chance, definitely do the entire hike. I wish I did.

Day 4: San Gottardo


On this day we were heading up to the Interlaken area, but we decided to do a hike along the way on the moutain pass of Saint Gothard. It started in Saint Gothard, a place that had like 4 buildings. We had a rocky start, not knowing exactly where the trail was. Probably we should have invested in a real map rather than the cheap trail guide we had. Then again, it wouldn't have mattered because we lost it about half way through the hike. Not even an hour into the hike, we started to notice some dodgy looking clouds and thought about turning back. The hike was meant to be 4.5 hours and it could be damn miserable at 2500 meters if bad weather struck. We decided to take our chances and kept on trucking though. It seemed like a rather long climb for me to go up 400 meters in 2 hours over the first ridge. Once over the ridge tho, the rest was not so bad. The trail took us around few more lakes and some snow covered areas. We weren't really sure if we were going the right way, but we saw another couple coming the opposite direction and was able to confirm we were going in the right direction. It was a good thing because there were some snow flurries by now. By the time we got to the last 30 minutes of the hike at a lower altitude, it was full blown rain. But it felt sooooo good when it was all done. I liked this hike a lot too.

Day 5: Jungfrau region (Stechelberg - Oberhornsee)


Today we decided to tackle something close to where we were staying in Stechelberg. Fortunately, there was a trail that started right behind our hotel. Turned out to be a pretty good one too. It was a few hours climb to Obersteinberg where we had lunch with a fantastic view of the alps (above) and a waterfall. The trail then continued onward to Oberhornsee, a pretty blue lake, and then back down. We made some bad decisions on the way down tho and took the steepest way down I think. That was rather painful. This day we walked for at least 7 hours.

Day 6: Jungfrau region (Allmend-Klein Scheidegg)


Today we did a short hike, but it was a really nice one. We took the train from Lauterbrunnen up to Allmend where we began a 3 to 4 hour hike to Kleine Scheidegg via Biglenalp. Aside from great views of Jungfrau, Monch, and Eiger, there were lots of trees, wildflowers, cows, and other little variety in the trail that made it an interesting hike. It was not such a difficult one either, tho after the last couple days it was difficult enough for me. The only bad part were the flies - they were everywhere. From Kleine Scheidegg, we took a train back down (I hate going downhill) and had an early finish.

I must say that while I love hiking, I got my fix to last me a while. In the meantime, I need to get back into the routine of working out and being fit again. It's summer so I have no excuses. A work out... everyday... well almost everyday... starting... tomorrow :P

Day 6: Bern


We decided to leave on a Saturday so that we didn't have to do the 10 hour drive all in one go. On this day we drove up to Germany through a stop in Bern. You'd never know this place was the capital of Switzerland. It's small and charming. We walked around the place for only an hour. Einstein's house might have been cool to see though. Maybe next time....

Versailles, France

The day after the air show we decided to go to Versailles. I had been there once before back in January of 1998, but I had wanted to see it during the summer for the gardens. The palace is beautiful, and so are the gardens. Unfortunately weather wasn't cooperating so half of the time we were getting wet. Still, there was enough sunshine at times to enjoy it all.

I find Versailles interesting mostly because of the history behind the place. If you're not already familiar with the biography of Marie Antoinette, I suggest checking out the story (and not the Hollywood version of it).

Paris Air Show

My boyfriend is big into aerospace and had plans to go to the Paris Air Show. I hadn't been to an air show in about 10 years, and since this was supposed to be THE air show, I thought I'd tag along. Luckily, after hitting up on every connection I know in the industry, I manage to score free tickets for the two of us, and then some. Good thing, because I was a bit disappointed. Don't get me wrong - the show is HUGE. There were tons of booths and displays from all walks of the industry. The disappointing part was the aerial show. The two that I remember from the U.S. had more interesting stunts and formation flying. These were mostly solo flights.

The highlight of my day was seeing Johnny, a.k.a. Mr. Travolta. I noticed a crowd of people gathering so naturally my nosy self had to go look. Then there comes this guy strutting along and posing in front of jets like he's a super model. I'm thinking... who the hell is this guy?? My eye sight is not so great. When he got closer, about 5 minutes later, I finally recognized him as John Travolta. By then I had missed some great photo ops but I continued to follow the crowd to play paparazzi and got couple of photos. I had this urge to yell out "I love you, Johnny!!", like the typical crazy American. However, seeing how reserved everyone else was, I thought I'd keep to myself. Besides, I wasn't ready to be escorted off of the premises just yet.

The New 7 Wonders

For those of you who did not know, there is a movement to select a new set of the 7 wonders of the world. The only standing wonder of the original 7, the Pyramids of Giza, is automatically designated as an honorary wonder (the 8th). There are 21 or so nominations and the entire world is encouraged to vote on which 7 they think should be the next wonder. The deadline is July 6th. I made my vote some time ago but I noticed today it made headlines on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2007/TRAVEL/06/13/wonders.poll.ap/index.html.

I can't remember exactly which ones I voted for, but I think it was the Great Wall, Petra, Easter Island, Stone Henge, Machu Picchu, Taj Mahal, and Angkor Wat. I think the Eiffel Tower, Opera House, and Kiyomizu Temple ranks towards the bottom. I would not have nominated them to begin with. There's about 6 places that I haven't actually been to yet (e.g. Great Wall, Easter Island) so I can't comment on the list as a whole. Of the places I have been to, Machu Picchu (below) and Angkor Wat ranks very high on the 'wow' factor. The Taj is beautiful. Petra is also pretty cool. I can't wait to see the Wall and the Moai statues.




Anyways, seems American and European participation in this first world-wide vote is pretty low. Be part of history in making - go vote!

http://www.new7wonders.com/index.php

Top 10 Cities

Now that I've been to Rome, I feel I can put together some sort of a 'top 10' list for cities. There are two lists - Top 10 Cities I Would Visit Again and Top 10 Cities I'll Never Visit Again. Here they are:

Top 10 Cities I Would Visit Again

I'm actually not really a big city person. I prefer nature or activity travel, but visits to major cities are often more convenient. You can get a good cultural experience from most cities also. The rankings below were determined first by pure gut feeling, and then justified afterwards.

1. Sydney - I'm not sure I can really say that I've seen Sydney since I spent most of my 2 weeks there bumming on Manly Beach. I honestly don't remember doing much else. I think I spent a day in the city, visiting the Opera House and Bondi Beach. Oh, a few days were spent up in the Blue Mountains where I hiked all day and swam (at a local pool) in the afternoon, everyday. I could do this all over again.
2. Washington, D.C. - There are tons of nice things to see here - monuments, memorials, museums, zoo, etc. etc. Plus good nightlife and the restaurants are up and coming. There are enough greens (lawns, trees, etc.) to make a nice atmoshphere to stroll around in. A fountain here and there to relax by. Some of the country's best museums are there. The best part of it all? It's all FREE! My last endorsement of the city is here.
3. Tokyo - This is practically my second home. I lived here for two years and have family and friends there. I'm back here at least once every other year. The crowds suck a bit, but if that can be overlooked, you have the craziest place like no other. Food's great, service is great, and everything is just oh-so-cute. Some posts from my recent trip to Tokyo over the holidays are here and here.
4. Paris - There's a lot of nice places to stroll around in Paris. The cafes are charming, and you can get crepes everywhere. Lots of great museum too. Nearby Versailles is also a place I'd like to go again. First time there was a week back in '98. Also had a short trip there back in Oct.
5. London - It's sort of like New York (see #6), but with more history. You won't get bored in this city with all the different sites, parks, and day trips you can do from here. I lived here for four months but I wouldn't complain if I had to go back. The only downside is the strength of the GBP. Post on last trip there is here.
6. New York - Another former residence (for 2.5 years) where you can get and do anything. Museums, broadway shows, night clubs, restaurants, Central Park, karaoke boxes, you name it... you will never be bored. And with such a diverse crowd of people living in the city, you are bound to meet some people with similar interests as you. You can find a club or a social circle for just about everything. The mountains are also only a few hours away for some decent hiking and snowboarding. Post on last trip there is here.
7. Capetown - The best city in South Africa bar none. The beaches are crystal blue (albeit cold) with white sand, table mountain is fun to climb, you can see Penguins, you have a waterfront, and you're in one of the most beautiful countries I've ever visited. Your dollar or euro will go a bit further than the above cities also.
8. Kyoto - A must see in Japan. Been there three times or so but I keep going back to the same stupid temples because I like them. I need to check out some of the other ones though. In spring time when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, it is just absolutely beautiful there.
9. San Francisco - Home of the Ghirardelli chocolate factory. You can go there and get a free sample, and then go back again later when the shifts have changed. Chocolate isn't the only reason it's on the list either. This is a city surrounded by hills and water. Pretty neat. Plus, it's got a lot of Japanese influence being that it's on the West coast. The Golden Gate bridge is also pretty, and the cable cars are just charming.
10. Hong Kong - I had a hard time picking this last one. I chose Hong Kong in the end because I was only there for two days (on a business trip at that) when I was there and I don't think that did it any justice. I like the Chinese culture and would like to spend more time in that part. I hope next year I will get to do the China trip I've been planning for 2 years now!

Top 10 Cities I'll Never Visit Again

As a good friend always reminds me - never is a really long time. So let me put it this way - these were the cities I thought sucked royally (imho). The only way I'd go back is if someone paid me to go.

1. New Delhi - I was only there in passing on my way to Agra, but the 2 or 3 hours I was there was more than enough. The city was just filthy and crowded. I was also there with a group and we ended up getting split up because our taxi drivers took us to different places. Lucky for us we found each other in Agra.
2. Athens - I was there 3 days and it was two too many. There is nothing to see or do there except Acropolis. For all the other frustrations I encountered there, read this post.
3. Los Angeles - A massive sprawling city for the rich and famous. Hollywood is the only tourist site and touristy it is. It's just not worth the traffic to go into L.A. Stick to the surrounding areas like the beaches.
4. Cairo - I had to go for the Pyramids. Aside from that tho, the people there were mostly rude and were always after your money. Check out my post on Egypt for more.
5. Dubai - Three words sum up this place: traffic, construction, and boring. Oh, make that four: expensive. See my Dubai post for more.
6. Durban - Anywhere where they tell you to take a taxi after dark, even though you're in a group, going to a destination that's about a five minute walk, can't be good. Aside from that, there's just nothing to do. (Get eaten by sharks at the beach?) It's just a place where backpackers can stock up on stuff you can only get from cities before trodding off to better places.
7. Naha (Okinawa) - Yet another boring place. I think it would've been a lot nicer tho had I had some company and could rent a car to explore around. I was basically at the mercy of Japanese tours which shuffled you from one stop to another, with a break at a souvenir shop every chance possible.
8. Cancun - Mexico's great, but Cancun isn't Mexico. It's about as touristy as it gets with every kind of American chain restaurants imaginable in existance there. The surrounding areas are great though, just bypass Cancun itself. See my Riviera Maya post for more.
9. Rome - I just had too high of an expectation for this place. The place is overrated. You probably saw my recent post. I'll leave it at that.
10. St. Petersburg - A lot of people say it is nice, but I just didn't see that. There is the Hermitage and few other things to see but not much else. I remember having a hard time finding a place to eat. The streets also seemed dead. Hardly saw anyone walking around. Then again, this was back in '96 when I was less experienced in traveling. Maybe I just didn't know where to look.

Btw, for your reference, here are the list of places I've been to. Perhaps next time I will do a top 10 list of places to see in general.