A Trip of a Lifetime

[Savonarola]

When I was in Colombia one of the engineers said that he had always wanted to motorcycle through South America, like Che Guevara.  His ability to speak or to learn Spanish was limited (he was the engineer who tried to order helado con pariquita, rather than helado con arequipe) so, unless he found himself what our Brazilian colleagues called a "Long haired dictionary," the odds of him surviving such a trip were remote.

Last night I was thinking about that, and what I would like to do for my "Trip of a lifetime".  I thought I'd like to bicycle from Barcelona to Rome, following one of the possible routes of Hannibal over the Alps.  I might have some trouble talking my wife into that one (Hannibal did it on foot, and less than half his army died of dysentery, so our odds are great!) Anyhow what would you do? (or have you done?)

[celedhring]

I know my aunt drives from Barcelona to Milan somewhat regularly, and she says it's a comfortable route. Not sure how hard it would be to do it by bicycle, though. I presume the Alps would be hell.

Me? My most daring trip was going to PA with the car's GPS broken and the car radio stuck on a 80s station.

[alfred russel]

When I was in Colombia one of the engineers said that he had always wanted to motorcycle through South America, like Che Guevara.  His ability to speak or to learn Spanish was limited (he was the engineer who tried to order helado con pariquita, rather than helado con arequipe) so, unless he found himself what our Brazilian colleagues called a "Long haired dictionary," the odds of him surviving such a trip were remote.

Last night I was thinking about that, and what I would like to do for my "Trip of a lifetime".  I thought I'd like to bicycle from Barcelona to Rome, following one of the possible routes of Hannibal over the Alps.  I might have some trouble talking my wife into that one (Hannibal did it on foot, and less than half his army died of dysentery, so our odds are great!) Anyhow what would you do? (or have you done?)

I once was in a car being driven through that area of the alps, and I had looked up the names of the passes that hannibal possibly used, and in the car ride was always trying to figure out what pass was what. I didn't tell the people in the car I was trying to see the path of hannibal--i don't think they would have understood. They probably just found it mildly odd that I was interested in the names of the passes for no apparent reason.

Sav, we probably would have been better traveling companions.

[Monoriu]

I once thought about travelling in Japan for a month by car and/or train.  I love the place.  It is beautiful, safe, convenient, civilised.  The food is fantastic.  I don't speak Japanese but we have been to Japan at least 20 times by now that we realise it isn't an issue.   The problems would be that it is quite expensive, and that there isn't enough real differentiation among the different regions. 

[Zanza]

I always thought doing a long overland trip would be cool. Like Cairo to Capetown or driving the Silkroad from China to the Mediterranean or Black Sea or driving to Singapore. But most of those routes have places that I don't want to cross (South Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan...), so I rather fly over these countries. I like my adventures fairly well controlled.

Anyway, I did a seven week long trip to South America over Christmas and that felt like a week too much. I guess I prefer to have multiple trips of various length to having a "trip of a lifetime".

[Liep]

Barcelona - Rome would be great for cycling, if in at least a somewhat decent shape beforehand.

My Belgrade-Copenhagen bicycle trip gave me a wanting for something bigger. I'd like to cycle in South America, my capability to learn Spanish was there 10 years ago so I would just need to tap into that again I hope. Starting by cycling around Andalusia next spring.

[Liep]

I did a seven week long trip to South America over Christmas and that felt like a week too much. I guess I prefer to have multiple trips of various length to having a "trip of a lifetime".

Yeah, in my experience 5-6 weeks is perfect.

[mongers]

Barcelona - Rome would be great for cycling, if in at least a somewhat decent shape beforehand.

My Belgrade-Copenhagen bicycle trip gave me a wanting for something bigger. I'd like to cycle in South America, my capability to learn Spanish was there 10 years ago so I would just need to tap into that again I hope. Starting by cycling around Andalusia next spring.

That sounds nice.

Liep, you're probably the ideal person to advise Sav on what to do to build up to something like that.

Barcelona to Rome sounds like a perfect trip if you're into Roman history and what to immerse yourself in the sites and archeaology, whether traveling by car, train or bike.

[mongers]

When I was in Colombia one of the engineers said that he had always wanted to motorcycle through South America, like Che Guevara.  His ability to speak or to learn Spanish was limited (he was the engineer who tried to order helado con pariquita, rather than helado con arequipe) so, unless he found himself what our Brazilian colleagues called a "Long haired dictionary," the odds of him surviving such a trip were remote.

Last night I was thinking about that, and what I would like to do for my "Trip of a lifetime".  I thought I'd like to bicycle from Barcelona to Rome, following one of the possible routes of Hannibal over the Alps.  I might have some trouble talking my wife into that one (Hannibal did it on foot, and less than half his army died of dysentery, so our odds are great!) Anyhow what would you do? (or have you done?)

A few years ago the bbc did a series following Hannibal's trail into Italy, three guys cycled there, but made it pretty hard work by having OTT deadlines.
Details and the documentary is probably on youtube:

http://www.historyextra.com/blogger-profile/wood-brothers

Programme was called 'On Hannibal's Trail', clips here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00t6skb

Personally I think such a trip would be hell for a non-cycle enthusiast, I'd recommend you do it in a classic soft-top touring car and take as long as long as you need, several weeks if necessary.

[viper37]

Anyhow what would you do?

Travel through the US east coast, down to Texas, grab a beer with Valmy, get back home the same way.  Just traveling, not much stopping, save for sleeping and eating, and maybe in North Carolina, if I can find the place where they shot the Last of the Mohicans final scenes.

I used to like driving.  Hopefully, I'll get back into it one day.

[lustindarkness]

I would like to do a group overland expedition, Alaska to Argentina, every state, country, province in between.

I would have said sailing around the world, but I get seasick.   

[merithyn]

I've always wanted to walk the Canterbury trail. Additionally, I'd like to walk from London to Hadrian's Wall.

[Savonarola]

Me? My most daring trip was going to PA with the car's GPS broken and the car radio stuck on a 80s station.

The horror   

Outside of work, my most daring trip was from Abu Simbel to Cairo by bus (Abu Simbel to Aswan) and train (Aswan to Luxor, Luxor to Cairo.)  Crossing the street in Cairo was probably more dangerous than that journey; but the journey sounds more romantic.

[The Brain]

I once thought about travelling in Japan for a month by car and/or train.  I love the place.  It is beautiful, safe, convenient, civilised.  The food is fantastic.  I don't speak Japanese but we have been to Japan at least 20 times by now that we realise it isn't an issue.   The problems would be that it is quite expensive, and that there isn't enough real differentiation among the different regions.

I may do something like that. I loved my first visit to Japan.

As for trip of a lifetime... I've been looking at Patagonia/Antarctica stuff. Something like that would be cool.

[alfred russel]

Me? My most daring trip was going to PA with the car's GPS broken and the car radio stuck on a 80s station.

The horror   

Outside of work, my most daring trip was from Abu Simbel to Cairo by bus (Abu Simbel to Aswan) and train (Aswan to Luxor, Luxor to Cairo.)  Crossing the street in Cairo was probably more dangerous than that journey; but the journey sounds more romantic.

That has always been a somewhat daring trip, but in 10 years when people forget that Egypt was once more stable, that will seem really daring.