docmarvy

It’s hard to deny that I’m a small town guy, but London signifies everything foreign yet familiar about travel. I guess it’s a little trite, but I’d love to see swinging London. As a Bonus, I was the 2000th person on 43places to want to go. A nice round number, don’t you think?

Hartington is filled with chill people who were alt-country before such a thing ever existed. Good people, great music, and many a night of drunken revelry at the Skylon Ballroom or heading to Fordyce to the Lazy D to enjoy kamikazes and whoever was rocking on the stage. Such fond memories.

This was the highlight of my most recent trip to Chicago. Shopped all day, had a lunch of meatballs and lingonberries, got out of there with a carload for less than $500. Just knowing this place exists with its design for everyone aesthetic and progressive policies puts my weary mind at ease. All the furniture snobs can bite me, IKEA is the real deal and I’m going back!

I only got to spend one day in the magic kingdom. So much more to see. Must return!

Legendary ticky-tacky tourist trap. I’ve longed to take in its politically incorrect splendor.

It’s everything you think it is. Oppulent, trashy, tourist trappey and totally bonkers. So many gold records, so much folklore of a rock legend. Splurge on the big tour package where you get to tour the planes as well. It’s worth it.

I love the idea of going that far on vacation but still being able to speak English. For some reason I picture it being a whole country of British Empire prisoner decendants chugging huge cans of beer and behaving like maniacs. Seems like a good place to cut loose and hug a koala.

I know what you’re thinking. Rednecks, Dollywood, and sloppy family-fun entertainment. And although that’s true, there’s also some very cool stuff going on there. My parents retired there and it’s really beautiful. The Smoky Mountains, the Cherokee reservation on the other side of the mountain, Newfound Gap. Lots of beautiful terrain and kitch galore. It’s a tourist trap of mind-boggling proportions. Think Branson on steroids and extacy run by Billy Bob from the old Showbiz Pizza Place anamatronic stage show.

This place is fun on a bun. I hope to go back someday.

What can I say? It’s not the most exciting place on earth, but it is my hometown. I’ve been to many worse places.