fiatflux

i spent 80 days backpacking in idaho during the summer between freshman and sophomore year of college. what an incredible experience! the Sawtooth mountains are beautiful, pristine, serene – and to think i only went to idaho on a whim, having not really spent to much time thinking about it (rather, dismissing it as one of those quasi-midwestern states). Boise leaves much to be desired, but Ketchum/Sun Valley are great areas for local art/theatre – and they are right near Stanley and some of the best hiking in the US! Frank Church Wilderness, White Clouds, City of Rocks (in the SE desert) and the northern branch of the “river of no return wilderness” (near Elk City in northern Idaho) were the highlights of my trip.

Maine can be factory outlet hell (a la Kittery), tourist nightmare (Old Orchard Beach), backwoods and a little scary (Aroostock County), and amazingly serene (Mount Desert Island/ Acadia National Park) all at once!

My father lived in Bar Harbor for many years, and I remember going to Acadia nearly every summer since age 7. it’s a natural paradise for the hiker or fisherman, just avoid may and june – unless you like clouds of blackflies and mosquitos!

(i love denmark)—i’ve been there a total of 3 times, once for 2 weeks in 2000, again in 2001 for about a month, then i lived in Copenhagen for a year while studying at the University of Copenhagen. while certain commodities such as certain foods/ internet services etc. are VERY expensive compared to America, my advice is if you are on the cheap go to the little grocer’s stands (especially in Norrebro) and buy fruits/veggies or go to Netto :) there’s a lot to see and do in and around Copenhagen – while Danish is difficult to learn and especially to pronounce, almost everyone speaks some english (most younger people speak it fluently), so you should be able to find your way around with minimal hassle.

if anyone would like to know more details about living in Copenhagen as a foreigner, feel free to ask me.

We did a month-long backpacking/roadtrip of the South Island last year. I’m not sure many places could compare to the absolutely serene natural beauty of New Zealand! In addition, even though I’m an American, strangers in New Zealand were very friendly to me (unlike Australia) and there are GREAT hostels all over the south island!

Mt. Fyffe near Kaikoura is a beautiful hike, Picton and Marlborough Sounds are beautiful, Nelson is a little ugly by New Zealand standards but the people were lovely and it has a cool arts scene. The only places i didn’t particularly enjoy were Westport (creepy, dead, ugh) and Franz Josef Glacier (commercial tourist trap, even though the glacier itself is awesome).

Dunedin and Christchurch were also HEAPS of fun!

However, i suggest that if you would like to eat Mexican food, you DEFINATELY don’t do it in Christchurch – a most unpleasant experience.

poughkeepsie is the worst!

who doesn’t love yosemite?!

it can be overcrowded during school holidays and especially during summer, and people who go to the park and DRIVE through only getting out of their cars at scenic overlooks are really irritating, but if you are into hiking and backpacking, oh man – get out of the valley and up into the mountains & meadows—the waterfalls, wildflowers and fresh air are incredible

Santa Cruz is a great place! Of course there are the things to avoid such as the Boardwalk during summer months, but Pacific Ave is always fun to wander around (though many of the locally-owned businesses have sold up and more chain-realtors have moved in and a common grumble is that Pacific Ave is becoming more like Monterey and less like Santa Cruz) and there are beautiful redwood forests in nearby Felton and up on the UCSC campus. Drive for 20 minutes even, up the coast, and you will find deserted beaches perfect for relaxing. If you’re looking for vegan or vegetarian food, Saturn Cafe (while obnoxiously “scene”) has some good food. If you’re looking for a place to drink, i suggest the Avenue!