Your favorite memory from your traveling days!

darrenh

A different thread on here got me thinking about what was my favorite memory while traveling. I was away nearly 10 months so I have 300 or so, but what I'm looking for is your one (and only ONE please) favorite memory.

Mine would be the day we reached the Sun Gate over looking Machu Picchu. We had trekked for 4 days through some of the most beautiful mountain areas in the world reaching heights of 4200m. We got to the Sun Gate first and had the place to ourselves. The emotions looking down on Machu Picchu were incredible.

When we first said we'd go travelling we immediately picked the Inca Trail as one of the reasons to go. It was in fact our first reason. 18 months in the planning and here we were. We even got to see a proper sunrise over Machu Picchu, which most people dont as it is more of a sales pitch and myth than anything else. I was proud of the achievement of trekking for 4 days (even though it wasn't that hard) and actually completing something. The memory and feelings of climbing those last few steps before laying eyes on Machu Picchu will live with me for ever. :D:D

Memories only please. No comments. Just wanted to create a list of memories that can be read one after the other. If people start posting extra comments it will loose its idea as a list. I was thinking it could be a thread to inspire people to go traveling when they're unsure about whether they should go or not.

breadmonkey

Good idea!

Mine would be at the top of the Thorung La (5,416m) on the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. I think it took us 10 days of trekking to get here!

Civilian_Target

Mine? Of all the crazy places I've been, mine's really simple.

I was on a train in Poland and I met a traditional Iranian pipe musician. We got talking, and at the end of the journey, he invited me to his flat in Warsaw. There I met his beautiful Polish wife, who could speak English, Polish, Iranian and Irish! They cooked me fantastic traditional food, both Iranian and Polish.

Then we had a few drinks, he took down a violin for the wall, and the three of us jammed on the Iranian pipe, the fiddle and the djembe. And then I took a tin whistle out of my bag to give to him as a present. He played this traditional tune on it:

http://civiliantarget.net/files/tinwhistle.MP3

lil_lisa

Wow, now that's a story! I'll be back to you in about five years with an answer, hopefully by then I will have done something this interesting!

macca1983

"That Irish breakfast cost me more than my Thai hooker last night".

English chap i was traveling with said this to me after we got our bill for our breakfast up in Chiang Mai. Still makes me chuckle to this day.

dresstoimpress

Frazer island with a group of people from all over the world watching the stars and telling ghost stories, when a dingo came to join us. Mad!

preddy

While on Safari in Sabi Sabi south africa, just at dusk 5 full grown male lions lined up on a ridge 200m from us with a lightening storm behind them -awsome!

doriansmith

Spending a day on Rottnest Island off the coast of Perth. Turned up slightly hungover but the fresh air soon cured that. Cycled around the island without a care in the world with my best friend, checking out the gorgeous scenery, without a car on the road and feck all other tourists about

Aurora Borealis

I think the one that makes me laugh the most is having a load of park ranger type fellows chase me and a few friends around Machu Picchu blowing whistles and shouting as we had unwittingly ended up in a no-go area with loads and loads of Llama. I thought I might actually die from laughter.

Another great memory for me is missing a flight and being befriended by one of the guys in the left luggage area who took me on a tour of Lima, showing me all the sights and even taking me to his favourite restaurant for a feast of local cuisine. I've never been happier that I trusted my instincts and him. Would have lost out on a super cool day had I not.

Close encounters with pink dolphins and alligators also rank high from that trip.

mattieb

My favorite memory is always taking off from Dublin. It doesn't matter where i'm headed, but I know i'm getting off this feckin island, at least for a while!

tankbarry

My favorite memory is always taking off from Dublin. It doesn't matter where i'm headed, but I know i'm getting off this feckin island, at least for a while!

was thinking the same thing. I love being Irish and will never deny being Irish but god i really am starting to hate this country... I just want to go....

InKonspikuou2

To be honest it was probably riding all sorts of nationalities and races. I think i may only have eskimos left on my list.

darrenh

I think the thread should now be renamed 'your most honest traveling memory'! Although riding inspires me I was looking for something a bit more cultural!

Stain Boy

Getting scared ****less alone up a mountain in Wells Grey national park in British Columbia by large animal unknown. Started running and didn't stop for twenty minutes. When I did I laughed my ass off for an hour. I left so many cares and worries on the side of that mountain!

Cullen82

I have so many to be honest I could'nt pick one out but if I was to narrow it down it would be experiencing Africa and everything about it.

Have a travel video of the countries i went to on youtube (below), its something like "where the hell is matt" if anyones interested in seeing it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb_YOfiYelY

Cullen82

Actually just read one of the posts before me about machu pichu - I got thrown out of Machu Pichu for wearing an Elvis jumpsuit (they thought I was advertising apparently)....Was quite funny and I had to sneak back in before they pulled me aside on the way out! Theres a picture of me dressed as elvis in the video above