Free Travel. Where would you go?

[Half Squid]

I am here in Saudi Arabia. My company policy is after three consecutive months working in the field they fly you home for a week or anywhere else within the same flight mileage, or similar cost. This is at the cost of the company. I do not plan on going home as I really have no reason to go home. Plus my next job is in China and the travel time is 24 hours from home. I am already half way to China which make traveling a little easier for me.

So after a discussion with my boss I got him to agree to let me fly somewhere for a short vacation and the company will cover the cost of the flight and hotel up to five days. As long as it would be cheaper than the flight home.

I am trying to think of someplace interesting and fun between here and China (Honk Kong)


Option one:
Amsterdam - just slightly out of the way but close enough they would agree.

Other options are: I could hit Germany, Italy, France, Australia, Madagascar, Thailand.

I would love to see Egypt, but there are too many issues there, plus I am REALLY SICK of the desert....

Any where that you have been that you would recomend? Certain city or maybe an Island?

This is a great chance for a relatively cheap vacation for me and want to take full advantage of it!

Depending on where I fly home from I may stop somewhere else before home and take another short Vacation at the companies expence. Why not!

[butcher bergs]

Oh man....that's a good question!

I'd like to go back to South Korea. Lots of history, plenty of sights to see...

Poland would be another choice, as would Jordan.

If you're considering Australia, hit up New Zealand.

[mycirus]

Italy sounds fun.

[bigred875]

cool stuff man...i'd go to amsterdam

[Ericthejet]

I'd hit France for the food, drink, sights, cafes and the ladies.

[noxin]

I'd go with NZ or Australia. Fantastic sights and good riding

[KillBill]

Austria.....Switzerland

[Awesome]

I vote Australia. Italy sounds good too.

[stoinkythepig]

How far is Rio de Janiero? I've done a couple of long weekends there and it's truly awesome.

[markbvt]

I'm with KillBill. Austria. Vienna. Fantastic city.

--mark

[MissTwisties]

Oh....the food in Italy must be delicioso! And the architecture...I'd love to visit there. Australia and Thailand must have splendid nature scenery. I'd have a hard time choosing too if I were you. No matter where you go, I bet you will have a fantastic time!

[Doc]

Where is the next WSB round?

[Pittenger5]

One of the Mediterranean islands.

[RyanNicholson]

Where is the next WSB round?

Qatar, like 200 miles from saudi arabia haha

[ThisBitch]

New Zealand, hands down. Google 'The Magic Bus.' Its a bus that will let you tour NZ, picking you up and dropping you off as often as you want. You'll meet a ton of people and have a great time.

http://www.magicbus.co.nz/

[mikeb]

Amsterdam australia but a weeks not long enough.

[Half Squid]

Where is the next WSB round?

Funny you mentioned that I was checking out a Bike tour in Ireland for the NW200 Raod race tour. It's super cheap with a bike rental and 5 days of riding NW Ireland.

I will have to look at the dates and tours available in Qatar, maybe I can do a long weekend on my own to catch those races?

New Zealand, hands down. Google 'The Magic Bus.' Its a bus that will let you tour NZ, picking you up and dropping you off as often as you want. You'll meet a ton of people and have a great time.

http://www.magicbus.co.nz/

This I am going to look into more! Sounding like a real good choice! And Amsterdam is definately on my to do lists. If I end up returning to Saudi then I will make this my return stop for sure!

I also started looking into Africa Enduro tours and Europian Edelweiss tours but those are super costly and the trips range 8 to 12 days which I don't think I can get away with? I am sure I could sweet talk my way by my boss seeing I am doing him a HUGE favor managing field work far from home! Now If I can talk myself into dropping 4-5K on one of those trips than it would be an amaizing trip, but I just can't spend that kind of $ right now. My house needs as much of the $ that i am making right now as possible... It's hard being cheap when you know how much fun a trip like that would be. It's really a once in a lifetime opertunity for most if even that. But $5K.... Uhg... Nope.. not yet in my lifetime. I did one trip like that in 2003, but just should not do it again just yet....

[LuvDog]

Autralia or New Zealand.

I've been to Amsterdam and it's great... but you can really check that out in a long weekend.

[FireboltEric_MA]

I go to Iraq here and there and I hear ya, I would go where the tree's are green and the budz are sweeet!

where ever you go, enjoy yourself!

[breakdirt916]

are you single?

do you like women throwing themselves at you and massages?

I recommend Ko Samui (an island off southern Thailand)

[Cerberus]

if it were me, Australia or Italy

[DucDave]

Thailand...rent a little 4 stroke and ride up through the north...Golden Triangle...

[pointagrouse]

Pick a place you haven't seen yet. All of those places are nice, depending on what you're looking to do. Personally, my next trip is going back to Tuscany, renting a Duc, and riding in the hills for a week. Some friggin' awesome roads for riding. Best I've seen so far. Evenings filling with drinking wine and staring at the views.

[Slyder]

Pick a place you haven't seen yet. All of those places are nice, depending on what you're looking to do. Personally, my next trip is going back to Tuscany, renting a Duc, and riding in the hills for a week. Some friggin' awesome roads for riding. Best I've seen so far. Evenings filling with drinking wine and staring at the views.

There ya go, this fellow knows what he's talkin about
I looked into renting a Duc while in Germany and Italy. I also looked into renting a Ferrari. Uhm, needless to say, I didn't rent either or. But a Duc 749 rental for a day wasn't bad at all.

He also mentioned its about what you want to do. I tell ya, if I had a free trip for a week...Bavaria here I come. Castles, Bavarian food...and yes, beer really is cheaper than water in Germany. There's also the medieval town of Rothemburg...few hour train ride from Munchen...spared in WWII. Oldest building there is dated 1140 I believe. Lots of history.

I was also in Milan, but was only there for the F1 race in Monza. I'd love to go back to Italy but not to Milan. Tuscany, Venice, Rome...etc. Go to Maranello and take a tour of the Ferrari factory

[ThisBitch]

This I am going to look into more! Sounding like a real good choice! And Amsterdam is definately on my to do lists. If I end up returning to Saudi then I will make this my return stop for sure!

I also started looking into Africa Enduro tours and Europian Edelweiss tours but those are super costly and the trips range 8 to 12 days which I don't think I can get away with? I am sure I could sweet talk my way by my boss seeing I am doing him a HUGE favor managing field work far from home! Now If I can talk myself into dropping 4-5K on one of those trips than it would be an amaizing trip, but I just can't spend that kind of $ right now. My house needs as much of the $ that i am making right now as possible... It's hard being cheap when you know how much fun a trip like that would be. It's really a once in a lifetime opertunity for most if even that. But $5K.... Uhg... Nope.. not yet in my lifetime. I did one trip like that in 2003, but just should not do it again just yet....

I know from checking for myself that an 11 day trip was $1500, which includes the bus and hotels/hostels, so I imagine the 5 day trips are even less. The great thing about the bus is that it brings you to all the adventure things you want to do, ie: bungee jumping, sky diving, speed boats, etc. Its amazing.