I know I don't post here often enough, but I truly do value your opinions and I wanted to post this message here as well in General Chatter, as I didn't know if you all look in there as well as here.
I mentioned a while back that I would be travelling to Hawaii in November with the chorus I joined. Well, after a lot of soul searching I have decided to withdraw from the chorus. It really isn't what I was looking for. I wanted somewhere I could sing with others and perhaps perform now and again, but this group is VERY good and they are working towards being world standard, and the rehearsals are simply not what I was expecting, or wanting. The last couple of times I just haven't enjoyed them and I couldn't work out the reason why, but last night I realised that it was a lot of really hard work, with every word and note and gesture being studied and corrected over and over again. For some people that is what they are looking for, but it took the enjoyment out of it for me.
Anyway... after all of that...
Neil and I are now planning a holiday for this Christmas break and are still looking at going to the US. We also contemplated Europe, but decided that maybe I would cope with parts of the US - temperature wise - better than Europe.
We are planning on being away for at least three weeks, from anywhere between about Dec 20th to Jan 20th. We know that these aren't great times for visiting parts of the northern hemisphere, but it is the only time we get holidays long enough to go overseas.
I would LOVE to experience a white Christmas, but don't know how to fit that in to our itinerary if we want to spend most of the time in the warmer parts of the area. We are currently looking at Hawaii (perhaps for a week) then across to the mainland to Las Vegas (missed it in our last trip) for a few days then perhaps across to Florida. We have NO idea what is in between that we should visit and we don't really know if there is enough in Florida for us to see in a week and a half.
Does anyone have any suggestions for us? Any information at all would be great. If I want a white Christmas I realise that I am going to have to go north, but I don't know how far north I would have to go to have a white Christmas guaranteed, or whether it couldn't really be guaranteed anywhere. Can you tell I am not well travelled at all?
In a few years time we will have Long Service Leave, where we get three months leave with pay, which is VERY nice. It will be my third one. You get one set after working ten years then another set every 7 years after that. We can take them however we want, so the last set I took as a few weeks' break, then the rest I took one day a week for a year so I got a long weekend EVERY weekend. When we get the next batch we will be looking at seeing more parts of the US and then hopefully going to Europe as well. But for the moment we have to put up with a winter holiday wherever we go.
Thank you for wading through all of this and thank you in advance for any info you can give us.
Zelma, It's so exciting you're coming to the US
We live in central Indiana, a bit out of your way from Las Vegas to
Florida. We cannot promise a White Christmas here. I wish we could cuz
I'd love to meet you.
It's so cool you get "Long Service Leave"
Is that a benefit from your employer or your goverment? It's just way too cool!
Let me know if you're anywhere near us. We're only 3 hours from Chicago.
Hugs
Sandy
Long Service Leave is a government initiative. I am pretty sure all employees get it. I work for the government, so I'm not really sure, but I think it is nation-wide.
I was thinking of Chicago for a white Christmas, but I didn't know how likely that would be. It would probably have to be close to a 95% possibility for it to be worth paying for the flights up there for the few days over Christmas. I would love to meet you as well! If not this time, then definitely next time.
Take care,
Zelma
Last edited by ZedAus; 03-20-2008 at 10:12 PM.
Reason: Spelling oops
I think Lake Tahoe gets snow. There are lots of ski areas that are a short hop from Vegas. You can find things to do in Florida for a week and half. I lived there a long time, and would recommend the Old Florida things. Coral Gables by Miami has the largest spring fed natural swimming pool. It's called Venetian Pool, and even has water falls. It's the only pool on the national historic registry. Ester Williams and her gang hung out there in the day. I'd also recommend that if you're going to be around Orlando, to go to Cypress Gardens, and Ocala National Forest. You can snorkel there in water so clear, you would think you're floating in air. Just watch out for the gator. I lived in St. Pete, and it is beautiful there, but can still have cold snaps in winter. The Dali museum is worth a trip, and Ft. Desoto Park was listed at the top of the best beaches in the US. The Sunken Gardens are also pretty interesting. The Holocaust Museum there has one of the only cattle cars outside of Europe.
Between Las Vegas and Florida is Colorado. The Rocky Mountains are spectacular, they're guaranteed to have snow, and it's heading in the right general direction for your trip. Towns like Aspen are picturesque. It would be very expensive, though. I'm sure there are other towns to go to as well. I haven't been there too many times to know details, but maybe others can chime in. I'll also look around on the internet and see what comes to mind as a good destination there.
Taho, as Catherine mentioned is also a great pick because it generally doesn't get too cold there, and it is pictureseque. It isn't on the way to Florida, but at the same time it would not be a long flight from Las Vegas.
Oh, another area not far from Las Vegas is Utah. Lots of pretty areas with snow there. Park City is one of the premier locations in Utah.
Tahoe definately gets snow...as does Mammoth in northern CA...which is great for skiing.
If you decide to stop in LA I'd love to see you!!!
Just know that the weather in the US can be unpredictable in the wintertime. Places that you would assume would get plenty of snow might not see anything substantial until January or February and a white Christmas could be a slushy day instead which is no fun. The mluntains are always a good bet...whether it's the Rockies, the Poconos, or even the Blue Ridge in North Carolina and thereabouts.
I don't think anyone can "Guarantee" a white Christmas but, the likelyhood in some areas are pretty certain. Tahoe is beautiful as some mentioned. I have to tell you that Coeur d' Alene Idaho has a beautiful resort hotel on the lake and we have had a white Christmas every year that we have lived here. Another beautiful area around here is Silver Valley. Kellogg, ID has the Silver Mountain Ski area and it is absolutly breath taking. You can look both of these up on line too. Kellogg has a new resort/spa/ indoor water park at the Silver Mountain. Coeur d' Alene is a very touristy spot right on the lake. Sandpoint, Id is another option around here. Many choices. I was born and raised in California and have been to Tahoe many, many times. It is very pretty there and there are lots of casinos if you like to gamble.
I hope wherever you go you have such a wonderful time.
Zelma - Sounds like a fantastic trip! I don't have any better suggestions on where to ensure a White Christmas unless you want to go WAY up north.
I do know however that Long Service Leave is a government wide initiative. The company I work for is Australian and they all get it - or are at least paid out for it if they can't take it. What a fabulous concept. I am so jealous!
Zelma: A trip to the states sounds excellent!! I am in arizona and we do get snow in Northern Arizona it usualy comes in Jan or late Feb. BUT I would say go to Colorado if you want a White Christmas. My hubby is from there and there was always snow somewhere. We almost moved there and I can tell you it is just beautiful! If you think about stopping Arizona let me know!!! Arizona has great weather in the winter. Even up north where it is mild.
Last edited by azcyn; 03-23-2008 at 11:26 AM.
Reason: dang typos
I think the ski resorts people have mentioned are probably your best best. I'm in Canada (southwestern Ontario) and we only have a white Christmas about 50% of the time. Cyn made an excellent suggestion, as Arizona and New Mexico are great places to visit in the winter. We've done that in the past.
Zelma, I lived at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon for a few years, and we got lots of snow there! Usually started in November and wouldn't completely melt until March, although there were certainly stretches of days when it wouldn't snow. So you couldn't guarantee a white Christmas. But it's certainly a beautiful place and a good chance of snow for Christmas.
Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions. I certainly have quite a bit to think about. My latest thoughts, after a bit of reading and some suggestions, is that maybe I should leave my white Christmas for a future trip when perhaps we have longer to allow for delays in case of bad weather. With only three weeks, if we get delayed at an airport for a day or so it could really throw off our plans. I know that there is no guarantee that we still won't be delayed, but I am thinking we could try to avoid it wherever possible. I have written down your suggestions for locations for a white Christmas and may still discuss them with the travel agent, but if we decide to forego the white Christmas this time then at least I will still have all of the suggestions for next time.
At the moment, we look as though we may be in Hawaii for Christmas, then Las Vegas for New Year or just before, then on to Florida, Georgia and South Carolina or thereabouts for a week and a half or a little more. We may be rushing it in those areas, so we're not sure yet what we'll see. We just love the history of the area that we have seen on TV and read about, so would like to get to see at least parts of it where possible. Any suggestions for those states? See... MORE questions!
Someone suggested yesterday that it may be better, cost-wise to get a 'round the world' ticket and perhaps fly home via Italy or Singapore. She said that southern Italy may be OK weather-wise and I know that Singapore is nice around Christmas as we've been before at that time. I wouldn't mind going to Singapore again and I would LOVE to visit Italy, but have a feeling that we would want more time at either place and will have to sort out the funds to see if that is possible.
Well, I think that is about all on the holiday front at the moment. We're seeing the travel agent tomorrow to have the flights changed. I am not sure what the costs of that will be, as I can't remember what insurance we had to cover that. We'll wait and see (with our fingers crossed) I suppose. It may be better if we are just 'changing' our flights, not totally cancelling them, but I may also be just wishful thinking with that concept.
Oh... and I would LOVE to meet anyone who lives in the general area where we are travelling. Last time we went to the US I didn't know about this site, but I had been frequenting a teachers' site and I met 3 lovely ladies from that site while I was in Seattle. It was a fantastic experience. We wouldn't be landing at your doorstep for accomodation or anything, as we will have already booked our hotels, but it would still be wonderful to meet for a chat.
Visiting the US in Winter
and I can tell you it is just beautiful! If you think about stopping Arizona let me know!!! Arizona has great weather in the winter. Even up north where it is mild.
